If you are an active woman I recommend reading Roar by Stacy Sims PhD. Too many sports science studies rely and data collected from men and as uncool as it is to say in this day and age, men and women are not the same. We have differing physiologies and science needs to stop treating women like smaller versions of men. There are many considerations female athletes should make to optimize their health and fitness. And one of them is training through menopause because face it, for the majority of our Empower members if you’re not already there, you will soon be. That’s just our demographic.
So here are some key considerations regarding menopause and exercise taken directly from Roar:
1. You will have less tolerance for temperature fluctuations and will feel more greatly affected by heat. Part of this is that you will sweat later in activity. Hydrating well before and after exercise can help manage this.
2. You will become more sensitive to carbs and will be subject to greater blood sugar swings. The way you used to eat won’t work as well for you now, you will do better to reduce your daily carb intake.
3. Your body will become less effective in utilizing protein meaning you will need to eat more protein. Soy will not be an effective alternative because it does not contain the leucine required by postmenopausal women to promote protein synthesis.
4. The speed and strength of your muscular contractions will decrease with age so to maintain fitness your focus needs to shift from endurance training to power production. Think short, explosive workouts.
While all this sounds very unfair it should be noted that with the exception of the thermoregulation challenges women experience post menopause, men’s bodies also change as they age in much the same way as women’s. But for men the shift is less dramatic and less noticeable as it tends to play out over a longer time frame. Men should take note of items 2 through 4 and watch out for the subtle signs of aging lest they creep up and catch you unaware!
Saturday WOD
We can accommodate 9 group class members with barbells in the gym for Saturday’s workout and one or two more if you are willing to substitute a dumbbell for a barbell. We will be running, please dress for the weather!
Equipment: PVC Pipe, Barbell
Warm Up
1 min Cross Crawls
1 min OHS
1 min Cross Crawls
1 min SDHP
Tech
Running route
Overhead Squat
Sumo Deadlift High Pull
WOD
5 Rounds:
800m Run
25 OHS
25 SDHP
Cool Down
Calf Stretch
Quad Stretch
Piriformis Stretch
Hamstring Stretch