Strength training and menopause all over the internet. Everyone is giving out advice. Explaining. Before you click and listen to the latest influencer. Here is what you should know.
No one is discussing that the average woman cannot be on a diet (calorie deficit) and gain muscle. No one is talking about continued dieting being a stressor and halting muscle gain. Let’s address a muscle gaining diet later and focus on what to do in the gym/pilates studio/at home.
The Science:
Grgic et al. (2020, meta‑analysis)
Reviewed multiple studies categorizing rep ranges: < 8 reps, 9–15, and > 15. Found no significant differences in hypertrophy (gaining muscle) across rep ranges when sets taken to failure; however, lower-rep groups gained more strength).
Lasevicius et al. (2022)
Demonstrated that achieving muscular failure drives hypertrophy in low-load training, but not necessarily more when using high loads
Schoenfeld et al. (2015)
Compared 3 sets of 8–12 reps vs. 25–35 reps per set, training to failure across 7 exercises over 8 weeks in resistance-trained men. Both protocols resulted in similar increases in muscle thickness (biceps, triceps, quads). High‑rep group had comparable hypertrophy but lesser strength gains
Lighter weights work according to the studies. (Remember we are assuming everyone understands when you are doing 15 repetitions you could only do 1-2 more repetitions and would need to rest to do more. You can build muscle anywhere between 5 and 30 reps but when the goal is building strength and muscle while managing recovery, the lower end wins, especially for midlife women. The important part is stress on the body and your body’s ability to recovery.
The stimulating repetition model is clear:
It’s the final 5 reps to failure in any set that generate enough hard tension on a muscle to trigger muscle growth and change.
Set of 8? It’s the last 5 that count.
Set of 18? Still just the last 5.
Set of 30? Still the last 5.
So the question becomes…
Why do 18 reps when you could do 8 for the same stimulus – at a lower recovery cost? This classical pilates system is brilliant here if you choose the right spring (resistance) and use the right apparatus to assist you in maintaining form. Rarely in classical pilates do you do a lot of repetitions as precision/control are lost. A side note you do have to select the correct spring and often be coached to the right body position to ensure the resistance/load is correct in pilates. This is also true in the gym with dumbbells and barbells.
Let’s break it down.
Higher-rep sets:
– Require more non-stimulating reps to reach failure → more time, more unnecessary reps.
– Create more overall fatigue your body has to recover from
– Potentially cause more muscle damage
– Can take a bigger toll on your nervous system, which also impacts recovery
– In classical pilates high reps are used sparingly. It is part of why you feel so great after your workout. You don’t have to kill yourself at the gym!
Lower-rep, high-effort sets (5–10 reps, with 1-2 reps still available in reserve) :
– Deliver the same muscle-building stimulus
– Minimize unnecessary fatigue
– Respect hormonal recovery limits
– Help you train hard more often without burning out
It is your teachers job alongside good feedback from you and your body to find THIS each workout!
And for most midlife women, recovery, not effort, is the bottleneck. Midlife physiology shifts:
• ↓ Progesterone, Estrogen, Testotrone = less stress buffering
• ↓ Stress management capacity = lower training tolerance
• ↓ Nervous system resilience = workouts take more out of you
• ↑ Sensitivity to fatigue = sloppy training decisions cost more
That means recovery capacity has to guide your training strategy if you want maximum results from your gym time. The classical pilates system has this built in!
Important nuance!
Not all midlife women have poor recovery. Some are resilient and benefit from strategic rep range variety.
But when stress is high, energy is low, a history of always being on a diet and sleep are inconsistent?
More logic:
Fewer reps = Less fatigue = Better recovery = Higher workout quality. In pilates we call this precision/control aka the hard part
Lower fatigue = Less interference with sleep, hunger, mood, digestion, etc.
So yes, muscle can be built across many rep ranges.
But if the goal is building strength, muscle and metabolic health without crushing recovery?
The lower-rep zone is very often the most intelligent place to train. Just don’t forget you need those reps to be challenging!
