How to Cure Feeling Old from Menopause

There is ONE thing that women in menopause can do to cure the feeling of “getting old” as a result of this change in life.

Hey, I just don’t know how a woman can feel old due to menopause when she can step into a gym and deadlift 225 pounds for reps.

Now — that amount of weight may seem as far from you as the moon is, but I can say the same thing about deadlifting 135 pounds:

How can menopause make a woman who can deadlift 135 feel old?

The deadlift is one of the most effective strength training moves, regardless of one’s goal.

It’s fantastic for fat loss, shrinking the stomach, toning the legs and arms, strengthening the back, curing certain kinds of back pain, improving overall neuromuscular function and so much more.

 

So how does this relate to feeling old from menopause?

The thing about this multi-joint or compound exercise is that it enables you to lift a LOT of weight as you progress over time.

Not only that, but it does NOT require balancing or other movements that can put a self-conscious woman on edge — such as trying to steady oneself on a balance board or coordinate pushing dumbbells overhead while stepping onto a bench and sticking out the other leg.

The deadlift is as basic as can be. ANYONE CAN DO IT — barring those with spinal structural problems (ask your doctor about the deadlift if you’ve been diagnosed with spinal stenosis or some other vertebral issue).

It’s not like the pushup, in which women struggle and become discouraged, or the pull-up, where women rely on spotters to help them up and then feel defeated.

ANY WOMAN CAN DEADLIFT

But don’t let the simplicity of this exercise fool you. It’s one of the most effective exercises for crushing calories, improving fitness, strengthening the back and knees and improving the ability to do other exercises.

Because the deadlift involves simply that of picking a barbell off the floor and then straightening, then lowering it with control, the potential to pick up impressive amounts of weight is very real — even if menopause has you feeling downtrodden and “old.”

The ability to pick something very heavy off the floor simply contradicts that of feeling old — even if you’re suffering from other symptoms of menopause such as thinning hair, hot flashes and fat gain.

There’s just something magical about knowing you can hoist heavy objects off the floor that makes you feel YOUNG and VIBRANT, not old and haggard.

Deadlifting heavy amounts of weight has the startling ability to carry over to everyday tasks of daily living.

• Picking up and carrying babies, even heavier preschoolers, will no longer be tiring.
• Housework and yardwork will be a breeze.
• Helping someone move will no longer make you ache the next day. Nor will shoveling snow.

The best cure for feeling old from menopause is to become proficient with the deadlift.

Start out with a light bar and do not get discouraged if your wrists, forearms, legs or low back ache the next day.

Should you use gloves?

Don’t use gloves; they’ll cheat you of developing maximal grip strength. They’re a crutch and won’t allow your hands and forearms to achieve optimal strength for real-life situations.

MASTER CORRECT FORM FIRST.

There are different ways to deadlift—too much information to go into for this article — but the bottom line is that you will find out what style works best for you.

However, it’s a universal phenomenon that the “mixed grip” makes handling the barbell more efficient for anybody, so you’ll want to get used to that:

One hand is an overhand grip, and the other is an underhand.

I’ll say it again: It’s impossible to feel old when you know you can lift heavy things off the floor.

Lorra Garrick is a former personal trainer certified through the American Council on Exercise. At Bally Total Fitness she trained women and men of all ages for fat loss, muscle building, fitness and improved health.