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Exercises

Strength training for women over 40: the lifts and a plan to follow

Published October 29, 2026

Strength training for women over 40 works best as three full-body sessions a week built on compound lifts: the goblet squat, leg press and reverse lunge for the legs, the trap bar deadlift, Romanian deadlift and hip thrust for the glutes and hamstrings, the dumbbell bench press and shoulder press for pushing, and the lat pulldown and cable row for the back. Do 3 sets of 6 to 12 reps on each, end most sets with 1 to 3 reps in reserve, and add weight whenever you hit the top of the range. That is heavier than most women expect, and it is what builds muscle in your 40s.

  1. Goblet Squat Quads, Glutes
  2. Trap Bar Deadlift Quads, Glutes
  3. Dumbbell Romanian Deadlift Hamstrings, Glutes
  4. Hip Thrust Glutes
  5. Flat Dumbbell Press Chest
  6. Lat Pulldown Lats
  7. Seated Cable Row Upper Back, Lats

Squats and lunges

The squat pattern builds the thighs and glutes and is what you load heaviest over time. Pair one two-leg squat with one single-leg move each week.

Thighs and glutes, front-loaded squat

Goblet Squat

Quads, Glutes

The goblet squat is the best way to learn the squat with real load, since the dumbbell at your chest keeps you upright. When you outgrow your heaviest dumbbell, that is the signal to add the leg press.

How to do it

  1. Hold a dumbbell or kettlebell vertically against your chest.
  2. Sit down between your knees, elbows inside them at the bottom.
  3. Stand up tall.

Cues

  • Elbows nudge the knees out at the bottom.
  • Chest stays up behind the weight.

Common mistakes

  • Letting the weight pull you forward.

Swap for: Bodyweight Squat, Barbell Back Squat

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Thighs and glutes, machine squat

Leg Press

Quads, Glutes

The leg press lets you push your legs harder than a squat without balance or back strength limiting the set. It is the main heavy leg lift in the upper/lower plan.

How to do it

  1. Sit in the machine with your whole back against the pad and your feet hip-width on the platform.
  2. Release the safety handles and bend your knees, bringing the platform toward you under control.
  3. Lower until your knees are bent to about 90 degrees or a little deeper, without your lower back curling off the pad.
  4. Press the platform away until your legs are nearly straight, and repeat.

Cues

  • Lower back stays on the pad
  • Whole foot pushes
  • Stop just short of locking out

Common mistakes

  • Going so deep that your hips roll up off the seat: stop where your back stays flat.
  • Snapping the knees straight at the top: keep a soft bend.

Swap for: 45-Degree Leg Press, Hack Squat, Barbell Back Squat

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Thighs and glutes, single leg

Dumbbell Reverse Lunge

Quads, Glutes

Stepping back with dumbbells trains each leg alone and the glute of the front leg hard. Single-leg work also shows and fixes side-to-side differences.

How to do it

  1. Start tall with a dumbbell hanging from each hand and your feet under your hips.
  2. Step one foot back and lower until your back knee is just above the floor and your front thigh is near parallel.
  3. Keep your front heel flat and your chest tall.
  4. Push through your front foot to bring the back foot forward to the start, then alternate or finish all reps on one side.

Cues

  • Front shin stays vertical
  • Back knee kisses the floor
  • Drive through the front heel

Common mistakes

  • Taking a short step so the front knee shoots forward and the heel lifts: step farther back.
  • Letting the torso twist or lean to the side as you tire; keep both dumbbells hanging straight down.

Swap for: Reverse Lunge, Bulgarian Split Squat, Step-Up

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Deadlifts and glute work

Hinging trains the whole back of the body: glutes, hamstrings and the muscles along the spine. The trap bar makes heavy deadlifts approachable, and the hip thrust loads the glutes directly.

Glutes, hamstrings and back, deadlift

Trap Bar Deadlift

Quads, Glutes

Standing inside the bar keeps the weight centered over your feet, so you can lift heavy with a more upright back than a straight-bar deadlift. It is usually the lift you end up loading heaviest.

How to do it

  1. Step inside the trap bar with the handles beside your feet.
  2. Push your hips back, bend your knees, and grip the handles.
  3. Flatten your back, take the slack out, and stand up by pushing the floor away.
  4. Lower under control. Each warm-up set adds weight toward your working sets.

Cues

  • Push the floor away
  • Flat back
  • Slack out before you pull

Common mistakes

  • Yanking the bar off the floor: pull the slack out first.
  • Rounding the back as the weight climbs: hold the ramp until the setup is solid.

Swap for: Barbell Deadlift, Romanian Deadlift, Kettlebell Deadlift

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Hamstrings and glutes, hinge

Dumbbell Romanian Deadlift

Hamstrings, Glutes

Lowering dumbbells along your legs with soft knees stretches the hamstrings under load, which builds them well with moderate weights. It also teaches the hip hinge for every lift from the floor.

How to do it

  1. Stand hip-width apart with a dumbbell in each hand resting against the front of your thighs, palms facing you.
  2. Push your hips straight back and let your torso fold forward, knees softly bent, the dumbbells brushing your legs.
  3. Lower until the dumbbells pass your knees and you feel a strong stretch in your hamstrings, with your back still flat.
  4. Drive your hips forward to stand back up, squeezing your glutes at the top, and repeat.

Cues

  • Hips back, not down
  • Dumbbells slide down your legs
  • Flat back, chin tucked

Common mistakes

  • Bending the knees into a squat so the dumbbells go lower: the depth comes from the hips, and most people stop just past the knees.
  • Rounding the lower back at the bottom: end the rep where your back stays flat, and lighten the load if that is high.

Swap for: Single-Leg RDL, Dumbbell Good Morning, Kettlebell Deadlift

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Glutes, hip thrust

Hip Thrust

Glutes

With your upper back on a bench and a barbell across your hips, the hip thrust loads the glutes more directly than any squat or deadlift. Pad the bar and start with the bar alone.

How to do it

  1. Sit with your shoulder blades against the long side of a flat bench and roll a padded bar over your hips.
  2. Plant your feet flat about hip width apart, close enough that your shins are vertical at the top.
  3. Drive through your heels and lift your hips until your torso and thighs form a straight line.
  4. Hold the top for a second with your chin tucked, then lower your hips most of the way down and repeat.

Cues

  • Chin tucked, ribs down
  • Shins vertical at the top
  • One-second squeeze

Common mistakes

  • Arching your lower back to get higher: stop when your hips are level with your knees and squeeze your glutes there.
  • Feet too far out, which turns it into a hamstring exercise: bring them in until your shins are vertical at lockout.

Swap for: Dumbbell Hip Thrust, Dumbbell Glute Bridge, Smith Machine Hip Thrust

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Pressing for the chest, shoulders and arms

Two presses, one flat and one overhead, cover the chest, shoulders and triceps. With dumbbells, each arm carries its own load and the shoulders move freely.

Chest, shoulders and triceps, press

Flat Dumbbell Press

Chest

The dumbbell bench press builds the chest and triceps and lets each arm find a comfortable path. It is the main upper-body push in every plan here.

How to do it

  1. Lying on a flat bench, hold two dumbbells above your chest.
  2. Lower the bells to the sides of your chest with elbows at about 45 degrees.
  3. Press them back up over your shoulders.

Cues

  • Shoulder blades pinched.
  • Control the lowering.

Common mistakes

  • Flaring the elbows straight out.

Swap for: Push-Up, Barbell Bench Press

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Shoulders and triceps, overhead

Dumbbell Shoulder Press

Shoulders

Pressing dumbbells overhead from a seat builds the shoulders and keeps overhead strength as you age. The bench backrest keeps the lower back out of it.

How to do it

  1. Set a bench upright or one notch back from vertical, sit with your feet flat, and rest a dumbbell on each thigh.
  2. Kick one knee up at a time to bring the dumbbells to shoulder height, then set your back against the pad.
  3. Turn your elbows slightly forward so they sit a little in front of your torso, palms facing forward or angled in.
  4. Drive both weights overhead on a slight inward arc until your elbows are straight, keeping your ribs down and your back on the pad.
  5. Lower slowly until the dumbbells are around ear height or a bit below, then press again.

Cues

  • Ribs down, back on the pad
  • Elbows a little forward
  • Press up and slightly in

Common mistakes

  • Arching your lower back off the pad to finish reps: that turns it into an incline press, so lighten the weight and keep your ribs stacked over your hips.
  • Flaring the elbows straight out at shoulder height: bring them a little forward so the shoulder joint stays comfortable at the bottom.
  • Stopping each rep well above your ears: lower to around ear height so the delts work through a full range.

Swap for: Machine Shoulder Press, Neutral-Grip Dumbbell Shoulder Press, Landmine Press

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Pulling for the back

A vertical pull and a horizontal row build the back and help posture. Do at least as many pulling sets as pressing sets.

Back and biceps, vertical pull

Lat Pulldown

Lats

The pulldown builds the wide back muscles and is the stepping stone to a first pull-up. Use a full stretch at the top of each rep.

How to do it

  1. Set the thigh pad so your legs are locked under it, then stand up and take the bar a little wider than your shoulders, palms forward.
  2. Sit down with your arms fully stretched overhead and lean back only slightly.
  3. Pull the bar to your upper chest by driving your elbows down toward your hips.
  4. Let the bar rise until your arms are straight and your shoulders lift toward your ears, then pull again.

Cues

  • Elbows to your back pockets
  • Bar to the top of the chest
  • Let the stack lift you at the top

Common mistakes

  • Leaning far back and rowing the bar to your stomach: stay nearly upright so it remains a vertical pull.
  • Stopping with the arms still bent at the top: the stretch overhead is half of what makes the pulldown work.

Swap for: Assisted Pull-Up, Pull-Up, Single-Arm Lat Pulldown

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Upper back, horizontal row

Seated Cable Row

Upper Back, Lats

The cable row trains the muscles between the shoulder blades that pull the shoulders back. Pause with the handle at your stomach on each rep.

How to do it

  1. Sit at the cable row with your feet on the platform and knees slightly bent, holding a close-grip handle with your arms straight.
  2. Sit tall with your chest up and let the cable pull your shoulder blades forward a little.
  3. Row the handle to your lower ribs, driving your elbows back past your torso.
  4. Return it under control until your arms are straight and your shoulders reach forward, then repeat.

Cues

  • Sit tall, no rocking
  • Handle to the belly button
  • Shoulders reach at the front

Common mistakes

  • Rocking back and forth to move the stack: your torso should stay close to upright throughout.
  • Shrugging the handle up toward your neck: pull your shoulders down before the elbows bend.

Swap for: Chest-Supported Row, Single-Arm Cable Row, Barbell Row

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Carries and core

A heavy carry and one controlled core exercise finish the week. The big lifts train your trunk too, so this stays short.

Grip, core and traps, carry

Farmer's Walk

Forearms, Traps, Shoulders

Heavy carries build grip and trunk strength with almost no technique to learn. Use the heaviest dumbbells you can walk with tall for 30 seconds.

How to do it

  1. Pick up two heavy dumbbells with your back flat.
  2. Stand tall with your ribs down and walk with short, quick steps.
  3. Set the weights down with a flat back when the time or distance is up.

Cues

  • Ribs down
  • Crush the handles
  • Quick steps

Common mistakes

  • Letting the shoulders round forward.
  • Walking so slowly the dumbbells start to swing.

Swap for: Dumbbell Suitcase Carry, Dumbbell Single-Arm Overhead Carry

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Deep abs, anti-extension

Dead Bug

Abs

The dead bug trains your abs to keep the lower back still under your arms and legs, the same job they do in a heavy squat or deadlift.

How to do it

  1. Lie face up, arms pointing up and knees bent at right angles over your hips.
  2. Press your lower back into the floor.
  3. Reach one arm overhead and the opposite leg out long, both hovering above the floor.
  4. Bring them back and repeat with the other pair.

Cues

  • Back glued down
  • Breathe out as you reach
  • Opposite arm and leg

Common mistakes

  • Letting the back arch when the leg goes long: reach less far.
  • Going fast: each rep should take about three seconds.

Swap for: Plank, Alternating Leg Raise

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Put them together: example sessions

Each session below picks from the exercises above for one situation, with the sets, reps, rest and RIR filled in.

Session 1

New to lifting: three full-body gym days

Open in the session builder
  • Workouts3× a week
  • Working sets42 a week
  • Per workout~40 min
  • EquipmentDumbbells, Flat Bench, Cable Row, Trap Bar +1

You have never lifted seriously, or it has been years, and you can get to a gym three times a week for about 50 minutes.

Full-body sessions three times a week hit each muscle every two or three days, which suits beginners who recover fast and learn the lifts by repetition. Each session has 14 working sets. Over a week that is about 18 sets for the legs and glutes, 9 for the back and 9 for pressing, split between the chest and shoulders.

A: Squat and press
ExerciseSets × repsRIRRest
Goblet Squat2 warm-up sets first 3 × 8–12 2 2 min
Flat Dumbbell Press1 warm-up set first 3 × 8–12 2 2 min
Seated Cable Row 3 × 10–12 2 90 s
Dumbbell Romanian Deadlift 3 × 8–12 2 90 s
Dead BugPer side. 2 × 6–10 2 1 min

Open A: Squat and press in the session builder

B: Deadlift and pull
ExerciseSets × repsRIRRest
Trap Bar Deadlift2 warm-up sets first 3 × 6–8 2 2:30 min
Dumbbell Shoulder Press 3 × 8–12 2 90 s
Lat Pulldown 3 × 8–12 2 90 s
Dumbbell Reverse LungePer leg. 3 × 8–10 2 90 s
Farmer's WalkSeconds of walking. 2 × 30–40 2 90 s

Open B: Deadlift and pull in the session builder

How to run it
Train three days with a rest day after each, starting the week with whichever session you did not open with last week.
How to progress
Stay at a weight until every set reaches the top of the rep range at the target reps in reserve, then add 5 pounds to the deadlift and squat or move up one dumbbell. Expect to add weight most weeks for the first few months.
Open in the session builder

Session 2

Already lifting: four days, upper and lower

Open in the session builder
  • Workouts4× a week
  • Working sets50 a week
  • Per workout~35 min
  • EquipmentTrap Bar, Leg Press, Barbells, Flat Bench +3

You have lifted for six months or more, the full-body plan has stopped moving, and you can train four days a week.

Splitting upper and lower body lets each session give more sets to fewer muscles: about 22 weekly sets across the glutes and thighs and 12 for the back, with heavier main lifts at 1 to 2 reps in reserve. Each session takes about 55 minutes.

Lower
ExerciseSets × repsRIRRest
Trap Bar Deadlift2 warm-up sets first 3 × 5–8 2 3 min
Leg Press 3 × 8–12 1 2 min
Hip Thrust1 warm-up set first 3 × 8–12 1 2 min
Dumbbell Reverse LungePer leg. 2 × 8–12 2 90 s
Dead BugPer side. 2 × 8–10 2 1 min

Open Lower in the session builder

Upper
ExerciseSets × repsRIRRest
Flat Dumbbell Press1 warm-up set first 3 × 6–10 1 2 min
Lat Pulldown 3 × 8–12 1 90 s
Dumbbell Shoulder Press 3 × 8–12 2 90 s
Seated Cable Row 3 × 10–12 1 90 s

Open Upper in the session builder

How to run it
The week runs Lower, Upper, a rest day, Lower, Upper, and two days off. Run each routine twice a week.
How to progress
Every lift follows double progression. On the trap bar and hip thrust, add 5 to 10 pounds when all sets reach the top of the range at 1 to 2 reps in reserve. Take an easier week at half the sets every 6 to 8 weeks.
Open in the session builder

Session 3

Busy weeks: two 45-minute sessions

Open in the session builder
  • Workouts2× a week
  • Working sets32 a week
  • Per workout~30 min
  • EquipmentDumbbells, Lat Pulldown, Flat Bench, Barbells

Work, kids or caring for parents leaves you two gym slots a week, and you want the most return from each.

Two full-body sessions with supersets fit 16 sets into 45 minutes and give the back and chest 6 hard sets each a week and the legs and glutes 16. That is less than three days but enough to keep getting stronger at 1 to 2 reps in reserve.

Full body in 45 minutes
ExerciseSets × repsRIRRest
A1 Goblet Squat2 warm-up sets first 3 × 8–12 2 1 min
A2 Lat Pulldown 3 × 8–12 2 90 s
B1 Dumbbell Romanian Deadlift 3 × 8–12 2 1 min
B2 Flat Dumbbell Press 3 × 8–12 2 90 s
Hip Thrust 2 × 10–12 2 90 s
Farmer's WalkSeconds of walking. 2 × 30–40 2 1 min
How to run it
Do the same session twice a week, at least two days apart. Rest only after the second exercise of each superset.
How to progress
Add load when the top of the rep range comes at the target reps in reserve. If a week gets cut to one session, do that one and keep the plan going.
Open in the session builder

Make it fit you

Questions

How often should a 40 year old woman strength train?

Three times a week suits most women over 40, with two as a solid minimum. Four days on an upper and lower split suits women who have been lifting for a while.

How heavy should a woman over 40 lift?

Heavy enough that the last 1 to 3 reps of each set are hard. If you could do five more, the weight is too light. For most women that is far heavier than the 3 to 5 pound dumbbells often suggested.

Can I lift weights with fibromyalgia?

Many people with fibromyalgia lift. Start with fewer sets, lighter weights at 3 or 4 reps in reserve, and short sessions, and add work only when the next day feels no worse than usual.

Is it too late to start strength training at 40?

No. Women who start in their 40s gain strength and muscle quickly in the first year. The plans here are written for exactly that starting point.

What is the 3-3-3 rule for workouts?

Online it most often means three exercises for three sets, three days a week. It is a fine minimum, but five or six lifts per session, as in the plans above, covers the whole body better.