This post is a response to a question women ask about "How many  times a week should you strength train?" It also aims to clarify confusion about how to progress and mistakes most commonly made by both trainers and exercisers.

This episode is sponsored by the Flipping 50 Fitness Specialist 2.0. The 12-month program includes an 8 week course on hormone balancing exercise and a 10-month coaching program for health coaches and personal trainers who want and need to grow their brand and know now is the time. Learn more. 

Two steps to increasing lean muscle

1. adequate stimulus
2. adequate recover 

-rest

-sleep

-nutrition 

Your recovery is influenced by 3 things:

• genetics
• training status 
• age

Ways you can enhance recover: 

light intensity movement, foam rolling, stretching, yoga, water exercise/swimming, epsom salt baths

Nutrition recovery includes:

alkalinity, adequate high quality protein and overall calories, hydration, optimal timing, even distribution, adequate micronutrient sufficiency

The most forgotten component of fitness - and I wrote about this in my book, You Still Got It, Girl! - is rest & recovery. Most women in midlife walk a narrow road without wiggle room when it comes to fatigue and stress. 

Making exercise a part of that stress is unnecessary. It then has a negative impact on fatigue. 

Questions I answer in this episode:

• How many times a week should you strength train if you're a beginner? 
• How many times a week should you strength train if you're more advanced? 
• What about 30 day challenges for squats, pull ups, etc?
• Why isn't more better? 

Signs you're not recovered:

• soreness
• achy joints
• fatigue/tiredness
• increased cravings & appetite
• lack of muscle tissue for the effort you're putting in
• excess fat or water retention 
• moodiness, lethargy
• flat workouts

Resources mentioned in this episode:

Stronger 

Flipping 50 membership 

Flipping 50 Fitness Specialist 2.0

Show notes:

flippingfifty-dot-com/how-many-times