After last week’s complete guide to strength training in midlife, my inbox lit up.

Grip strength.

Starting weights.

Body Pump.

Pilates.

Rest periods.

Pull-ups.

Protein.

“Do women really need different training to men?”

So this week, I’m answering your most asked questions - giving you the honest truth about what actually matters when you want to get stronger in midlife.

If you haven’t listened to Part 1 on last week's podcast yet, I’d recommend starting there for the foundations. This episode builds on it.

Inside this episode, we cover:

1. Why grip strength matters far beyond opening jars (and how to improve it)
2. How to choose a starting weight without second-guessing yourself
3. The truth about Body Pump and muscle growth
4. Where Pilates fits in alongside strength training
5. What “strength and conditioning” actually means
6. How long you really need to rest between sets
7. Whether supersets are clever… or compromising your gains
8. Why pull-ups are particularly challenging for women (and how to train towards them)
9. Protein vs resistance training: which actually builds muscle?
10. Do women need different strength programmes, or is it all marketing?

If you’re a midlife woman who wants to get properly strong without overtraining, second-guessing or wasting time, this one’s for you.

As always, if you have questions, send them over on Instagram. I love hearing what’s landing and what you want me to unpack next.

Links & Resources

1. Follow me on Instagram and drop me a DM. I'm @carlycorrigall
2. Explore Train with Carly classes here https://www.clcfitness.co.uk

If you enjoyed this episode, please take a moment to follow, rate or review the podcast. It helps more midlife women find evidence-based, empowering fitness information without the noise.