07/30/2026
Most of the strength training graphics you have seen are quoting numbers that do not exist.
So we rebuilt one. Every claim on here has a study behind it. The ones that did not survive a fact check got cut.
What actually holds up for women over 40:
Heavy lifting twice a week put 2.9% back on spine bone density in eight months. The control group lost 1.2%.
Adding resistance work to balance training drops the rate of falls by up to 34%.
10 to 17% lower risk of early death, heart disease, cancer and diabetes. Independent of cardio.
A real reduction in depressive symptoms, pooled across 33 randomized trials.
And one we corrected on purpose: muscle does not burn 50 calories per kg at rest. It burns about 13. Build it for your bones, your strength and your blood sugar. The metabolism part is a bonus, not the reason.
The dose is two sessions a week. Thirty minutes. Heavy enough to matter.
That is the whole ask.
We coach this every day in St. Vital. If you are 40 plus and you have been circling strength training for a year without starting, send us a message. We will put you in front of a bar and show you what your body can still do.
