25 Min Full Body Heavy Weight Training for Improved Body Composition During Menopause
Hey everyone, my name is Renee. I’m Maeve. Today we will be hitting a quick progressive weight training workout. The goal is to focus on lifting heavier, to help build muscle, to combat estrogen loss, and to help burn fat. Lifting heavier can help to improve blood glucose and improve lean mass. This can also help with visceral fat during this stage of life. During this workout today we’ll prioritize strength and lower body. Grab onto your light ankle weights, heavy weights, and of course, a moderate weight option. We always want you to be able to scale up or down according to what you need today. This workout will also be formatted as a repeating block to ensure progressions and exhaustion of our muscles. Of course, if you need to modify, you can look to Maeve. Ready to go? Let’s do it. Let’s do it. Walk to the back of your mat. Let’s just get started feeling grounded on the floor.
Your knees can bend, making sure that they’re not locking, just breathe. Let’s roll our shoulders up and down our backs. Keeping that going, I just want you to notice anything that may feel tight, really releasing it. You can take this at your tempo. We’re going to go for a couple more, really sweeping the shoulders up towards your ears, maybe the elbows can start to lift. On this last one, you’re going to pick your arms up. Let’s go into a forward fold. Reaching the crown of your head forward, soft bend those knees. You’re going to walk your hands out into a plank. Hold it, feel everything squeeze, and then you’re going to walk it back. My legs are going straight, Maeve has a small bend of her knees rolling it up, arms up, forward fold.
Try to relax your toes, really feeling grounded, coming forward, squeezing, and walking back. I’m just going to keep rolling up through the spine. We’re not going for speed today. We’re going for strength. I want you to make sure that you’re releasing any tension in your toes, and any tension in your fingertips for now because we will be using grip strength a little bit later, very soon, up and down.
Letting the chest lead there, walking it forward. Feeling that plank hold and then walking it back. We have one more enjoy this roll-up, arms up. Take that forward fold and walk it out. Let’s just hold this plate quick. Feeling your chest between your thumbs, feeling your abs scoop up, squeezing your glutes if you can, you can stretch your legs. But if you need to modify, definitely bend hold four counts, three, two, and one, and start to walk that back. Again, rolling up through your spine, me that’s at the very top, shows up, and then down your back here we go grab onto your light ankle weights. Let’s put those gears on right away. Again, we’re going for strength today. No speed. I am going to get started with a heavier-weight option. You’re going to grab onto two dumbbells and we’re going to get this started.
Again, Maeve is always going to give you your modifications. I’m taking twelves, Maeve is going to take some tens, and we’re going to go for it. Start with your feet, a little bit wider than your hips. If you do need to turn out your toes, you definitely can. We’re going to bring our weights to our shoulders if you’re with me, wait, stay down by your side if you’re with Maeve.
Bring your butt down into this squat and then pick it up, and take it down. Now I want you to think your weight is back in your heels. Now seeing more of a deadlift versus letting your knees go too far forward and picking it up. Exerting this energy at the top, nice and slow down, and nice and slow up. Keep that going down. If you’re with me, notice your arms are in a contraction, those biceps are squeezing. If you’re with Maeve, be very aware of your chest, opening it up, and letting the collarbones lengthen from side to side.
Keep picking that up, squeeze the butt. Continuing that, I’m just going to come over here and check in with Maeve, I can see her lats are coming in tighter together. Her lower traps connect as soon as she comes up to the top. Here we go and squeeze. Let’s go for two more y’all. Taking it down and picking it up, feeling a little bit heavier. Last one, we’re going to go ahead and hold the weights here. Again, if you’re with Maeve, you can tell that keep the weights down by your side. Step one foot back. This is going to be a lunge.
You’re going to take that same foot back and cross it over into a curtsy. Here we go, step it back, lunge, and then cross it over. Notice that the front knee makes sure that the front knee is not going too far past that ankle. We went to keep the knee tracking over the ankle for stability just to also be safe for our patella and our joints. Notice if your heart is getting a little bit higher in that tempo, in that rate, breathe it out, remembering that we’re really pumping our hearts and also loading into that front heel to help combat any changes that are happening in our body with muscle mass and also because of that lowering of estrogen and testosterone in our bodies. Last one y’all, feeling that. Go ahead and shake that out. I’m going to go ahead and take a lighter version of the weight. You can keep heavier if you need. We’re going to bring these arms overhead. Start by rolling your shoulders up and down your back.
Pick up those arms. You’re going to lift, check in on those shoulders, and then pull down. Push and pull down. If this is ever too much, you can always scale down again. Or I just want you to notice if your abs are pushing out, is your back arching, are we overextending the body? Pulling it in, but also keeping a neutral spine. It’s a lot to think about. Everything should feel like someone has their hand in the front and the back of it. Yeah. Feel her abs transform right there. We’re almost there. Five more.
You have four. Keep this going. Push into the floor with your feet. Three more. The last two, really feeling that weight, push down into the floor. Last one. Everyone go ahead and gently drop those weights down. We’re going to take a quick reset of our shoulders. You’re going to open up this left arm to the side. Right arm is going to come to the front split curl before we even get started making sure that your shoulder points are facing forward.
You’re going to lift both arms, squeeze at the top, and then nice and slow on the way down. Take that up and squeeze. Because of mobility of the shoulder, you may be able to go all the way down or you may have to stop at a 90-degree angle. It’s all good, whatever you need. But I just want you to combat turning your hips or turning your shoulder points away from wherever your friend is.
Keep that going up and down. Whereas that moment of hold, squeeze at the top and then lower down. Yes. Because we’re having both sides work in opposite directions, sometimes the shoulders want to open but notice both of Maeve’s shoulder points are going forward and this is also going to help strengthen her back. She has to hold her abs in really tight. Three more and lower. Two more. A little surprise moment for us right here. We’re going to finish this last one. You’re going to lower both arms down to a 90-degree angle only this left arm picks up and lowers it down. Picks up. Not only is the left arm finding some heat, but the right arm in an isometric hold is getting more strength. Three more, yikes! Two more. Lift, squeeze, and lower down. The last one, and lower down, shake that out. Can we give ourselves a roll of those shoulders up and down the back? We’re going to swap out for our heavier versions that we took earlier and take it to your shoulders if you’re with me and of course, taking your hands down by your side if you’re with Maeve.
You’re going to go ahead, step the opposite leg back, we’re back into that lunge. You’re going cross-taking that curtsy, check out that front knee, and don’t be shy about looking down. Take it back and push into that front heel to cross. Now if you’re with me, you still have that squeeze into the biceps. I want you to think about what’s happening to that front heel.
You’re pushing down onto the floor. We’re getting that lower body to heat up. Keep that push. Thinking about staying low. If I had a rope over your shoulders, you would stay underneath that rope. I want you to imagine that image of having an apple on your head and not letting the apple drop. This is such a great job. Tessie all that balance is so good for our bone density stripe. Two more y’all and cross. Last one. Go ahead and come on out of that, drop these heavyweights. We’re back to that moderate version, meaning about £10 for me, about eight pounds for Maeve, we’re going to go ahead and pick up those arms. Take your arms at a 90-degree angle. We’re going to close and open. Close and open. I don’t want you to think about rounding the back. When you close make sure that your collarbones are stretching across the chest, closing and opening so that the belly button presses it back into the spine.
Yes. Are these feeling heavier Maeve? Good. We’re halfway there. Keep it going. Squeeze that belly button back. You have four more. Noticed that her angle doesn’t change. It’s like she’s gliding right across the table, squeezing it in. Look at that grip strength. You can see her biceps are still active. The last one, Maeve. Out. and in. Now hold it out for me. Hold it out. Just six little pulls, down up those lats. They should be feeling heavier. Let’s push to our threshold potential. Two more. Last one. Go ahead and shake that out. Roll your shoulders down your back, and open up your right arm. That left arm is going to come in front. We’re going to split curl, so up, squeeze at the top, but we’re down. Squeeze up and lower down. There are these moments of control that definitely help to exhaust us, not only us and our cardiovascular but also just our muscles. That point of fatigue can stimulate the body and for the body to respond in regards to bone growth and bone density, keep that going.
Take it up and lower down. I want you to remember your shoulder should be facing the front. When you get tired, your shoulders are going to want to turn out. Squeeze it up. Are we still breathing Maeve? Yeah. Here you go. Four more. Three more. Take your time. Remember not about speed. This is about endurance in the muscles. Two more. Last one. We’re going to hold it at the top. Hold it at the top. Drop that front arm, find 90 there. Just that side arm down and up. I want you to almost feel like this front arm is being held. It’s like you’re just holding a tray of food. Everything that we do here is really to transfer into everyday life. You have two more. Last one. These arms should be on fire. Let’s go ahead and drop these weights down. Grab onto a mat. You’re going to meet me down on the floor. We’re going to involve our abs with these workouts as well. I’m going to grab on to a moderate version for me which is going to be £10 weights.
You’re going to lay down on your back, plane your feet down. Then I want you to flip your palms out. Now your elbows should not be on a 90-degree angle. I do want you to feel like your elbows are pulling down towards your heels. You’re going to lift the arms up, chest overhead. Then pull it down. Nice and slow, slow, slow, slow, slow, slow. This is the same feeling you should get if you were to be closing a window. Pulling down feeling that resistance. Pick it up and lower it down. Now if you’re with me, you’re going to stay if you’re with Maeve excuse me you’re going to stay there. If you’re with me, you’re going to go ahead and lift your hips into that bridge. Let’s just test out what we already know to be true from standing.
Are your glutes squeezing up? Make sure that your back is not arching. We should be feeling that belly button right here, squeeze it up. Control it down. I hear Maeve breathing. That’s a really good point. Exertion out. We’re almost there Maeve. We have three more right here. Push. Let the elbows drive down towards the heels. Everyone two more right here, nice and controlled. Shoot it out and drive it down. Elbows towards those heels, feel the back engaged. Last one. Lowering down. Go ahead, gently come down. Drop one of your weights. You’re going to grab onto the heads of one dumbbell. Pick up your legs tabletop, and feel your lower back. Stay connected down to the floor. We’re just going to tap our toes down and down. Now, as we’re doing these little toe taps, you can stay just like this, or we can go ahead and pick up the chest, keeping that hallowed feeling.
Here we go. We’re almost there. Four. You have three. You have two. On one, go ahead and gently lower down. Everyone, come on up. Let’s finish out a big blast of our arms by using our triceps. I’m going to go ahead and start with the palms forward. You’re going to bring your chest forward as you come to the tops of your thighs, picking up those feet, lengthening through the abs, squeeze the elbows in tightly, drop it down, and pick it up. Triceps engaging and pushing down. I want you to make sure the back of your neck is nice and long. Exhausting the upper body, and combating any sense of body composition that we may feel. This means muscle mass is changing, and bones are changing. Then just looking at Maeve notice that it’s all about her back right here. Elbows are tight to her body as she lowers and as she picks it up.
Yes. We got four more y’all. If you’re with me, stay with me. If you’re with Maeve, maybe you do come over to my side, take it down and push it up. Last three. You all last two, taking it down, shooting up. Last one and come back up. Go ahead and remove your mat. We’re going to grab onto a heavier version one more time, taking fewer reps, but grabbing on a little bit heavier this round for sure. We’re going to start with our hands up next to our shoulders. Maeve’s going to keep her hands down, going into these deadlifts, pulling it back, exploding it up. Feeling that squeeze at the very top. Go as deep and as low as you can without compromising the lower back. You may not look just like Maeve or myself, but feel that sit-back position. Try to relax your toes. If you’re with me with these weights up next to your sides or next to your shoulders, squeeze the biceps a little bit deeper. We’re almost there.
Push. Last three y’all. Taking it down and picking it up. Keep that squeeze. The last one, taking it down and finishing out strong. All right y’all. Go ahead and take a quick reset. Roll your shoulders up and down your back. We’re going to take our hands back to our shoulders, starting with one foot back into that lunge. You’re going across the back over looking at that knee, take it back and cross. Remembering again that it is about the push into that front foot, I do want you to notice that Maeve is pressing down into the floor. There’s a lot of resistance happening. So we’re also going to be able to protect our bones in this aspect by rolling through the toes, the ball of the foot, and pushing down. Notice that her back is still opening and squeezing in tight so that her chest can stay lengthened. Yes, Maeve. Here we go.
Two more. Taking it back and crossing it over. Last one. Y’all right away we’re going to go to the second side. Come on up. Give yourself a quick reset second side leg back and cross it over. Keep that going. I want you to stay low. Like someone has a rope over your shoulder. Press down. Feeling that the front leg is starting to kick in. We’re almost there. At this halfway point, squeezing those Biceps if you’re with me. Four more, keeping this breath. You have three, keeping your abs engaged, squeeze, squeeze, squeeze it out. Two more. Had a last one. Finish that out nice and strong. Dropping these heavier weights, we’re going to grab onto our mat final round and pull that mat out. Grab onto your moderate weights. We’re going exactly back to what we already know. This Chest Press elbows are going to be on a diagonal line, laying down, pushed down into your feet.
Pull those elbows tightly into your back. I do want you to feel your back engage, shoot those arms up, and slowly drop them. Now, right out the gate, I want you to lift your butt, squeeze the glutes, and lower down. Take your time. Take your time. Pulling it down. When your elbows come down, can we make sure that our hips don’t change, right? I want you to squeeze to your tap. Push through those feet just as much as you’re pushing into the chest. Keep that squeeze. Maybe you join me. I don’t know. You have three more right here and lowering down. Two more. Lowering down. We’re almost there. Last one. Go ahead and lower the arms first, then lower down the hips, and drop one of your weights.
We’re going to grab onto the heads of the weights right here, picking it up right above our chest, legs come tabletop, just start to tap those toes. Again, last little bit right here. If you can stay with me, leave, or stay with me, You definitely can already pick up the body. We’re going for 10 more. Then, you have nine. We’re almost there. Breathe. You have three more. You have two and one, go ahead and let that go. How are you feeling Maeve? Feels good.
Let’s go ahead and take off the light ankle weights everyone. Slow, can be so much harder. Slower is so much harder. All right, as you’re taking out these light ankle weights, you’re going to go ahead and just hug your knees into your chest. Let your ankles start to circle out. Ready to take a figure four, stretch, they’ll drop one leg, and cross the other one over letting your hips open. You can even pull that bottom leg in. Top knee. Don’t force it, just let it be. Let gravity do its thing. Let’s open up the back from those deadlifts. One arm is out, let’s release the legs to that back wall. Make sure you’re still breathing, and then we’re going to swap sides. Figure four, stretch. If you ever need to stay in something a little while longer, you can do so. You can also tag on one of our recovery series workouts to the end of this workout if you do need a deeper and longer stretch, let’s go ahead and let those legs fall to the side as you open up your arm in the back.
All right, yeah, you’re going to go ahead and rock yourselves on up when you’re ready, come up to a seated position. Take your hands up and just press your hands into your chest. It’s a moment of gratitude for how the body showed up. One more time. Take your arms up, and bring them down. Just a moment of gratitude for your bodies. You can finish with your eyes closed, thanking you, thanking your body. Thank you, Maeve for joining me today and we’ll see you at the next one.
