I have a little secret. It’s something that’s improved my running, my work performance and my sleep. I can do it whether I’m traveling or at home, and scale it around training and racing. Best of all, it’s good for my bones.
My secret? Lifting heavy weights.
I’d ignored lifting for years, convinced it would make me bulky, mess up my running and take me indoors, away from the trails. I knew, because of menopause and genetics, I was at risk for osteoporosis.1 I knew lifting heavy would improve my bone density, improve my balance, increase my metabolism and improve my immunity.2
None of this motivated me to start. I started because I found a trainer who made it accessible, and my wife agreed to join the workouts. Initially, we worked with bodyweight exercises, then moved to bands and total body resistance (TRX). Once we’d developed good, consistent form, we moved to heavier weights. Along the way, I fell in love with lifting heavy.
I love the mental challenge of learning a new lift. I love my improved balance and downhill pace. Most of all, I love the confidence that comes from elevating steel off the ground.
Lifting heavy also connects me with other athletes. Unlike running, which I often do alone, lifting works best with a partner. My wife and I work out together, spotting and encouraging each other. Other times, I’ll join a class or workout group.
Barriers to Lifting Heavy
I’ve developed some wisdom with age, but still struggle with body image. I wasn’t comfortable in corporate gyms, vying for equipment with young muscle men, so I changed to a gym focused on endurance athletes. I also hired a trainer who showed me how to adjust the equipment and helped me develop appropriate form.
Time continues to be my biggest lifting barrier. Runs and races already take me away from family and friends, and I thought lifting would become another detractor. I was delighted to discover my mega-time perception was incorrect. Modern strength programs build around just five movements (more on this later), which use multiple muscle groups at once. This allows me to maximize training time and decreases boredom.
I also keep workouts simple. I limit myself to four exercises per session and finish in 30 minutes. I design workouts that maximize available equipment to reduce the time I spend moving from one part of the gym to another. I use free weights rather than machines, so I don’t have to share as often and don’t need to make three or four adjustments to each machine.
5 Key Movements
Lift heavy workouts incorporate five movements: squat, hip-hinge, push, pull and core (sometimes called carry).3
Core exercises activate muscles in the trunk of the body, from the collarbone to the pubis. These are key muscles for runners. Strong core muscles send us zipping down the hills. Weak core muscles leave us unbalanced and injury prone.
Squat is the next key movement. To practice, start with your feet a bit wider than shoulder width, weight balanced on the two feet and slightly forward. Next, push your hips back while keeping the back neutral and bending at the knees and ankles. You should be able to squat until the knees bend 90 degrees. Keep your heels and toes on the ground, chest up and shoulders back.
You’ll often hear that your feet should point straight ahead, or 12 o’clock, during a squat. Depending on your hip and shin angle, your feet may need to be at 11 and 1 o’clock. Test this in front of a mirror. Using just body weight, squat with your feet straight ahead. Come back up, position your feet at 11 and 1 o’clock, and squat again. Which position felt comfortable and had your knees tracking straight? That’s your ideal squat position.4
Hip hinge targets the gluteus maximus, hamstring and lower back muscles. To practice this motion, stand with your feet slightly wider than shoulder width, toes pointed slightly out. Keep your back neutral, then hinge at just the hips. To confirm you are keeping the motion in the hips and maintaining a neutral spine, place a dowel vertically on your back, in contact with your head, upper back and sacrum. Maintain all three connection points as you hinge.
Pull and push, the last two motions, are a bit simpler. Pull uses the back and shoulder muscles to draw the weight toward you. In a push, you engage the chest muscles to move weight away from your body.
Getting Started: Bodyweight Workout
Bodyweight workouts are a great entry to lifting heavy. They allow you to develop good form and build a strong foundation and have the added bonus of not needing any equipment.
Start with a warm-up, to get your blood flowing and joints mobilized. I typically start with 5 minutes of jump rope or jumping jacks, then 3-5 minutes of mobility work like hip rotations, arm circles and reverse lunges.
It’s ideal to complete three lift sessions a week, but two is an excellent start and all I manage during heavy training periods. The table below is a sample three-session body-weight plan, with exercises grouped by movement type.
You may find it helpful to review videos of the exercises beforehand. YouTube has an extensive library of free resources. Adjust times and repetitions to meet your current ability, and celebrate as your strength improves. I keep a log to track repetitions and time. It’s inspiring to watch the numbers increase.
Session 1
Session 2
Session 3
Workouts modified from Lift Heavy Shit: A Beginner’s Guide to Strength Training, at https://www.feistymenopause.com/liftheavy. Used with permission.
Tips for Success
Start small at two workouts a week, with fewer repetitions, gradually increasing as you build strength.
Workout with a partner. Help each other build and maintain good form. Encourage each other, and hold each other accountable.
Keep challenging yourself, adding time or repetitions to the sessions as your strength increases.
Ultimately, you’ll want to progress to moving heavy loads. Heavy Lifting, Part II will discuss how to incorporate bands, kettle bells and weights, and takes a deeper dive into lifting heavy weight.
References
- Pouresmaeili F, Kamalidehghan B, Kamarehei M, Goh YM. A comprehensive overview on osteoporosis and its risk factors. Ther Clin Risk Manag. 2018 Nov 6;14:2029-2049. doi: 10.2147/TCRM.S138000. PMID: 30464484; PMCID: PMC6225907.
- Alswat KA. Gender Disparities in Osteoporosis. J Clin Med Res. 2017 May;9(5):382-387. doi: 10.14740/jocmr2970w. Epub 2017 Apr 1. PMID: 28392857; PMCID: PMC5380170.
- Feisty Media. (2023). Lift Heavy Shit: A Beginner’s Guide to Strength Training. [Pamphlet]
- Dicharry, Jay. Running Rewired. Boulder, Velo Press, 2017.