Maintaining Strength, Balance and Power in Your Fifties

Personal trainer Tina Tang, 54, focuses on strength and balance for women in their 50s and beyond, drawing from her untraditional path of starting lifting weights at 40 and becoming a trainer at 42. The interview highlights how perimenopause and menopause lead to physical changes like insomnia, irregular periods, hormone-related weight gain, mood swings, and critically, a significant drop in estrogen and progesterone, impacting bone density (50% of women over 50 face osteoporosis or osteopenia) and contributing to muscle mass loss. Tang debunks fitness myths, stating that worrying about supplements like creatine or tools like a weighted vest is secondary to foundational health: adults should be strength training at least twice a week (30 minutes, full body) and getting 150 minutes of moderate cardio weekly, as recommended by WHO/CDC guidelines, which are proven preventative measures against all-cause mortality. The conversation differentiates strength from power (using strength quickly), noting power is lost fastest with age, but strength is its foundation. Balance, especially unilateral activities like tree pose or even brushing teeth on one leg, is critical. Plyometrics (jump training), which involve being airborne and landing repeatedly, are vital for bone density due to impact against gravity and for improving reactivity time to prevent falls. Simple home practices to start include taking more walks, utilizing technology like YouTube for short workouts, and finding accountability through friends.