Hot Flashes & Heavy Weights: Why Strength Training Is Your Perimenopause Power Move

Welcome to perimenopause. (It’s hot over here.)

First things first, Let’s talk about the F-word…

Forty.

Or, more specifically: the blurry hormonal rollercoaster that starts creeping in somewhere between your late 30s and early 50s, affectionately (or not) known as perimenopause. (womp womp)

So what is perimenopause anyway?

Let’s break this down, but with no fear tactics and no fluff.
Perimenopause is the stretch of time before menopause when your hormones start to shift, and not in a quiet, polite way. It usually kicks off in your late 30s or early 40s and can last for years. Estrogen and progesterone start doing their own thing, and the ripple effect hits everything: your mood, your metabolism, your sleep, your strength, and your waistline.

We’re talking night sweats, brain fog, anxiety, stubborn belly fat, and that unsettling sense that your body is changing even though you’re doing everything “right.”

Please read this line twice: You are not broken.
Your body is just evolving, and it needs different support now. One day, you might wake up feeling like you’ve been body-snatched. The sleep? Off. The moods? Volatile.
The body? Feeling unfamiliar in all the places it never used to be.

But before you start rage-Googling supplements or investing in blackout curtains and cooling sheets, we’ve got the real real game-changer for you: Strength training.

Not a pill. Not a quick fix. Just you, moving with intention, adding resistance, and building the kind of internal stability your hormones are currently not delivering. It won’t solve everything overnight, but it will anchor you. Physically. Mentally. Metabolically. And right now, that’s exactly what your body is asking for.

And no, we’re not talking barbells and bodybuilding competitions (unless that’s your thing). We mean smart, functional movement. Think dumbbells, resistance bands, battle ropes, and kettlebells. The kind of stuff we do every damn day in Strength, Circuit, and STRide at CHURCH.

And don’t sleep on Stretch. (Actually…please do. Your nervous system will thank you!) Stretch is our slower, breath-led class built around long holds and intentional breathwork designed to calm your system while increasing mobility. For many of our perimenopausal clients, it’s been a game-changer! Easing anxiety, restoring flexibility, and creating space to actually exhale.

Strength isn’t just about how much you can lift. It’s also about knowing when to breathe, soften, and be still.

Cardio might have been your go-to for years, and hey, we love a good sweat too. But when it comes to navigating perimenopause,? Strength Training hits different.

Here’s why:

1. It helps regulate your mood + brain fog
Estrogen plays a role in serotonin production, so when it drops? Hello, mood swings. Strength training helps boost feel-good neurotransmitters like dopamine and serotonin, while improving cognitive function and clarity. Translation: lifting things can actually help you feel like yourself again.

 2. It builds muscle, and muscle changes everything
From age 30 onward, we naturally lose muscle mass each decade. Add perimenopause to the mix, and the process accelerates. But resistance training helps preserve and build lean muscle, which supports metabolism, energy, posture, and confidence (not to mention your ability to open a jar without asking for help).

 3. It protects your bones
Estrogen also plays a huge role in bone density. As it declines, your risk for osteoporosis increases. The fix? Load your bones. Weight-bearing exercises send a signal to your body to hold onto (and even build) bone. Think of every rep as a little “stay strong” message to your skeleton.

 4. It boosts metabolism
Hormonal shifts = metabolic slowdown = more fat storage, especially around the midsection. Building muscle increases your resting metabolic rate, meaning you’ll burn more calories at rest and support better body composition, without obsessing over the scale.

5. It improves sleep + reduces stress
Cortisol (your stress hormone) tends to spike in perimenopause, especially if you're overdoing long bouts of cardio. Strength training balances cortisol levels, reduces anxiety, and helps regulate your sleep cycles. Basically: you’ll lift, then actually rest.

But won’t I bulk up?
Girl, no.
Unless you're training like a bodybuilder, eating in a calorie surplus, and sleeping 10 hours a night (we wish), you’re not going to “bulk.” You’re going to build lean muscle, get stronger, and feel like a freaking powerhouse!

The CHURCH Take:

Perimenopause isn’t something to fear. It’s something to train through.

Whether you’re building muscle in Strength, firing through functional circuits in Circuit, powering up your endurance in STRide, or finding stillness and regulation in Stretch, CHURCH classes are designed to support real strength, both inside and out. This isn’t about pushing through pain. It’s about building a foundation for the decades ahead.

So show up. Lift what you can. Rest when you need to.

And the best part? You don’t have to do any of it alone.