Menopause fitness specialist Kim Dechert has spent the past nine years helping women navigate the physical changes that come with midlife, and strength training has become one of her biggest priorities for ageing well.
‘Women over 60 lose muscle faster every year if we don’t challenge our bodies,’ she says. ‘But strength training can change the trajectory of how we age. Lifting heavier helps build bone health, balance, confidence and independence. Your body is capable of more than you think.’
Dechert recently shared the upper-body routine she uses to maintain strength, power and energy well into her seventh decade.
‘Strong after 60 isn’t luck – it’s strategy. I lift heavy at least once a week for my upper body, using just five exercises,’ she explains.
‘If you’re over 50, don’t shy away from heavier weights – we have to stress our muscles in order to avoid becoming frail.’
5 upper-body exercises to build strength as you age
Complete 2-3 sets and 4-6 reps per exercise
‘I go slow and controlled, depending on my time,’ says Dechert. ‘Each move is 4-6 reps with a weight so heavy I couldn’t lift more than 6. That’s the sweet spot for building strength, protecting joints and keeping muscle as we age.’
1. Chest press (10kg / 22lb)
Lie on a bench with your knees bent and feet flat on the bench.Hold a dumbbell in each hand with your arms extended above your chest, palms facing towards your feet.Slowly bend your elbows and lower the dumbbells towards the sides of your chest until your elbows are level with, or slightly below, the bench.Keep your wrists stacked over your elbows throughout.Press the dumbbells back up until your arms are fully extended.
Instagram | Kim Dechert Wellness
Place your right hand and right knee on a bench, keeping your back flat and spine neutral.Step your left foot out to the side and hold a dumbbell in your left hand.Pull the dumbbell towards your hip, driving your elbow up and back while keeping it close to your body.Pause briefly and squeeze your upper-back muscles.Lower the weight with control until your arm is fully extended.
Instagram | Kim Dechert Wellness
Stand with your feet hip-width apart. For extra stability, take a small staggered stance.Hold a dumbbell in each hand with your palms facing forwards.Engage your glutes and core.Curl the weights towards chest height in a slow, controlled movement.Keep your shoulders relaxed and your spine neutral.Lower the weights back down with control.4. Tricep kickback (7kg / 15lb)
Instagram | Kim Dechert Wellness
Stand with your feet hip-width apart, holding a dumbbell in each hand.Hinge slightly at the hips and brace your core.Row the dumbbells up until your upper arms are roughly in line with your torso and your elbows are bent to around 90 degrees.Keeping your upper arms still, extend your elbows and drive the weights behind you.Pause briefly and squeeze your triceps.Return to the starting position with control.5. Shoulder raise (4.5kg / 10lb)
Instagram | Kim Dechert Wellness
Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart, holding a dumbbell in each hand by your sides.Raise one dumbbell straight out in front of you and the other out to the side until both reach shoulder height.Your arms should form an ‘L’ shape at the top of the movement.Keep your core engaged and your shoulders away from your ears.Lower both weights slowly and with control.Repeat, switching sides. 
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