Getting stronger doesn’t have to mean spending hours in the gym or relying on complicated equipment.
As 58-year-old PT for midlife women Donnie Moss explained while sharing a workout on Instagram, all you need is ‘the right full-body movements done with intention’.
‘This routine hits your shoulders, arms, back, core, glutes and legs all in one session and from the convenience of your home,’ says Moss.
‘Combining consistency and compound moves builds strength that carries into real life, especially in midlife when muscle, balance and bone health matter more than ever.’
Research also highlights why strength training can be particularly important during midlife. A 2020 study of more than 1,300 women aged 47–55 found that muscle mass and bone mineral density declined during menopause, while a studypublished last year found that resistance training significantly improved bone density at the spine, thigh bone and hip in postmenopausal women.
The good news? You don’t need a complicated programme to get started. Moss’s workout uses 11 familiar exercises to target your entire body with just a pair of dumbbells.
Donnie Moss’s 11-move full-body strength workout
Do 10 reps of each exercise. If you’re new to strength training, start with a weight you can comfortably control throughout each movement.
Standing overhead pressBent-over rowBiceps curlUpright rowTriceps kickbackPush-upSquatRomanian deadliftReverse lungeCalf raiseSide-step squatHow to do the exercises
Stand with your feet hip-width apart and your dumbbells at your shoulders, palms facing forwards.Take a breath and brace your core.Press the dumbbells directly overhead until your arms are extended.Avoid arching your back and keep your wrists stacked over your elbows.Lower the dumbbells slowly and with control to shoulder height.2. Bent-over row
Stand with your feet hip-width apart. Hinge at your hips, keeping your knees slightly bent and the dumbbells hanging below you.Brace your core and keep your spine neutral.Pull the dumbbells towards your waist, driving your elbows back.Pause for one to two seconds, squeezing your shoulder blades together at the top.Extend your arms to return to the starting position.3. Biceps curl
Start with a dumbbell in each hand, arms straight and palms facing forwards. Keep a slight bend in your knees and engage your glutes and core.Bend your elbows to curl the weights towards your shoulders in a slow, controlled movement.Keep your shoulders relaxed and your upper arms relatively still.Lower the weights back down with control.4. Upright row
Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart, holding the dumbbells in front of your thighs with your palms facing your body.Engage your core and keep your chest up.Keeping the weights close to your body, lift the dumbbells towards your chest, driving your elbows up and out to the sides.Pause at the top, then lower the weights with control.5. Triceps kickback
Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart and hold a dumbbell in each hand.Hinge forwards at your hips until your torso is at roughly a 45-degree angle, keeping a slight bend in your knees.Keep your back straight and core braced.Bring your upper arms in line with your torso, keeping your elbows tucked close to your sides.Extend your elbows to straighten your arms behind you, squeezing your triceps.Slowly bend your elbows to return to the starting position.6. Push-up
Get into a high plank position with your arms extended and hands slightly wider than shoulder-width apart.Brace your core and keep your body in a straight line from your head to your heels.Bend your elbows to lower your chest towards the floor, keeping your elbows at around a 45-degree angle from your torso.Pause, then push through your hands to return to the starting position.7. Squat
Stand with your feet around hip-width apart and your toes turned slightly outwards. Hold a dumbbell in each hand with your arms hanging in front of your body.Brace your core and keep your chest lifted as you push your hips back and bend your knees.Allow the dumbbells to travel down between your legs while keeping your arms straight.Keep your knees tracking in line with your toes and lower as far as is comfortable while maintaining good form.Drive through your feet to return to standing.8. Romanian deadlift
Stand with your feet hip-width apart, holding a pair of dumbbells in front of your thighs.Keep a slight bend in your knees and brace your core.Hinge at your hips, pushing them backwards as you lower the dumbbells close to your legs.Lower until you feel a stretch in your hamstrings while maintaining a neutral spine.Squeeze your glutes and drive your hips forwards to return to standing, without leaning back at the top.9. Reverse lunge
Stand with your feet around hip-width apart, holding a dumbbell in each hand.Step your right foot backwards, landing on the ball of your foot with your heel raised.Bend both knees to lower your back knee towards the floor.Push through your front foot to return to standing, bringing your right foot back in line with your left.Repeat on the opposite side.10. Calf raise
Stand with your feet hip-width apart, holding a dumbbell in each hand by your sides.Brace your core and keep your posture upright.Push through the balls of your feet to raise your heels as high as comfortably possible.Pause briefly at the top, squeezing your calf muscles.Slowly lower your heels back to the floor.11. Side-step squat
Stand with your feet hip-width apart, toes slightly turned out, chest lifted and core braced.Step your right foot out to the side as you begin to lower into a squat.Push your hips back and bend your knees, keeping your knees tracking in line with your toes.Drive through your feet to return to standing.Bring your right foot back to the starting position, then repeat by stepping out with your left foot.
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