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As we age and go through menopause, we naturally lose more upper-body strength, muscle mass, and bone density. Strength training<\/a> in the gym or with a simple pair of dumbbells<\/a> can make all the difference.<\/p>\n One person helping women change the way we strength train as we get older is personal trainer Simone de la Rue<\/a>. The former professional dancer has trained some huge names in the celebrity world, including Practical Magic star Sandra Bullock.<\/p>\n “I built my career on cardio. I thought more was more, more sweat, more classes, more calories burned,” the 51-year-old said. “But as I entered midlife, my body changed. And my training had to change with it.”<\/p>\n Simone says strength training is now her “foundation”. She lifts heavier weights and does short bursts of cardio, while also prioritising muscle recovery. “Because I’m not training to be smaller anymore. I’m training to be strong, capable and healthy for the next 30 years.”<\/p>\n The PT shared a 20-minute upper-body workout. It targets muscles in the shoulders, upper back, arms, and core using sets of 3.5 to 4.5kg dumbbells. Each exercise is done in a sequence, targeting a few muscles at once, so we recommend following along with the video.<\/p>\n 1. Single arm shoulder press with rotation<\/p>\n Many people are surprised to learn that the shoulder contains almost 20 muscles. A shoulder press with added rotations targets many of them, but especially the outer three: front, rear, and side deltoids.<\/p>\n Doing this exercise one arm at a time, then two together, helps boost core stability and correct muscle imbalances when one side is stronger than the other.<\/p>\n Here’s how to do it:<\/p>\n Stand hip-width apart and hold the dumbbells at shoulder height, elbows slightly pushed forward and elbows turned out to 45 degrees.<\/p>\n Make sure your core is braced, and your shoulder blades are retracted (pushed back and down).<\/p>\n One arm at a time, push the weights towards the ceiling.<\/p>\n Come back down to the starting position, then push the weights up together.<\/p>\n Come back down. One arm at a time, rotate the weights forward while keeping your elbows bent.<\/p>\n Complete eight to 12 repetitions of the sequence for three sets.<\/p>\n 2 x 4kg Rubber Hex Dumbbell Set<\/p>\n A set of hexagonal dumbbells are a must-have for any home workout. The shape means they feel stable to hold and don’t roll away when you put them down on the floor.<\/p>\n![\"Homcom](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/https:\/\/media.zenfs.com\/en\/woman_home_us_300\/c2fb68643acee43d35fa5695b9a8fe79.jpg\"\/)
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