As a strength coach and nutritionist for women over 50, Julie Ellis knows a thing or two about building muscle post-menopause.
And in a recent reel, she shared her go-to 6-move routine for building muscle in her arms, shoulders and back. ‘There’s always time for 15 minutes of upper body,’ she said.
The former triathlete and founder of the Age Has No Limits platform credits weight training for helping her become stronger at 61 than she was at 40.
‘Women can lose up to 20% of their bone density in the years following menopause, skyrocketing the risk of osteoporosis,’ she reminded viewers in a previous video. ‘[Strength training] builds a structural support system of dense muscle around your joints, keeping you pain-free, mobile, and fully independent.’
In particular, she explained the importance of keeping your workouts challenging to maintain physical capability as you age.
‘To build dense, fracture-resistant bones, you must apply load through progressive resistance training. I push close to failure and [make] every rep count.’
The 15-minute upper-body routine
Perform each exercise for the set number of reps and repeat for 3 sets. Rest for 15 seconds between each exercise, with a longer break at the end of the set.
Ellis is using 8-10lb (3.6-4.5kg) dumbbells, but make sure to pick the right weights for you – they should feel challenging for the final two reps of each set while allowing you to maintain good form.
Shoulder press x 12 repsBent-over row x 12 repsPush-up x 10 repsLateral raise x 8 repsArnold press x 10 repsTricep extension x 15 repsHow to do the exercises
Stand with a dumbbell in each hand. Bend your elbows at 90 degrees with the dumbbells at ear level and palms facing forward.Straighten your arms and press the dumbbells towards the ceiling, fully extending your arms until they are straight. Pause briefly, then return to the start.
Stand with your feet about hip-width apart, holding a dumbbell in each hand.Hinge at your hips, pushing your hips back as if you’re shutting a drawer. Keep your back flat and chest up. Hold the dumbbells with arms extended in front of your chest in a neutral grip, palms facing each other. Pull the dumbbells towards your lower ribcage in a controlled manner by driving your elbows back and squeezing your shoulder blades together. Keep your elbows close to your body.Slowly lower the dumbbells back to the starting position, maintaining a flat back and neutral neck (look at the ground in front of you). 
Get into the plank position, with your hands under but slightly outside of your shoulders. Lower your body until your chest nearly touches the floor.As you lower yourself, tuck your elbows, pulling them close to your body so that your upper arms form a 45-degree angle when your torso is in the bottom position.Pause, then push back to the starting position quickly. Keep your core braced the entire time. Take care not to let your hips sag. 
Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart, holding a dumbbell in each hand.Keep your shoulders relaxed and a slight bend in your knees.Lift the dumbbells out to your sides to shoulder height with a gentle bend in each elbow.Ensure your back is neutral, your tailbone is tucked and your shoulders are relaxed away from your ears.Gradually lower the dumbbells to the starting position.
Stand with your feet hip-width apart, holding a pair of dumbbells at shoulder height. Your elbows should be bent and your palms should face your body.In one motion, open your elbows to the sides, rotate your forearms so your palms face forward, and press the dumbbells overhead until your arms are straight and your biceps are by your ears.Keep your abs engaged by drawing your navel toward your spine as you lift the weights overhead to avoid overarching your lower back. If you can’t do this, your dumbbells are a little too heavy, so reduce the load. Think of vertical stacking (head over ribs, over hips, over knees, over ankles).Pause briefly at the top, then reverse the movement to return to start.
Stand with feet hip-width apart, holding one dumbbell in your hands. Bring the weight overhead, extending your arms straight so the dumbbell is above your head.Keeping everything from your shoulders to elbows still, slowly bend your elbows, lowering the weight behind your head until your arms are just lower than 90 degrees. Your elbows should point forward, not out to the side. Pause, then straighten your arms to raise the dumbbell back overhead to the starting position.
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