{"id":867977,"date":"2026-10-02T06:56:19","date_gmt":"2026-10-02T06:56:19","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/867977\/"},"modified":"2026-10-02T06:56:19","modified_gmt":"2026-10-02T06:56:19","slug":"im-a-pt-and-former-bone-surgeon-heres-why-you-dont-need-to-lift-heavy-to-get-stronger-in-midlife","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/867977\/","title":{"rendered":"‘I’m a PT and former bone surgeon \u2013 here’s why you don’t need to lift heavy to get stronger in midlife’"},"content":{"rendered":"

Personal trainer, health coach and former orthopaedic surgeon Dr Kate Ella<\/a> knows all too well how overwhelming \u2013 and sometimes misleading \u2013 social media can be when it comes to fitness advice.<\/p>\n

While she believes most of the messaging is well intentioned, Dr Kate tells Women’s Health there are three key midlife fitness myths she believes ‘can put people off from exercising’ \u2013 something she’s particularly keen to challenge after years of operating on largely preventable injuries as a bone surgeon.<\/p>\n

She starts with one of the biggest misconceptions: that you need to lift heavy weights three times a week.<\/p>\n

Why you don’t need heavy weights to build strength<\/p>\n

‘I love strength training<\/a> and I think it is really important. But the most important thing is making it work in your life so that you can do it consistently.<\/p>\n

‘For many people, particularly when we’ve got so much on our plates, lifting heavy weights in the gym three times a week just isn’t happening,’ says Dr Kate.<\/p>\n

‘To get stronger, we need to progressively challenge our muscles but \u2013 and this is particularly true when we’re getting started \u2013 at home in your jeans lifting cans or using our own bodyweight<\/a> can do just that.’<\/p>\n

If lifting heavy works for you, great \u2013 Dr Kate isn’t suggesting it isn’t effective. There’s strong evidence supporting its benefits. Rather, she’s highlighting that there are multiple ways to build strength.<\/p>\n

She’s referring to the science-backed principle of progressive overload<\/a> \u2013 gradually increasing the demands placed on your body so it continues to adapt.<\/p>\n

In other words, progressive overload doesn’t only mean adding more weight. It can also involve increasing your repetitions, time under tension or overall training volume.<\/p>\n

The other 2 myths she’d like to bust<\/p>\n

The second misconception, she says, is ‘that cardio isn’t for midlife women’.<\/p>\n

‘Strength training is really important and I’m so happy that being a strong woman is something to be celebrated now \u2013 but cardio does have a place, and it’s a big one in my view,’ says Dr Kate.<\/p>\n

‘A study<\/a> published in The BMJ of nearly half a million people found that those doing the recommended amount of cardiovascular exercise had a 29% lower risk of death, while those doing strength training had an 11% lower risk. But the biggest reduction (40%) was seen in those doing both.’<\/p>\n

That brings her to the third myth: ‘that there is one perfect type of exercise’.<\/p>\n

‘I always recommend starting with the movement you enjoy the most \u2013 there’s no better way to make movement a habit.<\/p>\n

‘But there is good evidence<\/a> showing that, to give ourselves the best chance of staying healthy in the future, we need a variety of different types of movement.<\/p>\n

‘To me, that means strength training, cardio, mobility<\/a> and balance<\/a>. That can sound like a lot, but it’s actually totally doable if you sprinkle those movements throughout your day.’<\/p>\n

Want to train like Liz Earle<\/a>?
Her PT, Michael Garry, has created a 4-week training plan exclusively for members of the WH COLLECTIVE. It\u2019s designed to remove one of the biggest barriers to fitness: time. You\u2019ll train for just 35 minutes three times a week \u2013 Liz\u2019s exact strategy to build muscle, boost metabolism and support long-term health. Tap the link below to unlock 14 free days of training and start Liz\u2019s plan today.<\/p>\n

Get the plan<\/a><\/p>\n

\"women's<\/a>\"Headshot<\/p>\n

Hannah Bradfield is a Senior Health and Fitness Writer for Women\u2019s Health UK. An NCTJ-accredited journalist, Hannah graduated from Loughborough University with a BA in English and Sport Science and an MA in Media and Cultural Analysis. \u00a0She has been covering sports, health and fitness for the last five years and has created content for outlets including BBC Sport, BBC Sounds, Runner\u2019s World and Stylist. She especially enjoys interviewing those working within the community to improve access to sport, exercise and wellness. Hannah is a 2024 John Schofield Trust Fellow and was also named a 2022 Rising Star in Journalism by The Printing Charity. \u00a0A keen runner, Hannah was firmly a sprinter growing up (also dabbling in long jump) but has since transitioned to longer-distance running. While 10K is her favoured race distance, she loves running or volunteering at parkrun every Saturday, followed, of course, by pastries. She\u2019s always looking for fun new runs and races to do and brunch spots to try.<\/p>\n