Why lifting matters more in perimenopause and beyond, and how a live coach helps you build up safely at home.
This page is for women in perimenopause, menopause or the years after who keep hearing "you should be lifting" and want help doing it safely. HipTrain is live 1-on-1 personal training over video with the same certified coach each week. Sessions cost about $14, and your first one is free. We're not a menopause clinic. We're a simple way to do the strength training that experts recommend, with a coach watching.
Bones need a reason to stay strong. In a 2024 Mayo Clinic article, women's health doctor May Al-Araji explains that loading your bones in perimenopause and after menopause can increase bone density and lower osteoporosis risk. Her advice for getting there is to build resistance up gradually. Start with bands or body weight, then move to free weights. A coach makes "gradually" concrete: how heavy, how many, and when to go up.
Muscle takes more effort to keep. Mayo Clinic explains that muscle mass typically decreases with age while fat increases, which can make weight harder to manage around menopause. Its advice is to include strength training at least twice a week. The CDC's guidelines say the same for all adults: muscle-strengthening work for all major muscle groups on at least 2 days, plus 150 minutes of moderate activity.
Form matters when the weights get heavier. The moves that load your bones best, like squats, hinges, rows and carries, are also the ones people most often do wrong at home. Your coach watches on camera and corrects your back, knees and breathing as you go.
Some days are harder than others. Poor sleep, joint aches and low energy can come and go during this stage. Because your coach sees you live, they can adjust the session that day instead of handing you a plan that doesn't fit.
What we're not. HipTrain coaches are certified personal trainers. They are not doctors, menopause specialists or dietitians, and they don't give advice on symptoms or hormones. Talk to your doctor about those, and about whether any exercise limits apply to you.
An example, not a prescription. Imagine a 52-year-old in perimenopause who has done some yoga but never lifted. Her doctor has cleared her for strength training. She has two pairs of dumbbells (8 and 15 pounds) and a sturdy chair.
If she says her knees ache, her coach shortens the squat to a higher seat. If she feels great, they add a set. Same plan, adjusted to the day.
"I joined HipTrain a couple of months ago and am already so much stronger. I work with Felipe twice weekly, and he is great: super enthusiastic, supportive, always has a new set of exercises to challenge me." (Emily G., Google review)
"We're doing 3 sessions of 30 minutes per week. I'm seeing a dramatic improvement both in my strength and my body composition." (Felicia B., Google review)
These are individual members' experiences, not promises. HipTrain is rated 5.0 on Google from 81 reviews.
To hit "strength training at least twice a week," two 30-minute sessions is $119.99 a month. A month has about 4.3 weeks, so that's about $14 a session. Hour-long sessions are about $25 each. The first session is free, no credit card needed.
HipTrain is HSA / FSA eligible. Under IRS Publication 502, exercise usually qualifies only when it's for a specific condition your doctor has diagnosed, which often means a Letter of Medical Necessity. Our HSA guide walks through it. Always confirm with your plan.
Thumbtack's national cost guide puts in-person personal trainers at $40 to $100 an hour, about $55 on average. Twice a week in person at the average comes to roughly $480 a month.
For most women, yes. Mayo Clinic says loading your bones during perimenopause and after menopause can increase bone density and lower osteoporosis risk. Check with your doctor first if you have any health conditions.
Heavy enough that the last couple of reps are hard while your form stays good. That may be body weight at first. Mayo Clinic's advice is to build up gradually, and your coach will add load as you're ready.
We can't promise that, and our coaches don't give medical advice. Talk with your doctor about symptoms. What strength training clearly can help with is building muscle and loading your bones.
No need to wait. Mayo Clinic notes that perimenopause is a good time to add strength training like weightlifting. See our strength training page and our page for women over 50.
Ready to start lifting with someone in your corner? Try your first session free. No credit card needed.