I’ve been working with a client for just over 12 months now. She’s in her early 60s, and her GP originally referred her for exercise to support her bone density.
Now, you can Google “exercises for bone density” in two seconds – no problem. You can walk into any gym and find a PT to teach you how to lift heavy – no problem.
But here is where it gets real.
When we sat down to look at the big picture (as I do), we realised she was receiving a lot of “right” advice that was completely contradictory:
➡️ Her GP and Endocrinologist: “You have osteoporosis. You need heavy lifting and jumping.” (As per the famous LIFTMOR trial evidence).
➡️ Her Gynaecologist: “You have pelvic organ prolapse. Avoid jumping or heavy weights or you’ll make it worse.”
➡️ Her Chiropractor: “Don’t load your spine or push weight overhead; it’ll damage your neck.”
➡️ Plus Her History: A hip surgery from two years ago that still flares up with stiffness, occasional plantar fasciitis, tension headaches…
Can you see the dilemma?
Which system gets priority? Which advice is “most” important? How do we do the things our bones love if they make our pelvic floor or hips grumpy? How can we build muscle mass without making our tension headaches, or plantar fasciitis worse?
In our 20s and 30s, we often don’t run into this. We tend to bounce back quickly; our hormones are stable, and our “parts” feel somewhat separate.
After 40, everything changes.
We stop being a collection of separate parts and start feeling like a woven fabric. We are integrated and complex. You pull one thread and the whole system feels the tug.
The question isn’t just “Is this exercise good for bones?” The question is: “Is this the best choice for my whole system right now?”
I unpack this exact dilemma – especially the “heavy lifting” hype – in this week’s episode of The Everyday GLOW Show:
🎧 [3 Reasons Lifting Heavy Might Not Be For You (Yet)]
But I also know that when your body starts to feel like a complex puzzle, general advice from a podcast isn’t always enough.
Sometimes you need a bit more structure or guidance to figure out what your version of strength training should look like.
For many women, that need is met inside GLOW10, where I share my physio-designed approach to building strength gradually, with the focus on doing short sessions, often and progressing safely over time.
But for those who need something more tailored, I’ve also recently opened up two ways to work with me more closely:
🌟 A personalised 6-week strength program, built specifically around your body, injury history and equipment – so you know exactly what to do and how to progress.
🌟 A small number of 1:1 coaching spots, where we work together over three months with a high level of support and accountability to reset your relationship with exercise and build a strength routine that actually sticks.