How many days a week should a woman over 40 strength train, and how long should workouts be?
Here's how we think about it: start with two or three strength workouts a week, about 50 minutes each. Strength comes first. Once you're at three, add one or two conditioning workouts, and walk as much as you like. Keep your rest days. Planned workouts that build week to week beat a packed week of random ones.
Here's the thing.
More workouts don't automatically mean more results.
Your body needs a reason to change, and time to do it.
One quick note before we get into it. If you have a health condition or an injury, or you're coming back after a long break, check with your doctor or physio before you start something new. We coach around whatever they've cleared you to do. Here's how we coach around injuries.
How many days a week should you strength train?
It depends on your week, and on your goal.
But strength always comes first. Chris calls resistance training "the foundation and heartbeat" of everything we do.
Here's how he lays it out:
- One day a week? Make it a strength workout.
- Two days? Two strength workouts.
- Three days? Three strength workouts.
- Four or five days? Keep your three strength days and add one or two conditioning workouts. Those are the full-body ones that get your heart rate up.
- Any day at all? Go for a walk. Walks are great.
What we steer women away from is hours of the same repetitive cardio. Endless spinning. The elliptical with a show on.
In our experience, it eats up your time without giving your body much reason to change.
How long should a strength workout be?
Ours are about 50 minutes.
Long enough to get real work done. Short enough to fit in before the house wakes up, or over lunch.
Can we please stop pretending a workout only counts if you can barely walk afterward?
In our experience, what matters is what happens inside those 50 minutes:
- A plan. You know what you're doing before you press play.
- Moves that build. A little heavier or a little harder over the weeks. That's progressive overload.
- Real effort. The last few reps of a set should feel challenging.
Short on time one day? Do part of the workout. A shorter session still counts, and it keeps the habit going.
Is working out 5 or 6 days a week too much?
A lot of the women we talk to are already doing plenty. Classes most mornings. A long run on Saturday. Something extra on Sunday to make up for the weekend.
Some worry they're overdoing it.
Others feel guilty on a day off, like they've been lazy.
Honestly? In our experience, the number of days matters less than what's in them.
Here's what we usually find when a busy training week isn't changing anything:
- Random workouts. A class here, a video there. Chris calls that the "vomit of exercise." Your body gets mixed messages and no clear direction.
- Not enough strength. Lots of sweating, very little lifting.
- Not enough food. Training hard on a smoothie and a salad.
- Not enough recovery. Hard session, short night, repeat.
For a lot of women, the fix is fewer workouts, built better, with more food and real rest.
If that sounds like your week, read why working out 4 to 5 times a week isn't changing anything.
Do rest days actually matter?
Yes.
Hey ladies, listen up on this one.
The workout is the signal. In our experience, the change tends to show up afterward, while you eat, sleep and recover. Chris explains it like this: sleep is where you get results.
So rest days belong in the plan:
- Two days off a week. Five workouts in seven days leaves room for two days without one.
- Walks are welcome. An easy walk on a day off is great.
- Tell your coach how you feel. Dragging all week, sore for days or sleeping badly? Your coach can adjust the plan with you.
And if something feels off beyond normal tiredness, check in with your doctor.
What does a week look like in our program?
Here's a typical week in our 8-week 35+ Metabolic Reset:
- Monday: strength. You write down your weights and reps, so you can beat them next time.
- Tuesday: conditioning. Full-body moves, heart rate up.
- Wednesday: strength. Tracked again, same idea.
- Thursday: a gentler conditioning workout. This is the optional one, and a walk can stand in for it.
- Friday: strength and conditioning together.
The days can move. Five workouts in your seven days, however your week works best.
Every workout is a follow-along video at home, about 50 minutes. A set of dumbbells, a Swiss ball and some fabric bands is all you need.
All in, it's about 4 to 5 hours a week, including food prep and check-ins. Here's more on how much time coaching actually takes.
Yes, that's five workouts. What makes it work is how the week is built: strength days that build, conditioning in its place, food that fuels it all and rest days that stay rest days.
After the 8 weeks, many women continue into Metabolic Mastery, our ongoing coaching. In the build phases, the week usually shifts to 4 strength sessions plus an active recovery day, like a walk, yoga or Pilates.
Why does strength matter so much after 40?
Most women come to us wanting to lose weight. What they actually want to lose is fat.
In our experience, strength training is what helps you hold on to muscle while that happens. And muscle is what gives you shape, strength and the energy to keep up with your life.
It's also what makes carrying the groceries in one trip feel easy again.
We've helped 1,000+ women lose 10 to 20 lbs of fat in 8 weeks. Some had never lifted a weight. Others were training six days a week and getting nowhere.
What if you've never lifted before?
Start with two strength workouts a week.
Learn the moves. Take the easier options. Add a third day when you feel ready.
Here's how beginners over 40 learn strength training at home.
Don't want to give up your classes? Here's how they fit with strength training.
Ready for a week that actually works?
Strength first. Enough food. Real rest.
That's the week we build with you.
Start with the short video on our homepage at fortyfwd.com. It walks through why your body stopped responding after 40 and the method we use to change that.
If it sounds like you, apply for a call with Chris.
He reads every application himself. On the call, he'll look at your current week, workouts and all, and tell you straight whether the program is the right fit. If it is, he walks you through the investment then, once you both know it's a fit.
Your week can work with your body.
Let's build it together.
Frequently asked questions
How many days a week should I strength train to lose weight after 40?
In our experience, two or three strength workouts a week is the place to start, with one or two conditioning workouts added once you're at three. Enough food and real rest days matter just as much.
How long should a strength workout be for a woman over 40?
Ours are about 50 minutes. What matters most is having a plan, moves that get a little heavier or harder over the weeks, and real effort.
Is it bad to work out every day after 40?
Daily walks are great. For harder workouts, in our experience, a few planned strength sessions with rest days in the week tend to do more than training hard every single day.
Are rest days important for fat loss?
Yes. In our experience, a lot of the change happens while you eat, sleep and recover, so rest days are part of the plan.
How many workouts a week is the Forty Forward program?
In the 8-week Metabolic Reset, it's 5 follow-along workouts a week at home, about 50 minutes each: 3 strength and 2 conditioning, with one of the conditioning workouts optional.