Weight Lifting and Strength Building Post Menopause

WC3

I was wondering if any women here who are post menopausal and on anti hormone therapy do any type of weight lifting or strength training.

I lost a lot of muscle mass during chemotherapy and I'd like to build some of it back, however, I was a "hard gainer" pre menopause, meaning I got low strength returns for the effort I put in to it, and I'm wondering if it's going to be even more difficult now that chemotherapy has put me in to menopause.

Ingerp

Aren’t we all supposed to be lifting weights, for the bone density if nothing else? I do upper body two days a week and lower body two days a week. I also do cardio those days. I do a yoga class two days a week. On the seventh day I rest. ;-)

vampeyes

WC3 - Ingrep is right that we all should be lifting to strengthen the muscles and bones. I use to workout like crazy before BC, unfortunately SEs of Tamoxifen and low iron are making it extremely difficult to do as much as I use to. So I do what I can, currently that involves stretching videos, squats and lunges, I am working my way back to lifting. A friend of mine lifts, started after her treatments, has suggested starting with body weight and going slow to avoid getting hurt, so I am passing on her advice to you. Start slow and gradually work up, do what you can and don't force it as bad posture can wreck havoc on your body.

HUGS

ruthbru

Start slowly and work your way back in. I did chemo, rads, anti-hormonals......the works (plus I was post-menopausal); and although I was in good shape going in, I am in even better shape now. The only thing is that it will take time.....more time than you'd like. I'd say that it was at least a year (probably more like two) before I felt like I had gotten back to ground zero, but after that you can start building from there.

MountainMia

Today was my first time back to the gym after surgery, chemo, and radiation. No shit, it was hard. I did about the same stuff I used to do, but with half the weight or less. That was all okay, but the big surprise was the discomfort in my right forearm, where my infusions were.

I figure it will be 2 or 3 weeks before I can shift up slightly in weights. But if I don't start, I won't even get that far.

2019whatayear

Woo hoo! Congrats on making it back to the gym!!!

-Victoria

WC3

MountainMia:

Congradulations on going back to the gym!

Everyone:

Thank you for the replies! I am currently looking for a gym to join.