The zone zero secret: how ultra-low-stress exercise can change your life
In case you're unfamiliar with the concept, or just need a quick refresher, zone training is a way of structuring workouts based on how high your heart rate gets as a percentage of the fastest it can possibly thump. Lower means slower – and most of us will never hit maximum intensity in our day-to-day lives. Over the decades, the most-recommended zones have shifted as training techniques evolve and knowledge of our biology improves – but zone zero, the state just slightly above total inactivity, where your heart never gets above 50% of its maximum rate, is enjoying a resurgence.
One reason? It's easy. Most zone training requires you to know your maximum heart rate – the British Heart Foundation recommends deducting your age from 220, though more accurate, less pleasant methods exist – and then making sure it doesn't go too high or low, usually by training with a heart rate monitor. Zone zero, though, doesn't require any of this. It's essentially where you spend most of your semi-active life: walking slowly, doing light tidying, or even working at a standing desk. It shouldn't really feel like exercise at all – but it might help you live longer, run faster, or feel better.
'Zone zero is an accessible way to increase daily movement without the need for formal workouts or special equipment,' says Brian Passenti, founder of Altitude Endurance Coaching. 'Getting more time in it can be as simple as parking further from the shops to get more steps in, taking a walk break while on a work call, or standing and stretching regularly at your desk. Of course, as you get more used to it, you can walk further or more frequently throughout your day, until you're spending hours in zone zero rather than on the couch.'
To understand why this is beneficial, it helps to know a bit about how your body fuels itself. After a meal or snack, carbohydrates are broken down and released into the bloodstream as glucose (a form of sugar), with any excess stored in the liver and muscles as glycogen. When you stand up or walk around, your muscles start contracting, which uses some of this glucose for fuel. This can have dramatic effects over time – a 2022 review of studies found that even a little bit of light-intensity walking was enough to 'significantly attenuate' post-food glucose levels compared with continued sitting, which almost certainly reduces your risk of insulin resistance and type 2 diabetes. Although there's some criticism of the idea that people living in 'blue zones' (those regions of the world where life-and-health span might be slightly longer than elsewhere) really differ from other populations, one thing that's fairly consistent among them is a significant amount of low-level activity, especially after meals – something that the evidence suggests is a pretty good idea.
Glucose is also released when you're stressed, as part of the body's fight-or-flight response – and managing that process might be one of the reasons that walking seems to be related to reduced stress, improved mood and general happiness. And there's another key element to the fuelling process – low-intensity exercise uses a higher percentage of fat for fuel than high-intensity exercise, which tends to rely on the quick energy hit provided by glucose. This means that walking for a long time, or walking in a fasted state (like taking the dog out before you have breakfast) tends to pull energy from your body's fat stores. Total calories burned matter, and so if fat loss is your main goal, adding more high-intensity exercise might get you there faster – but if that's unpleasant, injurious, or makes you ravenous, it may do more harm than good.
'For many of my clients – especially women in midlife or those just beginning their movement journey – zone zero is the bridge between sedentary and sustainable,' says Terry Tateossian, a personal trainer and nutritionist. 'It reduces stress, supports mental clarity, can help with improved circulation and better digestion, and it's a more enjoyable, flexible way to stick with training over time.'
It's also important to note that, in longevity terms, a bit (or a lot) more daily movement can play a huge role. A 2022 review of studies in the Lancet, for instance, found that taking more daily steps – fast or slow – was associated with a progressively lower risk of all-cause mortality, to an upper limit that varied by age. Another study led by the American Cancer Society found that any amount of walking, even at a moderate pace and at levels below the recommended guidelines, was associated with lower mortality risk. Consistency counts.
But what about more athletic endeavours? Well, even people who schedule workouts five or six days a week will still probably benefit from adding some extra low-intensity movement to their routine. A few more daily steps can bring all of the benefits mentioned above. But can going (very) slowly actually help you run faster?
This, it turns out, is a contentious area. Marathon data, for instance, shows that faster runners tend to spend a huge amount of time in the low-intensity zone compared with their slower peers – something that has prompted a recent examination in the European Journal of Applied Physiology. One theory is that faster athletes train a lot more in general – they're spending more hours on the roads and trails, and so some of those have to be slow so they don't burnout. This is the first of seven different hypotheses in the new piece, which notes that 'complete cardiac recovery from [high intensity] exercises might take over two days, limiting athletes to two to three weekly well-rested HI sessions' – leaving four or five days a week that can be filled with low intensity work.
There are also other explanations. Very low-intensity training may trigger training adaptations in a slightly different way to higher-intensity at the molecular level, or through different pathways. It might gradually remodel the structure and function of the heart (particularly the left ventricle), or shift the composition of an athlete's muscle fibres to the more endurance-focused (and economical) slow-twitch kind. It might also reinforce the effect of more serious training, as suggested by a 2021 study that found decreasing daily background steps actually blunted the effects of a high-intensity training programme.
'There have been studies comparing people doing training and getting 2,000 steps per day versus people doing the same training and doing 5,000 to 7,000 steps per day, and those getting more steps get better training adaptations,' says Brady Holmer, an exercise scientist and the author of VO2 Max Essentials. 'We often think it's best to do your training session and sit on the couch all day, but that doesn't appear to be the case. You need the high-intensity training to get a faster race time, but zone zero training plays a supportive role.'
It has been well established for some time now that 'active recovery' – even if you're barely doing anything – works to mitigate the effects of workouts that would otherwise leave you sore for days, by getting oxygen and nutrients to damaged muscle tissue through better blood flow. 'An easy walk around the block is the best way to combat sore muscles,' says Passenti. 'My wife is not as active as I am, but an easy after-dinner walk on a summer evening can offer benefits for both of us, and our dog too. While it may not directly improve sprint speed, it supports recovery and endurance development. Every bit of movement counts.'
But also, staying in zone zero is just … easy. High-intensity training is horrible almost by design: you might come to 'enjoy' it on some level, but it tends to have a negative effect on mood even in well-trained people. Going for a walk or a gentle yoga session, though, decreases mental fatigue and improves your mood, leaving you psychologically more prepared for the hard stuff.
'Zone zero addresses the biggest challenge I see across all levels of athletes: the inability to slow down,' says endurance coach Stephanie Holbrook. 'Over 16 years of coaching, I've found that most endurance athletes start out too hard and are simply not willing to embrace truly gentle movement. Zone zero – that sweet spot where you're just slightly active but not actually feeling like you're exerting yourself – can be revolutionary. For beginners who have never exercised, it removes the intimidation factor and shows that movement doesn't require suffering. For experienced 5k and marathon runners, it's often the missing piece that unlocks breakthrough performances because it facilitates genuine recovery without contributing to the body's stress response.'
So where to start? Anywhere you like. The point of zone zero is to stop thinking of your day as a split between workouts (horrible) and inactivity (non-ideal), and try to maximise the amount of very gentle movement you're doing without ever really worrying about it. In a typical day, that might mean going out for a quick walk before breakfast or getting off the bus to work a couple of stops early, getting up regularly for a stretch while you're at your desk, and going for a 20-minute wander at lunchtime. It could mean a short amble after dinner or a bit of very gentle yoga while you're watching Netflix (if you don't know any, just sit on the floor instead of the sofa, and you'll find yourself moving naturally). 'Start with 10 to 15 intentional minutes of zone zero a day,' says Tateossian. 'Add mobility while your coffee brews. Park further away on purpose. These micro-movements add up, and for people who feel intimidated by 'exercise', this is the entry point.'
It sounds like a hassle, compared with what many of us are used to – but if it pays off with improved mental energy now and a better quality of life later, it will be worth the effort. And, if you've never quite cracked the code to enjoying exercise, it could be just what you need. 'There can be a psychological breakthrough that comes from learning that sometimes the most powerful thing you can do is almost nothing at all,' says Holbrook. Besides, any form of exercise where you don't have to wash your gym kit has to be worth a try.
Zone 0: casual strollHeart rate: below 50% of max
Super-easy. Slow walking, gentle cleaning, or possibly just working at a standing desk. Spend as much time here as possible: it's where our hunter-gatherer ancestors would have spent most of their days.
Zone 1: getting goingHeart rate: 50% to 60% of max
Still barely challenging. This is where you'd be during an easy warm-up, walking the dog, or having a kickabout with a toddler. Useful for building work capacity for more challenging stuff.
Zone 2: this is fine
Heart rate: 60% to 70% of max
Easyish. You're breathing a bit harder, but you could still explain the plot of Severance if you really had to. Modern runners spend hours here to build a base without burning out. Can be boring, but very effective.
Zone 3: this isn't fine
Heart rate: 70% to 80% of max
This is where tempo runs – a pace that's right at the edge of your ability for sustained efforts – happen. You could talk, but you'd rather not. A zone that's fallen a bit out of fashion recently, as many coaches recommend a mix of long, slow training and higher-intensity efforts. Can still be useful, though.
Zone 4: can't talk, lungs hurting
Heart rate: 80% to 90% of max
Hard. This is what happens when you do intervals or threshold runs, or ill-advisedly sprint up an escalator as fast as you can. In theory, this is what nudges up your lactate threshold – or your body's ability to deal with lactate buildup in the blood. You can't sustain it for long, and you probably shouldn't try.
Zone 5: almost unbearable
Heart rate: 90% to 100% of max
Maximum effort: this is where you're redlining it because someone's yelling at you. Honestly, you probably don't need to be here much.
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The Independent
4 hours ago
- The Independent
Nine simple, evidence-based moves to try before calling it quits on fitness
You wouldn't start building a house without laying firm foundations, yet people often focus on fitness minutiae without nailing the basics first. Splashing out on pricey high-tech recovery tools in the absence of a good night's sleep, or spending hours hunting down ' the best exercises ' with time that could be better spent on a simple-yet-effective workout – the former options are shiny and exciting, but the latter deliver the greatest benefits. This is something certified strength and conditioning coach Danny Matranga has repeatedly observed across thousands of sessions, training clients from all walks of life. Worse: when these nuanced interventions don't deliver noticeable results, people's motivation to maintain healthy habits tends to wane. 'An issue that people have is that they don't believe in themselves, and they don't believe they can use food and exercise to reposition themselves for better fitness,' he says. 'I hate when people give up, because there is a bunch of basic stuff you can try first.' Below, he shares the nine things you should try before labelling your fitness a lost cause. Ten-second takeaways: Lift weights two times per week. Aim for seven or more hours of sleep per night. Eat more plants and less processed food. Regulate your stress levels through meditation, mindfulness, nature exposure and managing your behaviours. Drink more water – at least 1.9 litres per day. Spend more time outside, particularly soon after you wake up. Lower your alcohol consumption to within the government guidelines of 14 units per week. If you are looking to build muscle and/or lose weight, aim to consume 1.6-2g of protein per kilogram of body weight each day. If not, aim for a minimum of 0.8g of protein per kilogram of body weight each day. Sit less and walk more, making conscious decisions to increase your opportunities to move. Try to aim for at least 7,000 steps per day or 10 per cent more than your current daily average, according to your phone, fitness tracker or smartwatch – whichever figure is lower. Tip one: Lift weights As a strength coach, this was always likely to be Matranga's top recommendation, but he has good reason to prioritise strength training. Not only is it the type of exercise he finds clients are most likely to stick with long-term, but it also offers immense benefits disproportionate to the amount of time you spend exercising. 'What you get out of weightlifting is improved strength, muscularity and confidence,' Matranga says. It will also strengthen your bones, tendons and ligaments while improving your mobility, leaving you more resilient against injury. Attempting to exercise without these attributes is an uphill struggle. But establishing a baseline level of strength by lifting weights a couple of times per week will increase physical capacity and autonomy, making exercise a more enjoyable proposition. 'If you can hold on to muscle while managing your appetite, you will grow stronger, rather than just getting smaller, and that can be a big driver of sticking with it,' Matranga adds. He also sings the praises of strength training for regulating blood sugar and appetite. This is because glucose – or blood sugar – is pulled into the cells of working muscles during exercise to be used as energy, which can help prevent sharp spikes and drops in blood sugar levels during the day. In a previous article, I spoke to him about the numerous benefits of weightlifting and how to begin strength training for longevity – a valuable resource if you're interested in giving it a try. You can also find a sample full-body dumbbell workout below. Tip two: Sleep more 'Another one that affects our appetite is sleep,' says Matranga. 'If we get less sleep than we need, everything is harder; saying yes to exercise, saying no to a beer. 'So if, like so many of us, your default programming is not aligned with exercising and healthy eating, trying to do those things in a state of chronic sleep deprivation is incredibly hard.' Science supports this. A randomised control trial published in the Annals of Internal Medicine found that 'lack of sufficient sleep [in this case, five-and-a-half hours or less] may compromise the efficacy of typical dietary interventions for weight loss and related metabolic risk reduction'. In short: sleep deprivation made it harder to lose fat, while the study also found that ample sleep – eight-and-a-half hours each night – helped people maintain muscle while losing weight. But how much more sleep do you need? Swerving sleep deprivation by aiming for more than six or seven hours per night is vital, but beyond this, sleep needs can be subjective. 'This is where experimentation comes in,' The Sleep Scientist Dr Sophie Bostock tells me. 'Start with 15-20 minutes of extra sleep in the morning, then if you feel a bit better, consider half an hour.' Tip three: Eat more plants and less processed food 'Fast food and ultra-processed foods are where most Americans get most of their calories,' says California-based Matranga. 'They have lots of calories and very little nutrition. Fruits and vegetables are the opposite. They are very high in micronutrients, which help us function. They are also high in fibre, which is important for feeding our gut microbes, regulating our blood lipids [fats in the blood] and keeping us full.' Fellow trainer, author and fat loss specialist Ben Carpenter says fruit and vegetables can also benefit appetite regulation by replacing other less nutritious foods in our diet. To back this up, he points to research that found that promoting fruit consumption in children and adolescents actually decreased overall calorie consumption and reduced obesity prevalence. Meanwhile, a 2025 study published in Nature found that overweight or obese adults were able to lose significantly more weight on a diet of minimally processed foods than they were on an equivalent diet of ultra-processed foods. Tip four: Manage your stress I recently quizzed longevity specialist Dr Mohammed Enayat on what cost-free behaviours he would recommend for living as healthily as you can for as long as possible. Managing stress – through factors such as meditation, mindfulness and exposure to nature – was one of his four key pillars. 'The human organism is a combination of biological processes and the effects our environment has on us,' he explains. 'If we operate the human body in a toxic environment, we're exposed to bad things and toxins through diet and high stress, and this drives inefficiency and disease within our biology. That's why it's known that stress kills.' Managing stress is one of Matranga's top recommendations, too: 'If you want to live healthily and engage with exercise, you have to ask yourself: 'Is the amount of stress I'm carrying around affecting my diet and exercise compliance?' And if it is, are there things you can do to manage this stress? 'Maybe go for a walk, maybe talk to a counsellor, maybe do some breathwork. Whatever is causing this stress, it is not objectively healthy to carry around. Being chronically stressed is also a great excuse for not exercising, so we want to limit those excuses.' Tip five: Drink more water Like exercising and healthy eating, you probably already know that staying hydrated is good for you. But when a busy day runs away from you, it's not uncommon to find yourself parched come 5pm. Next thing you know, you're reaching for a fizzy drink to quench this thirst. 'Going back to ultra-processed foods, another big issue is that we get a lot of our fluids from calorie-rich drinks,' says Matranga. 'Most people should consume most of their fluids from water, which contains zero calories. It's very hydrating and also satiating, so this is probably the easiest tool on this list to use.' A systematic review of existing research, conducted at the University of California San Francisco, concluded that 'drinking enough water [a minimum of eight cups or roughly 1.9 litres per day, in most cases] can help with weight loss and prevent kidney stones, as well as migraines, urinary tract infections and low blood pressure'. Tip six: Get more sunlight It's widely known that sunlight can top up the body's vitamin D supply, although exposure has to be managed to prevent unwanted adverse effects such as sunburn. But the main benefits of this point lie in the secondary effects of getting outside. Sunlight in the morning can set your circadian rhythm – or your body's internal body clock – on the path to success, improving sleep quality and potentially improving your body's internal functions too. Meanwhile, research has linked nature exposure to improved health. A 2021 narrative review, appearing in the International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 'found evidence for associations between exposure to nature and improved cognitive function, brain activity, blood pressure, mental health, physical activity and sleep'. On a less scientific level, the act of going outside is also going to increase the amount you move, which is rarely a bad thing. 'I have never met a human who thrives sitting in an office all day,' says Matranga. 'We are organisms that evolved to be social and to be outside. For a lot of us, you might not be the type to go to a gym, but if you commit to going on a couple of 30-minute walks outside each day, that's going to be your exercise.' Tip seven: Reduce your alcohol intake You have likely seen articles on the internet or social media videos telling you what not to eat. Alcohol is the major factor missing from much of this content, in Matranga's eyes. 'It is unequivocally the worst thing we consume consistently,' he says. 'It is a known group one carcinogen [categorised by the International Agency for Research on Cancer ]; it increases your risk of disease; it increases your risk of getting bad sleep; and it has calories that make it harder to maintain a healthy weight. 'A lot of people could make tremendous strides with their health if they went from drinking excessively to just drinking in moderation. Alcohol consumption is the one habit I think both the United States and the United Kingdom have a crazy relationship with, compared to a lot of the rest of the world.' A chat with Professor David Nutt, a leading neuropsychopharmacologist and author of Drink? The New Science of Alcohol and Your Health, shed further light on why people struggle to reduce their alcohol intake. 'I think the question you have to ask is why people still drink,' he says. 'The answer is because alcohol is still the best drug or drink we have to relax you.' For this reason, giving it up is not on the table for most people, despite a 2023 release from the World Health Organisation stating that 'no level of alcohol consumption is safe for our health'. If this is the case, Nutt recommends sticking to the government guidelines around alcohol consumption to reduce your risk of related conditions such as cancer, liver cirrhosis and cardiovascular disease. 'The current guidelines are 14 units per week. If you can stick within those, the harms of alcohol are relatively minor. Most people who stick within these limits will not experience significant harm,' he explains. 'If you do drink, always have at least two days a week where you don't drink at all, because that allows your liver, heart and blood vessels to recover – but don't stockpile. If you're going to try and stick to the 14 units, don't take them in one go because that's going to be more deleterious to your brain.' Tip eight: Increase your protein intake 'Like eating more plants, this tip relates to the idea that, 'If I eat more of what's good for me, I'll have less room for what's not so good for me',' Matranga says. 'And just like fruit and vegetables, protein is very filling and often contains many other nutrients. 'It fuels our muscles and it costs a lot of calories to metabolise, so I find that if people add protein and veggies to their diet, and try to drop fast food, that little switch has a massive impact.' He recommends animal proteins such as beef, chicken, fish, eggs and yoghurt, as well as vegan sources like tempeh and tofu. Protein also has plenty of benefits beyond weight management, says FuelHub nutritionist Edward Mather. 'Proteins are essential for a variety of key physiological functions in the human body,' he explains. 'They play a critical role in muscle recovery, so consuming adequate amounts will help repair and rebuild muscle tissue following exercise, as well as facilitate the growth and maintenance of lean muscle mass. 'Proteins also provide structural support to cells and tissues, aid the transport and storage of key molecules, play a role in hormonal regulation and are involved in muscle contraction – along with many other things.' But how much protein do you need to eat per day? As a minimum, aim for 0.8 grams per kilogram of body weight each day. If you are looking to lose weight and build or maintain muscle, this can be bumped up to 1.6-2g of protein per kilogram of body weight. Tip nine: Sit less, walk more Matranga often sees cases where people are walking an average of 3,500 steps per day, then eating 3,500 calories in the same time span. 'People sit so much that for every step they take, they eat one calorie, and that is an untenable mathematical equation,' he says. 'The number one way to fight back against that is to move more, because when you're moving, you're using energy, and you're probably not eating either.' Walking is one of the most accessible ways to do this, providing a low-cost exercise option open to most people. Yet it still offers plenty of benefits. 'Over the last two or three years, there have been a lot of large studies coming out looking at prospective associations between walking and health outcomes like all-cause mortality, which is a fancy way of saying any reason why someone would die,' says Dr Elroy Aguiar, an assistant professor of exercise science at the University of Alabama. 'These studies are showing that walking, not necessarily in huge volumes, is associated with large reductions in risk of all-cause mortality.' If you are looking for a daily step target to hit, recent research from the University of Granada states that 'if we focus on the risk of dying from cardiovascular disease, most of the benefits are seen at around 7,000 steps per day'. However, if this target sounds unattainable, it is worth noting that any increase in your current daily number of steps – ie activity levels – is likely to deliver a net positive effect for your health. To implement this, try taking your current average daily number of steps from your phone, fitness tracker or smartwatch, then aiming to up it by 10 per cent each month until you reach 7,000 or more.
Daily Mail
10 hours ago
- Daily Mail
Britain's most hated and loved exercises - and the common household items people use to keep fit at home
Push-ups are the nation's most hated exercise but Britons love to squat and use cans as weights at home, a study reveals. Many resort to multitasking in an effort to hit activity targets, finding extra opportunities to move when cooking, cleaning and even brushing their teeth. Over one in three people (36 per cent) say they dislike push-ups, followed by burpees (29 per cent), planks (24 per cent) and chin-ups (24 per cent). The fearsome five is completed by crunches (22 per cent), according to the poll of 2,075 adults for Age UK's 'Act Now, Age Better' campaign. Meanwhile, the most loved are squats (20 per cent) and lunges (14 per cent). Age UK is encouraging people to make small, proactive changes that could help improve their physical health and the quality of their later years. One in five people (20 per cent) stay active at home by running up and down the stairs, while 10 per cent use chairs or a sofa for tricep dips or elevated push-ups. A time-efficient 15 per cent do exercises such as squats or lunges while waiting for the kettle to boil and 10 per cent balance on one leg while brushing their teeth. Furthermore, 9 per cent dance while hoovering and 2 per cent squat while in the shower. Others claim they hula hoop while reading. The findings demonstrate it is not necessary to travel to the gym to exercise, with many making use of common household items to help keep them in shape. The most commonly used are cans or jars (11 per cent), water bottles (10 per cent), pillows or cushions (9 per cent) and towels (7 per cent). Some 3 per cent fill their shopping bags with objects to turn them into weights. Others use oil drums, firewood logs and milk bottles filled with pebbles. Finally, 2 per cent have their pets join them in an at-home workout, with one saying they have dance sessions with all four of their dogs, another who holds their pet on their chest as a weight while doing sit-ups and a third whose cat loves to climb on their back during yoga. TV presenter and Strictly Come Dancing star Angela Rippon said: 'Our bodies are machines that are full of thousands of moving parts. 'And like any machine, if we don't keep those parts oiled and moving, they will seize up and let us down. 'Dancing is one of the best exercises you can do for the health and wellbeing of your mind as well as your body. 'So just let yourself go and move to the music on the radio. 'I often get up and dance to the music of the commercials that come up in my favourite TV programme.' Dr Hussain Al-Zubaidi, a GP and personal trainer, said: 'It's easy to feel put off by the word 'exercise'. 'When it's used, we often picture someone at full blast, hot and sweaty, maybe running or lifting what seems like too much weight in an impressive gym setup. 'But 'exercise" is anything that gets us moving and it all counts. 'That's why with patients and clients I use the word 'movement'. 'Most importantly, it must be something we enjoy and feel benefit from. 'There are things we can do in our everyday lives to mimic the classic 'exercises" and still reap the benefits. 'For example, the dreaded push-up can be done against a wall or sofa rest during movement breaks after time sat down. 'Eventually, as your upper body gets stronger, you may be able to do them from the floor. 'Start adding in some jumping jacks in between push-ups and you are also then tackling similar elements to a burpee. 'To tackle elements of the plank, you can hold your push up variation for as long as you can whilst tensing your core. 'Bear crawls around the house are a fantastic way to get in some cardiovascular and strength training at the same time.'
Times
10 hours ago
- Times
How I got into the best shape of my life at 45
On number four, they feel manageable. At number eight, I'm not so sure. By the twelfth lateral raise my lip twitches. I stop for a few seconds before going again. And again. Shoulders shaking, I drop my 10kg weights by the dog bowl, pick up the 15kgs next to the fridge and move to something more challenging still: deadlifts. Welcome to my kitchen workout, the heavy weights version — doable for anyone with discipline, a little space among the dishes and 45 minutes to spare. More muscle guaranteed, side order of grunting certain. I'm not new to resistance training in my kitchen. Last year I shared with readers a workout I had devised, finding it more practical than driving to a mansplaining gym. Drawing inspiration from exercise classes I'd attended and personal trainers I'd interviewed as a health journalist, my routine focused on lots of repetitions of lighter weights, which improved my muscle endurance and cardiovascular fitness. This workout helped me to feel fitter at 45 than I have felt in my life. But I was also beginning to plateau. There were only so many times I could tweak my existing exercises or increase my reps to challenge myself. Like many women I know who have exercised for a long time, I needed a new approach. I needed to join the heavy weights gang. The benefits of heavier weight training go far beyond stopping the loss of muscle that accelerates in midlife, which most of us are now aware of. It can also help to regulate blood sugar levels and increase bone mineral density, which typically declines with oestrogen levels in menopause. Lifting heavier weights is likely to be better for fat loss than lifting light weights because it helps you to build more muscle — and because muscle tissue burns more energy than fat, even at rest, the more we have, the less susceptible we are to midlife spread. It has also been found to be particularly good for the brain. Research in 2023 found that lifting weights at 80 per cent of participants' 1RM (one rep max — the maximum weight you can lift) increased levels of the protein brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) whereas lifting weights at 60 per cent did not. BDNF aids neuroplasticity, the brain's ability to adapt and change. • How to start weight training in midlife The Los Angeles writer Casey Johnston's new book, A Physical Education, charts how powerlifting helped her to overcome years of unhealthy dieting and exercising. Although Johnson, 38, appeared to be super-fit — she ran half-marathons and did cardio several times a week — she argues that instead of focusing on getting a stronger body, her fitness routines were all based on burning calories 'to help reveal her muscles underneath'. She was always exhausted and preoccupied with what her body looked like, trying to tone rather than get strong. 'I was running more and more and eating less and less,' she has said — and was unaware that she was actually losing muscle in the process. Changing her workout to focus on lifting heavy weights transformed that. It was not about getting 'smaller' but about 'how you feel. It's about protecting yourself,' she says. On Instagram the personal trainer Elizabeth Davies, 41, aka @thiswomanlifts, describes 'toning' as 'a made-up term arguably designed to prey on women who have been conditioned for decades to fear getting bigger'. She adds: 'We cannot tone a muscle. We cannot sculpt a muscle. We cannot blast fat around a muscle by exercising that muscle.' Muscle either increases in size, remains the same size or shrinks, she explains, and muscle is crucial for health, not aesthetics. I've become inspired by the American influencer Alicia Erickson, the Midlife Maven, who is a lifelong fitness fanatic like me but until recently of entirely average build. By 45 her regular running and CrossFit regime had started to feel taxing on her body. At 49 she started weight training instead and now boasts biceps of steel and abs you could crack a walnut on, with the emphasis very much on heavy weights. 'Booties' are not built with light dumbbells, she recently said, her confidence exuding from every pore. The fitness trainer Jack Hanrahan has noticed a rise in women swapping multiple sets of lighter dumbbells for heavy weightlifting. 'Once you've mastered your form with lighter weights, going heavier is the sensible thing to do,' he says. 'You're not going to become stronger if you're not challenging your muscles.' And, he adds, 'heavy lifting changes the way my clients carry themselves. When you feel really strong, you feel more capable. It gives you more courage.' Before I switched up my routine I wanted to know if it was safe to lift heavier weights in my kitchen, still not having the time or inclination to queue for complicated equipment in a weights room. 'Absolutely,' says the personal trainer Kate Rowe-Ham, who teaches midlife women to do just that via online classes on her app, Owning Your Menopause. 'For some women it's less intimidating lifting heavy weights at home than a gym because there's no one to see you pull a funny face.' On Rowe-Ham's recommendation I bought heavier dumbbells — 10kg (£56), 12.5kg (£68) and 15kg (£80) — from Factory Weights. An investment, obviously, but still cheaper than a gym membership. I also use a 6kg medicine ball. According to Hanrahan, some people worry that going heavier means a mandatory gym membership to avoid injury. But he says that if you are lifting slowly and carefully, you should be OK to do a heavy home workout. 'You can handle heavier weights if you're doing fewer reps because you're under tension for less time,' he says. 'If you can do the number of reps without failing, you're strong enough. There's no risk.' What is important is correct form, he stresses. Swaying or swinging during a movement increases the risk of injury, as does pushing to the point of failure 'because your form degrades and that means you're probably transferring some force into the joints', he says. Breathing correctly is also key. When muscles are 'being lengthened and loaded and you need stability' — straightening your arm for a biceps curl or lowering for a squat, for example — breathe in through your nose because 'it has a better connection to the diaphragm', Hanrahan explains. 'You're more likely to breathe deeper, which activates the core muscles and stabilises the spine.' There are 20 exercises in my new workout — 13 with heavier weights, along with seven conditioning exercises: jump squats, stomach crunches, oblique taps, lower abdominal raises, press-ups, triceps dips and a plank and side-plank. I can still do it in my small kitchen. Lifting heavier I do fewer repetitions of most exercises. For example, I do three sets of ten shoulder presses rather than 50 in one go. I still do 'pulses' — smaller movements while in, say, a squat — to increase the time my muscles spend under tension. I allow five slow breaths, or about 30 seconds, between each set. I've also added deadlifts to place more emphasis on my glutes, hamstrings and lower back, as well as weighted hip thrusts, which also work these muscle groups. 'We spend so long sitting down with these muscles inactive that it's important to train our posterior chain,' Rowe-Ham says. I have added bent-over lateral rows to build my upper back muscles, triceps kickbacks for the backs of my arms and weighted core exercises. For my squats I have added 3.5kg weights I found in the garage to my 20kg barbell, meaning I'm squatting 23.5kg. Significantly I have sacrificed a spinning session to lift weights every other day (I used to do it every three days), setting my alarm for 5.30am. That's painful but by the end of my session my heart pounds and I'm elated. What I have really noticed is how I seem to burn through food now. I mostly eat healthily but I eat a lot, and a chocolate or chips blowout doesn't seem to have an impact on the scales. I now weigh 6lb less than last summer and look a lot more muscly (according to my 14-year-old daughter). I have more energy but most importantly I feel stronger, more resilient. Cramming my weights back under the shoe rack at the end of a workout I feel as if I can take on the world. The heavy weight exercises that have transformed my fitness Barbell squats Three sets of 40 reps with a 23.5kg weight Use weights that allow you to lift the barbell comfortably over your head and rest it on the fleshiest part of your trapezius (upper back muscles). Hold the bar with both hands so your elbows are in line with your torso. With your feet slightly wider than shoulder-width apart, toes pointing out, buttocks pushed back and back straight, lower as far as you can while keeping your back straight. Push up. I do 20 of these, then 20 pulses in each set. Rows ANDREW FOX FOR THE TIMES Two sets of 15 with a 12.5kg dumbbell Keeping your left arm straight, place your left palm and left knee on a chair or coffee table. Holding a heavy weight in your right hand, keep your right arm straight, perpendicular to the floor, and your right leg straight with your right foot on the floor. Bend forward. Keeping your back straight and your elbow close to your body, pull the weight towards your torso, squeezing your shoulder blade. Lower. Repeat on the opposite side. Biceps curls Three sets of 12 reps with two 12.5kg dumbbells Stand with feet hip-width apart, back straight and shoulders down. Have a heavy weight in each hand with your arms by the side of your body, palms facing forward. Bend both elbows at the same time to curl your weights up to your shoulders, and lower. Weighted lunges 50 reps with two 12.5kg dumbbells, leading on right foot, then 50 leading on left Stand with feet pointing forward, hip-width apart, with arms by your sides and a heavy weight in each hand. Step forward with your right foot so both legs are bent at a 90-degree angle and your front thigh is parallel to the floor. Squeeze your buttocks as you return to the starting position. I repeat this 30 times, then do 20 pulses. • How to strengthen and tone your legs for summer Weighted calf raises ANDREW FOX FOR THE TIMES 35 reps with two 12.5kg dumbbells Stand with feet shoulder-width apart, arms by your sides, holding heavy weights. Rise onto the balls of your feet. Lower. Lateral raises ANDREW FOX FOR THE TIMES Three sets of 12, 10 and 10 reps with two 10kg dumbbells Stand with feet shoulder-width apart, holding a heavy weight in each hand by your sides, palms facing inwards. Keeping your shoulders down and back straight, raise your arms to the sides until they're parallel to the floor. The straighter your arms, the harder the exercise. Rest between each set (I use 10kg weights, up from 8kg, when I did 25 continuous reps). Deadlifts Three sets of 15, 12 and 12 reps using two 15kg dumbbells Standing feet hip-width apart, push your hips back and bend your knees slightly to grasp a barbell or two dumbbells at your feet, palms over the bar. Don't let your knees extend over your toes. Return to standing, weight in front of you, keeping your back straight, core engaged and head in line with your body. Freestanding reverse fly Two sets of 12 reps with two 10kg dumbbells With feet hip-width apart, arms by your side and a weight in each hand, lean forward, keeping your core tight, back straight and knees slightly bent. Raise your arms to the side until level with your body and slowly lower. Hip thrusts ANDREW FOX FOR THE TIMES Two sets of 25 with a 15kg dumbbell Lie on your back, knees bent, hands lightly holding a heavy weight — I use 15kg — across your hips to stop it rolling off. Thrust your hips up towards your head, keeping your back straight and squeezing your glutes at the top. Lower your body so your upper back and bottom reach the floor together. • How to get good glutes: seven easy exercises Crunch with medicine ball ANDREW FOX FOR THE TIMES 25 reps with a 6kg medicine ball Lie on your back with your legs fully extended and your arms holding a medicine ball extended over your head. If you don't have a medicine ball, hold a weight. Raise your legs, torso and arms simultaneously until your legs and arms are perpendicular to the floor. Lower slowly. Russian twists ANDREW FOX FOR THE TIMES 20 reps with a 12.5kg dumbbell Lie on your back with your knees bent and feet raised 10cm off the floor. Lift your torso until it creates a V shape with your thighs, and hold either end of a dumbbell (I use 12.5kg) so it is horizontal and close to your stomach. Twist your torso to the right as far as you can, return to centre. Twist to the left, return to centre. This is one rep. Shoulder presses ANDREW FOX FOR THE TIMES Three sets of 10 reps with two 10kg dumbbells Stand with feet shoulder-width apart, a weight in each hand. With palms facing forward, shoulders down, back straight and elbows under your wrists, hold the weights at your shoulders. Push the weight up until your arms are straight. Lower. Triceps kickbacks One set of 15 reps with a 12.5kg dumbbell Stand with one leg in front, the other back, so you are leaning forward slightly with one arm on a chair or coffee table for support. Hold a weight (I use 12.5kg) in the opposite hand. Bend your elbow at a 90-degree angle, keeping your upper arm parallel to the floor. Squeezing your triceps, extend your arm backwards until it is straight. Return to starting position. Repeat on the other side.
