A meta-analysis of 129 trials in postmenopausal women found aerobic, resistance and combined training increased cardiorespiratory fitness and lower-body strength, while only resistance training increased upper-body strength.
Reported an improvementMeta-analysis · 7,141 participants pooled · 2023PostmenopausalCited 23 timesPubMed
A review of 28 randomised trials in postmenopausal women aged 50 to 65 found walking combined with resistance training could preserve weight and bone density and increase muscle strength.
Reported an improvementSystematic review · 2,646 participants pooled · 2004Early postmenopausalCited 219 timesPubMed
A meta-analysis of 19 trials in postmenopausal women found adding exercise to medicine or supplements improved lumbar spine bone density, leg muscle strength, balance, and quality of life.
Reported an improvementMeta-analysis · 1,249 participants pooled · 2024PostmenopausalCited 13 timesPubMed
24 postmenopausal women did 12 weeks of combined resistance and endurance training, which reduced arterial stiffness, blood pressure and heart rate, and increased leg and handgrip strength versus controls.
Reported an improvementRandomised trial · 24 women · 12 weeks · 2011PostmenopausalCited 107 timesPubMed
Postmenopausal women aged around 68 did 18 months of twice-weekly aerobic and strength training with or without vibration; lean mass improved and vibration slightly favored leg strength gains.
Reported an improvementRandomised trial · 151 women · 78 weeks · 2012PostmenopausalCited 65 timesPubMed
Women averaging 69 years did an 18 month multipurpose exercise program and researchers reported increased lean mass and strength and reduced body fat compared to an active control group.
Reported an improvementRandomised trial · 246 women · 78 weeks · 2010Midlife womenCited 56 timesPubMed
Over 14 weeks, postmenopausal women adding whole-body electromyostimulation to their usual endurance and strength training maintained resting metabolic rate and gained more strength than controls.
Reported an improvementRandomised trial · 30 women · 14 weeks · 2010PostmenopausalCited 71 timesPubMed
Postmenopausal women with fibromyalgia did 21 weeks of combined strength and endurance training, which improved leg strength, workload, walking and stair climbing, and fatigue.
Reported an improvementRandomised trial · 26 women · 21 weeks · 2008PostmenopausalCited 44 timesPubMed
In postmenopausal women at high risk of type 2 diabetes, 12 weeks of high-intensity bodyweight training and combined aerobic-resistance training both improved muscle mass, walk test performance and insulin resistance, but only combined training increased strength.
Mixed resultsRandomised trial · 16 women · 12 weeks · 2018PostmenopausalCited 37 timesPubMed
Postmenopausal women did 24 weeks of whole-body vibration or multicomponent training; both reduced total fat mass and increased knee and ankle strength, with no change in bone density.
Reported an improvementRandomised trial · 38 women · 24 weeks · 2017PostmenopausalCited 26 timesPubMed
In a 16-week RCT, postmenopausal women doing circuit-style functional training with elastic bands and walking reduced body fat and improved strength, coordination, agility and cholesterol levels versus controls.
Reported an improvementRandomised trial · 50 women · 16 weeks · 2017PostmenopausalCited 24 timesPubMed
Postmenopausal women did 12 weeks of water-based combined aerobic and resistance training, with both exercise orders increasing upper and lower body strength and muscle thickness.
Reported an improvementRandomised trial · 21 women · 12 weeks · 2015PostmenopausalCited 25 timesPubMed
Postmenopausal women did 12 weeks of whole body vibration or multi-component training, with both groups showing similar gains in knee and ankle strength and body composition changes.
Reported an improvementRandomised trial · 38 women · 12 weeks · 2015PostmenopausalCited 22 timesPubMed
Overweight postmenopausal women who did 6 months of combined resistance and aerobic training increased leg and bench press strength and muscle mass index, with no added benefit from isoflavones.
Reported an improvementRandomised trial · 70 women · 26 weeks · 2013PostmenopausalCited 16 timesPubMed
A systematic review of 12 studies on menopausal sarcopenia reported that 150 minutes per week of aerobic exercise plus resistance training, with protein and vitamin D, was an effective management strategy.
Reported an improvementSystematic review · 2025Midlife womenCited 2 timesPubMed
Older postmenopausal women aged 73 to 88 did a 12 month weight-bearing exercise program; five years after stopping, bone density and neuromuscular function gains were lost in both exercisers and controls.
Reported a worseningRandomised trial · 34 women · 260 weeks · 2009PostmenopausalCited 19 timesPubMed
In obese postmenopausal women over 12 weeks, both HIIT and combined training reduced body fat and increased leg lean mass, but only combined training increased muscle strength and fast walking speed.
Mixed resultsRandomised trial · 24 women · 12 weeks · 2019PostmenopausalCited 15 timesPubMed
Over 10 weeks, sedentary postmenopausal women doing aerobic and strength training with or without whole-body electrostimulation improved strength, agility and speed, with added cardiovascular benefit from electrostimulation.
Mixed resultsRandomised trial · 34 women · 10 weeks · 2020PostmenopausalCited 12 timesPubMed
Inactive postmenopausal women did recreational team handball training for 36 weeks and researchers reported improved fitness, knee strength, lumbar spine bone density, and lipid markers.
Reported an improvementRandomised trial · 45 women · 36 weeks · 2023PostmenopausalCited 10 timesPubMed
Postmenopausal women with low bone density did a 20 week program of aerobic, balance and strength training and researchers found improved bone quality measures and leg strength versus controls.
Reported an improvementRandomised trial · 49 women · 20 weeks · 2008PostmenopausalCited 13 timesPubMed
In early postmenopausal osteopenic women, stopping a high intensity exercise programme for 3 months led to losses in lean mass, strength and power versus continued light exercise, though bone density loss was not significant.
Reported a worseningRandomised trial · 54 women · 13 weeks · 2021Early postmenopausalCited 9 timesPubMed
Sedentary postmenopausal women did 10 weeks of aerobic and strength training with or without whole-body electromyostimulation; the stimulation group showed greater power and velocity gains but little effect on body composition.
Reported an improvementRandomised trial · 34 women · 10 weeks · 2020PostmenopausalCited 9 timesPubMed
Postmenopausal women did functional or combined training, and both groups improved walking speed, jumping ability and dressing-task time compared to controls.
Reported an improvementRandomised trial · 108 women · 2022PostmenopausalCited 6 timesPubMed
In older women with metabolic syndrome, 16 weeks of combined aerobic and resistance training improved fitness and strength but did not change body composition, blood pressure or lipid and glucose profiles.
Reported an improvementRandomised trial · 25 women · 16 weeks · 2022Midlife womenCited 8 timesPubMed
58 postmenopausal women did 12 weeks of periodized or non-periodized combined training; periodized groups gained more strength while all groups improved aerobic fitness.
Reported an improvementRandomised trial · 58 women · 12 weeks · 2022PostmenopausalCited 5 timesPubMed
In 26 postmenopausal women, 8 weeks of combined exercise with ursolic acid supplementation raised handgrip strength more than exercise with placebo, but waist circumference and other outcomes did not differ.
Reported an improvementRandomised trial · 26 women · 8 weeks · 2021PostmenopausalCited 6 timesPubMed
Postmenopausal women did 12 weeks of indoor or outdoor training three times weekly, and indoor training improved body composition and fitness more while outdoor training improved blood pressure, strength and adherence.
Reported an improvementRandomised trial · 23 women · 12 weeks · 2016PostmenopausalCited 7 timesPubMed
Overweight postmenopausal women did a 6-month weight loss program with higher-protein diet with or without supervised multicomponent exercise; exercise groups preserved strength and physical function better than diet alone.
Mixed resultsRandomised trial · 72 women · 26 weeks · 2021PostmenopausalCited 4 timesPubMed
Postmenopausal women did a 12-month exercise and nutrition program then 6 months of voluntary home exercise; most physical benefits were maintained but bone and balance gains were not fully sustained with low exercise frequency.
No difference foundRandomised trial · 45 women · 78 weeks · 2009PostmenopausalCited 6 timesPubMed
Early postmenopausal women did 12 months of exercise with or without alendronate; exercise raised muscle power, balance and aerobic capacity but gains faded 15 months after stopping.
Reported an improvementRandomised trial · 102 women · 65 weeks · 2004Early postmenopausalCited 5 timesPubMed
A 12-week multicomponent exercise and cognitive program in midlife Hong Kong women, mean age 61.5, improved intrinsic capacity scores, chair stand times, muscle mass and cardiorespiratory fitness versus controls.
Reported an improvementRandomised trial · 176 women · 12 weeks · 2026PostmenopausalCited 2 timesPubMed
Obese women aged 40 to 50 did combined aerobic and resistance exercise for 16 weeks, and the exercise group showed significantly greater increases in chest, leg and abdominal strength than controls.
Reported an improvementRandomised trial · 16 weeks · 2013Midlife womenCited 10 timesPubMed
Overweight women aged 35 to 50 did 10 weeks of HIIT or HIIT plus resistance training; strength improved with combined training and lipid and insulin markers improved in both groups, but fitness did not improve.
Reported an improvementRandomised trial · 27 women · 10 weeks · 2024Midlife womenCited 3 timesPubMed
Early postmenopausal women with low bone density did a 14 month high-impact, strength and endurance program and had increased lumbar spine bone density, strength and fitness versus controls.
Reported an improvementControlled trial · 100 women · 60 weeks · 2003Early postmenopausalCited 34 timesPubMed
Seventy postmenopausal women did jazz dance or concurrent training for up to 12 months; both improved cardiorespiratory fitness, muscle strength and sleep quality, with concurrent training showing greater fitness gains.
Reported an improvementRandomised trial · 70 women · 52 weeks · 2025PostmenopausalCited 1 timesPubMed
A one-year weight training program added to dance exercise increased muscular strength in middle-aged women but did not significantly increase overall bone mineral density.
Reported an improvementControlled trial · 54 women · 52 weeks · 1991Midlife womenCited 39 timesPubMed
Early postmenopausal women did high impact aerobic, jumping and resistance exercise for 50 months, maintaining spine bone density and improving cholesterol, body fat and strength versus non-training controls.
Reported an improvementControlled trial · 68 women · 217 weeks · 2007Early postmenopausalCited 18 timesPubMed
Postmenopausal women aged 55 to 65 did supervised combined aerobic and weight-bearing exercise three times weekly for 12 weeks and showed favourable changes in bone turnover markers and improved walk and chair-stand performance.
Reported an improvementRandomised trial · 86 women · 12 weeks · 2026PostmenopausalPubMed
In an 8-week trial, both aerobic-only and combined aerobic plus resistance training lowered blood pressure in middle-aged women with prehypertension, with combined training giving a larger diastolic reduction.
Direction not statedRandomised trial · 31 women · 8 weeks · 2025Midlife womenPubMed
Over nine months of combined aerobic and resistance training, postmenopausal breast cancer survivors on aromatase inhibitors showed similar strength, fitness, and body fat improvements to healthy postmenopausal women.
Reported an improvementControlled trial · 42 women · 39 weeks · 2019PostmenopausalCited 9 timesPubMed
In a 3 month combined aerobic and strength training program, obese and lean premenopausal middle-aged women improved similarly across most fitness, strength and balance measures, with high enjoyment in both groups.
Reported an improvementControlled trial · 72 women · 12 weeks · 2023OtherCited 4 timesPubMed
Postmenopausal women did 12 weeks of combined strength and endurance training with or without protein and carbohydrate supplementation, and researchers found increased strength with no added benefit from supplementation.
Reported an improvementControlled trial · 51 women · 12 weeks · 2023PostmenopausalCited 3 timesPubMed
Nine postmenopausal women with type 2 diabetes did combined strength and aerobic training for 16 weeks and showed improved glucose control, insulin action and muscular strength.
Reported an improvementBefore-and-after study · 9 women · 16 weeks · 2004PostmenopausalCited 68 timesPubMed
A six month community exercise program for perimenopausal and menopausal women improved quality of life and physical condition, especially aerobic fitness, strength and balance, versus inactive controls.
Reported an improvementControlled trial · 26 weeks · 2022Midlife womenCited 6 timesPubMed
Postmenopausal women with type 2 diabetes did combined strength and aerobic training for 9 months, then stopped for 3 months, then resumed, with glucose control and fitness improving with training and worsening during detraining.
Reported an improvementBefore-and-after study · 13 women · 39 weeks · 2014PostmenopausalCited 17 timesPubMed
Twelve middle-aged women did resistance and aerobic training 3 times weekly for 14 weeks and increased strength and lean tissue, with a small drop in body fat percentage.
Reported an improvementBefore-and-after study · 12 women · 14 weeks · 2006Midlife womenCited 12 timesPubMed
Obese postmenopausal women did a 10 week mixed Nordic walking and strength training program and showed improved fitness, strength, waist to hip ratio and cholesterol levels.
Reported an improvementBefore-and-after study · 10 weeks · 2014PostmenopausalCited 8 timesPubMed
Overweight postmenopausal women did a year of combined aerobic and resistance training; those who did not lose fat mass still gained similar strength, fitness, and flexibility as those who did.
Reported an improvementBefore-and-after study · 31 women · 52 weeks · 2016PostmenopausalCited 3 timesPubMed
A 12-week combined aerobic and resistance programme in 101 perimenopausal Chinese teachers lowered triglycerides and fasting glucose and improved muscular strength and endurance.
Reported an improvementBefore-and-after study · 101 women · 12 weeks · 2026PerimenopausalCited 1 timesPubMed