A long-underserved market, menopausal women are demanding more attention and programming, and fitness brands are starting to take note

Health and wellness-focused research on women has long been neglected, particularly for those who have reached menopause. However, in recent years, the fitness industry has increasingly come to recognize the potential in catering to menopausal clients.

Shannon Tracey, vice president of sales and marketing for Xplor Mariana Tek, a boutique fitness software platform from Xplor Technologies, explained this recent evolution to Athletech News. 

“It’s well-documented that research is underfunded for women, and up until recently, conversations about menopause have been the exception rather than the norm,” Tracey said. “Just as society has become more open to discussions about fertility, there’s a growing awareness of the impact and challenges of menopause “

Consumers are becoming increasingly aware of the connections between their fitness routines and hormonal fluctuations.

“Consumers are viewing wellness as more than just fitness, along with the continued push to better understand our bodies and minds,” Tracey noted. 

Transitioning through menopause can be a particularly isolating experience. Group fitness studios, in particular, have a unique opportunity to build community during such a challenging time. 

Holly Rilinger, a strength coach and founder of Lifted, told ATN about how her menopausal clients increasingly requesting more attention. 

“They want to be heard and seen,” Rilinger said. “They want their doctors to make this part of their life as important as their childbearing years and they want their trainers to understand that they cannot do more than they are doing, and they want help.” 

To respond to this growing demand, Rilinger started a Menopause Bootcamp at Lifted.

“We launched Menopause Bootcamp this year to help women learn how to strength train in a non-intimidating and welcoming environment – and it’s completely virtual,” Rilinger said. “I want to make strength training completely accessible to women of all ages.” 

Rilinger explained how important strength training is for aging women. 

“Strong is what is going to make you healthy and keep you out of a nursing home or breaking a hip later in life,” she said. “Women don’t understand how difficult it can be to build muscle and then how quickly it can go away. These workouts with ankle weights and three-pound dumbbells are not going to get the job done. That’s not my opinion, it’s science.” 

credit: Lifted

Antonietta Vicario, chief training officer at Pvolve, told ATN about how many menopausal women can no longer do their former exercises. 

“They are experiencing so many changes, especially when it comes to body composition, and often, the former exercises they used to do with great results just don’t work anymore,” Vicario said. “Of course, we also hear about night sweats, brain fog, sleeplessness, hot flashes, joint pain and much more, but mostly, these women are coming to us to help with their slowing metabolism and to maintain bone density.” 

Pvolve has created four special classes designed specifically to help women through menopause. 

“At Pvolve, we are educating women about all the things they can do to look and feel their best from a movement and mindset perspective,” Vicario noted. “This includes weight training to combat sarcopenia, incorporating short cardio intervals for bone, brain, and heart health, mobility training for joint health, and stability work to prevent debilitating falls later in life.” 

Tracey recommends some practical steps for fitness studios looking to better serve menopausal clients.

“Start by assessing your community: how many women aged 40-plus do you have, and how often are they attending class? Do you know what they’re looking for from their studio during this time in their life? If not, then ask them,” she said. “Studios can leverage platforms like Xplor Mariana Tek to quickly and easily drop forms on their website about their community’s preferred programming.” 

As the fitness industry evolves, so too must its approach to women’s health. 

“By recognizing and addressing the unique needs of menopausal women, fitness studios have a unique opportunity to build community, empower women, and redefine wellness at every life stage,” Tracey said. “By fostering environments that understand and respond to menopausal needs, studios can attract and retain a demographic eager for holistic health solutions.”

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