There is no magic number that works for every woman. But there are useful guidelines — and a few principles that matter more than chasing the perfect schedule.
Start with the public-health baseline
UK guidance recommends muscle-strengthening activity involving the major muscle groups on at least two days a week for adults aged 19 to 64. The NHS also recommends regular physical activity during perimenopause and menopause.
Two sessions can be a very good starting point
If you are new to strength training, two sessions a week can give you a clear structure without taking over your life. You can build from there if you enjoy it, recover well and have the time. You do not need to start with five workouts a week.
More days are not automatically better
Training is a stimulus. Recovery is part of what allows your body to respond to that stimulus. If you increase frequency, make sure you are also paying attention to sleep, soreness, stress and how you feel between sessions.
Your week does not have to look identical every week
Work, family, travel, sleep and symptoms can all change. A flexible routine might mean two strength sessions one week and three the next. The important thing is to keep returning to the habit rather than treating a disrupted week as a reset button.
Build around the life you have
Choose days you are most likely to protect. Keep sessions realistic. If a 30-minute workout is much easier to repeat than a 70-minute one, the shorter option may be the better foundation.
How this connects to Maren
Maren is designed for the reality that your training capacity can change. The app does not assume that the workout that made sense yesterday automatically makes sense today. Your daily check-in helps shape the session you receive.
A final thought
The right frequency is the one that gives you enough strength work to make progress while leaving enough room for the rest of your life — and enough recovery to come back again.
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