Strength Training Is a Must for Women in Midlife — Here’s Why
by Sandra Rose Salathe
From Cold Plunges to Meditation, Here’s How These Women’s Health Experts Stay Strong
by Sandra Rose Salathe
How Much Protein Do You Really Need? What Science Tells Us
by Sandra Rose Salathe
Can You Prevent Menopause Brain Fog? Here’s What You Need To Know
7 Celebrity Workouts You’ll Want to Try
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6 Books That Will Help You Achieve Your Strength Training Goals
What Does Strength Mean to You?
flow forum
The first time I worked out with a pair of dumbbells, they weighed two pounds each, and were the color pink.
This was back in the 1990s, when I was a twentysomething post-grad living in New York City. I’d always been active — I played soccer through high school, and studied flamenco, modern dance, and ballet — and now, as a young, independent adult, I was looking for new ways to stay fit and healthy. So I joined a local gym, where the most popular group classes were some form of cardio like step aerobics, which usually consisted of 35 minutes of jumping around and 15 minutes of “strength training” — by which I mean holding those light, pink dumbbells in my hands as I did a series of arm circles, or tucking one behind my thigh for leg lifts.
Today, strength training for women looks entirely different. Thanks to new, ongoing research, as well as a growing investment in women as athletes — the 2024 Paris Games, which start Friday, will be the first Olympics to have equal representation of male and female competitors — we know that the most important thing we can do to improve not only our life span but our health span is lift heavy weights.
That’s why in this month’s special issue dedicated to strength, we’re bringing you stories from leading women’s health experts and influencers on how to boost and maintain your physical and mental stamina. From our groundbreaking cover star, Allyson Felix, talking about how she’s evolving into a stronger entrepreneur, advocate, and mother, to celebrity fitness trainer Kira Stokes sharing three different strength workouts based on where you are in your exercise journey, to our Advisory Council members revealing their best hacks for incorporating strength into their everyday routines, this issue has everything you need to become your strongest self — nothing pink required.
What Allyson Felix is
Running Toward Now
on the cover
Mindy Kaling
Dara Torres
Jessi Miley Dyer
Adrienne Smith
Femita Ayenbeku
Mindy Kaling
"I use five-pound weights and I have eight exercises that I just do. I try to do it twice a week. Especially leading up to events where I might be showing more arms than I normally do, which is almost never, ‘cause I usually wear sweatshirts. I'm not a very patient person, so to me, strength means I have to be patient with my children because they’re not my employees. They live in my home and they’re learning everything for the first time. So for me, strength is learning things that are difficult for me."
Dara Torres
"Having strength and having muscle. I think it's very important for women. As I get older, I realized that I lose muscle and strength really quickly. Obviously working out is extremely important. And I make sure I get strength workouts and at least three days a week and my routine doesn't have to be long. The other important thing which I try to educate everyone on one is how important it is to drink protein to keep your your strength and how important it is to keep muscle mass as you get older."
Adrienne Smith
"When I first came on planet Earth, strength meant being able to lift buildings like a superhero. That type of thing. But now, as I've lived more in life and as I've achieved more — on the field and off the field — strength for me means endurance. It means sticktoitiveness. It means having a goal in mind and not letting go of that goal no matter what life throws at you."
Femita Ayenbeku
"Strength when I was younger just meant getting through the day. When I first had my accident, I had bullies and I had people that would, you know, try to tear me down. So, just getting through the day, feeling proud of myself was an accomplishment. Strength today, especially as a mom, means not only showing up for myself but showing up for my daughter."
Jessi Miley Dyer
"For me, strength is the idea that even when the thing that you want or the thing that you're fighting is under attack, and even if it's not popular, that you're going to stick to it. Having the ability to kind of go through something that feels like a bit of a war to me, to me that's strength."
On the eve of the Paris 2024 Olympic Games, the most decorated track and field athlete in U.S. Olympic history reflects on why finally being able to “show up as herself” is her new measure of strength.
read the cover story
letter from the editor
Does this TikTok Protein Pizza Live Up to the Hype?
by Sandra Rose Salathe
by Sandra Rose Salathe
BY SANDRA ROSE SALATHE
The
Strength
Issue
starring
Allyson Felix
read the cover story
4 Strength-Building Recipes
by Sandra Rose Salathe
Dr. Elizabeth Comen Gets Real About the Myths Surrounding Women’s Health
by Sandra Rose Salathe
Celeb Trainer Kira Stokes on Building Strength:
‘Think With The Long Game in Mind’
by Sandra Rose Salathe
Editorial
Editor-in-Chief GALINA ESPINOZA
Design Director DANIELLE GIARRATANO
Health Editor MARA SANTILLI
Health Writer SANDRA ROSE SALATHE
SHE Media
Chief Marketing Officer
JEN DENTON
Chief Content Officer CRISTINA VELOCCI
VP, Video RESHMA GOPALDAS
Senior Video Editor ALLISON O’CONNELL
Director, Live Media CAITLIN CORKERY
Video Editor SARAH WALLACE
back to the top
Femita Ayenbeku
"Strength when I was younger just meant getting through the day. When I first had my accident, I had bullies and I had people that would, you know, try to tear me down. So, just getting through the day, feeling proud of myself was an accomplishment. Strength today, especially as a mom, means not only showing up for myself but showing up for my daughter"
Adrienne Smith
When I first came on planet Earth, strength meant being able to lift buildings like a superhero. That type of thing. But now, as I've lived more in life and as I've achieved more — on the field and off the field — strength for me means endurance. It means sticktoitiveness. It means having a goal in mind and not letting go of that goal no matter what life throws at you.
Dara Torres
"Having strength and having muscle. I think it's very important for women. As I get older, I realized that I lose muscle and strength really quickly. Obviously working out is extremely important. And I make sure I get strength workouts and at least three days a week and my routine doesn't have to be long. The other important thing which I try to educate everyone on one is how important it is to drink protein to keep your your strength and how important it is to keep muscle mass as you get older."
Mindy Kaling
"I use five-pound weights and I have eight exercises that I just do. I try to do it twice a week. Especially leading up to events where I might be showing more arms than I normally do, which is almost never, ‘cause I usually wear sweatshirts. I'm not a very patient person, so to me, strength means I have to be patient with my children because they’re not my employees. They live in my home and they’re learning everything for the first time. So for me, strength is learning things that are difficult for me."
back to flow space
click on each photo to read their answers!
click on each photo to read their answers!
Dr. Vonda Wright Explains How You Can Build Strength As You Age
by Sandra Rose Salathe
Dr. Vonda Wright Explains How You Can Build Strength As You Age
by Sandra Rose Salathe
photograph by jessica chou
photograph by jessica chou