It’s a known fact that exercise benefits the body in many different ways, but within that broad truth lies many debatable ones: which exercises and movements are best for whom? While many of the basics hold true (meaning: everyone benefits from cardio and strength training), the specific methods vary based on someone’s age, health, fitness and more.
Today the American Council on Exercise (ACE), a national organization that confers fitness certifications to personal and group fitness instructors and health coaches, launched a dedicated program to educate exercise and health professionals on the specific needs of menopausal women so they can better support them.
This comes as an increasing understanding has formed around the importance of exercise for midlife women’s health, which includes managing menopause symptoms. For example: the International Menopause Society cites exercise as one of the key lifestyle pillars for managing menopause symptoms. Additionally, experts have told Flow Space that personal trainers and fitness coaches, if you work with them, should be a key part of your menopause care team.
“Menopause is a transformative stage in a woman’s life that is often surrounded by misconceptions and misunderstanding,” Sabrena Jo, the ACE’s senior director of science and education, said in a news release. She added that the course offers “science-based education to help health and exercise professionals better serve women navigating menopause with confidence and care.”
The course, which is called Menopause Mentor, will teach trainers and others about the specific physiological, psychological, social and hormonal changes women face in menopause. It’ll also help them program exercises and coaching to take all this into account.
Irene McCormick, an exercise expert with expertise in menopausal health and fitness who created the course, said in the same release that “by better understanding and managing this natural life stage, women can improve their health, enhance their well-being and embrace menopause as a period of growth and change.”
It’ll include strategies for designing safe, helpful wellness and fitness routines plus tools for managing sleep, fitness, nutrition and stress. It’s available online at the ACE’s website.
