Want to know how strong you really are? Try hanging from a bar. It sounds almost too easy to count as a strength test. There are no dumbbells and there is no complicated movement to master. But the moment your feet leave the ground, you find out just how much work it takes to support your own body.
That’s why I love the dead hang as a personal trainer. It’s a deceptively simple challenge that puts your grip and upper-body strength to the test and gives you something you can track over time.
For women, especially as we get older, that kind of strength matters. Being able to hold your own body weight requires more than strong hands and arms; it’s a basic measure of how well your body can grip, stabilize, and support itself.
Why muscle mass and grip strength matter more after age 40
Muscle mass and overall strength naturally change with time, and that process becomes increasingly important to address as we get older. The 40s are also an era of perimenopausal transition for many women, and those hormonal shifts can affect body composition and muscle mass. If you haven’t already started to build a strength reserve, don’t worry—it’s not too late.
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