Research shows the importance of resistance training in perimenopause through postmenopause for maintaining muscle mass and strength. Experts point out the benefits of lower-body strength training in particular, as well as finding a workout you can do consistently. For women between the ages of 40 and 60, hormonal changes related to menopause can cause a significant decline in skeletal muscle mass—which can lead to reduced strength and function, and may even raise risk of disability later in life. But a recent study in Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise emphasizes that this isn’t inevitable. In fact, resistance training can have a notable, and major, preventative effect. To come to this conclusion, researchers looked at 72 active women, between the ages of 46 and 57, who were not taking hormone replacement therapy. They randomized them into two groups: One continued their usual physical activity, consisting of whatever moderate exercise they preferred, such as walking or running.…