Rethink Your Current Strength Routine With This Expert Advice

Walk into any gym and you'll see something that would have been unthinkable just a decade ago: people of all ages, especially women, gravitating towards the weight room. 

The old myths about strength training—it's only for young men or makes you "bulky”—are finally being put to rest.

But here's where things get tricky: As strength training has exploded in popularity, so has the number of programs, gyms, and trainers claiming to offer the "best" approach. 

The reality is not all strength and conditioning programs are created equal, and choosing the wrong one isn't just a waste of money—it could leave you injured, frustrated, and missing out on the muscle growth and metabolic conditioning that’s essential to your longevity.

Mobility coach Juliet Starrett, co-founder of The Ready State and New York Times bestselling author of Built to Move, has spent over 20 years at the forefront of the movement and mobility space, and she’s seen the issue firsthand. 

"There's been a huge change in the fitness business," Starrett explains. "Women are going into gyms and requesting strength training at record numbers." But as she's quick to point out, the surge in demand hasn't necessarily led to a surge in quality programs.

The secret isn't just lifting weights; it's finding a comprehensive strength and conditioning program that challenges your body in all the ways it was meant to move. 

Resistance exercise provides some of the most powerful health benefits you can achieve through movement.

First and foremost, strength training can play a role in slowing bone loss, and can even build bone density1. This is important as we age, especially for women who face accelerated bone loss after menopause. 

High-intensity resistance training has the added benefit of influencing multiple risk factors for osteoporosis, including a reduced body fat percentage and increased muscle mass.

But the benefits extend far beyond bone health. A well-designed strength program essentially becomes a "secret mobility practice," as Starrett puts it. 

"A good strength and conditioning program is going to challenge your range of motion under load, which is the most important thing," she explains. Quality strength training simultaneously improves your ability to move through full ranges of motion—something that becomes increasingly valuable as we age.

The functional benefits are equally impressive. Every squat you perform is preparing you to rise from a chair with ease later in life. Every overhead press ensures you can still reach the top shelf in your 80s. It's training that directly translates to real-world movement patterns we use daily.

Strength training also serves as injury prevention. As Starrett notes, "A strong, fit, agile, mobile body is less likely to get injured, and way more likely to bounce back after an injury." 

Perhaps most importantly, strength training should never exist in isolation. As Starrett emphasizes, "A good program is going to have strength training, metabolic conditioning, sprinting, and longer zone 2 cardio pieces." 

That’s because lifting weights may build muscle and power, but it leaves gaps in your endurance and cardiovascular training. Conditioning is essential to boosting your metabolic flexibility and cardiovascular response. 

Starrett specifically calls out metabolic conditioning, which challenges all three of your body’s energy systems: the phosphagen system (short, explosive efforts), the glycolytic system (high-intensity activity up to two minutes), and the oxidative system (low-intensity activity). 

Training each system unlocks unique benefits. Challenging the phosphagen system with sprints, jumps, or heavy lifting promotes strength, speed, and peak power output2. High-intensity training pushes your glycolytic system, which improves mitochondrial and anaerobic capacity. Rounding out your routine with endurance training or zone 2 cardio is a great way to test your oxidative system, boosting endurance and cardiovascular health.

According to Starrett, there are seven hallmarks to follow when looking for a quality strength and conditioning program:

1. “Classic” movements

Starrett says the program should “include the time-tested foundational strength movements.” From barbell squats to presses, these movements have stood the test of time, as they work multiple muscle groups and mirror real-world movement patterns. Additionally, Starrett says you should look for strict pulling work, such as pull-ups or ring-rows.

2. Focus on range of motion

As a mobility expert, Starrett also emphasizes the importance of looking for a program with movements that challenge your native range of motion. “This is why movements like squat, press, deadlift, push, and pull have become standards,” she explains. “They force your body to move through complete ranges of motion under load, which builds both strength and mobility simultaneously.”

3. Conditioning

A true strength and conditioning program gives equal billing to conditioning across all the energy systems, per Starrett. For example, she breaks this down as short all-out sprints (less than 15 seconds), short to moderate efforts (1 to 4 minutes), and longer, more moderate-paced fully aerobic efforts. This ensures you’re hitting different zones throughout your workout. 

4. Dedicated work on speed & power

Your program should include a focus on speed and power. “Strength without speed is half the equation,” says Starett. A quality program should incorporate explosive elements, like Olympic-lift derivatives (power cleans, dumbbell snatches) or plyometrics (like box jumps). These movements train your nervous system to recruit muscle fibers rapidly—a crucial component of functional fitness.

5. Emphasis on skills

Proper form isn't just about injury prevention—it's about maximizing the effectiveness of every movement and ensuring progressive improvement. Starrett recommends looking for a program that focuses on technique and skill.

6. Scalability

When searching for a program, Starrett recommends asking yourself: "Could a professional athlete run a heavier or faster version of this exact program and improve in their sport?" If yes, she says that it “likely has the right DNA” since the fundamental structure should be sound enough to challenge anyone. Simply adjust the load and volume to your ability level.