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A Sixty and Me report by sports scientist and trainer Patricia Siegel argues that women over 60 should combine endurance exercise with strength training rather than choose one over the other. It outlines a sample weekly routine, but its recommendations are the author’s guidance, not a one-size-fits-all exercise plan.
Women over 60 should not have to choose between cardio and strength training, according to sports scientist and personal trainer Patricia Siegel, whose guidance was published by Sixty and Me. Siegel recommends combining endurance work with progressive resistance exercise, arguing that each supports different aspects of health and physical function.
Siegel’s proposed program combines two kinds of endurance work: moderate, conversational-pace exercise and intervals that alternate harder efforts with recovery. She describes the moderate effort as one at which a person can speak a few sentences but not sing, and suggests sessions of about 35 to 45 minutes twice weekly. For beginners, she proposes short, roughly 30-second hard efforts followed by about a minute of easier movement, repeated four or five times.
For strength work, Siegel recommends three sessions a week, using either full-body workouts or a split between upper- and lower-body sessions. Her suggested approach is progressive overload: gradually adjusting weight, repetitions, sets or movement tempo. She gives 3 to 4 sets of 10 to 12 repetitions as a general target, with enough effort that about two more repetitions would still be possible. She also says safely performed impact movements, such as hops or heel drops, can add a bone-loading stimulus.
Siegel offers a sample week with strength training on Monday, Wednesday and Saturday; moderate endurance work on Tuesday and Friday; intervals on Thursday; and a rest day on Sunday. The schedule is an example from her report, not a finding from a clinical trial or a personalized prescription.
Why Both Training Types Matter
The report’s central point is that endurance and resistance exercise have different roles. Siegel links endurance work to cardiovascular fitness and strength training to maintaining muscle and supporting bones and everyday function. The distinction matters for older readers deciding how to use limited exercise time: focusing exclusively on walking or weights may leave other fitness goals less directly addressed.
The source cites U.S. figures showing that 13.9% of adults aged 65 and older met both federal aerobic and muscle-strengthening guidelines in their leisure time in 2022. The reported shares were 16.8% for ages 65 to 74, 12.3% for ages 75 to 84 and 6.2% for those 85 and older. These figures describe guideline participation; they do not establish that Siegel’s specific schedule produces particular health outcomes.
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The Guidance Behind the Debate
The Sixty and Me article responds to conflicting-sounding advice about exercise after 60, including claims that people should focus only on strength, rely on walking, or avoid resistance work because of fragile bones. Siegel’s answer is to combine exercise types and adjust the workload over time, rather than treat one modality as a replacement for the other.
The report identifies Siegel as the author of a forthcoming book, The Menopause Strength and Endurance Training Blueprint, scheduled for spring 2028. The supplied material does not identify a study underpinning the full weekly plan. Its exercise recommendations should therefore be understood as Siegel’s professional guidance as presented in the article, not as a consensus statement attributed to a medical body.
“There is no one or the other, no magic pill and no shortcut.”
— Patricia Siegel, as quoted in the Sixty and Me report
Limits of the Proposed Plan
The article does not provide clinical-trial evidence that its exact weekly schedule is appropriate for every woman over 60, nor does it explain how to adapt the plan for chronic conditions, injuries, balance concerns or different fitness levels. It also does not specify how readers should determine a safe training load or which impact exercises are suitable for people with osteoporosis or a history of fractures.
The cited participation statistics show how many older adults met two activity guidelines, but the supplied report does not name the underlying dataset or provide a link to it. Readers with health conditions, pain, mobility limitations or concerns about bone health should seek individualized guidance from a qualified health professional before making substantial changes to exercise.
How Readers Can Apply the Advice
Siegel’s report encourages readers to build a weekly routine that includes both endurance and strength, with rest and gradual progression. Its sample week can serve as an illustration, but the article does not announce a formal program launch or a new study to validate the schedule. Any next step depends on a person’s current activity, health and ability to exercise safely; individualized advice may be needed before adding intervals or impact work.
Key Questions
Does the report recommend cardio or strength training for women over 60?
It recommends both. Siegel says endurance and resistance exercise serve different purposes and should be combined where appropriate.
How much endurance exercise does Siegel suggest?
Her example includes moderate, conversational-pace exercise for about 35 to 45 minutes twice a week, plus interval training. These are the report’s recommendations, not a universal prescription.
What strength-training schedule does the report describe?
Siegel suggests three sessions weekly, either as full-body workouts or a mix of upper- and lower-body sessions, with gradual changes in training demand.
Is the sample plan suitable for everyone over 60?
The report does not establish that the schedule suits everyone. Health conditions, injuries, bone health and fitness levels can affect what is safe, so people with concerns should consult a qualified health professional.
Source: rss
