Why Hips Workouts Are Crucial for Your Health After 35

Engaging your hips during exercise not only strengthens the muscles around your pelvis, but also improves blood circulation, mobility, and joint health—all of which are vital as we age. In fact, failure to engage your hips properly during physical activity can contribute to issues such as poor posture, muscle imbalances, and even long-term pain.

In this blog, we’ll explore why focusing on hip engagement in your workouts is so important, how blood circulation and mobility directly affect menopausal women, and why it’s critical to start exercising before menopause hits.

Why Hips Workouts Matters: The Science Behind It

The hips workouts particularly engaging the glutes, hip flexors, and adductors, are not only responsible for lower body strength but also for stabilizing your pelvis and spine. When these muscles are weak or underused, it can lead to poor posture, muscle imbalances, and even joint pain over time.

But here’s the kicker—as we age, particularly during menopause, our muscles naturally lose strength and elasticity. This makes engaging your hips during exercise even more crucial. Engaging the hips properly helps counteract the muscle loss that happens with age, while also improving core strength and balance. All of these factors are essential for preventing falls, which become more common as bone density declines during menopause.

Menopause brings a cascade of hormonal changes, and these can have a profound impact on various systems in the body, including blood circulation and mobility. During this time, many of us experience a drop in estrogen, which affects blood flow, skin elasticity, and joint health.

Boosted Blood Circulation in the Bowel and Abdomen: How It Helps During Menopause

During menopause, the body undergoes numerous changes due to fluctuating hormones, and these changes can affect everything from mood to metabolism. One of the lesser-discussed but incredibly important areas of focus is blood circulation, particularly in the bowel and abdomen. Enhanced circulation to these regions can help alleviate many common menopause symptoms, including digestive issues, bloating, and weight gain, and even improve energy levels and mood.

Here’s how improving blood circulation in the bowel and abdomen with hips workout can make a world of difference during menopause:

Improved Digestive Health and Reduced Bloating

One of the most common issues women face during menopause is digestive discomfort. Hormonal changes, especially a decrease in estrogen, can slow down digestion, leading to issues like bloating, constipation, and indigestion. Poor circulation can exacerbate these problems by reducing the flow of blood to the intestines and digestive organs, which in turn slows down their function.

Boosted blood circulation in the abdomen helps ensure that the digestive system receives the oxygen and nutrients it needs to function properly. When blood flows more efficiently to the digestive organs (including the bowel), it promotes better digestion, regular bowel movements, and faster elimination of waste. This can significantly reduce the discomfort associated with bloating and constipation, both of which are common during menopause.

Supports Hormonal Balance and Reduces Menopausal Symptoms

As we age, the risk of joint degeneration increases, particularly in the hips, knees, and lower back. This can limit mobility, leading to discomfort, difficulty moving, and even chronic pain. Maintaining healthy hips through exercise helps preserve the range of motion in these key joints. Studies have shown that women who engage in regular lower-body exercises have better hip mobility, less back pain, and greater functional independence later in life.

Blood circulation plays a key role in carrying hormones throughout the body. In menopause, estrogen levels decline, which can disrupt normal hormone balance. However, improving blood flow in the abdominal area helps ensure that hormones—including estrogen, progesterone, and cortisol—are properly distributed and metabolized.

For instance, better circulation can help to manage the stress hormone cortisol, which is often elevated during menopause and can contribute to symptoms like anxiety, irritability, and weight gain around the abdomen. When circulation improves, the body can better process and regulate cortisol, leading to less stress and a more balanced emotional state.

Additionally, improved circulation helps with the detoxification process, as blood flow to the liver and other detoxifying organs increases. This means that the body can more effectively eliminate waste products and excess hormones, contributing to overall hormonal balance.

Hips Workouts Relieves Menopausal Weight Gain and Belly Fat

Another common issue women face during menopause is weight gain, particularly around the abdomen. This is often linked to hormonal changes, slowing metabolism, and changes in how the body stores fat. One of the key factors in managing weight during menopause is improving metabolic function—and good circulation plays a significant role in that.

Enhanced blood circulation in the abdominal area boosts the body’s ability to break down fat and burn calories more effectively. It also helps improve nutrient absorption from food, ensuring that your body gets the fuel it needs to stay energized and maintain a healthy weight. By promoting better circulation, you can prevent some of the abdominal bloating and visceral fat accumulation (the fat stored around internal organs), which is often associated with menopause.

In fact, studies have shown that regular exercise that boosts blood circulation—especially in the abdomen—can reduce visceral fat and help maintain a healthy weight during menopause.

Hips Workouts Eases Hot Flashes and Night Sweats

Although hot flashes and night sweats are primarily related to changes in hormone levels, improved blood circulation can help manage their intensity and frequency. When blood circulation improves, the body is better able to regulate its temperature, making it easier to stay cool during those uncomfortable episodes.

Good circulation can also help with the vascular changes that occur during hot flashes. When estrogen levels drop, blood vessels can constrict and dilate more dramatically, contributing to feelings of heat and sweating. By improving circulation, you help maintain a more consistent blood flow, which can moderate the fluctuations in temperature and reduce the severity of hot flashes.

Enhanced Energy Levels and Mood Stability

Finally, hips workouts enhance blood circulation to the abdomen and digestive system can improve overall energy levels and mood, both of which can be significantly affected by menopause. Reduced blood flow to the digestive system can cause sluggishness, fatigue, and even irritability. When circulation is optimized, more oxygen and nutrients reach the body’s cells, boosting your energy and improving your mood.

Research has shown that regular physical activity—which increases blood circulation—can alleviate symptoms of depression, anxiety, and fatigue during menopause. Not only does this help improve mental well-being, but it also combats the physical lethargy that can make menopause feel even more challenging.

Boosting blood circulation in the bowel and abdomen with hips workouts is one of the most effective ways to manage menopause symptoms like bloating, digestive discomfort, weight gain, and hormonal imbalances. By improving circulation, you not only promote better digestive health, but you also support better hormonal regulation, enhanced energy, and overall well-being.

Incorporating activities that stimulate blood flow into your daily routine—whether through exercise, massage, or diet—can make a world of difference in how you feel during menopause. So, take charge of your health by nurturing your circulation, and you’ll enjoy a smoother, more balanced menopause experience.

Shocking Stats on Exercise and Menopausal Health

Bone Health: After menopause, women can lose up to 2% of bone mass per year. Weight-bearing exercises that engage the hips, such as squats and lunges, help maintain bone density and reduce the risk of fractures.

Risk of Falls: A study in The Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism found that postmenopausal women are twice as likely to experience falls compared to premenopausal women, largely due to a decrease in muscle strength, flexibility, and bone density. Regular hip-engaging exercises can reduce fall risk by enhancing balance and muscle function.

Postmenopausal women are twice as likely to experience falls compared to premenopausal women

Joint Health: According to the American College of Rheumatology, 50% of women will develop osteoarthritis in their lifetime, and hip osteoarthritis is one of the most common forms. Engaging the hips in hips workouts not only strengthens the muscles around the joint but also helps prevent the stiffness and pain associated with arthritis.

Mental Health: The benefits of exercise extend beyond physical health. Research published in the British Journal of Psychiatry revealed that regular physical activity can reduce symptoms of anxiety and depression by up to 30%. Because exercise boosts endorphins and serotonin levels, keeping your hips (and the rest of your body) active can also improve your mental well-being during menopause.

As we navigate the changes of menopause, prioritizing hip health through regular exercise can have far-reaching benefits for both our physical and mental well-being. By engaging the hips during your hips workouts, improving circulation, and maintaining mobility, you’re not just preserving your strength today—you’re setting yourself up for a healthier, more active tomorrow.

Start early, stay consistent, and remember: the power of movement is in your hands—and your hips!