How to Build Muscle After 40 Without Lifting Heavy (BFR Training Explained)

You've heard you need to lift heavy to build (or keep!) your muscle after 40. But what if your body just isn’t cooperating with that plan right now? Good news: there's another way, and science backs it up.

I've been training with Ashley Selman for months, and I've been waiting to record this episode because I knew it was going to be the one everyone sends to a friend.

Ashley has 30+ years of experience training Olympic athletes, including Jackie Joyner-Kersee and Brandi Chastain, and coaching at Stanford and the University of Oregon. Now she works with midlife women. And the method she uses, blood flow restriction training, is something most of us have never heard of.

Here's the version I wish someone had explained to me: little rubber cuffs on your arms and legs, 5-pound weights, 20 minutes, at home. Same muscle-building response as heavy lifting. Not a gimmick. Studied for decades.

In this episode we cover:

• What BFR actually is and why the name sounds more alarming than it should
• The science behind why light weights can trigger the same response as heavy lifting
• Why this is such a good fit for women in perimenopause and menopause specifically
• How it helps with weight loss, belly fat, and the body composition stuff that won't budge
• The cardio benefits nobody sees coming from a strength workout
• How to start at home without needing a coach in the room with you

Ashley also shares her own story: hip replacement at 43, menopause at 43, lost 8 pounds of muscle. Found BFR and her life changed.

If your body has been telling you the advice everyone gives you doesn't fit your life right now, this one is for you.

💪 Connect with Ashley: selistrength.com | @selistrength

I want to hear from you. Send me a text or voicemail!

Jessica's freebies and resources:

📅 Join me for a FREE virtual breathwork experience for women 40+ September 24th or October 2nd! (https://link.fgfunnels.com/widget/bookings/live-breathwork-events)

😴 Sleep better tonight with my free 10-minute audio breathwork session. (https://your.belongwellness.com/sleep)

⚡️Join Hello, Next-Level You, my 6-week group breathwork experience for women over 40 who are ready to feel f*cking GREAT. This Beta program launches October 5th. (https://your.belongwellness.com/hnly-beta-sales-page)

✨For more midlife advice on perimenopause, hormone health, nervous system regulation, and living with purpose in your 40s and 50s follow me: @midlifeadvicepodcast | @heyjessicalong