Strength Training After Years Away: A Trainer's Case for Starting Where You Are
When someone returns to strength training after years away from the gym, the advice they often encounter is to lift heavier than before. According to Johnna Sallee, owner of Too Awkward for a Twosome, that advice misses the point entirely.
"I've never had a client tell me they were advised to return to strength training by lifting heavier than they did before," she said. "And if someone is giving that advice without first assessing the individual, I would seriously question their understanding of how the human body works. Strength training is about progressive overload, not immediately testing what your body used to be capable of. That's ego lifting and a great way to get yourself hurt."
Sallee, whose REBUILT for Women program was recently included in a Peekwire roundup of women's strength programs, spoke about what she sees when women come back to training after long breaks, what the fitness industry overlooks, and the decisions people make too quickly when trying to restart on their own.
Meeting Clients Where They Are
Sallee described a client she called Mrs. S, a former professional synchronized swimmer who understood physical activity and discipline but found herself unsure where to begin again. She was intimidated by the gym, afraid of injury, and overwhelmed by fitness content online.
"She didn't need someone pushing her to do more. She needed someone willing to meet her where she was," Sallee said. They started with two sessions a week focused on technique and confidence. Over time, Mrs. S began coming to the gym on her own, and eventually other members started asking her for guidance on lifts and technique.
"She's now in her third year and still going," Sallee said. "This wasn't a 30-day transformation. It was a gradual process of building strength, confidence, and trust in herself."
Sallee emphasized that the relationship between trainer and client matters as much as the exercises. "I'm an invested trainer. I'm not interested in simply adding another name to my calendar. Strength training is the tool I use, but the relationship is what allows me to understand how to use that tool for each individual."
What Online Advice Leaves Out
Asked what keeps coming up for women starting over that most written advice misses, Sallee pointed to two gaps.
First, individual differences. "Every woman is different. Her age, physical history, mobility, mindset, hormonal changes, and life experiences all play a role in how her body responds to training," she said. "The one size fits all approach is, in my opinion, dead in the water."
She noted that many women have spent decades in survival mode, caring for others and putting themselves last, and that reconnecting with their bodies is part of the process. "We're not just rebuilding muscle. We're rebuilding confidence, self-trust, and a relationship with our bodies that may have been neglected for years."
Second, the volume of conflicting information. "One person tells you to lift heavy, another says cardio, someone else says fast," she said. "Having endless information at your fingertips doesn't necessarily mean you're getting good information."
Sallee speaks from experience. She lost over 100 pounds in her forties after decades of restrictive dieting. That taught her, she said, that changing your body and changing your relationship with your body are two different things. It also led her to create REBUILT for Women, a self-guided program that progresses through three phases, from bodyweight and bands to dumbbells and eventually barbells, with video demonstrations. The program also addresses mindset, training around the menstrual cycle, nutrition centered on protein and whole foods, and includes a guided journal and troubleshooting resources.
She also pushed back on the idea that the goal is to get a 25-year-old body back. "What about building a strong, capable body that carries you through your fifties, sixties, seventies, and beyond? One that allows you to maintain your independence and actually enjoy your life."
The Wrong Order of Decisions
When people try to get back into strength training on their own, Sallee said two mistakes happen right away: assuming they can pick up where they left off, and approaching it with an all-or-nothing mindset.
"It usually goes something like this. 'Okay, starting Monday I'm lifting weights every day, cutting out everything I enjoy eating, and completely changing my life,'" she said. "Fast forward a week and they're exhausted, sore, hungry, frustrated, and wondering why they can't stick with anything."
The problem, she said, is not discipline but a plan that does not fit the person's current life. She suggested starting with two strength sessions a week and a walk after the biggest meal, or trying something new from the produce section instead of another restrictive diet.
"These might seem like insignificant changes, but they're not. They're small promises you're making to yourself and, more importantly, keeping."
She also warned against confusing exhaustion with progress. "You don't have to leave every workout completely wiped out or be so sore the next day that you can barely sit down. More isn't always better."
Proper technique, nutrition, sleep, and recovery matter as much as the training itself, especially when returning after a long break. She added that support and celebrating small wins are underestimated. Completing two workouts, walking three evenings, or picking up a heavier dumbbell all count.
"Confidence builds, momentum follows, and what once felt overwhelming starts becoming part of your everyday life," she said.
Her final point was about the process itself. "I think one of the biggest mistakes people make is becoming so focused on the outcome that they completely skip the process of becoming the person who can actually maintain that outcome."
She added: "You have to stop treating your health like a 30-day project with a finish line. There is no finish line. You're building habits that will hopefully carry you through the rest of your life. And if you can't imagine doing what you're starting today six months from now, you might want to rethink your approach."
For readers looking to start, Sallee's advice is simple: "You don't need to do everything. You need to start somewhere, build from there."