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A Fit&Well report featuring trainer Kylie Hansen argues that women in midlife should pay attention to muscle power as well as strength. Hansen describes a four-exercise routine, with lower-impact modifications, designed to practise producing force quickly and stabilising the body; the report does not present new research showing that the workout extends life.
A Fit&Well report has highlighted muscle power—the ability to produce force quickly—as a fitness skill that may receive less attention than strength training for women in midlife. Personal trainer Kylie Hansen recommends a four-move routine with beginner modifications, while the report does not establish that the exercises extend lifespan or prevent falls.
Hansen, a NASM-certified personal trainer and coach at Busy Bariatrics, defines power as using strength at speed. She says that capacity can matter in everyday situations that call for a quick response, such as catching oneself after a trip or moving rapidly to regain balance. Those examples explain the practical aim of power training; they are not findings from a trial of the workout.
The routine pairs three movements intended to practise producing force quickly—a burpee, squat jump, and squat to upright row—with a plank dumbbell pull-through. Hansen suggests two or three sets of each exercise, generally five or six repetitions, resting 60 to 90 seconds between sets. For the pull-through, she gives the target as five or six repetitions on each side.
Hansen advises prioritising crisp, controlled repetitions rather than exercising until exhausted. She says fatigue can reduce power, so adequate rest is part of the approach. The report suggests stepping rather than jumping in a burpee, rising onto the toes instead of jumping in a squat, and doing the plank pull-through from the knees to reduce difficulty. It does not set out individual medical screening or a progression plan.
Why Quick Force Matters With Age
Strength and power are related, but they are not identical: strength concerns how much force a person can produce, while power involves producing force quickly. The distinction matters because some daily movements require a timely response, not just the capacity to lift or push something slowly. Hansen’s examples include recovering balance after a stumble and moving out of someone’s way.
The report says the muscle fibres involved in rapid, powerful movement can decline with age and inactivity. It presents that as a reason to include power practice alongside more familiar strength work, not as proof that every woman will lose power at the same rate or that this specific routine changes long-term health outcomes. For readers, the practical point is to treat speed and coordination as separate training aims and to adapt movements to current ability.
The exercises also illustrate that power work need not mean maximal jumps or complicated lifting. Modifications allow some movements to be practised without leaving the floor. However, the article is exercise guidance from a trainer, not a clinical recommendation tailored to an individual’s health, balance, joints or training history.
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How the Four-Move Routine Works
The report places the routine within the wider discussion of exercise in midlife, where strength training is already commonly recommended. Its emphasis is that developing and maintaining the ability to move forcefully may be less frequently discussed. The source material does not provide study data, a new research paper, or a comparison of power training with other exercise programmes.
Each movement has a different focus. The burpee coordinates upper- and lower-body movement and can be stepped through or performed with a jump. The squat jump uses a familiar lower-body pattern to practise pushing off and landing softly. In the squat to upright row, a person rises from a squat and pulls dumbbells or kettlebells toward the chest, coordinating the lower and upper body.
The plank dumbbell pull-through is not an explosive jump. Hansen describes its challenge as quickly creating stability while the base of support changes as a weight is moved from side to side. The report says the exercise can complement the other movements by asking the core to keep the hips and torso steady. It recommends widening the feet for stability and offers a knees-down version as an easier option.
“Power drops as fatigue builds.”
— Kylie Hansen
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What the Report Does Not Establish
The source is a trainer-led fitness report, not a study testing whether the routine improves longevity, prevents falls or produces a particular health outcome. It provides no participant data, trial results, or evidence comparing these four exercises with other programmes. The word “crucial” in the original headline should not be taken as proof that this specific training is necessary for every woman.
The report also does not specify how often to repeat the workout across a week, how to increase the challenge over time, or which readers should avoid particular movements. Individual suitability may differ according to health conditions, pain, balance, experience and access to equipment. Readers with existing health concerns or uncertainty about jumping and loaded movements should seek guidance from a qualified health professional or exercise specialist before starting.
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How Readers Can Apply the Advice
Hansen’s recommendation is to begin with a version that can be performed with control, then focus on a small number of purposeful repetitions and take the suggested rest between sets. Readers can use the report’s lower-impact options—such as stepping back in a burpee, rising onto the toes rather than jumping, or performing the pull-through from the knees—rather than treating the most demanding version as a starting requirement.
The source does not announce a follow-up study or a formal programme schedule. The next step for anyone interested is to judge whether the movements suit their current ability and seek individual guidance where needed. Any claim that the routine improves longevity would require evidence beyond the trainer’s advice presented in this report.
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Key Questions
What does muscle power mean?
Muscle power is the ability to produce force quickly. Hansen contrasts it with strength alone, using rapid balance recovery as an example of a situation where speed can matter.
Which exercises does the report recommend?
The routine includes a burpee, squat jump, squat to upright row, and plank dumbbell pull-through. The first three practise forceful movement; the pull-through challenges stability as the weight shifts sides.
How many sets and repetitions does Hansen suggest?
Hansen suggests two or three sets, usually five or six repetitions per exercise, with 60 to 90 seconds of rest between sets. For the pull-through, she recommends five or six repetitions on each side.
Do beginners need to jump?
No. The report offers modifications, including stepping through the burpee, rising onto the toes instead of jumping, and doing the plank pull-through from the knees. Hansen advises using movements that can be performed with control.
Does the report prove that power training extends lifespan?
No. It describes a trainer’s exercise guidance and explains why power may be useful in everyday movement. It does not provide research showing that this routine extends life or prevents falls.
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