Tamara Rial-Faigenbaum, Ph.D., specialist professor in the Department of Health and Physical Education, recently co-authored a new peer-reviewed article, “The Female Strengthspan: A Life Course Perspective on Resistance Training,” published open access in the latest issue of ACSM’s Health & Fitness Journal.
Co-authored by Avery Faigenbaum, Ed.D., CSCS, of The College of New Jersey, and Silvia Giagio, Ph.D., of the University of Bologna, Italy, the article introduces the concept of the female strengthspan, a life course framework that positions muscular strength as a lifelong health investment for women. The female strengthspan framework emphasizes proactive resistance training as a strategy to build a physiological reserve that reduces vulnerability to chronic disease and narrows the gender longevity gap.
“When women train for strength early and consistently, the life trajectory curve changes,” Rial-Faigenbaum said. Our message is simple: “Start strong, be strong, stay strong.”
Rial-Faigenbaum also recently appeared as a guest on the podcast HER: “This Is the Female Strengthspan” to discuss the concept with a broader audience interested in optimizing health and dispelling myths regarding resistance training for women during key biological transitions, including puberty, pregnancy, the menstrual cycle, and menopause.
Rial-Faigenbaum is a leading scholar at the intersection of women’s health and physical activity across biological life stages. The article has become one of the journal’s second most popular articles, highlighting resistance training as a powerful tool for closing sex-based health disparities and optimizing long-term wellbeing.