I'm 52, I've never lifted a weight in my life, and every gym video I see is a 28-year-old doing something athletic. Is there any point starting now?

Yes, and the point is larger at 52 than it was at 28.

Muscle and bone are both use-it-or-lose-it tissues, and the decade around menopause is when the losing accelerates. Starting resistance training now doesn't just slow that, untrained women in their fifties, sixties and beyond consistently gain strength and muscle when they start. The tissue doesn't check your age before responding.

What to ignore: everything algorithmic. Those videos are entertainment, not instruction.

What to do instead. Start with five movements, a squat, a hinge, a push, a pull, a carry. Bodyweight or very light for the first two weeks while you learn the shapes. Two sessions a week, 30 minutes. Then add weight, slowly and steadily, until the last few reps of a set are properly hard. That last part is what makes it work; comfortable reps are a warm-up.

If you can afford three or four sessions with a coach who works with women your age, that is the single best money you'll spend on this, not for motivation, for technique and confidence.

Expect the first month to feel awkward and slightly ridiculous. Everyone's does. Around week six something shifts: carrying shopping gets easier, stairs get quieter, and you start to feel structurally sturdier. That feeling is the actual prize. The rest is a bonus.

General perspective, not medical advice, if you have osteoporosis, a prolapse, or a cardiac history, get individual guidance first.