How Hydrow Helped Me Stay Strong Through Menopause

This blog is a guest post from Hydrow Member Alisa.

Last year, I was standing on a dock in Aruba getting ready to go scuba diving when I realized something had changed.

I've always loved scuba diving, but after menopause, I started noticing changes in my strength. Lifting my tank and pulling myself back into the boat—things I'd done countless times—suddenly felt much harder.

I felt a mix of frustration and motivation. I didn't want to stop doing the things I loved because my body was changing. I wanted to feel capable, strong, and confident again.

When I got home, I made myself a promise: Next year would feel different.

The difference one year can make

A few months before my next trip, I committed myself to getting back into a consistent routine with my Hydrow rowing machine. 

Instead of focusing on doing the hardest workouts possible, I started thinking differently about fitness. I combined rowing with strength training, mobility, and stretching, building the kind of strength I knew would carry over into everyday life.

When I returned to Aruba this year, I noticed the difference immediately.

My scuba tank didn't feel nearly as intimidating. Climbing back into the boat was easier. I wasn't worried about whether I was strong enough anymore—I was simply enjoying the experience.

That trip reminded me that the best workouts aren't just the ones that make you sweat. They're the ones that make your life outside the workout better.

Navigating my changing fitness goals through menopause 

Like a lot of women going through menopause, I've learned that the way I train today looks different than it did 20 years ago.

Recovery matters more. Strength training matters more. I've learned to work with my body instead of trying to fight it.

That's one of the things I appreciate most about Hydrow.

I still love rowing because it's such an incredible full-body workout, but I also spend a lot of time with Hydrow’s strength, circuit training, mobility, and stretching classes. Together, they've helped me build strength while keeping my body feeling good.

One of my favorite discoveries has been Pete's mobility classes. Years ago, I probably would have skipped stretching without a second thought. Now I know how much better I move—and how much better I feel—when I make it part of my routine.

Taking the guesswork of fitness

One of the biggest reasons I've been able to stay consistent is that I don't have to think so much about what workout to do with Hydrow’s smart recommendations. 

I simply turn on my Hydrow, see what's recommended for me that day, and press play. It takes away the mental load of trying to figure out the "perfect" workout.

That matters more than people realize.

Life gets busy. I've had vacations where I didn't work out. I've had weeks where life got in the way. But because my Hydrow is sitting right there at home, it's easy to come back.

Even if it's just five minutes, I tell myself to get on the rower. Five minutes goes by fast—and before I know it, I want another five.

I've also come to appreciate the little reminders along the way—seeing my progress, earning badges, and celebrating milestones. They help me remember that consistency is what really adds up over time.

Looking ahead

I have a bachelor’s degree in gerontology—the science of aging—and one lesson has stayed with me since graduation: Maintaining muscle is one of the best things we can do to stay healthy and independent as we get older. That perspective has completely changed how I think about fitness.

I'm not working out because I'm trying to look the way I did in my 20s. I'm working out because I want to keep traveling. I want to keep scuba diving. I want to stay active, strong, and capable for as long as I possibly can.

Hydrow helps me train for the life I want to keep living. And for me, that's the best motivation there is.