I used to think staying safe was just a mental checklist. You know… Read the room. Trust your intuitive safety. Find the exit, etc. We teach all that, because…well, it is important. And that info is usually the first thing standing between women and trouble. But we’ve realized that we’re doing something ourselves for our own safety that we haven’t talked about, and it’s time.: because your body is obviously part of your safety plan as well. We’ve been doing strength training for our own safety for years. And trust us, it pays off in a multitude of ways.

Strong and Safe May be Different for Various Ages

If you’re a young mom, nobody told you it would be this physical — hauling a car seat with one arm while the other hand’s full of groceries, while chasing a racing toddler running down the parking lot. And needing to stay sharp on the drive home. That’s not a gym problem. That’s a hit-the-pavement-running problem.

In midlife, staying strong is one of the most effective ways to manage menopause. Trust us on this one. You’re not only banking strength against loss of muscle mass and osteoporosis in the future (again, trust us), but also attacking fatigue and mood swings.

And for older women — this is where it gets really serious. Bone density and muscle mass don’t announce their decline. They just quietly let themselves out of the room, year over year, until a fall that would’ve been nothing in your forties turns into a fracture, and a fracture turns into a disaster. Strength training is one of the most effective things you can do to push back against that. It’s not just about vanity, although…let’s be real, it is also about looking good! But the most important part is about capability – running your life, on your own terms, long after society thinks we can. 

Strength Training for Safety Is Personal

Staying strong is one of the most intentional things we do for ourselves. For Laura especially, since I’m 71. Not despite my age, but because of it. Seriously, it changes how I think about everything else in doing this work. For one thing, being stronger gives me more confidence. For another, the instincts, exit plans, safety intuition — none of it means anything if I can’t physically evade or take action against a predator. Been there, done that.

But here’s what I haven’t talked about for years, though: strength training for women belongs in that same conversation, and I’m not sure why it took me this long to say so.

[Photo: Joy and Laura, co-founders of Street Smart Safety — modeling what we teach.

Joy comes from a totally different direction. Almost thirty years in law enforcement are a fast track to teaching you that your physical capabilities aren’t an option when it all goes sideways. She’s been in more fights than she can count. So, between the two of us, this isn’t a theory we picked up somewhere. It’s just how we live.

Neither one of us is a personal trainer, and this isn’t a workout plan. It’s more of an invite. We’re inviting you to keep yourself strong as a safety tool, right next to your instincts and the other safety plans you already make.

Next Steps

Talking about this is new territory for us, even though we’ve already been living it ourselves.  Wherever you’re at, whatever “strong” means for you right now — we’d love to have you along as we build it out.

Your safety isn’t just a mental game. Because your mind lives in the body that carries you throughout the day and into the future. And honestly, it’s one of the best future proofing safety tools you have. Stay strong, ladies!