EDITION→
Global
•
USA
•
UK
•
AUNZ
•
CANADA
•
IRELAND
•
FRANCE
•
GERMANY
•
ASIA
•
EUROPE
•
LATAM
•
MEA
Edition : InternationalLanguage : English
HOME
NEWS
CREATIVE LIBRARY
IMMORTAL AWARDS
MEMBER COMPANIES
PEOPLE
JOBS
How LBB WorksPlans & PricingEditorial Toolkit
news
NEWS
CREATIVE LIBRARY
IMMORTAL AWARDS
MEMBER COMPANIES
PEOPLE
JOBS
Login or Register
Trends and Insight in association withLBB Events
Trends and Insight
Optimum Nutrition Research Reveals How Women Are Rethinking What It Means to Be Strong
20/07/2026
lbbonline.com
0
LIKE
ADD TO COLLECTION
20/07/2026
Share
‘STRONG: The Female Strength Report’ identifies five interconnected dimensions of strength – physical, mental, functional, adaptive and social – and explores how women experience them in everyday life and across different life stages
New research from Optimum Nutrition reveals a fundamental shift in how women define, experience and evaluate strength in 2026, moving beyond physical power alone towards a broader definition rooted in resilience, capability and everyday life
For decades, strength has been defined through performance and physical appearance, with research and discourse often shaped by male physiology and experiences. Today, women embrace a far more expansive definition, placing equal weight on mental resilience, adaptability and functional capability alongside physical performance
Despite 45% of the women surveyed associating strength with physical power, 47% identified mental strength as the greatest contributor to their overall sense of strength. Almost two-thirds (59%) also said they value mental strength more than physical appearance or athletic performance, signalling a clear shift in priorities
EVERYDAY LIFE NOW DEFINES STRENGTH
The findings come from ‘STRONG: The Female Strength Report’, a study of 2,000 women in Britain co-authored by professor Kirsty Elliott-Sale, a leading expert in female physiology and endocrinology. The report identifies five interconnected dimensions of strength – physical, mental, functional, adaptive and social – and explores how women experience them in everyday life and across different life stages
The data shows women increasingly define strength through endurance and daily demands; more than half (59%) said being able to move through daily life comfortably and confidently is a more meaningful measure of strength than lifting maximum weight (9%).
When asked about the greatest test of their strength in the past month, just 8% cited completing a workout. Instead, 24% said maintaining routines while exhausted, 19% balancing competing responsibilities, and 17% navigating difficult emotional situations
The research also shows that strength is not static, with 79% saying their definition changes across different stages of life
A CONFIDENCE GAP IN HOW WOMEN TRAIN AND RESPOND
Despite growing awareness, the report highlights a confidence gap between understanding strength and acting on it
For example, 86% of women recognised that hormonal fluctuations can influence physical and mental strength, yet only 10% regularly adapt their training or nutrition in response, and 41% make no adjustments at all.
Two-thirds (66%) also said they are unaware of NHS muscle-strengthening guidelines, despite the role it can play in supporting mental resilience, adaptability and everyday capability – the very forms of strength women value most
SUPPORTING WOMEN TO BUILD THE STRENGTH THEY VALUE MOST
The barriers are largely practical rather than motivational: 28% cited lack of time, 26% lack of energy, and 25% simply not knowing where to start
Accessibility and education remain key: more than half (57%) believe fitness advertising presents a narrow view of strength, while 68% say functional strength remains underrepresented in fitness culture, highlighting the need for more inclusive conversations around what strength really means and how to build it.
Professor Kirsty Elliott-Sale, a leading expert in female physiology and endocrinology, said, “STRONG: The Female Strength Report provides valuable insight into how women define and experience strength today. The findings reinforce that strength is not simply about physical performance, but about enabling women to live healthy, capable and fulfilling lives across every stage of adulthood. By combining scientific evidence with women’s lived experiences, we can build better education, better products and better support that reflects what strength really means today.”
Emily Campbell, Olympic weightlifter and Optimum Nutrition athlete said, “Strength means different things to different people, and that is exactly what this report captures. STRONG: The Female Strength Report shines a light on the many ways women experience strength in everyday life and encourages all of us, from athletes and coaches to brands and communities, to better recognise, support and celebrate strength in all its forms.”
Alice Tai, OBE, Paralympic champion swimmer said, “Strength isn’t about fitting into a fixed mold or hitting a single target; it’s about how we adapt, recover, and find our own rhythm through life’s seasons. Choosing to have my leg amputated taught me that true strength is rooted in mental resilience and adaptability. This report shows that female strength is a complex ecosystem of mental grit and everyday capability. By opening up the conversation, we encourage every woman to embrace her unique body and rewrite what it truly means to be strong.”
The findings in STRONG: The Female Strength Report reinforce Optimum Nutrition’s commitment to supporting women’s strength in all its forms
Alongside the research, the brand continues to invest in evidence-based nutrition, including products such as Clear Whey Protein, designed to support recovery, everyday performance, no matter your lifestyle
For the full findings from STRONG: The Female Strength Report, or to explore Optimum Nutrition’s range of products designed to support women’s strength at every stage of life, visit the Optimum Nutrition website here
CreditsAdd my Credit
Trends and Insight in association withLBB Events
More News from Pangolin
Harry Ramsden’s Gives Away Free Fish and Chips to Celebrate Staxton Opening30/04/2026
Redbreast Whiskey Is Raising a Glass to Film, Cultural Partnerships27/03/2026
Easter Bunny Cracks as Eggflation Rips a 3,000-Tonne Hole in UK Baskets23/03/2026
ALL THEIR NEWS
Work from Pangolin
Staxton OpeningHarry Ramsden’s
30/04/2026
Cost of Bleeding StillsClue
18/03/2026
Cost of BleedingClue
18/03/2026
ALL THEIR WORK
SUBSCRIBE TO LBB’S newsletterEnter your email
FOLLOW US
Events
DPA + SLA (+ US Add.)
About Us
Contact
Editorial Toolkit
Help & FAQ
Privacy Policy
Main Terms & Conditions
Newsletters
Create your own LBB icons
How it works
Plans & Pricing
LBB’s Global Sponsor
Language:English
© 2005-2023 LBB Ltd·Privacy and Cookie Policy·Terms and Conditions
v2.25.1
