3 easy exercises to get you started with strength training

Women often skip muscle-building activities, but they're crucial to your long-term health and independence.

If you're like most American adults who work out regularly, you may squeeze in a daily walk or a quick run, or take a Zumba or aerobics class. But strength-training exercises usually don't make the list.

A 2018 study published in the American Journal of Preventive Medicine found that only about 30% of American adults ages 18 to 80 are doing strength training twice a week, as recommended. And almost 58% of those surveyed said they did none.