Women and Strength Training
Women Should Strength Train
Women's training has changed a lot in recent times. Ten years ago, it was rare to see any women in the weights section. Women strength training has become much more common as the benefits have become more well known. Real World Fitness is a weight lifting gym with limited cardio machines, but around 50% of our members are female.
However, many myths still exist, and I often hear the same concerns.
Strength training has many benefits, and a part of everyone's routine. Some people still need convincing to lift weights as they think they will suddenly suddenly bulk up and become too muscular. I can ensure you this won't happen. Gaining muscle isn't easy or quick. It's a slow and gradual process, and takes a lot of hard work. Gain muscle is hard enough for men. It's even harder for women as they don't produce anywhere near the amount of testosterone that men do. Women aren't able to build as much muscle as men can because of this.
You might see women who have huge muscles on magazines covers, Instagram and bodybuilding shows. Most of the time these women have been using steroids and have been actually been trying to achieve that look.
Lifting weights when combined with a good nutrition plan is the best way to improve the appearance your body. The vast majority of female bodies you see on Instagram where you thought they looked good, has been the result of some strength training. This is especially true when they are 30+ and have had kids.
Want a better bum? The best best way to get one is by lifting weights doing exercises like squats and hip thrusts. I've had female clients lose inches from their waist while gaining inches around their glutes, dramatically changing the shape of their body for the better. Muscle is denser than fat, which means if you're body fat percentage is lower, you'll look slimmer even if you weigh the same.
Gaining muscle increases the number of calories you burn at rest as muscle burns more calories than fat.
Increasing your strength isn’t something that some women value. However, by improving your strength you can make everyday tasks such as carrying bags and holding your kids easier. It can reduce aches and pains as well.
Have you got a bad back? Strength training, can either greatly reduce it the pain, or often get rid of it.
Do you have bad posture? Slouched over? Strength training can help correct it.
Strength training has a lower injury rate compared to other activities including running. While injuries can happen, it should be very rare, if at all. I've never had anymore then an odd niggle in all the years I've been lifting weights.
However, many myths still exist, and I often hear the same concerns.
- Will I get bulky? I want to look better and heard cardio is best for that.
- Is there a high chance of injury?
- There aren't any health benefits to strength training.
Strength training has many benefits, and a part of everyone's routine. Some people still need convincing to lift weights as they think they will suddenly suddenly bulk up and become too muscular. I can ensure you this won't happen. Gaining muscle isn't easy or quick. It's a slow and gradual process, and takes a lot of hard work. Gain muscle is hard enough for men. It's even harder for women as they don't produce anywhere near the amount of testosterone that men do. Women aren't able to build as much muscle as men can because of this.
You might see women who have huge muscles on magazines covers, Instagram and bodybuilding shows. Most of the time these women have been using steroids and have been actually been trying to achieve that look.
Lifting weights when combined with a good nutrition plan is the best way to improve the appearance your body. The vast majority of female bodies you see on Instagram where you thought they looked good, has been the result of some strength training. This is especially true when they are 30+ and have had kids.
Want a better bum? The best best way to get one is by lifting weights doing exercises like squats and hip thrusts. I've had female clients lose inches from their waist while gaining inches around their glutes, dramatically changing the shape of their body for the better. Muscle is denser than fat, which means if you're body fat percentage is lower, you'll look slimmer even if you weigh the same.
Gaining muscle increases the number of calories you burn at rest as muscle burns more calories than fat.
Increasing your strength isn’t something that some women value. However, by improving your strength you can make everyday tasks such as carrying bags and holding your kids easier. It can reduce aches and pains as well.
Have you got a bad back? Strength training, can either greatly reduce it the pain, or often get rid of it.
Do you have bad posture? Slouched over? Strength training can help correct it.
Strength training has a lower injury rate compared to other activities including running. While injuries can happen, it should be very rare, if at all. I've never had anymore then an odd niggle in all the years I've been lifting weights.
Injury rates for strength training. .
Lifting weight also helps keep your bones healthy. From about age 30, the density of bones begins to diminish. As a result, bones become more fragile and are more likely to break. Bone loss can lead to low bone density and eventually osteoporosis. This can lead to bone fractures, even with minimal trauma. Osteoporosis is a disease in which bones become weak and fragile.
This is especially a problem for women as the loss of bone density speeds up in women after the menopause. This makes osteoporosis more common among older women. There are two things that determine the chances of women getting osteoporosis.
This is especially a problem for women as the loss of bone density speeds up in women after the menopause. This makes osteoporosis more common among older women. There are two things that determine the chances of women getting osteoporosis.
- The amount of bone you have when you reach menopause. The greater your bone density is, to begin with, the lower your chance of developing osteoporosis.
- How fast you lose bone after you reach menopause. For some women, bone loss happens faster than for others. Strength training will maximise the amount of bone you have before the menopause and will slow down the loss of bone density, and so reduces the risk of osteoporosis. Broken bones can lead to serious problems for elderly people. For example, hip fractures can lead to a downward spiral of disability and loss of independence.
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At Real World Fitness, around 50% of our members are female. We regularly have women come into the gym feeling nervous as they have ideas of what a weight lifting gym is going to be like, only to end up loving training here as everyone is friendly and supportive. Get in touch if you want to pop in the gym for a chat. |