I’ve worked in the health and fitness industry for well over six years now. I’ve worked with a variety of female clients from all different backgrounds and ages. As different as they all may seem, they all have one huge factor in common, a concern regarding weightlifting. Before I started working as a personal trainer, I can honestly say that I had the exact same concerns that most of my clients had. Before I was a personal trainer, I would be in the gym doing hours of cardio and maybe occasionally the leg press or some light dumbbell exercises.
I have long since changed my ways and do all strength training with occasional cardio. After switching up my training, I dropped two pant sizes, dropped several inches, and finally have that “toned” look that I was always working towards. All of my female clients of course were skeptical when I explained this to them but they soon were believers. They all were able to make exponential progress towards their goals once their training had shifted away from mostly cardio and over to strength training.
If you’re a female reading this, and you aren’t convinced either – read on as I will cover five truths of women and weightlifting.
5 Truths of Women & Weightlifting:
1. Weightlifting will help strengthen your bones
Women are four times more likely to get osteoporosis than men. Especially after the age of 50, your risk will increase. One of the best ways to keep osteoporosis at bay is to weight train. Weight training forces your body to work against gravity. Working against gravity will strengthen your bones and reduce your overall risk.
2. Weightlifting will increase your metabolism.
The more you strength train, the more muscle you will have which means that your metabolism will be faster. One pound of muscle will burn approximately 7-13 calories during the day. The science: your bodies basil metabolic rate [BMR] is essentially how many calories you would burn in a day if you did nothing but rest. The more muscle your body gains, the faster your BMR rate will be. Weightlifting will help you gain muscle which in turn will speed up your metabolism, meaning that your body during the day would naturally burn more calories.
3. Weightlifting will help you achieve that “toned” look.
Just about every female client I ever worked with, told me that one of their main goals was to look “toned”. In order to achieve that “toned” look, you need to have some muscle. You cannot tone what’s not there. Incorporating weightlifting and following a strength training program, will help your body gain muscle which will give you that “toned” look.
4. Weightlifting will help you lose inches.
The tighter something gets, the smaller it ends up being. Does that make sense? Weightlifting will help you lose inches all over your body. If you end up doing most of your weightlifting with free weights (barbells or dumbbells) you will also begin to notice some extra inches lost around your mid section. Not only is weight training good for working your extremities, but it can also significantly help with inches lost around the waist.
5. Weightlifting will not make you look big.
This is one of the most common fears among women. There are so many women who think that if they were to start weight lifting, they would end up with big muscles. Women do not have enough testosterone in their body to put on pounds and pounds of muscle. We have way too much estrogen. Women also have a much more difficult time gaining muscle than men because of that. So, I promise you, if you start weightlifting you will not look big.
These are just a few, brief truths about women and weightlifting. Stay tuned for part 2. Still on the fence about women and weightlifting? Share your thoughts with us in the comments below.
Leave a Reply