Hi..

 

I thought about writing out a piece about why Females need to add in weights to their training,
I get asked alot about this topic, So here is some thoughts..

 

 

Time and again, research has established that women who keep up a regular, average strength training program profit from a long list of health advantages. Some still fearful that weight training could bulk them up in unwomanly ways; nevertheless, as women of all ages recognise the benefits of resistance training, unsupportive attitudes about women in the weight training room are quickly passing, according to researchers.

 

 

 

 

Here are 10 all important reasons why weight training for women needs to be taken seriously:

 

1. Weight Training Will assist You to Lose More Fat Than You’ll Gain in Muscle.

Researchers have done many weight training studies taking thousands of women and have never had anybody complain about bulking up. In fact,
research shows that the average woman who strength trains two to three times a week for eight weeks gains about 1 kilograms of lean weight or muscle and loses roughly 2kg of fat. Contrary to men, women generally don’t gain size from strength training, because compared to men, women have 10 to 30 times lower of the hormones that cause bulking up.

 

2. Weight Training Will Make You Stronger.
Studies show that a moderate weight training program increases a woman’s strength by 30 to 50 percent. Extra strength will make it easier to carry out some daily activities, such as lifting children or Shopping. most strength differences between men and women can be explained by differences in body size and fat mass; kg for kg, women can grow their strength at the same rate as men.

 

3. Weight Training Will aid Your New Muscle battle Obesity.

As you add muscle from strength training, your resting metabolic process will increase, and so you’ll burn off more calories all day long. For each gram or kilogram of muscle you gain, you’ll burn 35 to 50 more calories daily. So, for example, if you gain 2 kg of muscle and burn 40 extra calories for each kg, you’ll burn 120 more calories per day, or roughly 3,600 more calories per month. That equates to a loss of 10 kg in a year!

 

4. Weight Training Will Fight Heart Disease.
Strength training will improve your cholesterol profile and blood pressure, according to recent research. Of course, your physical exercise program should also include cardiovascular exercise and flexibility training.

 

5. Your Bones Will Benefit From Weight Training.
By the time you leave college, you have built all the bone mineral density you will ever have–unless you strength train, Research has found that weight training can increase spinal bone mineral density by 13 percent in six months. So strength training is a powerful tool against osteoporosis.

 

6. Weight Training Will Reduce Your Risk of Diabetes.
Adult-onset diabetes mellitus is a growing problem for women and men. Research indicates that weight training can increase glucose utilisation in the body by 23% in four months.

 

7. Weight Training Will force back Pain and Fight Arthritis.

A recent 12-year study showed that strengthening the low-back muscles had an 80% success rate in eliminating or relieving low-back pain. Other studies have indicated that weight training for women can alleviate arthritis pain and strengthen joints.

 

8. Weight Training Will Help You Be a Better Athlete.

Strength training improves athletic power. Golfers, for illustration, significantly increase their driving power. Whatever your sport of choice, strength training may not only improve your technique but also decrease your risk of injury.

 

9. Weight Training Will Work No Matter How Old You Are.

Several women in their 70s and 80s, and studies show that strength improvements are possible at any age. Note, however, that a strength training professional should always monitor older participants.

 

10. Weight Training Will Strengthen Your Mental Health.

Another study found that 10 weeks of strength training reduced depression symptoms more successfully than standard counselling did, Women who strength train commonly report feeling more confident and capable as a result of their training program.

 

 

 

 

These are 6 exercises that will effectively help women build that lean, fit and sexy physique.

 

Bench Press:
To bust the myths, bench pressing for women will not bulk up your chest, shrink/enlarge your breasts or make you look like a man. Unless you are lifting excessive amounts of weight you don’t have to worry about looking like a man.
If you omit chest training completely but continue to train your other muscles, you may develop muscular imbalances that could result in bad posture, a bony looking chest, or inability to do certain exercises.

Since most women have never bench pressed in their life, I would recommend starting with only the bar to apply proper technique and avoid injury. If the bar is too heavy, you can start with basic push-ups to gradually strengthen your chest and eventually work up to the bench press.

 

Squats:
Squats are the best compound exercise for any woman (and man) because it uses almost every important muscle group in the body. Squats are essential for enhancing your butt and toning your legs. In addition to targeting the hamstrings and quads, squats also work your abs and calves.

 

Lunges:
Next to squats, lunges are one of the best exercises that develop your quadriceps, hamstrings, and glutes. Lunges are great for toning the lower half of your body to give you the curves you want.
For more of a challenge, hold a dumbbell in either hand and perform the lunge with one foot on a Bosu ball to work your stabiliser muscles. You can gradually increase the resistance as your legs get stronger.

 

Deadlifts:
Deadlifts are another great full body exercise for women. They primarily target the Glutes, legs, lower back, abdominal muscles, and arms. deadlifts may make your thighs bigger.
However, this is only true if you’re performing many reps, for example in the 8-12+range.

 

Pull Ups:
This is a tough one. Women have less upper body strength than men, which will make this exercise very difficult. In fact, less than 1% of all females can do a proper pull-up.
Pull-ups focus on developing the muscles of your back, biceps, shoulders, and forearms. If you find yourself struggling, try using the assisted pull-up machine to gradually build muscle and eventually transition into doing Superband pull ups and then unassisted pull-ups.

 

Dips:
Dips mainly focus on working the triceps, but also emphasise your chest and shoulders if done properly. This exercise is great for developing upper body strength and firming up your arms.
Weights are not required to perform dips. Simply grab a flat bench and elevate your body by holding yourself up with your arms while keeping your feet on the ground in front of you. Lower your body down by bending your elbow to a 90 degree angle, then push yourself back up.
Like pull-ups, you can use the assisted dip machine if you can & support your own body weight yet.

 

 

Weight Training Workout Sets for Women

 

Aim for 3 sets of 6-8 reps per exercise
Lifting in the 6-8 rep range will optimise strength gains and maximise toning.

 

Remember that women cannot get bulky from weight training, but instead build toned muscle and burn fat. Performing these exercises at the gym will optimise your physique. Don’t be afraid to challenge yourself by lifting heavier weights!

 

That’s it for now..

 

‘Learn to Love that Burn’ 

 

Jason