Why Women Should Weight Train
For some strange reason the fallacy stubbornly exists that if women take up weight training that they’re going to develop muscles like Arnie. But the truth is, while it is possible for a woman to bulk up if she so desires, women simply don’t have the same amount of testosterone in their bodies as men. And this is the hormone which causes muscle hypertrophy. So, ladies, don’t shy away from the weight room because you’re frightened of becoming a lumbering muscle-bound ‘shemale!’
The thing is, weight training is the key to weight loss and fat loss. Take a look around any gym; where are most of the women? That’s right, on the cardiovascular machines. Ladies, if you would just take the time to start pumping a regular amount of iron, it will have a tremendous affect both on your ability to lose weight and to tone up.
Women who utilize strength training as part of their regular workout will achieve better and faster results than those who don’t – period! There’s also a whole host of other advantages, not least the fact that weight training decreases your risk of developing osteoporosis.
Why Strength Training Women Have A More Effective Workout
Using weights to lose weight works because of one simple principle: muscle burns fat.
So, by default, the more muscle you have, the more fat your body will burn up. If your workouts only consist of aerobic exercise, this will actually cause muscle loss. This is because your body will turn to your muscles for energy; breaking them down to provide the necessary fuel to perform the cardio-vascular work.
When a woman weight trains, her muscles become denser and more defined. They also increase in their load-bearing capabilities, meaning you become stronger. Muscle is the driving force behind your metabolism. This is because muscle is a tissue which is constantly renewing itself and thus needs a constant supply of energy.
The primary source of this energy is fat!
So, the more muscle you have, the more fat you lose. However, be aware that muscle also weighs more than fat, so by weight training you may not necessarily lose any weight (in fact, you’ll probably put on a few pounds). But you will lose inches and say goodbye to those stubborn areas of fat which cling lovingly to your curves.
Weight Training Tips
- To work your butt muscles, perform squats and lunges whilst loading up with extra weight.
- Don’t neglect weight training with your legs. To re-iterate, this will NOT cause your leg muscles to bulk up. Rather, it will help to reduce the fat on your thighs which is hiding the beautiful muscles below.
- Work your pecs to give yourself a natural boob job!
- Change your weight training regularly. Challenge your muscles by changing the reps and sets of your exercises, the type of exercise and adding new exercises.
- Try to include weight training into your fitness program at least twice a week for the best results.
