“Women shouldn’t lift weights!”

I hear this statement flying around from time to time and it’s makes me cringe each time! Over the past 7 years as a Personal Trainer I have seen a dramatic numbers increase of ladies that are now weight training and it’s fantastic to see! I must admit I do take great pleasure in seeing a guy’s reaction when loading up plates on a barbell ready for a female client to casually lift. It’s that “damn!she lifts more than me” face 🙂 

So in a nutshell here’s a few of the many benefits of weight training for females:

1) Weight training will increase muscle size which is NOT bulking 

Referring back to a previous blog in relation to hormones, testosterone is  a growth hormone naturally a lot less present in females than men. Testosterone is what helps males develop and grow during puberty and hence why men generally grow to a bigger size than women. 

Moving on, alongside appropriate nutrition, physically changes will occur for females that regularly weight train, hence the term “toning up” which relates to a more defined figure. For a female to really see her muscle mass size develop or “bulk” she will have to substantially increase her calorie intake or look into other forms of increasing testosterone but we won’t go into that now!

2) Increased bone strength 

Weight training in women has been found to decrease chances of osteoporosis (condition that weakens bones).

Women who have been through the menopause are at an increased risk due to the lower levels of oestrogen that is released into their bodies as a result of the changes.

Weight training/weight bearing exercises combats this aiding bone density and muscle mass to help strengthen and stabilise bones and joints.

3) Assists fat loss

Keeping it simple, weight training aids muscle growth & alongside (yes you guessed it) correct nutrition will assist with fat loss goals. Weight training increases calorific expenditure for the day in addition to the afterburn effect (EPOC). EPOC is defined as Excess Post Oxygen Consumption, meaning increase in oxygen required post exercise. This in turn burns more calories even after you have finished exercise. 

4) Assists mood and sleep patterns

Carrying on from the EPOC effect, a post weight training workout can lead to improved energy levels and in turn better moods in addition to stress relieved. Weight training, especially high intense Circuits, can help balance oestrogen as it aids insulin level control (insulin being the fat storing hormone) and therefore reducing chances of excess oestrogen being produced.

Having expended increased energy during the day,post weight training,  when it’s time to go to bed you’re likely to be more than ready to hit the sack for a deeper sleep.

Sources

www.nhs.org.uk

www.nos.org.uk