The concerns are always the same. "I do not want to get bulky," or, "I am just trying to tone up." All too often you hear women making these statements on their way to lifting a bright colored, 5lb db to do some tricep kick-backs because they carry some extra body fat there. Or they pop on a cardio machine for 45 minutes at a low intensity, while reading a cosmo. That is no different than a hamster on a wheel.
What women fail to realize is that resistance training is the single best program element (if done correctly) that will meet all their fitness needs!!
Hit the weights hard and often ladies, because you can't get bulky. You will also get the tone and definition you are after. Here are the the top 3 reasons why women should resistance train:
1. You Burn Body Fat
Total body resistance training puts a larger demand on the body than most cardio and allows you to burn calories throughout the day. Adding lean mass also increases metabolism. For every 1lb of lean mass you gain, you can burn 35-55 kcals extra/day while at rest and during normal activity.
2. Strength without Bulk
Women have 10-30x less hormones than men, meaning your chances of getting ‘bulky’ is near impossible. Additionally, women begin to lose their strength and roughly .5lb/muscle per year after 18. Get your strength and muscle back!
3. Fight Osteoporosis
Women have a higher % of osteoporosis than men. Strength training contributes to stronger bone density. Studies show an increase in bone density as high as 13% in 6 months!
Strength training is vital for everyone and the list of its benefits are endless. Women have a larger demand to train because of the lean mass and strength loss factors that take place over the years. We encourage all women to give strength training a shot. Put down the bright colored dumbbells and pick up something heavy!!
great post PJ :) Question for you - that I come across a lot...and never quite know how to answer. Some members at my gym say "well i USED to lift weights, do Group Power, etc...but my arms got thicker". I know that without proper nutrition to burn off the fat, you won't see the results you want...and I kinda feel like there's no way they could have built THAT much muscle to see a real difference in size. What are your thoughts?
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