Why women should lift weights
A significant and common misconception about weight training is that all women will put on muscle and look unnatural. The main reason why women don’t “bulk up” when weight training is the simple fact they do not have the testosterone levels like a man. These testosterone levels result in the “muscular hypertrophy” gains that are ever so prominent in male bodybuilders.
The benefits
An improved mood, improvement to hormone levels, skin health, stability, mobility, posture and bone density. Weight training can also significantly decrease your chances of developing debilitating conditions such as osteoporosis, arthritis and posture ailments. Weight training can help improve blood circulation, negative side effects of your menstrual cycle and helps you physically & mentally as when your levels of confidence increase as notice results and feel better! Who wouldn't want that?!
I personally recommend for my female clients to weight train every second day. After a weight training session your metabolism is significantly increased so you will burn more energy, resulting in significant fat loss.
Your training sessions
Ensure that your training sessions are holistic. These types of sessions can be achieved by targeting all muscles in your body throughout the week. It is easy to just target two areas of the body (the favs are glutes & abs!), therefore your shoulders, chest, back, arms and legs are neglected. You can incorporate whole body workouts if you are time poor to target all muscle groups.
Take note of the different stages of your menstrual cycle as this can benefit your weight training days. It is important to feel comfortable to talk to your Personal Trainer who can guide you through this as there will be days when you can lift heavier or go even harder in your training session.
So ladies, hopefully this can end the debate... let’s get lifting!
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Keep motivated during the holidays
Summer is here. The weather has changed, the sun is out for longer, party planning is in full swing, and we are excited for the holiday season to begin. It’s very easy during the last few months of the year to fall into the mistake of neglecting your training and healthy eating habits because there is alot going on. You still need to worry about you and how you manage your time, training and eating habits during this time.
Steven D'Onofrio
Author