Should Women Lift Weights Regularly?

By Howe Russ


Should women lift weights on a regular basis? This question, alongside HIIT, is easily one of the most asked questions in gyms around the world today. Get ready for an in depth look into the answer.

Every couple of years a new exercise trend hits the market. Usually it's something which has been around for years, but has suddenly been brought back into the mainstream after being repackaged or endorsed by a celebrity trainer. The last few years have seen the reemergence of kettlebell training, boxercise and boot camps. This year, the trend is set by high intensity interval training and resistance workouts. []

The fact that more and more ladies are suddenly plucking up the confidence to wander over to the free weights section of their local gym is a truly great thing. However, many are still scared by the myths which surround females and resistance training, including:

* If girls lift weights they will get big and bulky.

* Women need to use very light dumbbells only.

* Girls should be doing very high reps to tone up, because lower reps will make them bigger.

* Girls who have strong legs should avoid weights because they'll make them even bigger.

Despite having no scientific evidence at all to back them up, you'll hear most of those myths in any fitness center around the country. Even today, when we're at a huge advantage with the scientific research carried out in the industry every day, these issues still seem to exist in the mainstream.

To put it bluntly, yes, ladies should be incorporating resistance training into their routine. You cannot achieve a lean physique without making your body work against some sort of resistance.

Three of the issues in the myths above can be solved with one short statement. The female body does not release anywhere near enough testosterone as the male body. Therefore, if a lady wanted to get big she'd have to work considerably hard at it, it's not something which can happen overnight or by accident. Female bodybuilders have to supplement their diet with testosterone boosters and other products to pack on considerable size.

After all, if building muscle really was as simple as just picking up a weight then most men at the gym would look like Sylvester Stallone. But they do not. Do not concern yourself with this myth.

Training with barbells and dumbbells is a fantastic way to burn off more fat, as well as toning the muscles so they look leaner and stronger. You won't be getting bulky unless you're trying to bulk up, i.e. eating a bulking diet. Furthermore, if there is an area of your body which you consider to be too big at the moment, such as legs, then that is an area which would severely benefit from the use of resistance training.

Should women lift weights? Yes, without a doubt. You'll notice fantastic improvements in both lean muscle tone and fat loss. If you combine it with regular HIIT workouts, which is another area many ladies are a little unsure, then you have a solid formula for consistent results in the gym.


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