Should women lift weights in the gym? This is one of the most commonly asked questions in fitness circles and today you will find the answer. You'll also find out what supplements to take if you are a lady trying to build a lean, toned physique.
The world of exercise and fitness has moved forward incredibly quickly over the last twenty years. Every year there are new developments in sports supplements and training methods, as well as new scientific research on previously unproven theories. It's barely the same world we lived in just 20 yeas ago. Yet despite all of this, there are many people who still have the same mentality which was floating around health clubs and gyms two decades ago.
They'll tell you that you should stay away from protein powder because it will damage your kidneys. They'll lead to you believe you need to spend two hours per day on a treadmill to lose weight. They'll also have you believing that ladies need to stick to lifting pink, fluffy dumbbells for hundreds of repetitions to tone up. One thing is common in these individuals, and that is a lack of results. []
The days of training that way are long gone. So many of the old myths surrounding fitness have been proven wrong in the last few years by scientists with a keen eye on improving life in the gym. Yet many gym users remain unaware and continue to do the same old things which weren't working for them in the first place.
Contrary to what you may have been told in the past, lifting weights is excellent for losing fat. Furthermore, if you aspire to achieve a lean, ripped body then they are a vital part of your training program.
But isn't it true that you'll end up looking like a bodybuilder?
No. If it were that easy to obtain a bodybuilding physique then most of the men you'd see walking down the street would look like The Rock or Sylvester Stallone! Lifting weights will improve your strength and tone your muscles in a way that cardiovascular exercise simply can not. If you aspire to achieve the lean look demonstrated on athletes such as Jessica Ennis at the recent London Olympics, then lifting is very important.
One of the main reasons why ladies shouldn't be concerned with the prospect of gaining a lot of muscle mass is testosterone. Testosterone levels are severely lower in females than in males and this factor alone is enough to squash any doubts lingering in the back of your mind. This also squashes the myth that ladies must do high rep sets to avoid gaining size, so feel free to pick up a weight which actually challenges you next time.
Try to stick to compound movements such as squats, deadlifts, bench presses and lat pulldowns for the first couple of months. This will allow you to significantly increase your strength, while keeping your weight sessions relatively short as you ease yourself into your new lifting lifestyle.
Supplements can be kept to a bare minimum if you have a good diet and training program. Most people are familiar with whey protein so that is a good place to begin. If your goal is to get leaner and cut body fat then you should find a protein product which gives you a relatively low carbohydrate content and no more than 25 grams of protein in each serving. Other items you could use include creatine, which boosts your explosive strength to help you train harder in the gym, and glutamine, which aids muscular recovery after a tough workout.
Knowing what supplements to take can become tricky due to the amount of hype out there, so the best advice is to simply get a solid diet in place and then keep things simple. Not only do you now know the answer to the age old question 'Should women lift weights or not?', you are now in a position to help others get to the bottom of this popular fitness myth.
The world of exercise and fitness has moved forward incredibly quickly over the last twenty years. Every year there are new developments in sports supplements and training methods, as well as new scientific research on previously unproven theories. It's barely the same world we lived in just 20 yeas ago. Yet despite all of this, there are many people who still have the same mentality which was floating around health clubs and gyms two decades ago.
They'll tell you that you should stay away from protein powder because it will damage your kidneys. They'll lead to you believe you need to spend two hours per day on a treadmill to lose weight. They'll also have you believing that ladies need to stick to lifting pink, fluffy dumbbells for hundreds of repetitions to tone up. One thing is common in these individuals, and that is a lack of results. []
The days of training that way are long gone. So many of the old myths surrounding fitness have been proven wrong in the last few years by scientists with a keen eye on improving life in the gym. Yet many gym users remain unaware and continue to do the same old things which weren't working for them in the first place.
Contrary to what you may have been told in the past, lifting weights is excellent for losing fat. Furthermore, if you aspire to achieve a lean, ripped body then they are a vital part of your training program.
But isn't it true that you'll end up looking like a bodybuilder?
No. If it were that easy to obtain a bodybuilding physique then most of the men you'd see walking down the street would look like The Rock or Sylvester Stallone! Lifting weights will improve your strength and tone your muscles in a way that cardiovascular exercise simply can not. If you aspire to achieve the lean look demonstrated on athletes such as Jessica Ennis at the recent London Olympics, then lifting is very important.
One of the main reasons why ladies shouldn't be concerned with the prospect of gaining a lot of muscle mass is testosterone. Testosterone levels are severely lower in females than in males and this factor alone is enough to squash any doubts lingering in the back of your mind. This also squashes the myth that ladies must do high rep sets to avoid gaining size, so feel free to pick up a weight which actually challenges you next time.
Try to stick to compound movements such as squats, deadlifts, bench presses and lat pulldowns for the first couple of months. This will allow you to significantly increase your strength, while keeping your weight sessions relatively short as you ease yourself into your new lifting lifestyle.
Supplements can be kept to a bare minimum if you have a good diet and training program. Most people are familiar with whey protein so that is a good place to begin. If your goal is to get leaner and cut body fat then you should find a protein product which gives you a relatively low carbohydrate content and no more than 25 grams of protein in each serving. Other items you could use include creatine, which boosts your explosive strength to help you train harder in the gym, and glutamine, which aids muscular recovery after a tough workout.
Knowing what supplements to take can become tricky due to the amount of hype out there, so the best advice is to simply get a solid diet in place and then keep things simple. Not only do you now know the answer to the age old question 'Should women lift weights or not?', you are now in a position to help others get to the bottom of this popular fitness myth.
About the Author:
Author Bio: Russ Howe PTI answers the query should women lift weights in the gym today. He also shows you what supplements to take to suit your goal in his latest new material which is out right now.
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