Bodybuilding and strength training is a sport that has been practiced by men and women for decades, not only is strength training good for your body its also good for your overall health.
While it has always seemed that strength training is more popular among men, there are now equal amounts of women who love lifting weights and getting into shape.
Strength Training Benefits for Women
Women who lift weights can achieve incredible physical transformations and best of all, women with lean and toned muscle look amazing.
In this article, I will tell you why women should lift weights and the benefits strength training offers. If you have ever wondered what lifting weights can do for you continue reading.
Believe it or not lifting weights helps increase bone density, if you adopt a strength training program early on in life you can prevent diseases like osteoporosis and osteoarthritis.
Lifting weights helps make bones denser and can prevent osteoporosis.
Why is this important?
Because, over 80% of older women suffer from osteoporosis to some degree. This can lead to poor posture and weak and brittle bones, this is one of the reasons women tend to suffer from bone breaks as they get older.
Implementing strength training can improve bone health and prevent osteoporosis.
Strength training not only improves overall bone health it targets bones of the wrists, hips ,and spine which are the bones most likely to fracture.
One of the biggest struggles women face is trying to maintain low body fat levels. A lot of women believe that the best way to burn body fat is by doing cardio. While it is true that cardiovascular exercise can help eliminate fat, lifting weights can be more effective.
Adding more muscle to your frame can help eliminate more body fat even when resting.
One clinical study done by the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition showed that one pound of muscle burns six calories of fat per day versus one pound of fat which only burns two calories of body fat per day.
Besides eliminating overall body fat, lifting weights can help burn visceral fat (abdominal fat) this is fat that sits around your tummy and surrounds internal organs including your heart, liver, and kidneys.
Women begin to lose muscle mass when they reach age 40, muscle loss is mainly due to inactivity and lower hormone levels.
Women who don't work out will end up losing 50% of their muscle mass by the time they have reached the age of 80.
Losing muscle not only makes you weaker, as you age it can restrict mobility making it harder for you to get around.
Not only does lifting weights improve your health, it also helps you look and feel better. Your clothes fit better and you gain more self confidence. This translates into you having a more positive outlook on life and help you feel more accomplished.
As you age your metabolism can slow down and this can bring the onset of certain disease. In today's modern age diabetes is a something that affects thousands of women every year.
Lifting weights can help prevent and control type II diabetes.
When you lift weights you are targeting your muscles, your body uses glucose from your bloodstream which helps eliminate excess sugar from your body.
Toned muscles uses glucose more effectively which helps regulate and maintain healthy blood sugar levels.
Visceral fat can not only increase the risk of heart disease and diabetes it may also promote the development of certain cancers. One study done by the journal Oncogene which was published in 2017 shows that visceral fat seems to create more cancer triggering protein called fibroblasts growth factor-2.
Strength training can help strengthen mental health and cognitive function, it has also been shown to prevent symptoms of anxiety and mental depression. One study performed by Harvard Medical Center showed that lifting weights improves mental focus and resiliency.
Resistance training especially when using heavier weight can help increase overall body strength, balance and endurance.
More strength can make every day tasks seem easier, things like taking out the trash ,lifting your children out of the car seat or cleaning the house. More strength can make these everyday tasks seem much easier and require much less effort.
Believe it or not lifting weights can help women transform and enhance certain body parts.
Exercises like squats and lunges with moderate to heavy weight can help increase your glute muscles and make your buttocks rounder and firmer. It will also make your legs firm and toned with more muscle definition. If you have every wondered how fitness models and Instagram influencers have such an incredible buttocks its usually from doing lots of squats.
Will I get bulky from lifting weights?
A lot of women avoid lifting weights because they believe that if they lift weights it will make them look big and bulky which is not the case.
It is not physiological possible for women to gain muscle like men, the reason being is that women lack testosterone which is what causes muscles to increase in size.
Those women you see with huge bulging muscles are usually taking some kind of anabolic steroids which are dangerous for women but are the only way women can achieve big muscles.
Is strength training right for you?
If you are looking for a way to improve the overall look of your body and improve your health lifting weights is one of the best you can do, by far the strength training benefits for women are many.
If you have never implemented any kind of strength training routine its important that you consult with your doctor first.
You should join a gym where personal trainers are available to help you get started.
Before you know it you will feel and look better and wonder why you waited so long to implement a strength training routine.
