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United States Girevoy Sport Federation -> Articles -> Training -> Why Women Should Lift Weights - A Few Tips
Why Women Should Lift Weights - A Few TipsPosted on 01.29.2010 : Authored by Michael A Thomas
Most people don't think women should lift weights because they fear that they will become too "bulky." This fear is completely unfounded. It is genetically impossible for a woman to become as muscular as a man (no offense ladies). The only for a woman to gain muscle like a man is through steroid use. If you choose to lift weights, assuming you eat and train right, your muscles will become toned and tight. Another reason why women should lift weights is for physical strength. Everyone can use more strength. From an evolutionary standpoint, strength is one of the most important aspects to survival. The person who was strong and durable lived to reproduce. In modern society there is not as much of a need for strength as there was thousands of years ago, but it still has it's uses. Women should also lift weights for the muscle-building and fat-burning potential it has. The typical way most people try to lose weight is through extensive cardiovascular exercise. While cardiovascular exercise has it's merits, it is not nearly as effective at building muscle or burning fat as weight lifting. Cardiovascular exercise burns calories while you are exercising, but stops promptly after you finish. Weight lifting, on the other hand, raises your metabolism and continues to burn calories for the next 24 to 48 hours. And if you chose to build muscle first, you have the added advantage that more muscle burns more calories, which translates to more fat lost. Another reason why women should lift weights is that it can decrease the risk of osteoporosis. Research has found that weight lifting can increase spinal bone mineral density, and enhance bone modeling, by 13 percent in six months. Add weight training to supplementation with calcium, and you have an ironclad defense against osteoporosis. Another virtue of weight lifting is that it decreases the rate of depression. There have been numerous studies linking a strength training regimen with a decrease in clinical depression symptoms. One Harvard study found that 10 weeks of strength training reduced depression levels better than counseling. Women should lift weights utilizing a heavy-weight, low-repetition workout scheme. This promotes muscle gain, and is a very intense workout to perform. Also, don't be afraid of the compound lifts, like the squat, dead lift, and power clean. These lifts elicit the most physical and mental strain, ensuring for a demanding workout. Not only should women lift weights, they should also supplement their weightlifting regimen with proper nutrition. This can make or break your fitness goal. Train as hard as you want, if you don't eat right, you won't get stronger or lose fat. If you expend more calories than you consume, you will lose weight. Conversely, if you consume more calories than you expend, you will gain weight. So to ensure you are going in the direction you want, I recommend tracking your calories using a free website like fitday.com. Related Topics :: Training |
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