Remember the clear division at the gym back in the day? Men spent their time in the weight area, lifting to build muscle and strength, whereas women kept to the cardio machines to slim down and not get ‘bulky.’
Well, things have changed because we now realize something crucial:
Weight training is just as beneficial for women as it is for men. Let’s look at why that is and what it means for you.
Let’s Clear One Thing Up
Many women now lift weights to get stronger, lose weight, and feel better, but there are still those afraid to even look at a pair of dumbbells for fear of getting… bulky.
The idea is that weights build muscle and is bad for women because it makes them look like men. Fortunately, that’s not true.
Building one of these ‘bulky’ physiques takes years of controlled overeating and dieting, progressive resistance training, and, in some cases, the assistance of certain substances, such as steroids.
In other words, it doesn’t happen by accident, nor does it happen overnight.
Those female bodybuilders you see on stage? She didn’t get that way by accident, and it certainly didn’t happen over a few weeks or months of structured weight training.
What Makes Strength Training So Rewarding
Strength training is often more rewarding than other activities (e.g., cardio) because it gives you a more noticeable sense of progression.
Gaining strength is quite obvious, and you can see how a weight that previously challenged you now feels light.
Being able to overcome the challenge and come out stronger on the other side is rewarding and builds self-confidence that helps you tackle other challenges in life with grace and determination.
3 Quick Tips to Get Started
1. Start With Some Basics At Home
Going to the gym for a workout can feel overwhelming. So, a good first step might be to do some bodyweight activities at home to gain confidence.
Suitable activities include squats, lunges, kneeling push-ups, and lying knee raises.
2. Do Simple Movements
Once in the gym, don’t immediately jump to complex exercises like deadlifts and shoulder presses.
Instead, go for simple, single-joint activities like the bicep curl, tricep extension, lateral raise, lying hamstring curl, and seated leg extension.
These will train some of the biggest muscles in your body and help you become more comfortable in a gym setting.
3. Gradually Increase the Difficulty
Regardless of where you start, push yourself to do one percent better each time you train––whether doing an extra rep, holding a plank for two seconds longer, lifting a pound or two more, resting for five fewer seconds, or simply squatting to a slightly greater depth with proper form.
These minor improvements might not seem like much, but they add up tremendously.
Conclusion
Strength training is immensely valuable for everyone––man or woman, young or old, previously active or sedentary.
If you’re looking for an activity to improve your quality of life, help you maintain a healthy weight, make daily challenges easier, and boost your well-being, pick up some weights and get to work.
Need some a customized workout and one on one training? Set up an initial consultation with me today!
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