Women and weight training

While it is true that fewer American women are currently in strength-training programs than men, the benefits for women are just as great. Every woman can benefit from strength training regardless of her age or goals. Women and weight training go hand in hand!

Weight training benefits go far beyond appearance…

Clearly, resistance training benefits go far beyond appearance. This healthy habit can help us all live longer and better. Health, after all, is not just a gift from heaven. Although genetic predisposition plays an important role, medical research shows that genetics accounts for only 30 percent of health. The other 70 percent is determined by lifestyle. In other words, we are responsible for our health.

Physical inactivity is associated with a significant decrease in life expectancy. For example, every hour spent being inactive results in a life expectancy loss of 21 minutes. For a woman watching six hours of television per day, this translates to a decrease in life expectancy of almost five years.

Large-scale research studies have shown that sedentary people who exercise 15 minutes per day increase their life expectancy by three years compared to completely sedentary people. To counteract the deleterious effects of inactivity, weight training and cardio training (e.g., running, cycling, aerobics) provide the greatest health benefits in the least amount of time. Trainers do not suggest that women give up aerobics altogether. In fact a workout regimen that combines traditional cardio-aerobics and weightlifting is  ideal. However one more point to note a recent study following women age 24-34  conducted by the Jon Hopkins University found that  women who lifted weights continued to burn calories sometimes up to 2 hours longer after the exercise then women who did a comparable period of aerobics.

Resistance exercise is designed to put extra pressure on the muscles; however, in the process, it places pressure on the tendons, ligaments, and joints as well. When resistance training is done properly, the added pressure results in a strengthening effect; however, done improperly, that pressure can damage tissues.

Weight training should be a healthy habit, not a health hazard. Therefore, injury prevention is a major focus. The goal of a fitness program is to build the body, not destroy it.

Younger women and strength training

Younger women can use strength training to sculpt an attractive body they can keep all their lives. Athletes can increase their strength or endurance by training with weights. Active women can benefit from being fitter, more attractive, and healthier at any age. Weight training helps all women cope with daily stress, fight
obesity, and avoid cardiovascular problems. It is also the best tool for reshaping the body after giving birth.

Middle-aged women in strength training

If preventing middle-aged spread is a priority, strength training is key. Also, resistance training benefits middle-aged women by counteracting many of the health issues associated with menopause by preserving the integrity of both bones and muscles. It also mitigates the fat redistribution that can cause adipose enlargement in the abdominal area and result in plenty of loose skin in the arms.

Senior women engaged in strength training

Seniors can slow down aging by having stronger muscles and more resistant bones. Better muscular control and balance may preclude falls. Moreover, proper maintenance of range of motion can forestall a loss of mobility.

Benefits of strength training for women

Although the benefits of weight training are the same for both sexes, several of the advantages are
especially appealing to women based on other life and health issues. These benefits include:

• stronger bones and better prevention of osteoporosis;
• reduced body fat and greater ability to control body weight;
• stronger connective tissue to increase joint stability and help prevent injury
• improved stamina and decreased fatigue;
• better sleep and less insomnia; and
• increased self-confidence, body image, and sense of well-being

Top 6 Misconceptions About Women Strength Training

It is quite common to hear women say that they are scared of undergoing a weight training program because of several myths that they have heard.

There are many myths and misconceptions surrounding strength training and even more with women and strength training. This isn’t nearly the problem that it once was but it still exists.

Therefore, even these days many women miss out on the incredible benefits that strength training has to offer because of myths and misconceptions regarding this component of fitness. Here are the top 6 myths & misconceptions about strength training for women:

• Women don’t benefit much from resistance exercise.
• Weight training will cause women to “bulk up”.
• Strength training causes women to become larger and heavier.
• Women should use different training methods than men.
• Women should avoid high-intensity or high-load training.
• Misinterpreted feeling of a “muscle burning”.

All these myth have been exposed in our previous article. In short,

• Anything traditionally considered a good health practice for men applies equally to women.
• Weight training is the fastest, easiest and best way to improve the shape, tone and strength of the body, female or male.
• It is physiologically very difficult, it not impossible, for women bodybuilders, to develop the huge, bulging muscles of their male counterparts (without anabolic steroids)
• Lean muscle gives a woman curve, and shape. When women lose fat and gain muscle tissue, the feminine physique truly emerges.

How to design a weight training program?

When creating your own weight training program, the primary rule is to base it on your own personal goals. But your training program should also be able to focus on three concerns that a lot of American women have in common: injury prevention, building strength in the upper body and lessening risks of diseases.

• Building Strength in the Upper Body. Since women compared to men are biomechanically challenged and have  lesser muscle mass in the upper body, their weight training programs need to concentrate on building power and strength in the upper body in order to compensate for the strength deficiency.
• Injury Prevention. Since women have a wider pelvis, their Q angle is also wider. The Q angle is where the quadriceps fit into the hip join. You can remember it as “Q angle” is equal to the “quadriceps angle”. The wider Q angle causes the knee cap or the patella to have a lateral tracking which increases women’s risks of knee injuries. You can note that there are more female athletes who have ACL (Anterior Cruciate Ligament) injuries compared to male athletes. As expected, 2/3 of knee replacement surgeries are performed on women. Normally, women have strong quadriceps and weak hamstrings which forces the quadriceps to fire first during landing and deceleration which places undue stress on the ACL.
• Lessening Risks of Diseases. Your weight training program must also concentrate on lessening your risks of diseases. You may already be aware that heart disease is the top cause of death not only in women but in men, as well. There are different strength training programs that can aid in significantly reducing your risks of other diseases such as stroke, diabetes and certain kinds of cancer.
• Different Programs for Different Goals. Even though there are no significant biological differences between the muscle tissue of men and women or how those muscle tissues respond to weight training, it is still ideal for you to consider certain variables that are applicable to women. 

Related Topics

• Top 6 Myths & Misconceptions About Women Strength Training
• Strength Training For Older Adults
• Weight Training for Children
• Weight Training and Pregnancy

Putting It Together: Women and weight training

Ladies you want shape – you want a figure – building up the muscles of your shoulders and back will make your waist look smaller. And lets not forget about  what weightlifting can do for the old gluteus maximus. You really want “Buns of Steel”? – Pump Iron!

Dispelling the myth that weight training makes a woman ‘bulky and unfeminine’, this article shows that weights and resistance training methods could be the single most important element in your fitness regime. Weight and cardio training will not only improve your appearance but will also
improve your health and change your life for the better. It’s time to get started. Agree?