5 REASONS FOR WOMEN TO LIFT

Nathan Bell
Nov 7, 2016
4 min read

Want to be physically stronger? Want to lose weight and become more toned and athletic? Want to improve flexibility and decrease likelihood of osteoporosis?

So you have been attending your gyms classes 3-4 times a week for the past few months but are seeing little improvements in body composition and functional strength. Alternatively, you have been doing cardio non-stop, running down the park or on the treadmill, spending an hour every session on the elliptical. You may even be doing some of the weight exercises in the women’s magazines that your are reading every week, but you don’t seem to be getting any closer to looking like the women in the magazine. Why are you not seeing improvements??

Whilst good gyms and good strength coaches are going some way to introduce good lifting practices for females there are still a hell of a lot more men lifting in gyms than women. A few of the main reasons that women don’t invest there time in proper strength training programs include:

This form of training is only for men
I don’t want huge muscles
I might hurt myself

YOU’VE GOT IT ALL WRONG!

You simply need to get away from the myth that lifting weights is going to make you build bulk and muscles like a man, and here’s why…

Men have higher testosterone levels than women; women have higher oestrogen than men. Compare testosterone levels in a man to the amount in a woman and you find a large gap. Why? Simply put, women don't have testicles. The lion's share of male testosterone comes from the testes. Even women who want to build bigger muscles and work extremely hard to bulk still build muscle mass at a fraction of the rate that men do.
The second reason women won't go "GREEN" from lifting heavier weights is that most women don't consume enough calories to create the mass. Think about it this way: when was the last time you purposefully over-ate to gain weight? We're talking purposely consuming more calories than you need, not because of enjoyment, but because you want to gain. When was the last time you forced down extra servings of protein at dinner because it fit your mass-gaining goals? Chances are, never. Most women are born restriction eaters. They have a built-in tendency to want to be slimmer.

So now we have got passed the idea that you are going to turn into the Hulk over night a couple ways lifting weight will benefit you.

Reasons that you need to start lifting:

You Will Lose Body Fat. Studies performed by Wayne Westcott, PhD, from the South Shore YMCA in Quincy, Massachusetts, found that the average woman who strength trains two to three times a week for two months will gain nearly two pounds of muscle and will lose 3.5 pounds of fat. As your lean muscle increases so does your resting metabolism, and you burn more calories all day long. Generally speaking, for each pound of muscle you gain, you burn 35 to 50 more calories each day
You Will Be Physically Stronger. Increasing your strength will make you far less dependent upon others for assistance in daily living. Chores will be easier; lifting kids, groceries and laundry will no longer push you to the max. If your maximum strength is increased, daily tasks and routine exercise will be far less likely to cause injury.
You Decrease Your Risk Of Osteoporosis. Research has found that weight training can increase spinal bone mineral density (and enhance bone modelling) by 13 percent in six months. This, coupled with an adequate amount of dietary calcium, can be a women's best defence against osteoporosis.
You Will Reduce Your Risk of Diabetes. In addition, Dr. Franklin noted that weight training might improve the way the body processes sugar, which may reduce the risk of diabetes. Adult-onset diabetes is a growing problem for women and men. Research indicates that weight training can increase glucose utilisation in the body by 23 percent in four months.
Improved confidence levels. Last but not least, it’s awesome for confidence. Getting comfortable lifting and training in a male dominant environment will build self-efficacy and eventually reduce self-consciousness of the opposing sex. As for everything else in life, stepping outside of your comfort zone can do great things and lead to huge personal improvements as a result of the process. I have a lot of respect for women who understand how to train properly and have good technique in the compound lifts.

How to Introduce Strength Training

Focus on becoming familiar with correct technique with basic compound movements such as the push up, supine row, hip hinge (deadlift), lunge, plank and squat. Learn how to brace effectively, mobilise and activate the joints prior to working out.

To get the full benefits of strength training you should implement a full body training method 3-4 times a week depending on current training and other commitments.

Example Beginner Training Program

When exercises have an A & B format they should be completed as a superset; i.e. one exercise directly after the other before resting.

Repeat this Program 3 times per week with minimum one day rest in between workouts for the first two weeks. The aim of this two weeks is to get the brain used to these motor patterns and engrain good technique before beginning to add weight and put the body under stress without understanding how to brace correctly and position of joints throughout the movement etc.

Below are video tutorials of all the exercises listed in the program above. If unsure at the gym ask a trainer that is available for guidance or feedback on whether you are performing the exercise correctly.

CHECK BACK IN A COUPLE OF WEEKS FOR MORE PROGRAMMING ADVICE!

Correct Technique Goblet Squat