Weight lifting for women has often been associated with myths. There are many women who simply refuse to do weight training because they believe these myths. The truth is, weight lifting for women is a very good way to exercise and burn fat. You can use it to achieve the results you want in your body.
When most women think of weight training, they think of female body builders, and how they look huge. They think that if they train with weights, they will get a large, masculine physique. The truth is, the female body does not produce the amount of testosterone it takes in order to build up muscles that big. Female body builders take steroids in order to look like that. Naturally, women will not achieve that result from regular strength training exercise.
Women sometimes think that strength training will reduce the size of your breasts. Again, this is false. The opposite is actually true. When you strengthen the underlying chest muscles your breasts will actually be lifted, and have better contours. You will get better cleavage and perkier breasts. They will not diminish in size.
The final myth we will talk about is the myth that after you stop weight training, all of the muscles will turn into fat. This is actually not even possible. Muscle and fat are two very different tissues in the body. One cannot turn into the other. You can lose muscle mass, and gain fat, but one cannot turn into the other.
If you are looking for a good strength training routine,. Free your mind of the above myths and introduce weight training in order to lose weight.
Benefits of Weight Lifting for Women
Lose Body Fat
Weight training builds muscle, as lean muscle increases so does metabolism. A higher metabolism means that you will burn more calories all day long. Studies found that the 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. For each pound of muscle you gain, you’ll burn 35 to 50 more calories per day. That can really add up over the long term; for example, 4 extra pounds of muscle can burn up to 10 extra pounders per year!
Gain Strength without Bulking
One of the most common reasons women avoid weight training is because they are afraid of “bulking.” This is a misconception as it physically can not happen. Women simply don’t have the testosterone to build muscle like men. Women have 10 to 30 times less testosterone than men and have a much harder time gaining size from strength training. Insead women develop muscle definition and strength without the size.
Decrease Risk of Osteoporosis
Weight training not only strengthens muscles, it strengthens your bones. Weight training increases bone density, which reduces the risk of fractures and broken bones. Research has also shown weight training can increase spinal bone density to create a strong and healthy spine.
Reduce Risk of Injury
Weight training also increases strength in connective tissues and joints. Strong joints, ligaments, and tendons are important to prevent injury and can relieve pain from osteoarthritis. Strengthening muscles and connective tissue will make injury from daily tasks and routine exercise less likely, and can even improve sports performance.
Burn More Calories
Weight training has been proven to raise your metabolism for up to 24 hours after a workout. The more intense the workout the more calories are burned. After an intense workout there is more Excess Post-Exercise Oxygen Consumption, or EPOC, meaning there is an increase in oxygen consumption, helping break down fat stores in the body.
