Benefits Of Weight Training For Females

If you are a woman, you are probably going to get a couple of different recommendations if you decide to get fit. Different – albeit similar – proposed options are going to be: Yoga, Pilates classes, running but never-ever weightlifting.

And it’s rather odd because the benefits of weight training for females are plenty. Recommendation of Your.MD (health tech company) to be in good health condition, you should do twice a week or more weight training (strength training) and flexibility training.

The benefits of weight training for females:

1. Better metabolism,
2. Burns body fat,
3. Build muscle – (Don’t worry, you won’t get “bulky”),
4. Better posture,
5. Reduces the risk of injury,
6. Help against heart disease and other illnesses,
7. Reduces stress and anxiety,
8. Helps you sleep at night,
9. It improves your mood and confidence.

Keep reading, all of them, I explained below.

But how come something as beneficial as weight training can be confused with something bad?

Weightlifting myths regarding women are plenty: ending up with a “bulky” figure, higher risk of injury, and many other lies with no scientific evidence. In reality, women can greatly benefit from such an important activity like lifting weights

What are the benefits of weight training for females? If you are a woman and decide to embark on a weightlifting journey, you’ll experience amazing body changes in no time. Losing weight and body fat loss are directly linked with lifting weights: studies have found you can lose up to 5 kg worth of bodyfat for every kilogram of muscle you build per year. This results in better body shape and a healthier look.

And it’s a better alternative than cardio, as strength training burns more calories and increases metabolism after a workout session. Thanks to the physical effort you put in when you are lifting weights, your cardiovascular system receives a good workout as well, reducing the chance of heart disease and other ailments as well, like diabetes.

Better posture is an almost immediate result of lifting weights, as multiple exercises – like the deadlift – will correct your posture and train different muscle groups in your back to prevent kyphosis.

Weightlifting is also directly linked to stronger bones and osteoporosis prevention: as women get older, their bone density begins to falter — 25% of all women aged 65 and older have to deal with osteoporosis. Lifting weights, regardless of age, can become a great ally in preventing bone-related diseases. And just like your bones get stronger due to weight training, so do your tendons and joints, reducing the risk of injury inside and outside the gym.

And weightlifting isn’t about your physical health alone: strength training makes the body release different hormones such as endorphins, the chemical produced in your brain that’s in charge of making you feel happy and confident. Regular exercise also reduces anxiety, stress and other mental health-related ailments.

Weight training for women is surrounded by plenty of myths and made up stories that have no scientific basis. What weight training does have is a lot of benefits, and plenty of them are specifically for women. How can something so controversial be so beneficial?

9 Benefits of Weight Training for Females That’ll Change Your Life

Lifting weights has a lot of benefits, way too many to mention them all. When it comes to women, there are ten that are almost life-changing. Weightlifting, plain and simple, will improve a lot of health-related issues you may have and prevent future problems you could face due to a sedentary lifestyle.

It’ll also help you achieve your goal body like no other activity. As your health and looks improve, so will your mood and overall mental health. Among the many benefits lifting weights will bring you, here are nine incredible ones:

1. Better metabolism: When you start lifting weights, your body will start consuming more calories, and that’ll make your metabolism speed up. If you work out hard enough, your new-found metabolism will let you eat more while you maintain your body weight — or even lose weight!

2. Burns body fat: Another incredible – albeit less known – weightlifting benefit is how much body fat it burns. A lot of people choose to do cardio when they are trying to get rid of stubborn belly fat or trying to tone their bodies. Forget about all that and take care of it at the gym, lifting heavyweights.

3. Build muscle: If you are a beginner, even if you are losing weight, there’s a high chance you’ll build muscle when you are lifting weights. And you will gain a lot of muscle mass if you are trying to gain weight. Either way, lifting weights help you lose body fat and replace it with muscle, which looks way better.

4. Corrects posture: The more rows, deadlifts, and pullups you do, the stronger you’ll back muscles will be. With the help of strong back muscles, you will fight against the terrible side effects of sitting down for eight hours per day at work, eventually developing kyphosis (also known as a hunchback). After a couple of sessions down at the gym, you’ll find yourself standing up and sitting down with your back straight.

5. Reduces the risk of injury: Contrary to popular belief, people who lift weights are less prone to injury than those who do not lift. When you are exercising 3 to 5 days per week, you are building muscle around sensible areas, along with strengthening your tendons and joints. This greatly reduces the risk of injury in all areas of life. It’s also great for back pain and other back-related ailments.

6. Great help against heart disease and other illnesses: Studies show lifting weights reduce the risk of heart disease, diabetes, osteoporosis, and many other life-threatening illnesses many people suffer every year.

7. Reduces stress and anxiety: Lifting weights is a great ally against mental health ailments. Every time you work out, your body releases a healthy dose of endorphins, the hormones that make you feel happy and relaxed.

8. Helps you sleep at night: A lot of people go back home after work feeling mentally exhausted, yet they cannot sleep. This is because they are mentally tired, but their body still has plenty of energy. Lifting weights helps you get rid of that energy, letting you have a good night’s sleep.

9. Improves your mood and confidence: As your health improves, you’ll look better, and even your posture is great, you’ll feel more confident. This will be reflected in your mood, as you’ll be happier.

When Should I Start Lifting Weights if I’m a Woman

If you have decided to start lifting weights, you might be wondering if you are either too young or too old. You can lift weights at any age as long as you are responsible and take good care of your body. Right technique, a good diet and plenty of rest are all you need to avoid injury, regardless of age.

If you are on the younger side of things, you can greatly benefit from lifting weights. And if you are closer to seniority (or past it), you can benefit even more! As you know, lifting weights is great against a lot of health ailments, especially those who start to come up later in life.

What’s the Right Weightlifting Routine For a Woman

If you are unsure about what to do when you start at the gym, do not worry! You can ask for help from professionals or do your research using the internet. Either way, you’ll find plenty of help to assess you and your goals. Most successful people start with a simple strength routine to develop a foundation (even women!) and then move onto another more advanced routine.

Weight Training Myths Regarding Women

A lot of women stay away from weight training because they believe lifting weights will result in a plethora of issues, such as being too “bulky,” injuries, looking masculine among plenty of other things. There is no truth behind these kinds of things, as they are myths at best.

Models and actresses all go to the gym and lift weights, in one way or the other. Changes in your body happen gradually, you’ll know when you want to stop building muscle — and have plenty of time to do it.

Related Questions:

I started lifting weights, should I change my diet? Of course! If you have started to lift weights, you probably have one of three goals: You want to be healthier, you want to lose weight, or you want to gain weight. If you want to lose weight, you should eat the same amount of food or a little less. If you want to be healthy and maintain your body weight or gain more weight, you should start eating more. Remember, eat plenty of protein, fat, and carbs!

How many times per week should I go to the gym? Ideally, you should go to the gym 3 to 5 times per week. Most people go to the gym 3 times per week, resting one day in between each session. That’s more than enough. But if you start to fall in love with weight training, there’s no harm in adding extra days — in fact, you’ll get better results that way.

But remember, if you start to add extra gym days or if you start to go to the gym fewer times, you’ll have to adjust your diet and how much you rest, either way.

Is weight training right for me if I want to lose weight, not gain muscle? This is exactly what you should be doing if you want to lose weight. Bear in mind, as you lose weight, you’ll lose body fat. But you can keep your same bodyweight and look better and healthier if you lose body fat and replace it with muscle.

Also, you can read my previous post: “How To Start Female Weightlifting: A Step By Step Guide.”

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Sources:

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