The idea of lifting weights has always been an area of concern when it comes to some women. There are a lot of myths out there when it comes to women lifting weights. They are often misinformed on information that is told to them so when it comes to getting in the gym and actually strength training they are often very hesitant to start. If you’re a woman reading this and you have questions or concerns about strength training, hopefully I will clear the air for you right now. Let’s get right into some of the myths out there..
Myth- Women who lift weights develop bulky will develop bulky muscles.
Fact- It’s physiologically impossible for most women to bulk up without taking some sort of drug enhancement. Women don’t have enough testosterone which is also known as the “Muscle building hormone”.
2. Myth- Weight training will Reduce flexibility.
Fact- Resistance training can actually increase your joint range and motion flexibility.
3. Myth- If you stop building muscle and then stop exercising your muscle will turn into fat.
Fact- Not possible! Fat and muscle are two different substances, you can’t turn one into the other.
4. Myth- The weight room is an intimidating place and full of men.
Fact- After an orientation to the gym the people in the gym and the gym equipment will be familiar and welcoming. If this still intimidates you though there is women only areas in some gyms that allows you to workout comfortably.
Some of the benefits women receive by strength training is for one, they increase their self confidence and body image. Once you realize that the gym is working for you, you will start to have more motivation in going and feel better about yourself. Secondly it helps you build bones to reduce the risk of osteoporosis. Osteoporosis is a disease in which the density and quality of bone are reduced. As bones become more fragile, the risk of fracture is greatly increased. And lastly it slows down the 8-10% loss of muscle mass that women experience once they hit the age of 40.
If you are reading this and want to jump into strength training right now, the following things I suggest are:
Learn good technique to get the maximum benefit to avoid injury.
Start Slowly with the number of reps, the amount of resistance and the amount of workouts that you do per week.
Use the proper weight where you can barley finish the last 12-15 reps.
I hope this article motivated you to get into the gym and get started. If you have any questions feel free to contact me!