More than 80% of the world’s adults are not physically active. For those who have not exercised in a while, starting to workout either at home or in a gym can be a bit overwhelming.

While we need exercise to stay healthy, many people, especially women, tend to avoid the gym and in particular the free weights. The machines may be a little less daunting, but for the most part, we stick to the treadmills and ellipticals where we feel more confident. 

While weightlifting for women is so beneficial, there’s a common misconception that lifting weights will make big and bulky. This is not true, as that requires specific quantities of time, effort, intention, and hard work to reach that point. Let’s face it, we’re not all working out to be the next Ms. Universe.

If gaining muscle mass is your goal it doesn’t happen overnight. Bodybuilders dedicate their lives to training and sculpting their bodies. There is no need the vast majority of women to worry about becoming big or bulky through strength training.

The benefits of strength training, or moving heavy things as Dr. B likes to put it are numerous for women…. Let’s get started!

Improved Fat Loss

If you want to slim down or drop a dress size, the treadmill isn’t the best way to achieve this. So many times, we think cardio is the ONLY way to lose pounds and inches. We (women) tend to think lifting weights will make us gain muscle size and bulk. However, that’s not true! Lifting weights can help you reach your goals much faster than a pure cardio routine ever will.

Why? Well, strength training helps you build lean muscles; the more muscles you have, the quicker your metabolism will become. So, through weightlifting, you become stronger and boost your metabolism, which can help you burn more calories while exercising. This means the more muscles you have, the more calories you’ll burn per day!

Bone Density

Strength training puts stress on your bones thus causing them to create newer, stronger bone. Which, over time increases the strength of the bones all while strengthening the rest of your body. 

This strengthening of your bones can help prevent the loss of bone density. The loss of bone density should be prevented as much as possible, but with proper training, it can be reversed over time.

Many women don’t consider the role bone density plays in their life until it’s too late. As women age, their bone density decreases. This is also made worse after menopause.

If you don’t combat the loss of bone density, you’ll be more prone to fractures and breaks later on in life.

Prevent Injuries

A great benefit of strength training is that it can help you prevent injuries as you go about your daily life. As your body gets stronger, you often find that normal physical activities are easier as there’s less strain on your body.

Since these activities are easier on your body, they’re also less risky. In addition, strength training and building muscle mass help you move your body in more efficient ways. For instance, you’ll know exactly how to lift objects to prevent injuring yourself.

Strength training is also beneficial for participating in different sports. For example, runners often strength train to injuries to their hips, knees, and back. Running puts a lot of strain on the knee joint, so you can prevent injuries by strengthening the muscles supporting the knee.

Increased Confidence

Another added benefit to strength training is to increase your confidence.

On the one hand, when you look good, you tend to feel good. Your clothes will fit nicely, and you’ll start enjoying getting dressed in the morning. Even if your body hasn’t started changing, the confidence will shine through, and others will notice it.

On the other hand, you’ll start becoming more confident in other aspects of your life. For example, there’s nothing more satisfying than knowing you can squat a certain amount or you can carry larger weights than expected. This will give you a boost in every aspect of your life, including accomplishing those “weekend warrior” kinds of tasks around the house! As you age, it gets harder to pick up heavy things or move pot plants around as needed. Once you start training, you’ll understand your limits and won’t have to worry whether you can achieve the tasks you need to complete.

Find Free Options

When it comes to strength training, you don’t have to immediately jump in and hire a personal trainer or buy expensive equipment. YouTube and your local library are GREAT resources for workout videos. The founders of ChiroThin have also created a collection of free exercise videos to help you get started on your weightlifting journey.

Everyone has to start somewhere. However, going to the gym can be daunting if you’re a beginner. While people aren’t watching you, it’s easy to feel self-conscious if you don’t know exactly what to do.

This is where free at-home exercises come into play. If you master the movements by either using small weights or simply your body weight, you’ll be able to do these exercises with more confidence later on.

It’s also always a good idea to perfect your form before you start adding the actual weights. The heavier weights you use, the more likely you are to injure yourself if your form isn’t top-notch.

Free options should never be looked down on; they are simply stepping stones to get you more confident to start achieving your goals.

Weightlifting for Women Made Easy

When it comes to weightlifting for women, many don’t realize all the benefits there are. Women tend to avoid the free weight or weight machine areas of the gym due to the idea that lifting weights will make them gain muscles and appear more masculine. Unless you’re training to build mass, it won’t happen, so the benefits of weightlifting can’t be ignored.

Are you ready to get started on the path to a healthier you? Send us an email at info@savinglivesnow.flywheelsites.com and we’ll schedule time to chat about YOUR specific goals!