Whenever I ask my female clients about their fitness goals the answer is
usually the same, “I want to tone up and lose weight”. They also say, “I don’t
want to bulk up so I don’t want to lift too much or do heavy weights.
Firstly I want to clarify that women will not bulk up by doing weight
training. The reason behind this is testosterone. Testosterone is responsible
for building muscle, women have 15-20 times less testosterone than men, and
therefore women are not as well equipped to gain muscle and will not gain
muscle as a man does.
The side effect of the fear of bulk-up is that most women don’t do
strength training, and instead mainly focus on cardio. Cardio is good for your
heart, lungs and endurance etc, but it is a only a part of what should be your
total workout. It is very hard to tone up arms, legs, abs or any other part of
the body and lose fat without weight training. Strength training is one of the
healthiest thing anyone can do, especially women.
Here is the main benefits of strength training
for women:
- Strength
training increases your metabolism and BMR (basal metabolic rate) so that
you burn more calories 24/7. Calculate your BMR here http://www.myfitnesspal.com/tools/bmr-calculator
· Increases lean muscle tissue which
builds strength and endurance
· Losing fat and toning up.
· Strengthens your bones reducing your
risk of developing osteoporosis
· Improves posture
· Increases energy levels and mood
through the release of brain - chemicals that reduce anxiety and chronic
illnesses.
So ladies do not feel intimidated by the weights area, by
mixing up your training and adding in weights you will start to see results
quicker than just doing cardio. I personally run a Circuit Class in Fleet every
Wednesday that involves a series of different weights and bodyweight movements
that are perfect for helping men and women gain fitness and muscle.
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