One of the most frequently asked questions from my female clients is, “Will weights make me bulky?” I’ve had clients too apprehensive to try a set of squats for fear their quads will become too big and muscular.
The fact is; the right kind of weight training for women can be extremely beneficial for good health and for achieving your visible physical goals.
Many people believe weight training does not burn calories, but this is also untrue. Weight training, if done correctly, has been proven to burn more calories than most cardiovascular activities.
It shouldn’t replace your morning walk, afternoon swim or evening jog because cardiovascular training is extremely important as well. A good balance between the two is essential for optimal results.
Here are 5 awesome reasons why weight training is beneficial for women:
1. Tones your muscles, creating definition, so you look and feel great.
2. Raises your base metabolism so you burn more calories, even while you sleep! This is because muscle burns more calories than fat.
3. Strengthens your bones by increasing bone density, reducing your risk of osteoporosis.
4. Helps to increase your core strength, which improves posture, co-ordination and balance.
5. After the age of 20, if you do not strength train you will lose between 2.2 and 3.2 kilograms of muscle every decade.
Of my female clients, 90% ask the question, “How do I shape and tone my body?” My simple answer every time is that you need a good balance of cardiovascular exercise, healthy diet and weight training.
Weight training doesn’t necessarily mean having to lug heavy weights around. It’s only very specific, dedicated and long-term training that will result in bulging muscles.
If you’re keen to give it a go, you should look at working 2-3 sessions of weight training into your existing, weekly, exercise routine.
You can either complete a full body session for all round shaping and toning, or target more specific areas by training those body parts individually.
A few sessions with a personal trainer is an awesome way to get you going on the right track. You can discuss your goals, have them work out a program and, most importantly, get some one-on-one tuition so you know how to correctly and most efficiently make use of the weights/equipment you might have shied away from before.
