Should Women Lift Weights Regularly?

By Howe Russ


One of the most frequently asked questions in gyms today is, "Should women lift weights?" Today you'll get the answer. Many ladies want to put weights into their routine alongside HIIT but are unsure if they're allowed, due to the many myths out there.

This isn't a new phenomenon, and the myths surrounding it were dis-proven many years ago. However, every ten years the fitness industry throws up a new trend which brings the same old methods back into the mainstream. After kettlebells and circuit training in recent years, this year appears to be the return of high intensity cardio alongside pumping iron on a regular basis. []

That's right, women around the world are suddenly finding the confidence the ask about using resistance training on a regular basis. While trainers around the world are undoubtedly rejoicing in this, the fact is most ladies are still buying into a few of the old myths which used to surround this subject, most notably:

* If girls lift weights they will get big and bulky.

* Women need to use very light dumbbells only.

* Women tone up from high reps and low resistance. If a lady doesn't follow this rule, she's going to put on size....

* Girls who have strong legs should avoid weights because they'll make them even bigger.

Despite the fact that the myths above have been dis-proven so many times, they still exist in most gyms and health clubs. While regular exercise enthusiasts know them to be false, the mainstream still overwhelmingly buys into the myth that women should avoid resistance training for the reasons shown above.

To put it bluntly, yes, ladies should be incorporating resistance training into their routine. You cannot achieve a lean physique without making your body work against some sort of resistance.

When you take some time to look at the differences between the male and female body, those common fitness myths disappear rather quickly. The major difference is that women release much less testosterone, making the muscle building process far harder for them. A female bodybuilder needs to add extra supplements into their routine to pack on more muscle, it's not something which happens easily.

So worrying about lifting a slightly heavier weight and seeing massive gains is nonsense.

The ironic thing is that most ladies who are terrified of resistance training list fat loss as their main fitness goal. Fat loss is one of the biggest benefits to a regular resistance training program. Your body experiences a phenomenon known as excess post-exercise oxygen consumption, E.P.O.C. for short, in which you continue to power through calories at an increased level well after you finish training. It's also one of the best ways to tone up a body part you consider to be bulky at the moment, i.e. legs.

So, should women lift weights in the gym? Certainly! If you are trying to build a leaner physique this year then the combination of HIIT and regular resistance workouts will push your results to a whole new level.




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