Why All Women Should Lift Weights
Jul 31, 2023 mindpumpIf you’ve ever been on the fence whether lifting weights is a good idea, as a man or woman, well, I’m here to tell you that resistance training is almost always recommended. When someone sets a goal, it is either based on health, performance, or aesthetics, and women should definitely add resistance training to their routine if they want to improve any of these pillars.
This article will go over why women should lift weights, and how to start incorporating it in their routine.
Muscle=Toned
Some women think that they will get big and bulky when they lift weights, but that is not the case. In fact, women will most likely look slimmer, even if their weight stays the same. If you lose weight doing cardio, you’ll surely drop pounds, but without added lean muscle mass, you won’t see the muscle definition most people want.
To get lean muscle mass, you need to add muscle. And the only way to do that is to lift weights. Cardio does not grow muscle; instead, muscle tends to atrophy when cardio becomes the main source of exercise.
I am not demonizing cardio, because it does provide excellent benefits for your overall health, but lifting weights offers better results when it comes to overall body composition
Less Body Fat
Speaking of body composition, when proper nutrition habits and a training program are adhered to, you will likely gain more lean muscle mass while losing fat mass. It is difficult to accomplish both at the same time, and SOME fat will be gained when you go through this muscle-building period. However, if you go through a period of gaining muscle, then cutting fat by increasing activity while decreasing total calorie intake, you’ll have a better chance of maintaining the muscle you gained, while losing fat.
This does not happen overnight, and it does take time, but once you have everything dialed in and habits are maintained, you’ll find much more long-term success.
The Weight Stays Off
The more lean muscle mass you have, the more efficient your metabolism is; your body at rest is burning more calories than it would with more body fat. Maintaining muscle is hard work, which means your body is working overtime–or burning more calories–to keep that muscle on your body. This process contributes to your overall basal metabolic rate, which is the number of calories you need to accomplish the most basic, life-sustaining functions.
It Elevates Your Mood
Not only do a lot of physical changes occur when you lift weights, but women can get a mental boost from lifting weights as well. Resistance training has been shown to boost cognitive performance, reduce stress, offset cognitive decline, and improves self-confidence.
It’s not just men who can get a major confidence boost when lifting at a weight that at one point seemed impossible.
A lot of these feel-good feelings can be attributed to the hormone dopamine, which plays a role in achieving feelings of happiness and pleasure.
Less Likely to Get Injured
So, this isn’t a super sexy reason why lifting weights is great for women, but resistance training dramatically reduces the risk of getting a musculoskeletal injury. Study after study shows that resistance training improves bone mineral density and joint health. As women age, especially during and after the stages of menopause, estrogen levels decrease, which causes accelerated bone resorption, or the breakdown of bone.
My stressing the bones through resistance training, women decrease their risk of bone fractures and osteoporosis. Resistance training stimulates tension not just in the muscle, but in the structure of the bone as well, leading to an increase in bone mineral content.
Alright, Are You Convinced?
Great! Now where do we start? Fortunately, Mind Pump has TONS of programs for building muscle, and with plenty of options for all fitness levels.
Beginners can benefit from MAPS Starter, MAPS Resistance, or MAPS Anabolic, while the intermediate and advanced ladies can turn to MAPS Anabolic Advanced or MAPS Strong.
