Women in the Weight Room
The motivation for this latest blog comes from making an observation in the gym in which I train. Day after day I witness men walking into the weight room to throw around any weight they can get their hands on. Day after day I witness women entering the gym and jumping straight on the cardio equipment to run the guts out of themselves. That got me to thinking about different physiques and why we look like we do?
With the exception of one or two ladies in my gym, majority spend 90% of their time on the cardio equipment, why? I’m not so sure… To build a lean, muscular, toned physique you need to utilise strength training.
But If I lift weights, I will look like ‘Hulk’ wont I? NO. According to The American College of Sports MedicineWomen have a 15- to 20-fold lower concentration of testosterone than men. This is generally why women have about two-thirds less muscle mass than men. Studies of women and weight training have shown great health and fitness improvements whilst participating in strength programs. The American College of Sports Medicine encourages women to do a minimum of two strength training workouts per week to reduce their risk of chronic disease.
So Girls, you want to get lean for summer? You need to build muscle. The more muscle you have, the less body fat you will have- simple. Every time you climb aboard the treadmill and participate in long duration cardio training you will be burning muscle, elevating cortisol (stress) levels often making zero progress. You want to preserve that muscle and build strength by following a tailored resistance program for the individual.
Reasons women don’t enter the weight room;
· Male dominated area
· Intimidation
· Unsure as to what they should be doing
· Think they will ‘Bulk’ up
My recommendation would be consult a good personal trainer, one with a proven track record of getting results to teach you proper form and technique.
With my women PT clients, I don’t tell them not to participate in cardiovascular activity but I ensure that lifting weights and building strength is the number one priority especially when fat loss is the goal. My aim as a Trainer is to coach ladies into eventually building enough confidence to enter the weight room on their own, train with proper technique and progress there physiques to match their goals.
Summer is coming, hit that weight room!!!
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