Long gone are the days where women would be cardio bunnies whilst men were getting the ‘pump’ in the weights room! The benefits of resistance training, for both males and females, are becoming more widely appreciated. Women should never be afraid of lifting weights and adding resistance training to their exercise regime.
Here are five key benefits of weight training for women:
1) Boost your metabolism
Muscle mass burns more calories at rest, so the more muscle you develop, the more calories you will burn on a daily basis overall. This is known as your BMR (basal metabolic rate) and varies from person to person. If you are looking for fat loss, increasing your BMR means you are more likely to be in a deficit when it comes to calories which will help you improve body composition. Also, when women diet without doing resistance training, especially as age increases, up to 25% of weight loss may be muscle loss. Therefore, weight training helps you to preserve muscle mass.
2) Build strength
Lifting weights can help improve muscular strength and endurance which not only helps with your gym sessions, but your everyday life too! Lifting weights can improve functional fitness which makes day-to-day tasks seem easier. Next time you have to lift up your baby, carry the grocery shopping home or lift a heavy suitcase into the car, you’ll notice an immediate difference! You can also improve your form and posture through correct lifting technique so that these everyday movements are performed more safely and with less risk of injury.
3) Maintain healthy bones
Weight-bearing exercises help to build and maintain bone mass. As you develop your muscles and they get stronger, so do your bones. Maintaining bone density can also help with mobility and balance, which is especially important as women age. Weight-bearing exercises coupled with an adequate amount of dietary calcium also reduces the risk of osteoporosis for women.
4) Improved shape and body confidence
Resistance training helps to build muscle definition and improve physical shape which often leads to increased body confidence. Despite common myths, lifting weights won’t make you bulky! Women do not have the same level of muscle-building hormones as men do. So, if you keep your diet fairly clean and create a calorie deficit, you’ll burn fat.
5) Improved mood and energy levels
Similarly to after an aerobic workout, a resistance-based workout releases endorphins and leaves you feeling positive and energised! Resistance training also causes an increase in energy expenditure for a few hours after you train which can help improve motivation and levels and mood.
If you are unsure on which resistance exercises to perform, or how to perform them, then feel free to speak to one of our friendly personal trainers and ask for help! You can also always try one of our weights-based group exercise classes, such as Bodypump, which will introduce you to some basic movements for all muscle groups. Book a class at your local Simply Gym and see the difference that incorporating weight-training can make!
