The Benefits of Lifting Weight for Women

When you think of lifting weights, you may think of a professional wrestler, the Mr. Universe competition, or the part of your local gym that is usually populated mostly by men. As a woman, you may skip the weights because you in no way want to look bulky or ‘buff’.

What you may not know is that weight lifting can be a great workout and weight loss tool for women: no bulking up required. Women simply do not have the same hormonal workup that men do and do not bulk up when lifting. Yes, there are women who do get bulky from lighting weights, but they are mostly likely on sort of supplement, or even worse, steroids.

What lifting does for women is help them tone muscles and gain muscle mass. You may have heard that muscle weighs more than fat. That’s not technically true (a pound is a pound no matter what it consists of), but it is much denser. As you add muscle and work off fat, your body will be trimmer, even if the scale doesn’t move too much.

Adding muscle not only makes you leaner, it makes you stronger. You have more energy to get through those long cardio workouts, and your metabolism with work more efficiently.

Anther great benefit for women in regards to strength training is an overall better condition of joints. When muscles grow and are exercised, the connective tissues benefit as well. These tissues hold the muscles to the bone. When they become stronger, you become more agile, and build endurance.

Interested? Here are some tips to get you started.

Probably most the most important thing you should do before you begin is talk to your doctor if you have any injuries, joint problems, or medical conditions. You may be advises not to use weights, or be given a modified regimen for the sake of your health. This is especially important if you have heart problems or high blood pressure.

Warm up and cool off. You should stretch and do some sort of cardio activity before you begin to avoid damaging your muscles while you work out. Don’t forget to stretch and possibly take a short walk after you are finished.