Most women see weight training as something only men and bodybuilders do. But this is well and truly a myth. This myth is so ingrained among women that it's quite difficult to dispel it.
Once people know that I workout with weights regularly, they look me and up and down expecting to find bulging muscles and a bulky structure. But when all they can see is a slim figure standing in front of them, they think I'm joking.
Honestly! What's up with these people??
So, much to their surprise (and some annoyance), I explain to them that weight training doesn't necessarily build a bulky body. In fact there are lots of reasons why every woman should take up weight lifting.
Here are three of the main reasons.
1. You'll get slim.
Believe it or not, weight training will actually make you lose body fat and get slim.
When you train with weights such as dumbbells and kettlebells or other heavy items, you put more pressure on your muscles than they're used to. To withstand this bigger pressure, your body makes your muscles stronger.
Your body builds more muscle tissues. This process uses up a lot more calories than usual. And your metabolism works faster. You probably know that a faster metabolism will promote faster fat loss.
It's not only the faster metabolism you'll get from this process. You'll look a lot leaner as well because of having more muscles. You'll look a lot slimmer since muscles take up less space than fat.
What's more, training with weights is the best way to tone up trouble spots, like under the arms, thighs and belly.
But don't worry - unlike men, you're not likely to become bulky. You just don't have enough of the right hormones which help cause huge muscles in men. All you'll end up with is a nicely sculpted, well-defined body.
2. As you get older, you'll look and feel a lot younger than your friends.
After the age of 30, women start to lose their muscle mass year by year. To put it frankly, unless they do something about it, they'll get more and more flabby.
Weight training will help prevent this by preserving your muscle mass. You'll stay firm in your older age.
Not only does this make you look attractive even in your old age, but you'll also maintain your mobility into your very old age. That means you won't need to depend on people to get up from your chair or get help walking. You'll keep your independence and even be able to enjoy playing with your grandchildren (if you do decide to have children).
3. You'll keep your osteoporosis at bay.
One of the commonest health scares for women as they get older is rapid bone loss. This is even more common after the menopause. It can very easily lead to osteoporosis.
Osteoporosis is a serious health problem in which your bones become brittle and are easily broken.
How does weight lifting help with this problem?
Well... regular weight bearing exercises don't only strengthen your muscles, but also your bones. That means you can prevent osteoporosis by regular resistance training combined with good nutrition.
OK, even knowing these benefits...
Are you still concerned about becoming bulky?
Hear me out on this.
Again I'm stressing the fact that, contrary to popular belief, training with weights doesn't make you bulky. People who build up their bulk actually train specifically for that purpose. For average women like you and me who just want to get fit and shape up, it's very unlikely that you'll become muscular like professional bodybuilders.
OK, now that concern's out of the way, here's another:
Do you feel that you don't have enough time to do your workouts?
It might surprise you to know that, if you're very busy, you don't actually have to go to the gym. You can train at home just as easily without using barbells or gym equipment.
When you think about it, weight training simply means exercising with weights. So, the weights could be dumbbells, or kettlebells, or any old heavy things lying around your house. On my home weight training site (link in the resources box below), I show how you can easily and cheaply train with weights in the comfort of your own home.
Whether you like to exercise at home or at the gym or even outdoors, now that you know its benefits you should start making weight training a regular part of your life.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/7361473
