Benefits of Weightlifting For Us Women
One of the best ways to keep our body fat in a healthy range is to maintain a good muscle mass. Maintaining our muscle mass also improves our overall fitness, particularly as we age.
Lifting weights and resistance exercises are two of the best ways to build muscles. Many women who work out spend most of their time on cardio exercises. Regardless of our fitness goals, strength training is always essential.
The Benefits of Weightlifting For Women
Weightlifting is rewarding for various reasons.
Improves Strength
There is nothing wrong with being strong. Weightlifting strengthens our muscles. It means daily tasks and routine exercises will be less tiring. Improving our muscle mass and strength increases our physical quality of life.
Lowers Body Fat
The average woman who performs strength training 2 to 3 times a week for two months can gain close to 2-pounds of muscle and lose 3.5 pounds of fat. As our lean muscle increases, so does the resting metabolism, which allows us to burn more calories throughout the day.
Women don’t typically develop big muscles from strength training. Compared to men, women have significantly lesser amounts of hormones that cause hypertrophy or muscle growth. Weight training won’t make women bulky.
Helps Ease Back Pain
Weightlifting and strength training builds stronger muscles, strengthen the connective tissues, and increase joint stability. The reinforcement of the joints can help prevent injury.
Strengthening our gluteal (booty muscles) can help alleviate or eliminate lower back pain and knee pain. Strengthening our joints can ease the pain caused by osteoarthritis.
How To Start Weightlifting or Weight Training
Every individual's starting point in their weight training journey will depend on their current experience and fitness level. If a person hasn’t done much strength training in the past, it might be best to get advice from a fitness trainer to learn proper form. Trust us that will help prevent injuries.
Once you’ve built some basic skills, move on to a regular weight training routine using weights, body weights, or a combination of both. If you’re not into the idea of going to a gym, get some basic equipment like kettlebells and dumbbells.
It might be best to start with one set of 6 to 8 repetitions of a few different exercises that target each muscle group. Focusing on compound movements like squats, deadlifts, bench presses, and push-ups is essential.
When you first start out, practice with an empty bar, light dumbbells, or a broomstick until you’ve got the correct form and movement patterns are second-nature. Now add more sets and reps. From here, you’ll gradually, yet consistently, increase the weight and reps, and it all leads to progress.
Strength training and weightlifting should be things we women embrace, not shy away from. Our core and overall strength are equally important as a man's.