Resistance training has enormous benefits for your body and your life, which is why many people start doing it and never look back. Getting into a regular training routine is often less of a problem with men. However, convincing women to do so can be more difficult.
Why? Well, unfortunately, there is a stigma (of sorts) where plenty of women believe they will get ‘bulky’ or ‘like a man’ if they start training regularly. They worry that their body will explode into a big ball of muscle not long after starting and end up worrying about how it will affect their body shape. Even the word ‘muscle’ can be intimidating.
The reality is far from that. Women have around 10% of the testosterone that men have and, given that testosterone is the most important and prominent muscle-building hormone, they will not produce anywhere near the amount of muscle mass that men will. Furthermore, women do not eat as much as men do, so there is less food and protein taken in to repair and grow the muscles that have been broken down during the resistance training sessions.
However, there are huge benefits that women can experience from doing resistance training, cnce their initial fears are dispelled. So, what are those benefits? And how can it impact a woman’s life in general?
Builds Strength in Muscles and Bones
One of the biggest benefits that women will notice from resistance training is an increase in strength, both in their muscles and bones. Many women start with limited experience, flexibility, balance, and coordination, so it is important to focus on improving technique and mind-muscle connection before moving onto heavier, free-weight exercises, which can be achieved through using machines or practicing with your own bodyweight.
The more consistent you are with your training, the more your body will adapt and build up strength, especially if you gradually increase the weight at which you are lifting. An increase in strength will then have a massive impact on your daily life as a female, with everyday physical tasks becoming more manageable, along with less physical pain, risk of injury, and a decreased chance of developing osteoporosis in your bones, which can be common as you get older.
Aids in Weight Loss and Fat Loss
Plenty of women want to lose weight and body fat but don’t know where to start, especially when it comes to what exercises to do. As a result, they can think that endless cardio is the way forward due to the perceived notion that it burns more calories. The truth is that, when it comes to exercise and energy output, resistance training should take priority over anything else, with cardio forming as a support option.
By consistently doing resistance training as your primary source of exercise, you are going to build muscle (tone up), which will not only add a better structure and overall look to your body, but also increase your fat-burning efficiency because the body requires lots of energy (calories) to maintain lean muscle tissue. Therefore, your Basal Metabolic Rate (the number of calories your body burns without you doing anything) will increase. Resistance training sessions themselves also burn lots of calories, so they are an essential part of the fat-burning process.
Improves Flexibility and Energy levels
Two more huge benefits women will notice are the positive changes to their flexibility and energy levels. Before adding more weight and resistance, it is vital that your range of motion and flexibility has improved so that the transition to more resistance is easier and you can perform each exercise optimally. This will also mean that your flexibility and posture will improve along with or even before an increase in strength, which should lead to a healthier spine and even a feeling of standing taller.
You will also find that the stronger you are, the fitter you become and therefore the more energy you have during the day, which is important, not just for your physical health but also in other areas of your life, such as your job, daily tasks and even your relationships with people. Combine this with a much cleaner, healthier and more effective diet, and you will find that your energy levels increase dramatically.
Increases Self-Confidence
One of the biggest benefits of consistently doing resistance training is from a psychological perspective, in that your self-confidence will improve hugely. This is because you not only enjoy the routine of training, but over time you start to notice the plethora of benefits that come from lifting weights, such as more strength, loss of body fat, increase in muscle tissue, more flexibility, higher energy levels, better posture and a better relationship with food.
As a female, this will naturally improve your self-confidence and make you feel a whole lot better about your body. This then leads to a happier, more fulfilled life, better relationships with people, more positive thoughts and perhaps even a willingness to try other things that you were too shy to do before. More self-confidence can be a life-changing benefit from resistance training as a woman.
Better Life Balance
Another huge benefit that women will find from a good resistance training routine is the balance it provides to your life. To make great progress, you do not have to train rigorously every day, but instead commit yourself to three 50 minute – 1-hour sessions per week, which can be spread out, depending on your schedule and preferred times for training. As a result, the process is not overwhelming, daunting or monotonous.
This allows women to experience the huge benefits from resistance training, while also having time for work, family time and social life. It will therefore provide the perfect balance that will bring with it enjoyment, sustainability and consistency. Combine that with the right diet for your goals and a sustainable form of cardio that you can perform every day, along with better sleep, higher water intake, lower stress levels and better digestion, and you will experience a great routine that will improve the quality of your life.
Summary
There are enormous benefits that resistance training can bring to women, such as stronger muscles and bones, fat loss and weight loss, improved flexibility and energy levels, more self-confidence, and a better life balance. Join that together with other benefits such as a decreased risk of injury, anti-aging benefits, and an improved knowledge of exercise, and the difference it will make to your life is remarkable. So, ditch the fear and get started today!
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