I hear a lot of woman saying they don’t want to use heavy weights. They say they don’t want to get too bulky or too masculine. While these are legitimate fears they are not based in logic. In this post I want to tell you why all women should use heavy weights.
Why women don’t use heavy weights
Take a picture of any gym in the world: women on the cardio machines and men in the weights section. There is a bit of crossover but in truth this is the way it is. Women seem to only want to do cardio and some lighter weights machines at the gym but they never want to do full heavy weights workouts.
Why is this?
Like I said in the introduction I think it has a lot to do with fears of losing the female figure. Women want to have small arms, tight buttocks and a flat tummy. They do not want bulging muscles and broad shoulders! Fair enough. Why would you.
But the fact of the matter is, women will NOT get to this stage. A heavy weights routine twice a week will not leave you looking like a female version of Arnold Schwarzenegger. It just isn’t going to happen.
Why?
Simple. Women do not have the necessary testosterone levels to make that kind of muscle gain. And it takes a lot of testosterone to build muscle. When you see female bodybuilders, all tanned and huge, you can rest assured that they took a lot of supplements and steroids to get to that stage. They might deny this is true, but it is.
Why all women should use heavy weights
So now we know why you aren’t using weights let’s get on to some reasons as to why you should be.
1. Weight loss
The main advantage of weight training is that it burns calories. Lots of them. Many fitness experts will tell you that a session of weight training is more beneficial than a session of cardio for losing weight. This is because weight training increases the ratio of muscle to fat and turns you into a fat burning machine. You will burn fat while you are working out and you will burn fat when you finish.
2. Happiness
Weight training causes your body to release chemicals in to your blood called endorphins. These chemicals have been scientifically proven to make you happier and cure depression. An hour at the gym is more likely to make you feel happy than chocolate, anti-depressants and a new car all put together. It is extremely good for your mindset. Furthermore, weight training will make you look fantastic – another reason to be happy!
3. Strong bones
Women are susceptible to osteoporosis. This is a weakening of the bones which can be painful and lead to breakages and other nasty things. The good news is weight training goes a long way to help prevent this. Women who train with weights are much less likely to experience bad osteoporosis than women who don’t. It is good for your bones.
4. Good health
Weight training is good for your immune system. Often get the local cold? Try weight training regularly for a few months and see if you get it when everyone else has it. I am betting you don’t. Since I started weight training I have experienced much better mental and physical health. I have more energy and have been sick at least half as often as I used to be.
Conclusion
Women need not be afraid of training with heavy weights. It will work towards building a lean, tight and fat-free body and it will boost your health and immunity. Weight training is one of the best things you will ever do for yourself. Give it a go.
Can A Workout Guide Help Guide You In The Right Direction?
You’ve decided to start working out. However, when you look into the best types of exercise to suit your purpose, you’re faced with an overwhelming plethora of choices! Do you join a gym, do aerobics or just start jogging around the block every day?
Different types of exercises suit different people and different weight loss / fitness goals. You also need to factor in things like – what type of exercise do you most enjoy doing. Or to put it another way – what type of exercise is going to be sustainable for you in the long term. There is no point deciding to take up running if you hate running or have health issues that would make running unfeasible. Likewise, joining a gym is out if you can’t afford the membership fees or there isn’t one convenient for you.
The Walking Workout – Walking Your Way To Better Fitness
One of the most convenient, easiest and popular ways to exercise is walking. Walking is an excellent form of exercise and suits pretty much every level of fitness. Additionally, nearly everyone can fit some walk time into their daily routine, even if it’s just walking the dog on a daily basis. It’s relatively easy to find an exercise partner to go walking with you, which provides added incentive to keep doing it. As you get fitter, you can increase the distance and intensity at which you walk too.
Aerobics – A Great Fitness Workout Option
Another very popular type of exercise, especially for women, is aerobics. In some countries, free or cheap council-run aerobics classes are a popular alternative to joining an aerobics club. If you think aerobics might be something you’d like to try, be sure to get hold of an aerobics for fitness guide. This will show you how the various types of exercises will benefit you and importantly, how to do them correctly.
Joining A Gym To Work Out
Yet another option is joining a fitness center or a gym. This gives you the option of having a variety of workout programs and equipment available to suit. Most also have trainers who can help you plan an appropriate workout and answer any questions. When choosing a fitness center, there are a couple of things to bear in mind. Good service is essential and well-maintained equipment of paramount importance. Exercise equipment in good condition and maintained correctly doesn’t generally squeak, rattle or make a lot of noise when used!
The Ultimate Convenience – Working Out At Home
You may even decide to purchase your own exercise equipment to set up at home. That’s the ultimate in convenience! However, it is an expensive outlay so be sure to select the best equipment for losing weight the way you want to lose it. If you don’t plan to do much strength training, don’t go overboard buying a ton of strength building equipment.
Choose The Right Exercises With A Workout Guide
Regardless of the type of exercise you choose, most workout guides advise you to start out the same way. Begin with a low level of intensity then build up to higher levels of intensity as your strength and fitness improves. If you start out by doing too much too soon you’ll run the risk of injuring yourself, possibly seriously. Also, bear in mind that depending on the type of exercise being done, workout guides written for women may differ from those for men simply because of differences in muscle bulk and strength.