5 BENEFITS OF STRENGTH TRAINING FOR WOMEN

Lifting weights is so incredibly important for our bodies, just as much as it is for our mental well-being. Without sounding like a broken record, it is crucial to include lifting weights in your weekly workout routine if you aren’t already. The specifics of what, when and how boil down to you and what your goals are. 

What it’s really important to focus on is that strength training helps to preserve our muscles as we age. Every decade, starting in your mid 30s, you lose 2-5% percentage of lean muscle mass every decade, which affects your metabolism, balance, and ability to brace yourself in the event of an injury.

“Age-related muscle loss, called sarcopenia, is a natural part of aging. After age 30, you begin to lose as much as 3% to 5% per decade. Most men will lose about 30% of their muscle mass during their lifetimes.” (more from Harvard Health Education here).

There’s a lot of information out there that focuses on the aesthetics (which is all well and good), but what’s the point if you don’t have a functioning, able body? I’m making it my mission to provide you with the best information possible to help you make the right decisions on what is best for your body physically, mentally and emotionally. Whilst there are multiple benefits to strength training ladies, here are five key ones:

1.   IMPROVED FAT LOSS

When lifting weights, you build lean muscle. The more muscle you have, the quicker your metabolism will work. This means that weight training will help to boost your metabolism, and in turn, burn more calories, meaning a reduction in body fat and improved weight loss.

Strength training targets the central nervous system which, in simple terms, causes your muscles to adapt, and grow. This therefore builds strength within the muscle.

2.   IMPROVED PHYSICAL STRENGTH & ATHLETIC PERFORMANCE

When lifting weights, you build lean muscle mass. Strength is more than being able to run 5km, a marathon or do 20 push-ups. Strength not only keeps you looking and feeling your best, but it is important for a healthy, lean, and pain-free body.

Having a stronger body can also help with other sports by improving power, speed, agility, and endurance. Weight training will help the body adapt to situations both during sport and in day-to-day life. When creating your own training programme, think about developing one that incorporates both aerobic exercise, strength training, skill, mobility and recovery.

“Strength training can be incredibly empowering because it shines a spotlight on all the things our amazing bodies are capable of, rather than on what our bodies look like.” Girls Gone Strong.

3.   PREVENT ILLNESS

Strength training can help prevent and combat illnesses such as high cholesterol, heart disease, osteoporosis, diabetes, depression, and many more.

4.   REDUCED RISK OF INJURY, BACK PAIN & POSTURE

When we do weight training, not only are we building our muscle strength, but we’re also increasing our bone density and our join stability, which helps to prevent injury. Just ask most of my running clients how much less knee pain they’ve had after strengthening their glutes. It helps to build the connective tissues, bones and muscles to provide better joint stability.

Weight lighting can also increase spinal bone density and create a strong and healthy spine. This, coupled with an adequate amount of dietary calcium, can be a woman’s best defence against osteoporosis

It can also help with correcting bad posture and building a strong back and core will also help prevent any lower back pain.

5.   ENHANCE YOUR MOOD, REDUCE STRESS

Exercise releases endorphins which improve your mood, relieve pain and fight depression. A term coined ‘think strong, feel strong’ can be related to how you feel in your physical body and how that is transferred to your mental well-being.

How do I get started?

If you don’t know where to start, you don’t have confidence in what you’re doing or you need help understanding the movements, hire a coach. It is a hugely worthwhile investment of your time and money – you can learn more quickly and accurately with a coach than when trying to learn solo.

Join me on my next intake of Online Personal Training Clients to begin your journey or in-person.