Myth Buster- Weight training for women

A Special guest blog post by personal trainer in training Gemma Sergeant! Some very valuable information in the words below! Gemma is on work experience with us over the next few weeks so when you see her don’t forget to say hi!! 

Myth Buster- Weight training for women

Myth #1 “I don’t want to look ‘bulky’”

Too often this phrase is thrown around by women of all ages. Is it that women actually believe it to be true or that they are scared to venture down this avenue of fitness. Maybe it’s just an excuse for the lazy or they think it’s ‘unfeminine’. Whatever the reason the benefits of lifting weights far out-way the cons. It’s nearly impossible for women to gain the same type of muscle mass as men as they do not possess the same amounts of testosterone (the hormone that helps to create muscle) levels as men do. Research shows that that not only can weight lifting improve your overall body composition and give you a toned appearance, it also improves your overall health and makes you a happier person. Weightlifting can help fight the anti-aging process by maintaining lean muscle, it reduces blood pressure, fights arthritis, strengthens bones and boosts your metabolism for several hours after a workout. It’s also found that women you regularly lift weights have higher self- esteem and improved immune system meaning they get sick less often.

Myth #2 “I don’t know what I’m doing, I don’t want to look stupid”

An understandable fear every gym goer has when they first enter a room full of strange machines, meathead men, and rows of dumbbells. If you’re unsure of what to do arrange a few sessions with a personal trainer to help show you the purpose of each machine and how to operate it safely. A trainer will also help you perfect your form and create a work out plan that will specifically work to achieve your goal. A trainer will also make you feel comfortable in the weight room, as a beginner you will often feel uncomfortable like everyone is watching you when in fact they are not, they are they to do their workout just like you are.

Myth #3 “Cardio burns more calories”

Seeing the amount of calories you’ve burned after a nice run on the treadmill is something that fills us with achievement. However even though we are unable to monitor how many calories we expend when lifting weights, the benefit of weight turn is that after a high intensity weight training session our body goes into Excess Post-Exercise Oxygen Consumption (EPOC). In other words, the body turns into a fat burning machine and continues to burn calories long after you’ve done your last rep. Weight training is also important for weight loss and weight management as muscle mass will burn five times the amount of calories than body fat does. Another benefit is that you will be building muscle and losing fat with weight training unlike cardio that not only rids fat but also results in lean muscle reduction.

Now that that myth is busted go lift some weights ladies!

Gemma Sergeant