Upper body weight training has many benefits for women, according to the "The Personal Trainer's Handbook." Strength training helps to increase metabolism---the rate at which people burn calories---so it is essential for weight loss and weight maintenance. Strength training increases and maintains bone density as women age, fighting osteoporosis, and helps to shape and define the upper body for a fit and trim appearance.
The Myth of Bulk
Many women are afraid that if they train with weights they will "bulk up," or get big and muscular like men. This is not true. According to "The Personal Trainer's Handbook," men are born with more muscle mass than women, and have a dominant male hormone testosterone that promotes muscle growth and mass. Women have very small amounts of the hormone testosterone, so will they will not get bulky muscles.
Effects
Women tend to be small throughout the shoulders, upper chest and upper back area, and carry more fat in their abdomen, hips and buttocks. Strength training for the upper body will help create a broader shoulder and upper torso. This makes the lower body appear slimmer, creating more of an hourglass shape versus an apple or pear shape. Upper body training also keeps the back of the upper arms firm, versus the flabby shape many women struggle with.
Significance
As women age, their metabolism slows down by 3 percent with each decade. This slow addition of weight adds up to an extra 15 to 20 pounds and increased health risks. Muscle, however, burns calories at a higher metabolic rate than body fat. According to the "The Personal Trainer's Handbook," by training with weights and increasing the muscle in your body, you will neutralize the aging effect of a slowing metabolism and the consequential weight gain.
Health Benefits
Strength training not only stops the process of losing bone density, but it can actually grow new bone and increase your bone density regardless of your age. This is incredibly important for your bone health and the prevention of other related injuries as your get older. As an added benefit, when you strength train you also increase the health and integrity of the joints in your body and decrease the risk of age-related types of arthritis and joint pain.
Features
To receive the benefits of upper body strength training, you need to lift weights a minimum of twice per week for the upper body muscle groups. You should perform two to three sets of each exercise, and two to three exercises each for the chest, back, biceps, triceps, shoulders and abdominals weekly. You can split these muscle groups into two separate workouts if desired. Each set should consist of 12 to 15 repetitions, using a weight that you can maintain good form with. Lifting consistently is the key to getting results and keeping fit and healthy.
References
- "The Personal Trainer's Handbook"; Teri S. O'Brien, MS; 1997
- "Musculoskeletal Anatomy and Human Movement"; Lawrence A Golding, PhD and Scott M Golding, MS; 2003
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