Strength Training To Make Women Heavier & Muscular

Strength training may not burn as many calories as cardiovascular exercise or aerobics, but it's important for women's long-term health. According to Mayo Clinic doctor Edward Laskowski, the percentage of muscle mass in a woman's body naturally decreases with age, and the percentage of fat increases. Since muscle mass burns a greater number of calories at rest than body fat does, keeping muscles toned and strong will help women maintain healthy weight as they age.

Misconceptions

Many women are reluctant to add strength training or weightlifting to a fitness routine because they don't want to gain huge muscles or look bulky. According to the Women's Heart Foundation, however, it's difficult for women to produce very large muscles because they naturally have high levels of estrogen and low levels of testosterone in their bodies. A woman who strength trains regularly is far likelier to develop firm, toned muscles and a healthy, lean body than she is to gain bulkiness. Women who do a lot of strength training may gain weight, but the shift will probably be due to an increase in muscle mass, which is denser and more compact than other body tissues.

Benefits

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention states that regular strength training has the power to improve symptoms and reduce risk of a number of chronic diseases, including osteoporosis, diabetes, arthritis, back pain, depression and obesity. In some cases, a strength training routine for women can even reduce pain and improve symptoms of osteoarthritis as effectively as pain medications can.

Exercises

Strength training for women can encompass a variety of exercises, including weightlifting, resistance training and core work. A gym membership is helpful in accomplishing some strength exercises that use expensive machinery and complex equipment, but women can also do strength training at home with very little equipment. Try dumbbell rows, cleans, curls or kickbacks. Core exercises such as the plank, the quadruped, crunches, sit-ups and push-ups are also effective. The Mayo Clinic notes that core work tones muscles and improves stability, balance and posture. For women with osteoporosis, the Mayo Clinic recommends water strength exercises and strength building moves for the back.

Guidelines

It's safe for women to try all the same strength exercises that men do. Since their bodies are built differently, not all women may be able to lift the same amount of weight or complete the moves in the same way, but the exercises will still benefit them physically. Women should try to do at least two strength training sessions per week, with about 10 exercises in each session and 10 to 12 repetitions per exercise.

Considerations

It's important not to concentrate on strength training at the expense of sacrificing other beneficial exercises. Strength training will work best to tone the body and improve muscle mass when women combine it with several weekly sessions of aerobics. Additionally, women should always attempt to minimize their risks of injury by stretching before and after each strength workout.