Resistance training can reduce the risk of injury, sharpen focus and even help to reduce the risk of osteoporosis by increasing bone density, according to the Mayo Clinic. It can also help with weight loss by helping your body burn more calories. But many women avoid training with weights for fear of bulking up, which, according to the American Council on Exercise, or ACE, is just a myth.
Amount of Muscle Gain
A study conducted by the YMCA found that beginning exercisers gained an average of 3.1 pounds of lean muscle weight over 10 weeks. The study also found that exercising three times per week saw a 2.2 percent decrease in body fat over the same 10 weeks. The scale did not show that much of a difference because the exercisers were replacing the fat lost with lean muscle mass, but their body composition did change during that time.
Muscle Gain and Calcium
Research out of the Canadian McMaster University has found that women who drank two glasses of milk within an hour of lifting weights gained more lean muscle and lost more fat than women who had a post-workout energy drink. Researchers are looking into the connection, but they believe the benefits come from the calcium, protein and vitamin D found in milk. Get this benefit by drinking a large glass of milk immediately after your workout and another 60 minutes later.
Body Type
How much muscle you gain depends on your DNA, according to ACE. Genetics determines your type of muscle fiber, the amount of testosterone and estrogen in your body and where your body fat is distributed, as well as your body type. ACE says that women are one of three types; mesomorphs who are muscular, endomorphs who are curvy and ectomorphs who are naturally slender. Mesomorphs have the easiest time building muscles. Ectomorphs are likely to gain strength, but are unlikely to gain a lot of muscle mass. Endomorphs gain muscle mass, but most likely will need to lose body fat for the lean muscle to show.
Oral Contraceptives
Researchers from Texas A&M have discovered that women who take oral contraceptives "appear to gain less lean muscle than women who do the same workout but do not take oral contraceptives." The study found that lean muscle mass grew 3.5 percent in women who were not on the pill while only 2.1 percent in women who took the contraceptives. It is currently unknown what causes this, but it is possible that the women on the pill had higher levels of stress hormone and lower levels of muscle building hormones.
Bulking Up
ACE says that it is very unlikely strength training will cause women to bulk up because they don't have enough testosterone to create bulky muscles. However, you do build muscles when you overload them -- even walking and riding your bike can build muscle if you do it more than an hour each day. In order to build lean muscle properly, experts at Northwestern University recommend starting with 10 to 15 reps of an exercise and using a weight that you can lift with perfect form no more than 15 times. Increase very gradually over the four weeks.
References
- American Council on Exercise: ACE Lists Most Common Fitness Myths
- The Mayo Clinic: Strength Training: Get Stronger, Leaner, Healthier
- Science News: Milk: Two Glasses a Day Tones Muscles, Keeps the Fat Away in Women, Studies Show
- Medical News Today: Contraceptive Pill May Undermine Women's Muscle Gain In The Gym
- YMCA: Facts About Strength Training Frequency
- American Council on Exercise: How Women Build Muscle
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