Many women shy away from weight training because they assume that building muscle will make them bulk up instead of shed pounds. Only 21 percent of women in the U.S. are doing strength training workouts twice or more often per week, according to the National Center for Health Statistics. While some women spend hour after hour trying to sweat away the pounds on the elliptical trainer, they could actually be more effectively losing weight by adding in a weight training session to their workout routine. A November 2010 article in Women's Health magazine said that weight training helps the body burn fat and boosts metabolism, which you cannot get from cardio alone.
Fat Loss and Metabolic Boost
"The more muscle mass one acquires through weight-bearing exercises, the more he will burn fat calories -- even at rest," according to fitness expert Ian Lee. Since muscle is more metabolically active than fat, building lean muscle through weight training will elevate the metabolism. A higher metabolism means that the body becomes more efficient at burning calories. "Cardiovascular exercises will raise muscle metabolism during the activity and for a short time after the exercise session. Weight training, on the other hand, will raise your muscle metabolism during the exercise session -- and for a long time after the exercise session," said Lee.
Why You Won't Bulk Up
"Women are not biologically able to get big and bulky," said certified personal trainer Taylor Ryan. Scientifically, women don't bulk up because they don't produce as much testosterone as men. The bulked-up look of female body builders comes from the use of anabolic steroids, not from the heavy weight lifting they do. Furthermore, there is a myth that women should only lift light weights, because high repetitions burn more fat than less repetitions with more weight. According to an April 2010 New York Times article, lifting more weight fewer times burns more energy and causes a greater metabolic boost after exercise than lighter weights with more repetitions.
Other Key Benefits
Women lose bone density as they get older, which can lead to osteoporosis. A weight training program can help maintain bone mineral density, according to a 2009 study in the Journal of Bone and Mineral Research. Furthermore, the benefits of strength training for injury prevention are well-documented, including a 2002 study done by the American College of Sports Medicine. "Resistance training has also been suggested to reduce the risk for musculoskeletal injuries, or perhaps reduce the severity of such injury," according to the article.
Where to Start
For many women, it's difficult to know where to begin with a weight training program. Machines can be tricky to learn how to use correctly, and free weights can be intimidating, since they are often located in areas of the gym that are typically populated by men only. Consider working with a personal trainer to help you navigate the gym equipment and make sure that you are using the equipment correctly. Another alternative is to attend a weight training class, like Group Power or Body Pump, which are available at many popular workout facilities.
References
- Women's Health: The Best Strength Training For Women
- Lifting Revolution: Weight Lifting Exercise For Women
- New York Times: The Claim: For Better Muscle Tone, Go Lighter and Repeat
- Ask Men: Lifting Weights Burns Fat
- "Weight-Training Effects on Bone Mineral Density";Journal of Bone and Mineral Research; December 2009
- The Stretching Institue: Strength Training and Strength Exercises for Injury Prevention
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