Resistance training, such as weightlifting, provides a multitude of health benefits for women. Although traditionally a favorite form of exercise for men, lifting free weights can help women build both muscle and bone strength. Contact your doctor before beginning a strenuous activity, such as weightlifting, especially if you are pregnant or have health problems.
Benefits
Performing resistance exercises with free weights helps women guard against osteoporosis, a debilitating disease that weakens the bones, especially after menopause. Regularly exercising with free weights can increase both upper and lower body strength, as well as help your body maintain a healthy weight. While many men lift free weights to develop large muscles, women often lift to control their weight and tone their muscles.
Basic Free Weights
While some types of free weights come in single units, most include various parts including bars, safety clips and weighted discs. By adding or reducing the weight on the barbells and dumbbells, you can structure a weightlifting workout that provides for different levels of fitness and challenges various muscle groups.
Kettlebells are a type of free weight shaped like a flat-bottomed ball with a handle. They come in a range of sizes that weight between 8 and 100 lbs. Working out with a kettlebell can help you strengthen weak, upper-body muscles while toning your abdominal areas at the same time.
Recommendations
Since women generally have less muscle strength than men do, start with the correct amount of weight for your body. MayoClinic.com recommends using a weight level that allows you to comfortably lift and lower the weight a maximum of 15 times during a single set. A single set of each exercise is sufficient to build your muscle strength.
While there is little room for using the incorrect posture when using resistance machines, mastering the correct form for lifting free weights can be tricky. A physical trainer or weightlifting instructor can show you how to hold the weights and how to complete each lift using the proper stance and form.
Precautions
Lifting too much weight and overtraining your muscles can lead to pain and injury. Resting each muscle group for at least one full day gives it time to recover. Work the muscles in your upper body one day and the muscles in your lower body the next day. Warmup, cool-down and stretching sessions can help protect your muscles as you gain strength.
While women often have a lower center of gravity than men, lifting heavy weights over the head can cause a loss of balance. Using a spotter for overhead lifts can help you avoid injury; someone standing close by can help you balance the weight and return it safely to the floor so that you do not injure yourself.
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