Time was that women feared doing weights and other types of strength training because they didn’t want to appear masculine. However we now know that strength training for women is recommended for a number of reasons: it can help in weight loss, maintaining good bone health, improving immunity and even boosting the mood!
The top reasons for strength training for women
1. Strength training ups the metabolic rate
Strength training helps create more lean muscle mass in the body. This in turn the helps the body burn more calories even while at rest, because muscle burns more calories than other types of body tissue.
2. It improves fitness and energy levels
Women who find that they feel tired or exhausted all the time may find that strength training makes a significant improvement in their energy levels. As the fitness levels rise, so do the energy levels. Strength training for women can help them when they find that they have more time and energy to cope with all the million things that need doing.
3. It improves balance
The body’s posture improves when strength training is done with proper technique and form. Better coordination of movement and stronger tendons and muscles make for better balance. This makes strength training particularly important for older women, since improved balance can help prevent falls and other injuries that could lead to fractures and so on.
4. It improves bone strength
Strength training and weight bearing exercises are known to stimulate bone growth, which are very important from preventing degenerative bone diseases and osteoporosis later in life.
5. It can mean quicker recovery
Stronger bones and ligaments mean that you recover quicker from injuries. So do exercise to strengthen the joints and muscles surrounding the joints to help recover quicker from injuries.
6. Strength training for women improves immunity
Not only does overall fitness increases, but so does immunity so that you are ill less often and less severely.
7. It improves mood
The body releases stress-busting hormones during a physical workout which explains why so many women cannot do without their daily workout once they get started.
8. It makes you look great
Lean and toned muscles and a proportionate body is something that all women desire and strength training can grant this desire.
9. Better overall quality of life
Women who do strength training are healthier and fitter; they feel and look better which can be rewarding and so many ways. They find that they age more gracefully and have fewer aches and pains as well as ailments later in life.
Options for strength training for women
Strength training doesn’t just mean lifting weights though doing moderate weights two to three times a week is an excellent idea for women. Strength training can also be accomplished using resistance bands that require pushing or pulling against a counter force.
Strength training for women can be accomplished by using just the body weight to create resistance: pushups (even knee pushups are good), squats, lunges, stair climbing or incline walking as well as abs exercises and leg raises can be great exercises.
