Common responses I hear to my recommendation are:
1. They don't know where to begin/what to do
2. They are scared they will get injured/it will make an current or past injury worse
3. They don't want to be too muscular, just want to lose weight, or "get toned"
To this I say:
1. Anyone can begin and it is fairly easy to find & begin a reliable lifting program
2. Lifting will make you stronger and if done with proper form will prevent many injuries
3. I have lost more weight (specifically body fat) while lifting than I ever have from running like a hamster on a treadmill, and I don't look manly
Lifting has changed my life in so many great ways. It has strengthened not only my body, but my confidence, determination, and a sense of self-idenity. In this post, I am going to go over the many reasons why females should lift more weight and the common misconceptions about lifting uneducated or ignorant people latch onto that dissuades girls from swapping the cardio machine for the squat bar.
Where To Begin
These deterrents are part of the reason why females don't have the desire to lift weights. They are not provided the information on how to start! I began lifting because I started working out with my boyfriend and he not only taught me how to squat and deadlift since he thought I would be good at it, but motivated me to lift more often for my health. Without a male to teach me good form and spot me when I was attempting big weights, I am not sure if I ever would have began on my own or stuck with a lifting routine. I probably would have continued running 5Ks and my ab circuits.
In addition, the side of most gym with the squat racks and weights are normally filled with 99% guys. It would take some serious confidence to walk on over and start squatting with NO IDEA what you are doing or how much weight to use, probably while some dude stares at you and makes you feel even more nervous. These reasons clearly show why we can't blame girls for being intimidated to lift weights.
Another way to start lifting weights while still incorporating conditioning into your workouts is CrossFit. I am noticing that more and more females are getting into CrossFit and therefore are being exposed to the olympic lifts, squats, deadlifts, etc. This is how I began olympic lifting before I decided to only focus on lifting. It pushes you mentally and physically, and really can motivate you to focus on STRENGTH instead of just how your skinny-fat body looks. This was a really important shift in my mindset that pushed me to work harder and see my body change before my eyes. Plus this route provides you a coach to teach you technique and whole gym full of people so you are not alone. This is a good stepping stone for those of you who have a CrossFit gym near and are looking for some guidance to begin lifting before you begin just lifting on your own.
Injuries and Health Problems
Too much too fast can certainly cause problems, which is why when you first begin lifting (and as an experienced lifter) you need to be smart and recover. Most people start off 3x a week because this new stimulus takes a toll on your body. Remember, exercise is an adaptive process. Your joints & muscles will hurt and feel sore as they are adapting to the new stress you are putting on them (this is true for running, swimming, even standing on your feet all day, not just resistance training!). As your muscle grows and adapts to this overload of stress, you feel less sore and your muscles improve their capacity to exercise, allowing you to workout harder and longer. Feeling some discomfort in your joints and muscles is therefore not an excuse to avoid lifting. Just like you wouldn't go run a marathon if you never run, you wouldn't start lifting heavy every day if you never touched a bar bell before. If you listen to your body and recover accordingly, then injuries don't happen. Remember to ice, eat enough quality protein, stretch, foam roll, and warm up to help your body stay healthy and injury free.
Lifting also can prevent osteoporosis in females. 1 in 2 women after the age of 50 will suffer from an osteoporotic fracture. This is because after menopause, estrogen levels and bone mass decreases. Besides from living a healthy lifestyle free of smoking and excessive alcohol, and making sure to get adequate amounts of calcium, increasing bone density before the age of 30 through weight baring exercise can prevent osteoporosis. PLUS since we lose so much muscle as we age, weightlifting helps maintain strong muscles to prevent falls and fractures, as well as improve our coordination and energy levels. Here is a study, which states: "Both aerobic and resistance training exercise can provide weight-bearing stimulus to bone, yet research indicates that resistance training may have a more profound site specific effect than aerobic exercise." Plenty of more research where that logic came from.
But I Don't Want to Look Like a Guy...
Plus, not only does lifting make you more muscular and badass, but throwing around heavy weight is the ultimate stress reliever! Had a crappy day? Go squat it out, chug a protein shake, and tell me with a serious face you don't feel better. I won't believe you.
A topic related to lifting heavy as a female that will be covered in my NEXT blog post is Lifting to Lose Body Fat. Make sure you check back soon, or sign up for updates by clicking "Subscribe" at the top of this page so you know when my future blog entires are posted!
Lift Heavy and Stay Happy,
Leighann