Weight Training is Important for Women Too

by Scott White, B.S. Kinesiology, C.P.T.

The benefits of weight training include having stronger muscles, a stronger heart, a leaner physique, and a body better able to support everyday needs and activities. Women however, tend to shy away from this beneficial form of exercise.

“I don’t want to lift weights because they’ll make me too big and bulky.” That’s a common reason given by women who are reluctant to weight train, and a misconceived one too.

Lots of men desire having big, bulky muscles. Men’s bodies contain greater amounts of testosterone and growth hormone, yet they lift weights and don’t get as big and bulky as they’d like to. It’s true! Unless they are supplementing with dangerous and illegal steroids, most men do not become huge by lifting weights regularly. Most women won’t either. The idea of women getting big, ugly muscles from weight training is a misconception.

The fact of the matter is that lifting weights is a great way for women to achieve the lean, sculpted bodies they dream of having. If a woman does happen to have the genetic disposition to bulk up quickly (rare), there are easy ways to alter workouts to prevent more muscle gain than desired while still increasing strength and burning fat.

The belief of weightlifting causing insanely huge muscle buildup is largely a creation of the media. It’s true that some women weightlifters take steroids, and these hormones can make them look more masculine. Women who take performance-enhancing drugs should expect to develop deeper voices and more masculine bodies. However, the average woman who weight trains will achieve a slim, healthy body without adding unwanted muscle mass. In fact, weight training is how boxers, wrestlers, and other athletes who need a lot of strength without a lot of extra weight (muscle mass) train and stay in shape.

Ladies, let go of preconceived ideas you may have about weight training if they’ve deterred you from trying it. Do not fear, but embrace your weightlifting potential! You will benefit so much more from lifting weights to look more toned than from spending hours on a piece of cardio equipment.