15 Reasons why all Women Should do Strength Training

Losing fat

1. Burns Fat

Weight loss is a huge topic within the fitness community, but when it comes down to it, this really just means burning fat. Building muscle burns fat in the process.

A pound of fat takes up four times the space of a pound of muscle. This is a clearer way to think about the idea of muscle weighing more than fat, which is technically untrue. As you build muscle, you shed the excess fat from your body, and your overall body mass decreases. Not all women experience a significant overall weight loss through strength training, but they do burn off unwanted fat and tone up their bodies. You may notice decreases in waist measurements as well.

2. Increases your Metabolism

Another advantage is that your metabolism will increase. This means that even when you are resting, with a larger muscle mass you burn more calories and fat that a female with a lower muscle mass. Burning fat while you sit and read, or watch the latest episode of your series: sounds good doesn’t it?

Getting Strong

In a sedentary modern life, surrounded by appliances, possessions and services that do their best to make everything as easy and physically undemanding as possible, do we really need to be strong?

Well, yes you do. Strength training will of course make you stronger, but there are many other benefits as well:

3. Reduces risk of osteoporosis by building bone mass

4. Lowers high blood pressure

5. Lowers the risk of cardiovascular disease by strengthening your heart

6. Lowers the risk of breast cancer by reducing the high estrogen levels linked to the disease.

7. Reduces the risk of diabetes

8. Lowers LDL Low Density Cholesterol (bad cholesterol) and increases HDL High Density Lipoprotein (good cholesterol)

9. Reduces the likelihood of injury

10. Improves posture

11. Increases flexibility

Psychological Effects

Strength training is hard. There is no other way to put it. A properly performed squat or deadlift shouldn’t be easy, and if it is, then you either aren’t doing it properly or lifting enough weight. The other knock on effect of strength training is that it develops your mind to be strong as well. You need to be focused, alert and iron willed, and these characteristics will continue to develop and strengthen alongside the more obvious benefits and goals.

12 . Reduces stress and anxiety

13. Improves sleep

If you have problems with sleeping, start a proper strength program as part of your Crossfit training and I guarantee it will alleviate the issues!

14. More prepared to tackle everyday mental and emotional problems

For people who have never tried strength training before, this may sound odd, but I can assure you, from personal experience, that it is true. Lifting weights makes you more mentally and emotionally prepared to handle the inevitable problems that life hands us all.

‘If your expectations are always those of someone content to live without physical challenge, then when it comes time for mental, moral, or emotional challenge you fail to meet it because you are out of practice. Meeting and overcoming obstacles are skills that can be honed, as opposed to talents with which we are born.’ Mark Rippetoe

Not only will this enrich your own life, you will also become much more able to support your friends and family in their times of need.

A Healthy Body is a Beautiful Body

Camille Leblanc-Bazinet said that ‘Women should be defined by what they can do, not just by how they look. Most women train to fit into some kind of box for the female body, how it’s supposed to look, move and function. But this isn’t right; women should feel they can work out because they want to.’

She’s right. There is no singular way to describe or define beauty. Strength training is measured through weights and reps, and shows your progress clearly and scientifically.

The resulting muscle development will shape and tone your body, and to state it clearly – will not turn you into the incredible hulk. As you become stronger your body will become more useful, fitter, and more toned. You will look and feel healthier. I think we can all agree that these are attractive qualities that everyone, female or male, would like to achieve for themselves.

When it comes to women who train to become incredibly muscular, they are generally focused on achieving a bodybuilder style physique. Again, everyone is different, and we all want different end results, but it is important to make the distinction between bodybuilding and strength training. They are not the same thing, and do not create the same end results. You will not become more muscular than you want to be through strength training.

15. Look younger

As this is a positive article, let’s finish on a cheerful note. The aging process causes cells to deteriorate, and consequently, they need more time to repair themselves. Building muscle has the great effect of slowing this process, allowing you to feel and look younger for as long as you keep lifting.

Now where did you leave that barbell?