Should Women Avoid Lifting Weights?

By Russ Hollywood


Should women lift weights in the gym? This is one of the most commonly asked questions in fitness circles and today you will find the answer. You'll also find out what supplements to take if you are a lady trying to build a lean, toned physique.

The fitness industry, much like life itself, continues to evolve and develop with every year that passes. Just think how far computers have come in the last two decades. You wouldn't go back to using a Commodore 64 now when you have an iPhone 4, right? Yet the fitness industry has undergone a similar journey during this time and there are many folks out there who still follow outdated advice.

They still believe that ladies who lift weights are going to get a bodybuilding physique. They also believe that endless cardiovascular exercise is the key to weight loss. You'll also hear them talking about how they can't seem lose weight no matter what they do in the gym. []

Thanks to the ongoing scientific research which is carried out many of the old wives tales about fitness have been confined to the 'myths' category. Unfortunately, there are so many people who are still stuck in those old ways that the new research tends to go unnoticed by the majority.

Contrary to what you may have been told in the past, lifting weights is excellent for losing fat. Furthermore, if you aspire to achieve a lean, ripped body then they are a vital part of your training program.

But isn't it true that you'll end up looking like a bodybuilder?

No. If it were that easy to obtain a bodybuilding physique then most of the men you'd see walking down the street would look like The Rock or Sylvester Stallone! Lifting weights will improve your strength and tone your muscles in a way that cardiovascular exercise simply can not. If you aspire to achieve the lean look demonstrated on athletes such as Jessica Ennis at the recent London Olympics, then lifting is very important.

One of the main reasons why ladies shouldn't be concerned with the prospect of gaining a lot of muscle mass is testosterone. Testosterone levels are severely lower in females than in males and this factor alone is enough to squash any doubts lingering in the back of your mind. This also squashes the myth that ladies must do high rep sets to avoid gaining size, so feel free to pick up a weight which actually challenges you next time.

Try to stick to compound movements such as squats, deadlifts, bench presses and lat pulldowns for the first couple of months. This will allow you to significantly increase your strength, while keeping your weight sessions relatively short as you ease yourself into your new lifting lifestyle.

Supplements are often over complicated but in truth the key is in the name. It is there to supplement a good diet and exercise program, not replace it. So keep things simple with a good whey protein product and possibly a creatine monohydrate to boost explosive strength when you train.

Learning what supplements to take is nowhere near as difficult as it's sometimes made out to be. If your diet and exercise routine is good then you can get great results without needing to take dozens of pills throughout the day! So, should women lift weights? Absolutely.




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