Some of the benefits of resistance training for women
Women who enjoy lifting weights are very enthusiastic and effusive about it.
Resistance training has tangible benefits and is extremely satisfying.
It is becoming more popular amongst women, the weights sections of gyms now have a growing number of women.
I can guarantee you will not look "bulky" if you are using 1-3kg dumbbells. Building muscle as a woman is incredibly hard and slow and you need to do a lot of things right to actually achieve that very defined female body you might see on Instagram.
Resistance training is so much more than how a woman looks but that said if you want to get stronger and look and feel better that's okay too. I help women focus on what they want and how they want to feel and I want to empower you to do the same.
1. It has a positive impact on bone density. Studies have shown that both cardiovascular exercise and resistance training are both help to strengthen out bones ability to weight bear but resistance training is more effective. It's of particular importance to women who are perimenopausal or menopausal.
2. It will improve your strength and boost your confidence. When you consistently do resistance training, you become stronger, you can lift more and that is incredibly an incredibly powerful and motivating feeling. My female clients are often surprised by how satisfying it is to see progress in their strength workouts, they get really fired up to keep working hard and progressing!
3. You can get the effects of cardiovascular training and get stronger at the same time. If you add the right amount of weight/resistance you will elevate your heart rate, get hot, get a sweat on and get stronger at the same time, it's a win-win!
4. You can do resistance training at home with minimal equipment. Your own bodyweight is more than enough to get stronger initially. You can buy cheap resistance bands to add variety and increase the resistance. You don't have to go to a gym, you just need a plan of exercises to do and make sure that you do a little bit more each week.
5. Improve your performance in other sports. I have coached runners, cyclists and triathletes and all have benefited from supplementing their main sport training with some targeted strength work. This is all done to improve their capacity for the repetitiveness of endurance training. We also need to ensure the entire body is strong, not just the legs for runners and cyclists. We want to be efficient and have a strong chassis to match the strong engine!
6. Resistance training develops stronger muscles and joints. As resistance training is primarily low impact you can build a strong body without the need for running and jumping if this is not an option for you. Many exercises like squats and lunges actually help to strengthen our joints while mimicking functional movement patterns like (bending down to pick up a baby, pushing a heavy door, getting things out of a high cupboard and getting up off the sofa using your legs only!) You are making your body stronger as well as making everyday exercises easier too!
Want to start now? Here you go, a few exercises you can do at home right now, set the mood, get your favourite music on and let's go:
Walk/Jog on the spot for 5 minutes to warm up or skip if you are feeling adventurous!
The Circuit Is:
Bodyweight Squats x10
Bodyweight Lunges x8 each leg
Kneeling Press Ups x8 (Keep your torso nice and tight)
Abdominal Crunch x12
Chair Tricep Dips x8
Elbow Plank on Knees - Aim for 30 seconds but don't worry if it's less, you will get stronger over time
Rest for 1 Minute.
Getting fitter and stronger does not have to be complicated, it needs to be fun and a little challenging.
Enjoy and get in touch if you have any questions or want to get started with resistance training x
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