Why All Women Should Be Weight Training

There are so many benefits when training either cardio or weights. Both have their place when it comes to getting results and improving body composition.

However, cardio has always been the easier option for many, taking to the road for a run, or at the gym hitting a piece of cardio equipment, or participating in a group exercise class for instance.

There has been a lot of misconception surrounding cardio- as many have assumed that spending countless hours doing mainly cardio was the most effective mode of training that will burn fat.

I have worked with so many women, and not one of them have come to me feeling confident and happy with how they look. They are never completely satisfied with the results they have achieved from the amount of time they have spent doing cardiovascular exercise.

As they have never really followed any type of strength/weight training program.The most has been participation in a body pump or legs, bums and tums class, yes this is resistance but really is not the same; this time of resistance training is generally performed doing light weights with high repetitions-which is not enough stimulus to develop results.

Yes, you really do need to be lifting something that weighs more than your handbag and getting some heavy ass weight on that barbell, as anything less is really not going to fit the bill. At Fitter Nottingham we place a huge emphasis on all are female clients to build and increase muscle mass through weight training, and that is lifting weights that are as heavy as possible. This is key to create an effect that will develop muscle/tone.

Build Confidence

Don’t panic! Regular participation in a weight training program is not to become a bodybuilder. You will never have arms like Arnie and you don’t have to be a power-lifter to be able to pick up weights. What it can and will do is help to increase confidence physically, mentally and even emotionally.

You will be surprised how much confidence a woman can create improving her own self-esteem. It can help to give her the ability and inner strength to handle herself in other aspects of everyday life. This to me is of great consequence for a woman! Of course, there are many other health reasons why weight training is beneficial. All the boring stuff that people don’t seem to resonate with such as reducing the signs and symptoms of chronic illnesses and many diseases.

The Improvement of strength and any postural imbalances brought on from lifestyle is also where strength training needs to come in. Not forgetting that the majority of us spend most of their day seated hunched over a computer, which creates muscular imbalances that leads to tight muscles, weak muscles that can lead to joint and back problems. Having a structured weight-training program will help to work on these imbalances and improve posture. Using your training sessions to do pre-dominantly cardio will only over exacerbate the current structural underlying issues you have.

Results

So many women spend too much time doing far too much cardio, class after class, running kilometre after kilometre every week. I have nothing against classes, they can be good fun and great for the socialising. However,  the majority of people doing them are never really happy with the results they achieve. Running is another form of fitness training that is hugely popular, however, the only time anyone needs to go running for miles is when they’re doing sport specific training i.e. marathon training.

These people are constantly in the same cycle of wanting to lose weight, decrease body fat or be more toned, and feel like they never do get any closer to achieving their desired goal.

So why is this? Surely the amount of exercise they are doing should be getting the results? Not exactly, and the very reason why we need to include more resistance/weight training than cardio, as it is far more effective at helping you achieve results.

What weight training will do is help you to sculpt and transform your body, making you increase muscle and tone up while at the same time lowering body fat making you leaner. It will help you to burn a lot more calories when compared to cardio training, and overall increase metabolism. This means will be continuing to burn more calories even after you have finished training, you don’t get this bonus effect from doing just cardio.

Switching, and cutting down the high volume of cardio will help you begin to edge closer to your goal. Keep a couple of cardio sessions in but try and include a minimum of three weight training sessions a week, every week. It has to be consistent for it to work and really make a difference.

As a woman, nothing beats being strong and powerful, and the results you constantly enfold each week is what will keep you constantly motivated!

For more tips and information on improving your fitness and well-being please take a look at more of our blog posts. You can also contact our personal trainers who will be happy to share their knowledge and discuss your training goals.