Health Blog

Weight training is no longer just a man’s exercise anymore.  Women can be seen in weight training rooms all over the country. What keeps many women from starting a weight training program is one of the most common myths – that working out with weights will cause women to look like a bodybuilder. Unless a woman hits the gym with a vengeance, determined to look like the cover girl of a muscle magazine, it just won't happen. What can happen, though, is that she will end up with a firmer looking body.

Even though women produce testosterone – it’s important for the female sex drive – they don’t produce as much as men, and that’s why women don’t grow big muscles when weight training. But weight training works for women because it results in strength improvements and the stimulation of bone growth.

Resistance training, as it is often called, can provide many benefits for a woman. It helps a woman develop a stronger heart and improved cardiovascular system. It helps with weight control and it helps build stronger bones to ward off osteoporosis.

There are lots of different ways to get stronger - dumb bells, calisthenics, weight machines, free weights, and resistance bands. Beginners often find it easier to use machines. Strength training doesn't have to be done at a gym. It can be done in the home, with simple equipment, such as free weights and stretch bands.  You may even want to add the incentive of using a personal trainer or working out with a friend.

The American College of Sports Medicine guidelines are to strength train each muscle group three times per week for maximal results in strength. Aim for 3 sets of each muscle group; each set should be 12-15 reps if you are really looking to strengthen but not body build. Be sure to try different strengthening exercises to stimulate the muscles differently and to avoid boredom. Lastly, remember strength training does burn calories – about the same number of calories per minute as walking.