{"id":7458,"date":"2023-02-07T19:07:23","date_gmt":"2023-02-08T00:07:23","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.sst.training\/blog\/?p=7458"},"modified":"2023-02-07T19:07:23","modified_gmt":"2023-02-08T00:07:23","slug":"women-should-100-train-for-strength","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.sst.training\/blog\/blog-post\/women-should-100-train-for-strength\/","title":{"rendered":"Women Should 100% “Train for Strength”."},"content":{"rendered":"\n

The advice you get on how to take care of your body is not something that should be gendered, so why are so many women told to hop on the treadmill and use light weight only to get that \u201ctoned\u201d look. Strength training has a direct correlation to quality and longevity of life for women. Keeping muscle, bones and hormones in good condition is pivotal to women\u2019s health.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The research shows<\/a> that adding resistance training as part of your workout routine is a proven method for increasing Lean Body Mass<\/a> and reducing body fat for women.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

So, let\u2019s separate fact from fiction, look at additional benefits of resistance training, learn how much training you need.\u00a0In the end, we hope to encourage some of you who are on the fence about strength training to get on board and start experiencing its many benefits.<\/p>\n\n\n

3 Myths About Women and Strength Training<\/h4>\n\n
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There are a lot of myths and misconceptions out there about strength training. They encourage many women to disregard or dismiss any training involving weights or resistance. Let\u2019s dispel three common myths and put them to rest.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Myth #1<\/strong>: Weightlifting makes women to \u201clook bulky\u201d<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n

Let\u2019s get rid of this one straight out of the gate.<\/p>\n

The women that do strength training to purposefully look \u201cbulky\u201d have to dedicate a very serious amount effort to look that way. Between heavy sessions in the gym, eating and tracking macros to sleep, they intentionally aim for it, so you lift a couple pounds 3 times a week isn\u2019t going to accidentally get you there.<\/p>\n\n\n

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Myth #2<\/strong>: High intensity and heavy weights are required.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n

A study on women found that regardless of what the training style was \u2013 heavy lifting with low reps or low weights with high reps \u2013\u00a0strength and muscle gains occurred<\/a>.<\/p>\n

This means you don\u2019t have to deadlift 2x your bodyweight or curl dumbbells the size of your head in order to reap benefits.\u00a0Strength training at whatever level you\u2019re comfortable with yields positive results,\u00a0and if an attractive, toned look motivates you, you will be able to work towards that goal with low\/moderate resistance exercise.<\/p>\n\n\n

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Myth #3<\/strong>: You can be too old to weight training<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n

\u201cSarcopenia\u201d is the gradual loss of muscle mass that begins for most women after age 35.<\/p>\n

Contrary to popular belief, this decline in muscle mass and strength is\u00a0not<\/em>\u00a0a result of the aging process; rather, it\u2019s\u00a0due to inactivity<\/a>.<\/p>\n

However, current dogma around resistance training among elderly women has been a barrier.<\/p>\n

If you\u2019re an older adult, you don\u2019t need to fall for the \u201cadults shouldn\u2019t lift\u201d myth.<\/p>\n

Studies show<\/a>\u00a0that resistance training is the best way to prevent and reverse loss of muscle for older adults. For women, in particular,\u00a0resistance training is an\u00a0effective long-term strategy<\/a>\u00a0to preserve muscle and positive changes in body composition.<\/p>\n\n\n

The science is clear: improving your muscle mass is something anyone can (and should) do.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Additional Benefits of Strength Training for Women<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n

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Healthier Bones and Joints<\/pre>\n\n\n\n
Women who don\u2019t exercise can lose anywhere from 3 to 8% of their muscle mass each decade as a result of inactivity. Studies show<\/a> that doing strength training can promote bone development, reduce risk of osteoporosis, and reverse several skeletal muscle aging factors.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Strength training is not only good for your muscles and bones, it can help ease the pain in your joints.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Increased Physical Function<\/pre>\n\n\n\n
Strength training can help to improve overall physical function, making it easier to perform everyday activities like carrying items that have some weight or are awkward to carry, climbing stairs, or playing with your kids.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Reduced Risk of Injury<\/pre>\n\n\n\n
Strong muscles and bones can reduce the risk of injury in everyday life. For example, if you have strong leg muscles, you\u2019re less likely to suffer from falling on ice or trying to catch yourself falling on ice.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Reduced anxiety<\/pre>\n\n\n\n
There\u2019s a strong correlation between resistance training and stress reduction\/anxiety.\u00a0According to research<\/a>, resistance training at a low-to-moderate intensity (<70% 1 repetition maximum)is best for reducing anxiety. Remember exercise also forces more blood to our brains which can aid in better hormone production and flushing of protein build up that our brains accumulate through the day.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Improved body image<\/pre>\n\n\n\n
According to one study<\/a>, weight training is associated with \u201csignificant improvements in several dimensions of body image, health-related quality of life, and physical activity behaviors, satisfaction, and comfort.\u201d So spend some time in front of a mirror lifting a dumbbell or two and feel like a badass.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Improved Mental Health<\/pre>\n\n\n\n
Strength training has been shown to have a positive impact on mental health, reducing symptoms of depression and anxiety, and improving self-esteem.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
How Many Resistance Workouts Do You Need A Week?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n
Both the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)<\/a> and the American Heart Association (AHA)<\/a> recommend 2 or more days per week of total body resistance workouts that work all major muscle groups alternating between the lower body (legs, hips, back, abdomen) and upper body (chest, shoulders, and arms) for all adults.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The National Institutes of Health (NIH)<\/a> says adults over 65 should follow these same guidelines unless you have a chronic condition (heart disease, lung disease, or diabetes). In these cases, ask your doctor what types and amounts of activity are safe.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
For postmenopausal women, researchers recommend<\/a> doing resistance and weight bearing based workouts three days a week (on alternate days).<\/p>\n\n\n\n
If you\u2019re a newbie, start by adding one workout a week that uses resistance bands and light dumbbells and work your way up from there.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Ready for your turn?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n
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Contrary to popular belief, the \u201ctight and toned\u201d look many women want is achieved by both a mix of cardio workouts and strength training.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Remember that how you frame your exercise goals is important. So stop thinking in terms of what you want to lose and focus more on what you want to gain<\/em> (both physically and emotionally).<\/p>\n\n\n\n
You can set better goals too: If you set a goal of gaining Lean Body Mass instead of losing weight, you\u2019ll be able to measure the results of your resistance training efforts in terms of lean mass gained instead of pounds lost, which can be quite empowering because it relieves you from caring about what the scale says about your body weight.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
So where do you start \u2026 or how do you improve your current resistance training efforts? Setting body composition goals<\/a> is a good place to start. Once you\u2019ve done that, work with a certified personal trainer at a local fitness center to show you how to perform resistance training exercises, like the dumbbell squat<\/a> variations, with proper form.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Make functional strength training<\/a> a part of your lifestyle, and you will experience noticeable results to how you look and feel.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
If you\u2019re a woman who hasn\u2019t tried strength training or aren\u2019t getting the results you wanted from her workouts, now\u2019s the perfect time to jump on the bandwagon, or rather, pick up the dumbbells.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
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Click here for more Information<\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n
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Body Composition Measurement<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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It takes 45 seconds<\/strong> to understand all the detail about your muscle, fat, and water values including lean mass and fat values in each segment of your body.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Knowing your numbers can give you a better idea of where to focus your efforts. <\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
The advice you get on how to take care of your body is not something that should be gendered, so why are so many women told to hop on the treadmill and use light weight only to get that \u201ctoned\u201d look. Strength training has a direct correlation to quality and longevity of life for women. … Continue reading “Women Should 100% “Train for Strength”.”<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":7,"featured_media":7459,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"content-type":"","wprm-recipe-roundup-name":"","wprm-recipe-roundup-description":"","wpupg_custom_link":[],"wpupg_custom_link_behaviour":[],"wpupg_custom_link_nofollow":[],"wpupg_custom_image":[],"wpupg_custom_image_id":[],"footnotes":""},"categories":[7],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-7458","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-blog-post"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.sst.training\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/7458","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.sst.training\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.sst.training\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sst.training\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/7"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sst.training\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=7458"}],"version-history":[{"count":14,"href":"https:\/\/www.sst.training\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/7458\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":7478,"href":"https:\/\/www.sst.training\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/7458\/revisions\/7478"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sst.training\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/7459"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.sst.training\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=7458"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sst.training\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=7458"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sst.training\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=7458"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}