Why Women Should Lift Weights
Why Women Should Lift Weights (relax you won't bulk up)
Why Women Should Lift Weights – With our recent website fiasco, Show Up Fitness has lost the five years of established online presence, and I'm excited! This has given me the opportunity to go through my old blog posts and update them with Alt Tabs, H1 headings, and make sure the meta description is ON FLEEK! Yeop, I just used “on fleek” in reference to search engine optimization (SEO) – start taking notes. Everyone has the option to bitch and complain, but it won't bring back anything. More importantly, NO ONE CARES. It's been fun reading articles from when I first started writing six years ago, it's almost as if I'm having a weird conversation with myself. The mindset is similar. I'm still funny as f&*$, perverted, country, love teaching, obsessed with drinking, fit bodies, and boobs. The biggest difference is how my writing style has evolved into a different animal (I'd like to think it's better.) Enough about me, let me introduce you to my first blog post from November 2011 with a dash of Chris from 2016 Why Women Should Lift Weights&.
Why Women Should Lift Weights
One of the most common misconceptions that personal trainers face is the fear that our female clients will become too muscular if they lift weights. Would you rather have a flat ass, or a bodonkadonk? These nasty misconceptions begin with the media, celebrity trainers, and weight lifting magazines such as Shape, Muscle Hers, Oxygen etc. In these circulations, women are in amazing shape albeit they're lifting light weights. The reader can assume, “if I use light weights, I can look like them.” Wrong. Those girls follow a VERY strict diet and exercise for hours a day. They literally live and breathe exercise and nutrition. Furthermore, they get paid to look that way from sponsors and supplement companies. Does this sound like the average female? Also, consider the following: Photoshop and steroids. I knew a girl who'd photoshop EVERY SINGLE INSTAGRAM POST. Holy shit that would drive me nuts. The scrutiny that women allow themselves to undergo is difficult for me to apprehend (obviously, because I don't have to worry about my body image with my Herculean bod and Fabio-like hair.) Accept your beauty and focus on helping others, not your Instagram likes.
Celebrity Trainers are Idiots
When I talk with educated trainers who are constantly evolving and learning, this statement does not offend them. Why? As I said, they're focused on growing and helping others. Say something like this to the average dum-dum trainer and their panties get into a bundle. If you're a trainer and you take offense to this statement, you're probably a shitty trainer. Our fitness society focuses on fluff exercises, rather than the ones that get results. Whatever the newest trend is, people will follow the person with the most likes or celebrity trainer; SHEEP. I like the quote from an old school strength coach, “If the equipment wasn't around 30 years ago, it probably doesn't work.” I agree. Stick to the barbell, dumbbell, and bodyweight lifts (with optimal overload), and your body will transform; stop focusing on CLASSES and start hitting the weights. If you enjoy a class (Yoga, Pilates, or the trendiest buns and abs class) these are FINE to SUPPLEMENT with your four days of resistance training. Sorry to disappoint, but these classes will not build a better body.
Bone Remodeling
It's important for women to use heavier weights because females are more prone to osteoporosis (osteon = single unit of bones, porous = think of a sponge; holes in the bone). Once menopause sets in, estrogen gradually declines which is a huge precursor to weaker bones. If you listen to popular doctor shows, they suggest Vitamin D, lots of calcium, and “exercise” for stronger bones. This is true, but only to a certain degree- I mean what the hell is “exercise” to the average person? Dr. Kraemer from the University of Connecticut (#MancrushMonday) suggests lifting weights up to 85% of 1rm (that's a total of 5 reps aka heavy-ass weights). The more vertical the load, the better for strengthening the bones due to axial compression (the spine presses in a good way). Obviously, a Leg Press is better than walking, but optimally I'm talking about multi-jointed exercises such as Back Squats, Bench Press, or Deadlifts. Start with light weights to learn the mechanics (10-15 reps), then slowly progress into heavier loads (4-10reps).
Hormones
Look around any gym and a person can smell the testosterone. Observe the alpha male rituals that include: loud grunts and designer dental floss T-shirts. Males will gladly add an extra 25lbs to impress a female even though they don't give a rats ass about how much a guy can bench. So the science is simple right? If a girl lifts like a guy, she'll end up looking one.
Cmon ladies, I do applaud your impeccable form, but you need to start lifting weights. GUY'S DON'T LIKE SOFT SKINNY; muscles are sexy! Relax, you won't grow huge gorilla like muscles because you lack the amount of testosterone that we have (almost 20 times less). Bulky muscles are like BIGFOOT, they're very difficult to find. In my ten years of training, I've never trained a girl who has “bulked up.” Ironically, 9/10 girls that I consult with claim that their traps and quads get huge when they lift (QUADZILLA). After we implement a goal specific training program that suits their needs, sexiness is achieved, NOT BULKINESS.
Why Women Should Lift Weights – CONCLUSION
In the end, adding resistance will help achieve that sexy feminine look. Don't fret because of the added weight; it's extremely unlikely that a woman would look like a guy due to the hormone testosterone. The weight will only help reduce the chances of bone issues later in life, and the muscle will help increase your resting metabolism. The equation for sexiness, strong bones and Why Women Should Lift Weights: Bone Mineral Density can begin to improved after six months.
Three days a week, 60-75 minutes (NO CARDIO NEEDED), 2-3 minute rest periods
Month 1
Goblet – Hip Thrusts – Push-Ups – Aussie Pull-ups
10-15 reps (3 sets)
Month 2
Squats – Lunges – Military Press – Bent-Over Rows
8-12 reps (4 sets)
Month 3
Bulgarian Split Squats – Bench Press – Chin-Ups – Standing Cable Rows
4-10 reps (5 sets)