Resistance Training : Resistance training and women

Resistance training and women :

Let's go back to my original point with ladies and resistance training. There are not that many women out there who want to be body builders, which is perfectly understandable. Most of the women I have trained, generally, have only really been interested in shedding body fat to fit in a new dress, and to tone up there legs, bums and tums. Fairly common goals I think you would agree. So where does resistance training come in? To develop lean muscle tissue and develop mass, involves a very specific training routine, usually involving up to 10+ training sessions per week, with each session focusing on isolating individual muscle groups. It also involves very careful and precise repetition and set ranges and being able to push very large am mounts of weight (although not in every session or exercise). Body building is very difficult, so picking up a dumbell won't suddenly cause your shoulders to explode.

Female clients are physically different to male clients (and I'm not just talking about the obvious differences). Women have a different chemical and hormonal make-up to men. Specifically, they have far lower levels of testosterone in their systems, which already hinders their ability to build muscle tissue, as testosterone is essential for developing mass. It's essentially the body's natural steroid, so with lower levels of testosterone, the lower the body's ability to build muscle mass.

So ladies, I hope that eases your mind on that front. So now, if resistance training isn't for building mass, what does it do? There are many benefits of resistance training for women, if you apply it correctly. Now although it won't necessarily build mass, it will build strength. There's a difference between size and strength of muscles. Another common misconception is the bigger your muscles are, the stronger they are. Again, this isn't necessarily the case. We'll go into this a bit later. For now, it's important to understand that muscle tissue is metabolic (basically it burns fat) and the stronger that muscle is, the more fat it can metabolize. In a nut-shell, stronger muscles burn more fat. Already a good reason to train don't you think? You can burn more fat on a 30 min resistance session than you will in an hour of running. So ladies, what do you think of resistance training now?

There are a couple of things you should be aware of though. Muscle tissue weighs more than fat, so you may find when you are on your resistance training programme, you may loose the inches, just not necessarily the weight on the scales. Don't let this dishearten you though, after all, your clothes fit, and you will feel fitter and stronger.

Also, it is important that your routine is structured and planned, with sufficient recovery. Excessive high-intensity resistance training can have a massive impact on your hormonal system and can create an imbalance. If you are not careful, and can effect the menstrual cycle to the point where it ceases altogether. You shouldn't worry too much though, as it only really tends to occur in elite level athletes and isn't that common. Generally everything will return to normal with sufficient recovery. If you do experience this, then you should stop training and consult your GP. Don't let it put you off, the chances of you experiencing this are unlikely if you plan your training appropriately.

 

👉 Introduction : Resistance Training
👉 Resistance training and women
👉 Creating Balance
👉 Movement
👉 Strength and performance
👉 Some other benefits of resistance training