Benefits of Strength Training for Women

Do you spend all your time at the gym sweating it out on the treadmill? While you’re certainly getting some benefits from the cardiovascular exercise, you’re missing out on some other important health benefits when you ignore the weights and resistance machines.

Strength training is for more than just muscles.

Sure, you’ll strengthen your muscles, which is certainly important. But here’s something you might not know... strength training puts stress on your bones, which in turn increases bone density. Greater bone density means stronger bones, which means less risk of fractures and better odds against osteoporosis.

Strength training helps you lose weight.

Or, if you’re already at a healthy weight, strength training helps maintain that weight. How? Muscle burns more calories than fat. When your muscles are toned, your body is naturally burning more calories because your metabolic rate is higher.

Maintaining a healthy weight is beneficial in numerous ways. You’ll lower your risk of:

Strength training keeps you free of injuries.

Toned, strong muscles protect your bones and joints from injuries. Better muscle tone also improves balance, which can keep you from falling and injuring yourself.

Strength training relieves pain.

Studies have shown that strength training can alleviate symptoms from arthritis, back, neck and shoulder pain and osteoporosis. Other studies have shown strength training to reduce headache pain and prevent migraines.

Strength training improves your mood.

People who struggle with depression can benefit from strength training. In addition to physical benefits, just getting out of the house and into the gym can be beneficial. Losing excess weight and looking better in your clothes increases self-esteem.

Strength training makes you stronger.

This should be obvious. But think how nice it will be to lift heavier objects without injuring yourself, power a bike up a steep hill, jump higher, throw farther and all the other cool stuff that comes from muscle strength.

Many women are concerned about “bulking up,” but you’d have to do a lot of focused weight lifting to even begin to achieve muscle hypertrophy (that puffy, balloon-type muscle definition that body builders have). Women just don’t have as much of the hormones that cause hypertrophy as men. What you will have is stronger, more defined muscles that look great in a tank top or swimsuit.

Strength training is fun.

Strength training doesn’t mean just lifting barbells. There are lots of ways to strength train—and have fun doing it. Try these suggestion and ask your trainer for even more:

• Pilates
• Swimming
• Kettlebells
• Medicine ball