Why women should lift heavy weights

Many females invest a lot of time and money into their hair, skin, nails and other aspects of their beauty. Some will even spend money on anti ageing products.

As you would already know, the number one contributing factor to the ageing process is loss of muscle and strength. Which means no matter how many anti ageing products are used, nothing will slow down the ageing process as well as maintaining muscle mass.

Muscles are what keeps our metabolism up to speed. One of the reasons why many people gain weight as they get older, is because muscle diminishes with age. When you lose muscle, you lose metabolism!

Our muscles have a mantra: use it or lose it. Lifting heavy weights will not make women bulky. Women do not have enough testosterone to put on a significant amount of muscle. The 'bodybuilder' women that you see commit their entire lives to achieving that look and even have to take extra additives to get bulky.

1/3 women will suffer from Osteoporosis, a disease where the bones become brittle and are more likely to break. While weight bearing exercises like walking and running can increase bone mineral density, nothing will benefit your bones as much as weight lifting will.

To get the most benefit, this does not mean lifting a 2kg dumbbell. Some women probably carry handbags that weigh more than that! Lifting weights means lifting a heavier load than what the body is used to, to stimulate change and gain more strength. Your body won’t get stronger unless you give it a reason to.

FAQ’s about weight lifting

How often do I need to lift weights?
If done correctly, once a week is enough to reap all the benefits.

What weight lifting exercises should I do?
If you haven’t seen it already, download my Training Cheat Sheet which will show you how to train every muscle in your body with just three exercises.

How do I know if I'm lifting heavy enough?
You want to work with a weight that will allow you to lift for 8-12 repetitions. If you can do more than 15, you need to get a heavier weight.

I already do pilates, yoga or something similar. Do I still need to lift weights?
Yes you do! While pilates and yoga have their own benefits, they will not strengthen your muscles as much as lifting weights will.