Why Women Should Not Be Afraid Of Weight Training
Updated: Apr 5, 2022
Weight training is often feared by women for several reasons. But what does the science say about it? Is it beneficial for women?
You will not bulk up
One common concern from women is that they are going to gain too much muscle.
In reality, you can expect to gain 0.5 kg of muscle per month during the first 3 months of training, and around 0.25 kg per month as you get more advanced. What is more, increasing the amount of muscle in your body is beneficial for your metabolism and therefore helps with losing fat.
It improves body composition
Weight training is effective in reducing body fat and increasing muscle mass at the same time. This is extremely beneficial for your health and to improve your aesthetics.
It improves bone, ligament, muscle and tendon health
The musculoskeletal tissues of your body will adapt to the training stimulus, making your body more resilient. This is especially important for women during menopause since they are at risk of sarcopenia. Regular weight training can reverse the effect of aging and help maintain a healthy level of bone density.
It decreases risk of injury
The physiological adaptations seen consequent to resistance training on bone, connective tissue and muscle provides enhanced protection against injury for individuals who participate in resistance training programs. It has been shown in research that weight training can reduce the risk of overuse injury by 50%.