Gone are the days of g-strings up the %$@%$# while doing round the world moves meant to confuse anyone who doesnt have a dance background – or at least they should be. 80 style aerobics did very little to get women fit and the ones who were skinny doing it..well they were skinny anyways. Pushing weight for woman had many myths to it and some that still linger one being that lifting weights will make you bulk up. I always tell woman that if you bulk up lifting weights and eating a good diet than body building is definitely for you. Very few woman can bulk up naturally. Different body types will surely respond to strength training differently but that does not mean every woman cannot benefit. Why Strength Train? Here are my "SUPERSIX" reasons why chicks should hit the gym!
1. Save your bones: It is a well known fact strength training slows down Osteoporosis. Why wait till you have a problem. Be proactive.
2. Reduce risk of injury: Joints and ligament health depend not just on flexibility but support. Strong muscles protect the joints and ligaments from overuse.
3. Reduce Risk of heart disease: While the heart muscle works to improve its function during aerobic activity don’t let the benefits of improved blood pressure and heart health from strength training be ignored.
4. Improve physique: A balanced figure will help you feel and look better. It is aesthetically pleasing with even the slightest improvement. While certainly lacks a bit of depth in merit no one can say having a tighter bod at any age isn’t good for the psyche.
5. Be a force to be reckoned with: There is confidence in knowing you can bound upstairs and run effortlessly with your kids. An energetic form of "I can do anything" confidence.
6. Get a great return on investment: Increasing lean muscle mass improves your bodies ability to burn fat…all the time. This benefit is not just while working out but 24 hours a day. Those muscle engines rev high even when not in the gym.
Lift for life,
Andrea
Andrea Page , founder of FITMOM holds classes nationwide helping moms and expecting moms be their best at one of the most important health moments in a womens life. Visit www.fitmomfitness.com for more information.
I grew up in a family of fitness. My Dad is my inspiration and to this day at the age of 80, he is still going strong with his weight lifting, in his basement. Another perk to weight lifting is the ability it has to postpone the aging process. My Dad at 80, looks like he is maybe in his 60’s, he moves so well and looks so young, he is so full of life. Also my Dad was injured in the bush one time when he was about 61. He was a handfaller and a big snag from a tree came down and hit him in the shoulder. He was taken to the hospital the doctor told him the only reason why he never lost his arm is due to the years of weight training he had done. His muscle mass was so dense that it saved his arm. The doctor told him he would never have complete use of that arm again. Well off he went to his basement as soon as he could and began lifting 2-3 lb weights, slowly doing his own Physio program. Now you would never know he had an injury. So weight lifting keeps you young, keeps you strong, is good for the body, the mind and the spirit. My Dad is a testament to that. And I just follow in his footsteps. Thanks for letting me brag about my Dad. 🙂
Jennifer
I remember being a teenager and waking up at 6am to Beth Motta (I think that was her name), and the girls…loved her hair. 🙂 Wow that was a longtime ago, thanks for taking me down memory lane!!!
LOL Kath
MY partner recently admitted to me that he ( and many other boys ) used to run home for lunch so they wouldnt miss it. They thought the girls were hot. It leads me to believe that very few women were the ones getting the 20 min workouts their ratings! LOL again!
LOL! I remember the 20 minute workout girls. Oh, and my sisters and I used to put on the Jane Fonda workout (on 12-inch vinyl, no less) and “aerobicize” around the living room!
I enjoy weight training, thanks for this post.