Should Women Avoid Lifting Weights?

There is much confusion surrounding women's fitness these days. Should women lift weights if they are trying to build a lean, toned physique? The answer seems to differ depending who you ask. Today you'll get the facts on this subject, as well as finding out what supplements to take in order to keep your fitness journey on track.

The world of exercise and fitness has moved forward incredibly quickly over the last twenty years. Every year there are new developments in sports supplements and training methods, as well as new scientific research on previously unproven theories. It's barely the same world we lived in just 20 yeas ago. Yet despite all of this, there are many people who still have the same mentality which was floating around health clubs and gyms two decades ago.

They still believe that ladies who lift weights are going to get a bodybuilding physique. They also believe that endless cardiovascular exercise is the key to weight loss. You'll also hear them talking about how they can't seem lose weight no matter what they do in the gym. []

For some reason, huge amounts of exercise enthusiasts are unaware that many of the age old theories and myths surrounding weight loss and muscle building have been scientifically researched and now have either evidence to back them up or evidence to disprove them. Sadly, most people still stick to advice like the things you can read above, which date back decades and have no academic foundations.

If you have always steered clear of the free weights section at your local gym, get ready for a minor shock. Training with weights is actually great for you! This applies both to women who want to get learner and also those who are prioritizing fat loss. Resistance training is crucial and can dramatically increase your results.

But isn't it true that you'll end up looking like a bodybuilder?

No. If it were that easy to obtain a bodybuilding physique then most of the men you'd see walking down the street would look like The Rock or Sylvester Stallone! Lifting weights will improve your strength and tone your muscles in a way that cardiovascular exercise simply can not. If you aspire to achieve the lean look demonstrated on athletes such as Jessica Ennis at the recent London Olympics, then lifting is very important.

You certainly do not need to worry about getting big and muscular, because the female body does not have the testosterone levels to create a bulky physique without the outside influence of supplements. For this reason, you also don't need to be afraid of aiming for relatively low repetitions in your sets. You'll often hear that women should do sets consisting of 25 or more reps, but this is old advice which has been proven incorrect.

There is no need to be scared of big movements such as the bench press and squat. In fact, these are the type of multiple joint exercises which will provide you with stunning results if you perform them regularly.

Supplements can be kept to a bare minimum if you have a good diet and training program. Most people are familiar with whey protein so that is a good place to begin. If your goal is to get leaner and cut body fat then you should find a protein product which gives you a relatively low carbohydrate content and no more than 25 grams of protein in each serving. Other items you could use include creatine, which boosts your explosive strength to help you train harder in the gym, and glutamine, which aids muscular recovery after a tough workout.

Now you are fully aware of what supplements to take to help you reach your goal, you can begin on your journey to a leaner, toned physique. Furthermore, the next time you hear a lady ask "Should women lift weights?" you can help them get away from all of the old, unproven myths which surround this area of fitness.