There is not a girl in any fitness center who hasn't wondered at least once during a workout, 'Should women lift weights or will it make us big and bulky?' This is one of the most commonly asked questions in the fitness industry and today's article will help you to get to the bottom of it once and for all.
If you are female it is highly likely that you have already encountered several different opinions on this very topic, resulting in you heading online for a more scientific verdict.
If you are old enough to remember the 1970's you will know the origins of this famous fitness myth. This all started during the glory days of bodybuilding. With massive, overly muscled guys like Arnold Schwarzenegger gracing stages around the world it's no wonder that most women were put off the idea of training with heavy barbells and dumbbells. Thanks to the thriving home circuit workout market during the 1980's VHS boom, the notion that women should stick to cardiovascular exercise was set in place.
Why? The belief was that if a woman touched a heavy weight she would grow big muscles and create a bodybuilder physique. Of course, if you have ever known somebody who has taken on a bodybuilding lifestyle you will know that this belief is pure nonsense. Bodybuilding is really a lifestyle and it's not surprising if a bodybuilder takes offence when they overhear somebody saying they don't want to touch a heavier dumbbell because they don't want to get huge. If only it were that easy.
Now that we have the benefit of decades of scientific research we are able to see the many benefits the female body can enjoy if it is trained with weights on a regular basis. Here are just a few:
* If you only perform cardiovascular workouts you will not build the lean physique most women want to achieve. Resistance training plays a major role here.
* By training with weights you'll build more lean muscle tissue, which will in turn help your body to burn off more unwanted fat.
* Your metabolism will rise dramatically, which is a good thing for those who are trying to burn off calories and drop pounds.
* Resistance training has been shown to have very similar effects to HIIT in terms of it's ability to burn off body fat.
The four points above should be enough to get you on the resistance machines the next time you hit the gym, but now we answer the top concern ladies have on this subject. Is it going to make you grow big muscles and appear bulky? No, it is not. Female's simply don't have enough testosterone in their body's to do that, which is why those who become female bodybuilders need to get their diet in check, figure out what supplements to take and consume things like testosterone boosters on a regular basis.
A lot of thought has to go into that type of lifestyle. It's not something you need to worry about, as it certainly cannot happen without deliberately aiming for it.
At the end of the day, should women lift weights or should they stick to cardiovascular exercise? By now you know all the facts point towards getting a healthy balance of both because they will each play an integral role in your quest to build a better physique. If you had previously wondered about this subject but never knew what to believe don't worry, you are certainly not alone in this. In fact, alongside learning what supplements to take to suit your goal, this is easily one of the most common myths mentioned in any gym around the world.
If you are female it is highly likely that you have already encountered several different opinions on this very topic, resulting in you heading online for a more scientific verdict.
If you are old enough to remember the 1970's you will know the origins of this famous fitness myth. This all started during the glory days of bodybuilding. With massive, overly muscled guys like Arnold Schwarzenegger gracing stages around the world it's no wonder that most women were put off the idea of training with heavy barbells and dumbbells. Thanks to the thriving home circuit workout market during the 1980's VHS boom, the notion that women should stick to cardiovascular exercise was set in place.
Why? The belief was that if a woman touched a heavy weight she would grow big muscles and create a bodybuilder physique. Of course, if you have ever known somebody who has taken on a bodybuilding lifestyle you will know that this belief is pure nonsense. Bodybuilding is really a lifestyle and it's not surprising if a bodybuilder takes offence when they overhear somebody saying they don't want to touch a heavier dumbbell because they don't want to get huge. If only it were that easy.
Now that we have the benefit of decades of scientific research we are able to see the many benefits the female body can enjoy if it is trained with weights on a regular basis. Here are just a few:
* If you only perform cardiovascular workouts you will not build the lean physique most women want to achieve. Resistance training plays a major role here.
* By training with weights you'll build more lean muscle tissue, which will in turn help your body to burn off more unwanted fat.
* Your metabolism will rise dramatically, which is a good thing for those who are trying to burn off calories and drop pounds.
* Resistance training has been shown to have very similar effects to HIIT in terms of it's ability to burn off body fat.
The four points above should be enough to get you on the resistance machines the next time you hit the gym, but now we answer the top concern ladies have on this subject. Is it going to make you grow big muscles and appear bulky? No, it is not. Female's simply don't have enough testosterone in their body's to do that, which is why those who become female bodybuilders need to get their diet in check, figure out what supplements to take and consume things like testosterone boosters on a regular basis.
A lot of thought has to go into that type of lifestyle. It's not something you need to worry about, as it certainly cannot happen without deliberately aiming for it.
At the end of the day, should women lift weights or should they stick to cardiovascular exercise? By now you know all the facts point towards getting a healthy balance of both because they will each play an integral role in your quest to build a better physique. If you had previously wondered about this subject but never knew what to believe don't worry, you are certainly not alone in this. In fact, alongside learning what supplements to take to suit your goal, this is easily one of the most common myths mentioned in any gym around the world.
About the Author:
Next step: Russ Howe PTI answers the query should women lift weights in the gym today. He also teaches you what supplements to take to match your target physique in his exclusive free guide which is available online.
No comments:
Post a Comment