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Even though fitness trends come and go, weight training
is invariably the most neglected aspect of women's
training. In my experience much of this is down to
a misguided fear that lifting weights results in big
bulky muscles (over night!). Lifting weights can also
seem a bit of a chore compared to your favourite classes,
but the truth is it's vital for building lean muscle
tissue, which boosts metabolic rate and helps you
burn more calories on a daily basis.
The benefits of cardiovascular and flexibility exercise
are well known and they too should be a core part
of your workout, but it's strength training that has
most impact upon the inevitable passage of time. If
you are finding a few pounds creeping on each year
and have muscles that don't firm up quite like they
used to, you'll know what I mean. And this doesn't
just apply to those over fourty! The facts are the
average woman gains about 20lbs between the ages of
twenty and sixty-five. It's a gradual process, but
during these years muscle mass is lost, metabolism
slows, bones get thinner, body fat increases, flexibility
decreases and strength declines. In part this is age
related, but it's also because many of us become increasingly
sedentary as the years go by.
The good news is we can all stave off the effects
of ageing by being more active. We just need to ensure
we exercise in the most appropriate way and for most
women this means including a significant element of
weight training. Still need convincing? Take a look
at the questions and answers below, I hope they dispel
most of the myths surrounding weight training and
encourage you to ask your fitness advisor or personal
trainer to give you a tailor made workout with weights.
Q&A's
1. Is it true that the increased
lean muscle tissue resulting from strength training
will improve my fat burning potential?
Yes! Greater lean muscle tissue raises the
metabolic rate, which to a large degree governs the
amount of calories that you burn, both during and
after exercise, including at complete rest.
2. If I start a strength resistance
programme, will I develop big bulky muscles?
No! The basic physiology of a female prevents
women from developing muscle bulk. This is largely
due to a smaller cross-sectional muscle fibre size
in women than in men, and lower levels of testosterone
and other growth hormones. Yes, there are exceptions,
but these are few and far between and normally involve
advanced training methods beyond the time constraint
of the 'normal' gym user...and in the case of many
female (and male) body builders, may involve the use
of steroids.
3. Will I be able to turn my fat
into muscle if I lift weights?
No! Fat and muscle are physiologically two
completely different things. It is impossible to turn
fat into muscle.
4. If I do manage to 'build ' some
lean muscle tissue through strength training, if I
stop training will it all turn to fat?
No! If you stop strength training for a prolonged
length of time, the muscle quite literally wastes
away (muscle atrophy)...simply, if you don't use it,
you loose it!
5. Is it true that strength training
can protect against the effects of osteoporosis?
Yes! When strength training, the same actions
that work on forming myoproteins to build muscle,
work on osteoproteins to improve and increase bone
density.
6. How long will it take to start
building lean muscle tissue, and when will I see results?
This does vary between individuals, but in
my experience, with a consistent approach to a strength
programme (outlined latter), it will take at least
3-4 months to build 3lbs of lean muscle tissue. Be
patient!
7. Will a strength programme involve
additional hours spent in the gym?
No! 2-3 sessions per week, of approx' 20
mins' is all you need to be doing to make a difference.
However, this doesn't include 'CV' and flexibility
exercises... a total workout time of one hour should
be sufficient.
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