Weight training makes you ‘bulky’…
As a personal trainer, I cannot even count the amount of times females have expressed their worry about lifting weights and becoming ‘bulky’. I WISH it was that easy!!
To build muscle you need two things: insulin and testosterone. As a female, we do not produce enough testosterone to build muscle tissue quickly. With attention to nutrition women will become leaner with weight training as the body becomes more efficient at burning calories.
To achieve the ‘bulky’ look, woman train super hard, eat plenty and have done for years!! This takes incredible discipline, training intensity and time.
Cardio is better for fat loss than weight training…
Diet is absolutely key here for fat loss, but there is a difference in effectiveness between weight training and cardio for the average woman with fat loss goals.
To burn fat you need to be in a calorie deficit (burn more calories than you eat).
Although you may burn more calories during a cardio session in comparison to a weight training session, your metabolism will be elevated for a longer period after weight training.
Big compound lifts in the gym like barbell squats and deadlifts require multiple muscle recruitment meaning a bigger overall calorie burn. Weight training also creates micro-tears in your muscles and as your muscles repair and rebuild the 24-48 hours after your workout, your metabolism is increased and so you are burning more calories.
Low weight, high reps is best for females…
Focusing on lifting heavier weights and becoming stronger is much more effective to increase your muscle mass, metabolism or change your body shape. Low weight, high reps is more like cardio, it will increase your muscle endurance but as explained above, this is not the most effective strategy for fat loss. To look more ‘defined’ and athletic you want to lift heavy for anything between 5-12 reps.
But where to start? A good start is to aim for 10-12 repetitions for all exercises. If you select a weight and manage the set easily and could possibly push for a further 3-5 reps, it is not heavy enough! With every set you should be able to complete every rep with good form but the last 2-3 reps should feel challenging. If not you need to go heavier. Build the weight up a little every week and GET STRONG!!
Weight training increases blood pressure…
As research progresses, professionals, including doctors and cardiologists now recommend weight training 2-3 times per week to correct issues related to your health;-high blood pressure, high cholesterol, heart disease, and diabetes. Many studies have found that just 3-4 weeks of weight training can help reduce blood pressure.