There are numerous benefits of weightlifting for women. Not only can women build their muscles, increase endurance, and feel better about their body image, but there are other lesser-known benefits of using weight training to work out and stay healthy.
Weight lifting can be helpful for numerous reasons — it can help women of all ages, backgrounds, lifestyles, and medical histories help with chronic illness, weight management, athletic performance, and other aspects of their physical fitness.
Benefits of Weight Lifting for Women
Let’s see the top benefits of weightlifting for females and why it is a powerful tool for health for individuals of all ages, backgrounds, and strength levels.
Higher Strength Levels
One of the main perks of strength training for women is a higher level of strength. Lifting weights like weight plates can help you strengthen your entire body. Being stronger and having a higher muscle mass will help women increase their athletic performance, avoid injury, and feel better about their body image.
Lower Body Fat Percentage
Keeping a healthy lifestyle means having a lower body fat percentage. Women need to keep their body fat levels within a specific percentage range to avoid heart issues, chronic disease, and weight-related concerns, such as diabetes. Women who strength train 2-3 times per week have a much higher likelihood of losing body fat and gaining muscle mass.
The benefits of higher muscle mass mean a higher metabolism, which allows women to maintain a healthier diet and aesthetics. Women need to keep in mind that weight training does not necessarily translate to a bigger body and a “masculine” physique. Since women have less testosterone and different hormones than males, they can weight train without the fear of getting too big or bulky.
Better Athleticism
Athletes need to weight train — especially female athletes. Women in various sports, whether a power-related sport, like shot put, or an endurance-based sport, like running, can all benefit from weight training.
Of course, their weight training routines will differ in the weights used and the rep scheme. However, all athletes will become even more dynamic by using weight training methods. Plus, weight training helps reduce the risk of injury, which is crucial for all-year-round athletes who must consistently be at their best.
Less Chance of Injury and Chronic Illness
Lifting weights reduces the risk of long-term injury, acute injury, chronic illness, and arthritis. Since strength training helps you build muscle mass, you will be able to perform daily activities in an easier manner.
Plus, lifting weights helps women strengthen their connective tissue and build the muscles around the joints to avoid laxity and potential strains. Studies have shown that compound movements, like squats or jumps, help women strengthen the muscles and the connecting tendons around the knees and ankles to help avoid injury.
Furthermore, weight training reduces the risk of specific diseases and long-term illnesses. Higher cardiovascular health helps women avoid high blood pressure. In addition, weight training with a healthy diet can help fight against brittle bones and osteoporosis as they age.
Elevated Mood Levels
If you look good, you feel good! Not only does lifting weights help with your muscle mass and your physique, but lifting weights and exercising will release endorphins — which boosts your mood and makes you happy. Strength training and other exercise methods help the neurotransmitters fire and lead to higher levels of dopamine, serotonin, and endorphins.
Low-Impact Cardio Alternative
Strength training can also be used as a low-impact alternative to cardiovascular training if you have trouble with your joints. Using strength training in a circuit format can help you boost your heart rate without straining your knees, shoulders, wrists, or ankles. We recommend combining 4-5 exercises with little rest to target your entire body and test your aerobic base.
How Should Women Strength Train?
One of the main questions women have about strength training is how they start, what they should do, and how frequently. For beginners, there are a few key steps to follow to avoid injury or overtraining.
One of the best things to do for those who have just begun an exercise routine is to use a personal trainer at a local fitness facility to help guide you with the exercises. A professional can help you with your form, rep scheme, weights, and recovery methods.
Once you have mastered some of the basics, you can begin to work out on your own. In this case, start to use bodyweight exercises, free weights (ex: dumbbells, kettlebells, barbells, etc.), resistance bands, and a combination of various methods.
Starting with a low number of reps and sets is the most effective way to target your muscles without being too sore afterward. We recommend starting with 6-8 reps of a full-body exercise, like a squat or an assisted push-up, for 2-3 sets.
How Often Should Women Strength Train?
Along with the type of strength training that benefits female athletes and women of all ages, women need to know how often they should strength train to reap the benefits.
Most healthcare professionals recommend training at least two days per week, with additional benefits seen if you train more times. For example, those who have built up their tolerance and adapted to 2x per week can now begin to strength train 3x per week. For beginners, allowing 24-48 hours of rest in between for your muscle groups to recover is essential.
In addition to weight training, most healthcare professionals recommend women perform at least 150 minutes of moderate cardio exercise per week or 75 minutes of vigorous exercise per week. Cardiovascular exercise and strength training helps women train different body systems and maintain well-rounded health.
How Many Reps Should Women Do When Lifting Weights?
If you are new to weight lifting, starting with low reps and low sets is the best way to begin. We recommend doing 2-3 sets of 6-8 reps per exercise for your first few weeks. Once this becomes too easy, you can change the rep scheme based on your goals.
For example, endurance athletes and those who are looking to cut down on fat should consider doing 2-3 ss of high reps, such as 12-15. For those who want to build muscular mass, doing 2-3 sets of 8-12 reps is ideal for hypertrophy. For athletes who want to build their power and strength, we recommend doing 3-5 sets of 3-5 reps.
How Much Weight Should Women Use in a Session?
If you are new to lifting weights, you should start very low. The last thing you want to do is go heavy and injure yourself at the very beginning of your weight training program. Instead, start light and raise the weight once 2-3 sets of 6-8 reps feels too easy. At this point, you should increase the weight so the last 2-3 reps of each set feels difficult.
As you can see, weight training has numerous benefits for women. Those who are not sure where to start should consider going to a local gym and using a personal training professional to help begin a trustworthy program. Consider using alternative methods of weight training, such as resistance bands, bodyweight movements, and weight plates, to reap all of the benefits.
