Weight Training for Women

Marianne802

I understand that weight training builds muscle which in turns boosts metabolism. Does this apply to women? My trainer told me it is harder for women to gain muscle due to our hormonal setup.

If this is the case, will weight training still have the same effect of boosting metabolism for women, and if so how much? Because of this I have always focussed more on cardio.

KarenJanine

Yes it is harder for women to gain muscle (less testosterone).

Boosting metabolism is just one of the reasons to weight train though, there are numerous others, e.g.
Retain muscle mass while losing weight
Retain muscle mass as we age (it naturally starts to decrease after around age 30)
Improve / retain bone density
Increase strength
Increase confidence
Increase serotonin

jimmmer

Lifting weights, with a good program and a prolonged calorie surplus builds muscle.

Without that calorie surplus, as a woman, gains will be minimal most likely (good genetics notwithstanding...)

However, lifting in a calorie deficit will lead to significant strength increases as well as the majority of weight-loss coming from fat stores. Which is nice.

kjm3579

Weight training is great for women but you will not look like the incredible hulk just from doing it -- check out StrongLifts 5x5 for an example of a plan for the average person. You can look around on the web for pictures of fitness models who lift all the time to see how a woman's body can be sculpted.

WandaMM1

I hope your trainer didn't discourage you from lifting. A good balance of weight training and cardio exercise is good for everyone. Period. I lifted while maintaining a calorie deficit and significantly increased my strength and didn't 'bulk up'. I lost 100 pounds of fat (according several different measurement techniques) and increased my muscle mass. My resting metabolic rate is 1,600+ calories which is great for a 45 year old women. I now continue my strength training and I am in maintenance mode. Adding weight training is one of the best decisions I've made in terms of increasing my general health and fitness levels.

Marianne802

He hasn't discouraged me, I understand the other benefits. But I should not expect it boost my metabilism at rest as such?

jimmmer

Marianne802 wrote: »

He hasn't discouraged me, I understand the other benefits. But I should not expect it boost my metabilism at rest as such?

More muscle mass takes more calories to maintain, which increases your TDEE. But you need to build that extra muscle mass in order to benefit from this slight upswing. And it is slight. If you don't bulk to build the mass, it won't make much difference...

You'll derive more benefit to increasing your TDEE from walking more often, taking the stairs, etc.

Weight training is for stuff like building muscle mass, increasing strength and retaining lbm. Caloric impact is minimal.

Liftng4Lis

In general, it is harder to gain muscle as a woman. You get a window of what they call "newbie gains", grasp that! Building muscle takes hard work, however maintaining muscle during work loss is important.

Marianne802

Thanks everyone.

The program I was given is meant to mix weight and cardio at the same time. Is this considered weight training.

3 rounds of:
12 x fast step ups
12 x Squating down a picking up a 6kg soft ball thing and slambing it back down
Using a 4kg ball 12 squats whilst lifting the ball above my head
24 x bicep curls 3kg
24 x lifting 3kg weights straight up above my head.

Then tabata on the rowing machine with 20 sec hard, 10 sec easy for four minutes.

Once a week I use the weight machines. I start at one end of a whole line of them and work my way down.

Marianne802

Can anyone tell me if the above is a good starting point for weights, or even if it is classed as a weight exercise?

Thanks

brendanhill988

Muscle is a metabolically active tissue, which means that it requires energy to live even at rest. The more you have, the higher your rating metabolic rate is.

Weight training should, in my opinion, be included in every persons life. Stating that it is harder for women to build muscle is not accurate; it is unlikely for women to build AS MUCH MUSCLE as a man because of differences in hormones. The comparison is only relative to the amount of muscle one can build, not the ability to build it at all. Weight training could arguably burn the same if not MORE calories than cardio. Cardio is still important for aerobic conditioning and heat health, so a good balance between the two will optimize overall health.

Check out WWW.ROUGHCITYATHLETICS.COM

Marianne802

Thanks. I would like to know if the following routine is classed as weight training, and is it enough?

3 rounds of:
12 x fast step ups
12 x Squating down a picking up a 6kg soft ball thing and slambing it back down
Using a 4kg ball 12 squats whilst lifting the ball above my head
24 x bicep curls 3kg
24 x lifting 3kg weights straight up above my head.

Then tabata on the rowing machine with 20 sec hard, 10 sec easy for four minutes.

pope705

Is that routine meant to be a total body routine? It feels to me a little unbalanced maybe . Maybe other more experienced people will weigh in.
You asked if it is enough. Enough for what? Depends on your goals. And how often your trainer will be changing your routine.
I like the tabata. I hate doing tabata but love myself when it's done.

Sued0nim

Marianne802 wrote: »

Thanks. I would like to know if the following routine is classed as weight training, and is it enough?

3 rounds of:
12 x fast step ups
12 x Squating down a picking up a 6kg soft ball thing and slambing it back down
Using a 4kg ball 12 squats whilst lifting the ball above my head
24 x bicep curls 3kg
24 x lifting 3kg weights straight up above my head.

Then tabata on the rowing machine with 20 sec hard, 10 sec easy for four minutes.

I'm by no means an expert but I would say you need a combination of compound lifts and decent weights ...and to move progressively up in weight as you train

Look at books like strong curves, new rules of lifting for women or sites like http://stronglifts.com/5x5/

wishiwasarunner

rabbitjb wrote: »

Marianne802 wrote: »

Thanks. I would like to know if the following routine is classed as weight training, and is it enough?

3 rounds of:
12 x fast step ups
12 x Squating down a picking up a 6kg soft ball thing and slambing it back down
Using a 4kg ball 12 squats whilst lifting the ball above my head
24 x bicep curls 3kg
24 x lifting 3kg weights straight up above my head.

Then tabata on the rowing machine with 20 sec hard, 10 sec easy for four minutes.

I'm by no means an expert but I would say you need a combination of compound lifts and decent weights ...and to move progressively up in weight as you train

Look at books like strong curves, new rules of lifting for women or sites like http://stronglifts.com/5x5/

thank you for the website. I am meeting with a trainer next week to start a lifting program and I wanted more background information before I started.

Kiku10

WandaMM1 wrote: »

I hope your trainer didn't discourage you from lifting. A good balance of weight training and cardio exercise is good for everyone. Period. I lifted while maintaining a calorie deficit and significantly increased my strength and didn't 'bulk up'. I lost 100 pounds of fat (according several different measurement techniques) and increased my muscle mass. My resting metabolic rate is 1,600+ calories which is great for a 45 year old women. I now continue my strength training and I am in maintenance mode. Adding weight training is one of the best decisions I've made in terms of increasing my general health and fitness levels.

Wanda. 1600 cals? That's awesome. We are the same age and my bmr is more like 1200 something. Do you know what your metabolism was like before weight training??.

JoRocka

no- it doesn't work the same.
-
Women's bodies operate on a higher plain of pony farts and making sammiches.

Muscle only hinders us.






sarcasm- it's exactly the same sans extra testosterone.

AngieBrown1980

Try jamie eason 12 week plan .. It's free and very good ... Google it

Marianne802

Than

WandaMM1 wrote: »

I hope your trainer didn't discourage you from lifting. A good balance of weight training and cardio exercise is good for everyone. Period. I lifted while maintaining a calorie deficit and significantly increased my strength and didn't 'bulk up'. I lost 100 pounds of fat (according several different measurement techniques) and increased my muscle mass. My resting metabolic rate is 1,600+ calories which is great for a 45 year old women. I now continue my strength training and I am in maintenance mode. Adding weight training is one of the best decisions I've made in terms of increasing my general health and fitness levels.

That is awesome. That is my goal. Loose fat, tone up and increase metabolism so I can eat more than 1200 cal.