Women and Weight Lifting
lizadaze
Posts: 118 Member
Hello all! My name is Jonathan Quinn, and Elizabeth has asked me to be a contributing writer and editor for the Lean on Me group. I have been an athlete, and I have been fat; and through it all I have learned a lot about the human body and the will power of the mind. I hope to share ideas and thoughts that will challenge a lot of your preconceived ideas about fitness, and create discussions that might illuminate new paths on your journey to health.
Please feel free to add me and message me with any questions (MFP User: Nage3000). I will also be launching a health coaching and personal training website soon and will update all of you when that happens.
Weight Lifting for Women Myths
Most women don’t lift weights. Of the 12.7 million women who belong to a commercial health club, only about half used weight machines and only one-third lifted free weights.
Why?
The #1 reason is a lack of knowledge. How to lift weights properly, what routine to use, how lifting weights can affect you; all questions most women don’t care to answer.
There are also fears, myths about women lifting weights that are propagated to keep you away from achieving the body and health you want:
Myth #1: “I will get so muscular and bulky, I will look like a guy!”
BUSTED: Women simply don't have the hormonal makeup to get as muscular as men. Women with huge muscles and look like men took years and years of steroids and dedication to weight lifting. Something the vast majority of women could never attain, much less by accident.
Myth #2: “You can get *tone* just from cardio.”
BUSTED: Tone is a word that has been tossed around A LOT, and it has lost most of it’s meaning. But for what you think it means, a fit and toned body is achieved in only one way: By reducing body fat percentage with clean eating, and by increasing the size of the muscle by weight lifting.
Myth #3: “Free weights are dangerous!”
BUSTED: With proper form, guidance, and safety precautions, weight lifting is one of the safest sports in the world. As a weight lifter and athlete, I can tell you personally I have NEVER been injured in the gym. But have suffered countless injuries while playing sports outside the gym.
How do I add weight lifting to my workouts?
Want to add weights to your routine? Awesome! Let’s figure out where to get started.
First, I would recommend a personal trainer. Having a professional watch your form and body movements is invaluable for forming good habits at the start.
Some of us are cash poor, so where to find the info? YouTube! Watch some great videos on how to use weight lifting machines properly first.
All weight lifting machines have a diagram on them showing how to execute the exercise properly. Read the instructions carefully, take your time, maybe even ask questions to someone nearby, or watch them do it first so you can follow suit. Most gym goers are extremely friendly and helpful.
Do very light weight! It’s important to get the movement correct with light weight.
Do 12 repetitions per set, and try for 3 sets per exercise at the start of your journey.
Do breathe properly, exhale when you’re exerting yourself, inhale when returning to the start
Do rest for 1:30 minutes - 3 minutes inbetween sets
Don’t let the weights slam when you’re done with the exercise
Don’t do anything quickly, slow your movements as much as possible
Don’t lift heavy until you’re ready
Advanced Weight Lifting - Barbells
The almighty squat rack. Barbells are the hardest and fastest way to get fit.
If you have been into fitness for an extended period of time. You have some experience with machines, but still avoid the free weight area like some alien landing zone, there is a single program for you:
Stronglifts 5x5
Compound exercises use multiple muscle groups, and activate all of the muscle building hormones in the body. To get toned, and to get that incredible lower body you’ve always wanted, do squats.
Conclusion
Thanks for reading this huge post! There’s a ridiculous amount of information out there. What matters is that you push yourself outside your comfort zone, and try something new to better yourself and your body!
--Jonathan Quinn
Please feel free to add me and message me with any questions (MFP User: Nage3000). I will also be launching a health coaching and personal training website soon and will update all of you when that happens.
Weight Lifting for Women Myths
Most women don’t lift weights. Of the 12.7 million women who belong to a commercial health club, only about half used weight machines and only one-third lifted free weights.
Why?
The #1 reason is a lack of knowledge. How to lift weights properly, what routine to use, how lifting weights can affect you; all questions most women don’t care to answer.
There are also fears, myths about women lifting weights that are propagated to keep you away from achieving the body and health you want:
Myth #1: “I will get so muscular and bulky, I will look like a guy!”
BUSTED: Women simply don't have the hormonal makeup to get as muscular as men. Women with huge muscles and look like men took years and years of steroids and dedication to weight lifting. Something the vast majority of women could never attain, much less by accident.
Myth #2: “You can get *tone* just from cardio.”
BUSTED: Tone is a word that has been tossed around A LOT, and it has lost most of it’s meaning. But for what you think it means, a fit and toned body is achieved in only one way: By reducing body fat percentage with clean eating, and by increasing the size of the muscle by weight lifting.
Myth #3: “Free weights are dangerous!”
BUSTED: With proper form, guidance, and safety precautions, weight lifting is one of the safest sports in the world. As a weight lifter and athlete, I can tell you personally I have NEVER been injured in the gym. But have suffered countless injuries while playing sports outside the gym.
How do I add weight lifting to my workouts?
Want to add weights to your routine? Awesome! Let’s figure out where to get started.
First, I would recommend a personal trainer. Having a professional watch your form and body movements is invaluable for forming good habits at the start.
Some of us are cash poor, so where to find the info? YouTube! Watch some great videos on how to use weight lifting machines properly first.
All weight lifting machines have a diagram on them showing how to execute the exercise properly. Read the instructions carefully, take your time, maybe even ask questions to someone nearby, or watch them do it first so you can follow suit. Most gym goers are extremely friendly and helpful.
Do very light weight! It’s important to get the movement correct with light weight.
Do 12 repetitions per set, and try for 3 sets per exercise at the start of your journey.
Do breathe properly, exhale when you’re exerting yourself, inhale when returning to the start
Do rest for 1:30 minutes - 3 minutes inbetween sets
Don’t let the weights slam when you’re done with the exercise
Don’t do anything quickly, slow your movements as much as possible
Don’t lift heavy until you’re ready
Advanced Weight Lifting - Barbells
The almighty squat rack. Barbells are the hardest and fastest way to get fit.
If you have been into fitness for an extended period of time. You have some experience with machines, but still avoid the free weight area like some alien landing zone, there is a single program for you:
Stronglifts 5x5
Compound exercises use multiple muscle groups, and activate all of the muscle building hormones in the body. To get toned, and to get that incredible lower body you’ve always wanted, do squats.
Conclusion
Thanks for reading this huge post! There’s a ridiculous amount of information out there. What matters is that you push yourself outside your comfort zone, and try something new to better yourself and your body!
--Jonathan Quinn
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Replies
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Hi everyone! Jonathan will be able to see and respond to any questions or thoughts you pose to his article above, so feel free to engage him in a conversation on this thread or message him via MFP (Nage3000).
I'm really enjoying my new interest in weight training and can already see and feel the difference after just two weeks. I can't believe that I did 4 sets of leg presses at 100 pounds and bicep/tricep workouts with 50 pounds. I'm headed into the gym soon, but wanted to get this article posted that Jonathan wrote just for us.
Enjoy!!
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P.S. We have our very own "Jonathan" as a member of this group, too. @martinezkrauss - the awesome dude with the rooster who went head-to-head with his mother-in-law's strawberry cake and managed to get home without an extra slice and had us all dreaming of cake for a week! (hahaha)
Going to get my butt kicked now by some kind of weight training contraption. I seriously hope we don't do kettlebell hip thrusts and lunges tonight, cause those are like really, really weird. Anything else, I will endure and succeed!
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I have free weights at home and enjoy using them. What do you suggest is the best type of workout for me to get the best calorie burn and build muscle. I have just finished T25 gamma round and before that P90X3.0
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I've a question on this topic for Jonathan:
Can you tell us a bit about how women gain muscle pre, post, and approaching menopause? Wondering if the change in hormones means that it 'easier' to gain muscle before? Or does it not make any difference?0 -
I will work on getting Jonathan back in here to respond to the questions. More soon!0
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@kesslemg Your fitness level is very high after completing both of those at home workouts. So what I would do is change it up a bit from what you're used to. Both of those programs are high intensity, and work fast twitch muscle fibers.
It's important to also workout slow-twitch muscle fibers, which is where strength comes from. Power, the ability to move weight quickly resides in those fast twitch muscle fibers, but strength is developed in those slow twitch muscle fibers through methodical, slow, and heavy weight.
I would recommend using those free weights in a 5 sets by 5 reps workout regimen. Make the weight as heavy as you can to complete the 5 reps, and make it so you would fail if you tried a 6th. Take long rests, 1:30-3:00 mins of a break inbetween sets. The exercises should be simple ones targeting major muscle groups, squats, bench press, shoulder press, curls, and tricep extensions. Do this 3 to 4 days a week.
Working out with this regimen will feel very different than the at home workouts you're used to. It should. Your building up your strength, and with it your muscle size.
If you continue to eat well, your muscles will really start to show and become defined with every ounce of fat your burn.
I would recommend training this way for three months, afterwards go back to the P90x, and you will be astonished with the results.0 -
Can you tell us a bit about how women gain muscle pre, post, and approaching menopause? Wondering if the change in hormones means that it 'easier' to gain muscle before? Or does it not make any difference?
The hormonal changes a woman goes through during menopause affects everything about how the body operates. So there's a lot of angles to analyze.
1. Age - As humans get older, their bodies naturally become less inclined to develop muscle as easily. With women and menopause, this becomes even more true.
2. Hormonal changes - Exercise is the ultimate regulator of hormones. Expending your energy into working out helps to level out the changes that happen during menopause.
So while of course the body is different during menopause, the rules of muscle building stay the same. You just have to work harder to develop the same amount of muscle a younger person would have to.
My recommendation: Continue to workout, and if you aren't, start lifting free weights. The benefits it has on bone density especially should be of high interest to any woman, especially one going through menopause.0 -
Thanks for the detailed reply, very helpful.
It's a real motivator to get on with things now rather than leaving it until later when it would be harder work! That's kind of what I thought I would hear, but good to know for sure.
Yes am doing weights, partly because of how seeing the benefits when I did so a few years ago, partly because I can't run due to a foot injury. Good point about bone density benefits from weights, especially seeing as I'm not running. Cycling is fun, but not much of a 'impact' effect on the bones(unless I fall off!)
Thanks for sharing your knowledge0 -
Yes am doing weights, partly because of how seeing the benefits when I did so a few years ago, partly because I can't run due to a foot injury. Good point about bone density benefits from weights, especially seeing as I'm not running.
It's unfortunate, but not surprising you suffered a foot injury due to running. I never recommend running for cardio. It is simply the most dangerous cardio activity possible. The danger is not massive as in the level of damage, but the amount of injuries due to running is crazy. Not to mention the consistent pounding of pavement is especially harsh on the lower joints and back.
I also feel many women rely too much on a cardio filled workout regimen, that really doesn't address the physical aspects of muscle growth. You don't grow muscle with cardio, in fact more often than not, you can burn it. So I always recommend lifting weights, and developing that muscle strength. And only adding running if it's a true passion, and not just for the calorie burn benefits. There are much safer ways to burn the same amount of calories.0 -
I will try adding heavier weights tomorrow. I am struggling with a bit of tennis elbow so hopefully it won't bother me. I only have about 30 minutes early in the morning. Would you recommend doing so kind of "cardio" during the rest periods from the weights to keep my heart rate up and maximize my workout? Thank you so much for your guidance!0
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Good points.
What I liked about running (jogging, really) was that it requires little prep, you just open the front door and off you go, great way to de-stress.
But mountain-biking is better for enjoyment, low-impact cardio, some muscles; when I can persuade a friend to accompany me - lucky enough to live right next to the south downs national park. Looking forward to spring summer when can head out weekly.
Weights are good meantime, but the class studio seems so dark and the alternating colour lights make me feel giddy - prefer the outdoors! Weights in the back garden, now maybe that it is the way forward....0 -
I am struggling with a bit of tennis elbow so hopefully it won't bother me.
I would recommend taking some time to heal the tennis elbow. Take a couple days or a week from gripping weights to help it heal. Working out, especially with heavier weight than you're used to might injure it further, or not allow it to heal.Would you recommend doing so kind of "cardio" during the rest periods from the weights to keep my heart rate up and maximize my workout?
No, doing "cardio" will only take away from working on that slow twitch strength muscle fiber. Remember, it's going to feel different because it is, you're working out differently. The biggest difference is the amount of calories you burn DURING the workout. You might not sweat as much, you might not burn as many calories, but the afterburn effect of muscle fatigue will be much more of a calorie burn than you can count.
What I do recommend, if you feel like you aren't working hard enough, take less of a rest inbetween sets. You can go down to only 30 second breaks if you'd like. I would not recommend this in most cases, because again you're goal switches from developing your cardio to developing your muscles. And your muscles need to recuperate before starting another set, the minimum I do is 1:30 minutes.
When starting to lift weights, remember that it's important to understand it is a different line of thinking involved. Muscle growth and strength development is very different from cardio workouts, so the approach and mentality you take into it must be equally different.0 -
But mountain-biking is better for enjoyment, low-impact cardio, some muscles;
I love the outdoors too for workouts, and biking is a great way to enjoy it while exercising. I feel the benefits that biking has over running are countless, and always recommend it over running.Looking forward to spring summer when can head out weekly.
Weights are good meantime, but the class studio seems so dark and the alternating colour lights make me feel giddy - prefer the outdoors! Weights in the back garden, now maybe that it is the way forward....
When the slightest hint of spring comes along, I'm outside! I love working out outdoors, it feels so much more real! I have a barbell and dumbbells at home, and I keep them outside for the entire summer, just asking to be used. Some days I go to the nearby forest preserve and workout with body weight exercises.
The great thing about fitness, your creativity is the only limitation.0
