WHY STRENGTH TRAINING SHOULD BE NUMBER ONE IN YOUR WORKOUT SCHEDULE

Many women are fearful of strength training, in particular lifting heavy weights. There is an assumption that strength training will make us more manly with big bulky muscles. This is unsurprising as we have spent much of our lives being bombarded with messages about how women should be small and delicate and lifting weights should be left for the men.

But, if your goal is to be healthy then strength training is essential, I repeat essential, in achieving this goal!

Strength training offers so many benefits:

• Stronger bones - lifting heavy weights puts stress on bones which the body responds to by building more, denser bone where the stress is applied. As we age our bones become weaker and less dense, especially for menopausal women. Falling estrogen levels result in bones becoming weaker and can lead to an increased risk of osteoporosis. The good news is that strength training can help counteract this.

• Increased muscle mass - from the age of around 30 we start to slowly lose muscle with the rate of loss being around 3% to 5% each decade. Strength training both builds and helps maintain muscle mass.

• Stronger joints - those strengthened muscles do a better job of holding joints in place which can result in less pain and swelling and greater mobility.

• Increased calorie burn - BMR (basal metabolic rate) is the amount of calories required for our bodies to function at rest on a daily basis. Muscle uses a lot more energy than fat at rest so the more muscle we have the more calories we burn. Increased muscle mass increases BMR which means more calories burnt.

• Strength training is cardio too - lifting weights makes the heart pump harder, this is cardio!

• Improved confidence and self esteem - strength training provides that toned look that many women are seeking. Make no mistake, it is heavy strength training (along with fat loss through diet) and not hours of cardio, that leads to a toned and shapely body.

And finally, strength training will not make women bulky. Large amounts of testosterone are required to build big bulky muscles and women simply do not have the necessary amount of testosterone needed. Any woman with a bulky physique has trained for a long time and very specifically to reach that goal.

Go on, give strength training a try, you might be surprised by the results!