I have been lifting weights since my teens. Strength training has played a different role in my various sports, but it has always been a component of my sporting life. I am the first to admit that I didn't always understand the need or the value of strength training in my younger years. Sometimes I did it because I was told do it. It was part of the program. As I grew older and wiser, I learned the value of strength training and all the benefits it offers and not just for sports but for your overall health.
Weight training builds bone density, burns more calories than fat, builds strong connective tissues and joint stability, improves athletic performance, improves cardiovascular health, may reduce diabetes and heart disease by reducing bad cholesterol and raising good cholesterol. These benefits are even more beneficial when combined with cardiovascular training.
So why do so few people hit the weight room - especially women? I don't want to get bulky, I don't want to look like a man, I don't know how to lift weights, it's intimidating, it is to hard, I feel dumb, I look stupid, too many men in there. These are excuses in order to justify your insecurity. Get over it. Get over yourself and accept the challenge.
No one wants to be 'skinny' fat. What is skinny fat? Thin but jiggly, you may look good in clothes, but not so good when naked. Just because you are thin doesn't mean you are healthy. Women do not have enough testosterone to build huge amounts of mass, like men, without the use of steroids or other illegal substances. In addition, the amount of calories which must be consumed in order to build and sustain such mass is extreme. The freakish female bodybuilders that look like men are taking something - period. So you, as an average female, need to shed that fear of 'looking like a man'. It's not going to happen. Women are not genetically built to build mass like a man.
Weight training can be fun when done properly. It doesn't just have to be pushing and pulling the iron around. There are a wide variety of workouts that can be done which incorporate compound movements which you are already familiar with. Not all strength training has to be with weights. Using your own body creates it's own resistance such as push ups, pull-ups, jump squats, planks, etc. Strength training develops noticeable changes in your physique including nicely toned arms, hamstrings, quads, shoulders and abs. Your clothes will fit differently in a good way.
The scale may creep up a few pounds but you will not mind when you see the fat disappear and muscle take it's place. Muscle and fat weigh the same - 5 lbs. is 5 lbs. It's how muscle versus fat appear on your body that are different! No more saggy triceps, flabby butts or cottage cheese legs. It is possible. It takes time and patience. You need to be dedicated and disciplined. You didn't gain the fat overnight so it won't go away overnight.
Don't be afraid of lifting heavy weights. Don't be afraid of using free weights. Don't be afraid to ask for help or guidance. Step out of your comfort zone. Get a solid program. Learn proper form. Invest in yourself. If you treat it half-ass, then you will get half-ass results.
Strength training is important. It provides many benefits and should be as much a part of your training program as cardiovascular training. The jiggle will not go away by doing hours of elliptical or treadmill training. You need to build muscle. You build muscle with weights and other forms of strength training. Be smart about it and if you are a newbie, spend the time and money to learn how to lift with proper form and what exercises will benefit you and your goals.
It's important to learn how to lift properly with correct form to prevent injury. It is important to understand what muscle or muscle groups each exercise is working. It is important to understand how to work all of your muscle groups to aid in symmetry and balance. There will be muscle groups you will have a lack of desire to work but it is necessary in order to create a well balanced physique and prevent injuries.
Don't be afraid of muscle. It will make you strong. It will make you toned. The more muscle you have, the more you can eat - eventually! Muscle is your friend but you have to develop that friendship and it begins in the weight room. So crossover to the dark side and see what's lurking over there. You may just find exactly what you've been looking for.
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