Here it is nearing the end of 2007 and I still come across a lot of women trying to avoid strength training. In my opinion, strength training has got to be the most important facet of fitness for women to master. That’s right, the benefits of a good strength training program will outweigh diet, energy system work (cardio) and even flexibility training. Not to say that those all shouldn’t be looked at; they should. However, a good strength-training program will at least touch on the benefits of all of those areas as well.

I’m going to give you five solid reasons to look into adding strength training to your regimen. I can think of a bunch more than five, but here are some good starters.

1. You’ll gain muscle and lose fat. Ok, don’t give me any of that crap about getting “too bulky” or “manly”. You are not a man. You don’t have the testosterone to gain that muscle. Those women that you see in magazines that are huge and muscular? They work very, very hard to reach that very specific goal. Sometimes they have more testosterone than your average man through chemical means. Regardless, unless that’s your goal and you put some no joke effort into it, it’s not going to happen.

With a good strength-training program you’ll definitely gain some muscle, which is a good thing. Your clothes will fit better. You’ll be firmer. You’ll burn fat at an accelerated rate. What?

Yep, with elevated muscle mass comes an elevated resting metabolic rate. That muscle is an active tissue and requires energy to perform its functions. That energy has to come from somewhere, and it’s pretty much either going to be your diet or your stored fat.

2. Tissue remodeling and nutrient partitioning are both promoted more through weight training than cardiovascular exercise. The body responds best to harder stimulus rather than weaker. Which do you think is going to cause more muscular damage (a good thing), a hard full-body weight training session or an hour walk? The weight session, without question. In addition to stimulating muscle growth, the other result of weight training we’re looking for is the muscular micro tears resulting from it. These micro tears take a lot of energy to repair. That energy is going to come from your diet and stored body fat.

The nutrient partitioning is an important part of the equation as well. Once you eat food, the process is not done. The question is where does that food energy go? It can go towards bodily function (good), muscular energy and repair (good), muscle glycogen (good), and fat storage (probably not good). Quality strength training promotes the muscular repair as described above as well as depletes your muscles’ energy stores (glycogen). This will help push your food energy to be directed to these areas, contributing to your health and fat loss.

3. Strength training will make you stronger, more flexible, and more confident. I hate to see a relatively healthy woman looking like she’s struggling with a grocery bag or having a hard time getting a light weight box from a shelf. Is that how you want to live your life? I didn’t think so. I’m not asking you to be able to throw bags of concrete all day (although it’s cool as heck if you can). What I’m looking for is the strength to survive everyday life. Weight training will give you the strength and confidence to do just that.

Make him open that jar of pickles or take out the trash because you want him to, not because you can’t do it yourself.

4. There have been more studies now than you can shake a broken chicken bone at indicating that strength training helps prevent and treat bone mineral loss. This may not seem like an issue when you’re 20, but it’s never too early for women to start preventing osteoporosis. The risk of brittle bones is a very real one and strength training will help prevent it by stressing the bone. This stress causes the body to promote bone growth and this stronger, thicker bone will be far more resistant to fracture.

One of the big risks associated with osteoporosis is falling. In addition to the bone being weaker as women age they tend to lose coordination, strength, and balance. This makes falling more likely and with weakened bone it’s a real danger. Strength training helps keep osteoporosis at bay through stronger bones but also aids in coordination, strength, and balance. You’ll not only have a longer life, but a fuller, more enjoyable life doing whatever you want with confidence.

5. Strength training can promote an overall better sense of well-being. A good strength-training program has been shown to show some similar anti-depressant qualities to current medications. This alone makes adding some weight training to your program worth thinking about.

Also, regular strength training has been shown to help regulate sleep patterns. Individuals who have a hard time sleeping generally adjust their sleeping patterns positively when adding quality weight training to their daily life.

I could go on and on about the benefits of strength training but that should be enough to get you thinking about it. I know a lot of women are intimidated by the grunting and flexing part of the gym, but all strength training isn’t that way. Find an area where you feel comfortable to begin and get to it. As you progress you’ll feel more and more confident and soon enough you’ll wonder what all the fuss was about!

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Isaac Wilkins, M.Ed, CSCS, NSCA-CPT
Training athletes and driven individuals in Charleston, SC and beyond. Get strong, get fast, become the new you.