Debunking Myths On Strength Training For Women

I'm sure you have heard at some stage in your life a myth about strength training for women. I'm here to debunk some of the common misconceptions.

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A topic that has brought controversy over the years is strength training for women. Unfortunately, many misconceptions are still floating around, especially on social media. Firstly, I want to start by saying strength training is so important for women and you should not fear it in any way!

I want to break down some common myths to help you feel empowered and confident when strength training:

Myth 1: Strength Training Makes You Bulky:

This is probably one of the biggest myths that women still worry about today. There is a huge misconception that muscle makes you look bulky, where in fact, muscle helps you achieve a toned and feminine physique. Women do not process the amount of testosterone that men do, and for this reason, women cannot naturally build the same amount of muscle size and density that men can. Building a decent amount of muscle takes years of consistent and intentional training, you don't just train a few times a week and end up looking like the Hulk. What tends to make someone's physique look bulky, is an excess of body fat on top of muscle. Muscle itself does not make you look bulky, it is what helps give the body shape and structure. Tailored programming is important to ensure you are training in a way that supports your goals and desired physique.

Myth 2: You Should Only Do Cardio If You Want To Lose Weight:

Cardio is amazing for your cardiovascular fitness (heart health) and it can be a fantastic tool to help aid in weight loss. However, nutrition is the biggest component in losing weight, and strength training is also hugely important. Lifting weights helps to increase your resting metabolism, meaning you'll burn more calories at rest, which is super helpful when wanting to lose weight. Good nutrition and strength training should build your foundation and cardio should be used mainly to improve cardiovascular health, and then aid in weight loss.

Myth 3: Women Need to Train Differently To Men:

The same strength training principles apply to everyone, regardless of your gender. Strength training has a variety of benefits that go far beyond the aesthetics, everyone should be lifting weights to build a strong and capable body. Typically, women tend to want to focus on certain muscle groups that may not be as high on the priority list to men and vice versa, e.g. many women want to focus on growing their glutes. But both men and women who want to grow their glutes would train the same movement patterns, there are no "female-specific" exercises, just "muscle-specific" exercises.

Myth 4: You Need to Train 5 Days a Week to See Results:

The best amount of days to train per week is the amount you can stick to. You can get amazing results training just 3 days a week, you will even see progress over time from just training twice a week if that is all you can manage. Training 5 days a week has been thrown around many times as a magic number, but the optimal amount of days to train each week depends on your personal goals, current fitness level and ability, and time availability.

Myth 5: Strength Training is Dangerous For Women:

Strength training helps to strengthen bones, improve your posture, prevent injuries, and improve your overall health. Any type of physical activity comes with risks, however, strength training is completely safe when performed correctly with proper form and technique. Ensure you work on mastering your form before increasing your weights, this will help ensure you progress at the right pace.

I hope this has helped bust some of the common myths out there about women and strength training and encourage you to lift weights. Try not to believe everything you read or see on the internet, and ensure you listen to reputable sources for advice. There is a lot of misconception thrown around, so always double-check your sources to ensure you are getting quality information.