You are probably well aware of the benefits of strength training, but – like many, especially women – you suffer from gymtimidation, too scared to approach the weights section alone. But, I encourage you to dive and feel unsure for for a first few months and you will never look back.
Weightlifting will honestly changed your life in so many ways; it will boost your confidence, change your body and feel 10 times better leaving than when you arrived. These are the five main lessons you need to learn about taught me…
1. Building muscle transformed my physique
If going to the gym means 45 minutes on the exercise bike or treadmill which, not only being incredibly boring and put you off the gym for a good while, but it will do nothing for your physique. That’s not to shun cardio. Cardio is very important, but weight training changes your body composition through building muscle, and can help you lose weight, as it burns more calories at rest.
It’s only when you start to resistance train and build muscle that your physique will change too. You become leaner and the more muscle you gain, the more defined your body will look. Women particularly, get worried about becoming ‘bulky’ from lifting weights, but this isn’t true (you don’t have the correct level of hormones for a start). It’s the best form of training if you desire that ‘toned’ look, which is simply building muscle, just no one likes saying that.
2. Mobility will improve your lifts
There’s many a times who make a beeline for the squat rack with super tight hips having sat at a desk all day, then get all sad wondering why they couldn’t get into a good squat position. You don’t have to spend ages doing this, but five to 10 minutes, even daily, will help you move so much more efficiently, during and outside of training.
3. It builds resilience and discipline
Getting strong and building muscle is a bit like the tortoise from the famous fable, it takes time, patience and perseverance. It’s not an overnight success, and everyone has to start somewhere, usually at the bottom.
You may start by lifting 2.5 kilogram weights on either side of the barbell and feeling very embarrassed as the guy next to you benches more than your bodyweight. But, over time this will gradually build up to two five-kilo plates, then two 10’s and so on. There will be good sessions and bad ones, but staying consistent and not letting those bad days get the better of you builds resilience, which can help you through other challenges. It’s also a great way to show you that you can achieve something you never thought you could.
4. You can do cardio and still get strong
Lots of people will tell you that ‘cardio kills gains’ and I sued to think so too, but it’s not true. In fact, a systemic review in Sports Medicine, which looked at 43 studies, concluded that “concurrent aerobic and strength training does not compromise muscle hypertrophy and maximal strength development” when performed at least 3 hours apart.
I try and do a five-kilometre run twice per week, one long slow distance and the other in intervals, and my strength hasn’t stalled at all. In fact, I always have a more successful squat and deadlift sessions when I’ve done a run, and my recovery time improves massively. To do both, you’re best to keep your cardio and strength days separate and to just be mindful that you’re re-fuelling accordingly.
5. Recovery is where the magic happens
When you lift weights, and especially when you start noticing changes in your body, it can become almost addictive to want to keep pushing yourself further and further, but this can actually hinder your progress. I fell victim to this, and at one point was (trying) to lift heavy weights four days a week, yet getting frustrated that I was tired all the time and wasn’t seeing any progress. But when I reduced this to two top three days my performance instantly improved, which led to better results.
While you provide the stimulus for muscle growth in the gym – by lifting heavy weights and causing micro tears in your muscle fibres – it’s outside the gym while you’re resting that your muscles repair themselves and grow back bigger and stronger. This also includes re-fuelling with the right foods, such as eating enough protein for muscle repair, essential fatty acids for cells health and anti-inflammatory and carbs for energy.