THE BENEFITS OF WEIGHT TRAINING FOR WOMEN

There are so many amazing benefits of weight training and if you take a read below I'm sure you'll agree that starting to add it into your routine or continuing to weight train is a no brainer!

Improved Strength

Weight lifting is key for strengthening your muscles, which as we go through life gets more and more important for helping us to complete daily tasks. Increased strength leads to decreased fatigue/increase energy levels and with this you'll be able to achieve more each day. Improving your muscle mass and strength also increases bodily function and overall wellbeing!

Lower Body Fat

The more lean muscle you build the more your resting metabolism will increase. This will lead to increased calories being burnt throughout the day and will therefore increase the amount of fat you are burning off! So by adding weight training into your routine you will actually help fat loss as well as "tone up"/build muscle.

Decreased chance of injury

Strength training not only builds stronger muscles, but also strengthens connective tissues and increases joint stability. This acts as reinforcement for the joints and helps prevent injury. On top of this improving your core strength will reduce the risk of back injury/achey lower back and improving your quad (thigh) strength with help to prevent knee injury and pain.

Better mood and increased confidence

Particularly as women we can experience highs and lows in our mood and body confidence due to our hormones (at different times of our menstrual cycle or going through menopause), plus the majority of women have or experience at some points in their life general low body confidence. Weight training (and exercise in general) decreases low mood and depression because it boosts your levels of serotonin, also known as the happy hormone.

Adding regular exercise to your week can really help lift your mood, plus when you start smashing new personal bests and feeling/looking stronger your body confidence AND overall confidence will begin to improve too!

How often should I do this?

I would recommend at least 2 times per week working all major muscle groups in order to notice a difference within a few months (think long term though) if you complete this consistently.

How many reps should I complete for each exercise and how much weight?

For building lean muscle (toning up) I would recommend completing 8-10 reps for 3 sets per exercise with a short rest period in between sets. You want the weights to feel challenging towards the end of each set and this will help you to know if you have selected the right weight. This is a great place to start however it is important to apply progressive overload to your training as time goes on to ensure you continue gaining strength and getting results- email me and let me know if you would like to hear more on progressive overload in my next email!

How to get started?

You can incorporate weight training from the comfort of your own home if you have some equipment e.g- dumbbells, head to a gym, go to a class or come and train 1 to 1 with me in my garden... there are multiple ways to do it! If you're unsure where to begin feel free to email me to find out more about my training packages that include Personal Training, Online Coaching or join my online workouts group for just £15 per month with new workouts every week! The most important advice I can give you is to JUST START and don't be afraid to ask for help from a fitness professional.

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I hope you have found this post useful and if you have any questions feel free to get in touch! Rosie x