Guest guest Posted June 24, 2006 Report Posted June 24, 2006 Girl Power! Fitness : Fitness Articles Time and time again, the proof is in the pudding: women who regularly work out with weights not only look great but more importantly they feel great! Many women are concerned about lifting weights for fear of becoming some muscle-bound behemoth! Well don't fret ladies, women don't have enough testosterone to become a regular on American Gladiator... that is unless they really want it and work very hard at it! According to Ideafit... women who include resistance training to their regular workout routine can experience the following benefits. HEY GUYS... don't feel left out... all of these benefits also apply to you! Shed more fat than is gained in muscle. Numerous studies involving weight lifting women have failed to document complaints about bulking up. Research shows that the average woman who strength trains two to three times a week for eight weeks gains 1.75 pounds of lean weight or muscle and loses 3.5 pounds of fat. Unlike men, women typically don't gain size from strength training, because compared to men, women have 10 to 30 times less of the hormones that cause bulking up, say experts. Added muscle can help fight obesity. Muscle gained from strength training helps raise your resting metabolism, which means you can use up more calories throughout the day. For each pound of muscle gained, expect to burn 35 to 50 extra calories daily. Thus, if you gain three pounds of muscle and burn 40 extra calories for each pound, you'll burn 120 more calories per day, or approximately 3,600 more calories per month. That's 10 to 12 pounds in one year! Girl power. Moderate weight training can increase a woman's strength by 30 to 50 percent. This increased strength can make regular daily activities, such as lifting children, grocery bags and barbells easier. Pound for pound, women can develop their strength at the same rate as men. The bones will thank you Face it: After graduating from high school, you had all the bone mineral density you'll ever have-unless you strength train, say experts. Weight training places stress on bones encouraging them to become stronger. Regular weight training can increase bone mineral density by 13 percent in six months... a great defense against osteoporosis. Pass on diabetes. Diabetes is a growing health problem. But it doesn't have to be. Weight training can increase glucose utilization in the body by 23 percent in four months. Fighting heart disease. Lifting weights can improve your cholesterol profile and blood pressure, say experts-provided it also includes cardiovascular exercise and flexibility training. Conquer back pain and arthritis. A recent study showed that building low-back muscles had an 80 percent success rate in eliminating or alleviating low-back pain. Other studies indicate that weight training can ease arthritis pain and strengthen joints. Kick ass on the links. Do you dream about a foursome with Tiger Woods, The Shark and Baugh? Well, if it involves golf, regular weight lifting can increase driving power-always important in the company of predators. Working out with Ann and Esther . Women in their 70s and 80s can improve their strength with light weights. If you're new to weight training... you should always start out slow and take it easy and it's not a bad idea to work with a trained professional. Give Sylvia Plath the old heave ho. A Harvard study found that 10 weeks of strength training reduced clinical depression symptoms more successfully than standard counseling, say experts. In addition, many women reported feeling more confident and capable about themselves. Source: Ideafit.com Quote
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