Ladies, when it comes to lifting, those neoprene dumbbells aren’t doing anything for the flabby part of your arms, they aren’t toning your chest, and they certainly aren’t giving you any definition in your shoulders. These lighter weights do have some great uses for physical therapy and smaller muscles such as your rotator cuffs or forearms… not for doing a bench press.
The sad truth is that holding a weight that weighs less than that Mountain Dew you just guzzled earlier, and you expect it to make you look like this:
So now that I’ve got your mind thinking, let’s move onto some of the reasons you should seriously start lifting heavy.
5 Scientific Reasons Proving Women NEED To Lift Heavy
It “Tones” Your Body
While I talk a lot about getting toned, the overall look of your body will become “more toned.”
What really happens when you tone up is that you are building muscle and subsequently losing fat. Your muscles look more defined because there is not as much fatty tissue covering your lean mass.
When you lift heavy, your body produces hormones to elicit muscle growth. That muscle growth turns into burning calories, properly digesting food, and improving your overall quality of life.
You Get Stronger
This goes without saying: the more you lift, the stronger you get.
Let’s face it, most women don’t care how much they bench, how much they can press over their head, or if they can do pull ups. This is their thought process when someone says “get stronger.”
When I talk about getting stronger, I’m talking about being able to help someone up if they fall, being able to move furniture by yourself, or even lifting a couple cases of water. Too many people cannot do simple things around the house without help… and it’s not good.
Better Body Structure
Another non-flattering reason, your body structure will improve. This means your posture and the way that your body uses its muscles will all become more efficient and aesthetic.
Being able to lift heavy will allow your body to turn from the frumpy semi-hunched over mess that some of you may be, and turn you into a well-functioning sex symbol. No more knee and hip pain, bad posture, and other negative body signals you may be putting out.
You’ll Burn More Calories
Being more athletic has more advantages than meets the eyes.
Having more lean muscle than the average person means it takes more calories to maintain your weight. This means you can eat more healthy food and have control over how much body fat you store. Before you think “I don’t want to build a lot of muscle” you really need to remember that while a female’s hormonal response is the same as a male when it comes to lifting, your bodies are not made to be “extremely muscular.”
Naturally Improves Mood and Stress Levels
Breaking a personal record, getting psyched up, and being able to unleash all hell upon the weights is great.
You can literally take your frustrations out on the iron, and it gives back… tenfold. Seriously, your body will naturally produce hormones that make you feel high. These endorphins help you relax and enjoy some heightened focus and sleep.
Conclusion
Women are strong, so why would they use baby weights? Seriously, don’t be “that girl” in the gym that lifts 2lb dumbbells and then hashtags #fitspo #strongwoman… you’re just embarrassing yourself.
Spend some time in the gym and learn how to correctly do exercises, find a workout routine that works for you, and start busting your ass.
What is considered “heavy”? Over 15 lb? Does it have to be with barbells in a gym?
Heavy is relative to the person. Too often women “go through the motions” and never use enough weight to elicit the body’s positive response to lifting weights. I’m just trying to save someone time and get them on the path to the fitness levels you want.