Strength Training for Women: Unleash Your Power

Why Strength Training Is Essential for Every Woman’s Health

Did you know that nearly 70% of women avoid strength training altogether? This alarming statistic underscores a significant barrier that many women face when it comes to their health and fitness. Thankfully, the numbers are starting to shift in the right direction - make sure you’re among these new numbers!

Strength training, often misconceived as an activity only for bodybuilders or those looking to bulk up, is a crucial aspect of health that every modern human is in need of. Our ancestors would have been lugging around heavy objects simply to survive, we need to retrofit these activities onto life if we want to truly thrive.

Whether your goals include building muscle, regulating hormones, or simply improving your overall well-being so that you can be the best version of yourself, strength training holds transformative power. In this in-depth guide, we’ll explore the importance of strength training, dispel common bollocks…(ahem… I mean, ‘myths’), and offer actionable steps to enhance strength and resilience. Everything in here is exactly what we practice in the Mahal household - my wife, daughter, and mother-in-law are all engaged in strength training!

What Is Strength Training?

Strength training involves physical exercises that are designed to improve… strength!

But you can have amazing benefits for endurance, speed, range of motion, and a whole host of wider life benefits that we’ll dive into below.

Contrary to popular belief, it’s not just about lifting heavy weights in a gym. It can include bodyweight exercises, resistance bands, or even heading out and climbing some trees with the kids. Whether you’re doing deadlifts, push-ups, or having fun out in nature, the goal remains the same: to create some form of resistance that challenges your muscles.

It is this time-under-tension that cultivates muscle strength, which becomes increasingly important as we age, but is best cultivated right through life!

Strength training has been a major component of my wife being able to move freely over long distances (that she was previously told she had to avoid… more of those ‘myths’), my daughter building some serious resilience, self-belief, and determination, and also in my mother-in-law’s rehab routine after a spell in hospital.

The Numerous Benefits of Strength Training

Increasing Muscle Mass

One primary reason women should engage in strength training is the significant muscle-building benefits. Our lean muscle mass is one of the best predictors of longevity and health span. Scientists often use grip strength to assess life outcomes in older generations. Guess how you build grip strength… lifting heavy stuff!

All three of the women in my household have been able to gain significant amounts of muscle through a few bouts of lifting per week.

Reducing Visceral and Intramuscular Fat Tissues

Research is increasingly showing that strength training can help reduce visceral fat—fat that resides deep in the abdomen and surrounds vital organs. This fat type is associated with various metabolic diseases and poses significant health risks. By engaging in consistent resistance training, women can effectively reduce both visceral fat and intramuscular fat tissues (think Wagyu steak), leading to a healthier body composition, less inflammation, and less chance of… death… well, that’s good!

Improved Bone Density

Another compelling reason to engage in strength training is its significant impact on bone density. As women age, particularly post-menopause, the risk of osteoporosis increases in tandem with declining levels of oestrogen. Strength training has been shown to help increase bone mineral density, thus protecting against bone loss. For those reading this, consider looking at your personal family health history—this may motivate you to start a strength training programme sooner!

Enhanced Mental Health

The benefits of strength training go beyond physical well-being. Engaging in resistance exercises can enhance mental health by reducing anxiety and depression symptoms. When you stimulate muscle tissues through lifting, they release myokines, sometimes known as ‘hope molecules’ because they have a profoundly beneficial effect on the brain as well as other bodily tissues. The women in my household are genuinely more optimistic, resourceful, and resilient when lifting regularly.

Hormonal Benefits

Strength training stimulates the production of various hormones, including the production of testosterone and growth hormone, which are vital for muscle strength and recovery but also for the growth and repair of other organs. Additionally, it aids in improved insulin sensitivity, which is crucial for preventing metabolic diseases such as diabetes. There are also more nuanced benefits such as lower inflammatory loads better allowing hormonal signalling, and a better ratio of subcutaneous fat to visceral fat facilitating better conversion of testosterone to the stronger oestrogen, estradiol, rather than the weaker estrone.

Protection Against Metabolic Diseases

Incorporating strength training into your regular routine can significantly decrease the risks of developing chronic diseases. Regularly engaging in resistance training is linked to better outcomes in controlling blood sugar levels, lowering blood triglycerides, and reducing hypertension.

Why Many Women Aren’t Strength Training

Despite the well-documented benefits, many women shy away from strength training. There are common misconceptions that need to be addressed:

Gender-Based Norms:

Our fitness industry has a lot to answer for! The repeated norm of strength training being more masculine while cardio or ‘toning’ being marketed to women is one of the most unhelpful bits of messaging that it has come up with.

Fear of Bulking Up:

Many women believe that lifting weights will lead to a bulky physique. In reality, due to hormonal differences, women generally do not have the capacity to bulk up the same way men do… and let’s face it, many men spend years trying to bulk up and don’t. If you don’t want to get bulky, you won’t! In fact, strength training is the thing that is most likely to help sculpt an ideal physique (not hours of running).

Unfamiliarity with Techniques:

Many women feel intimidated by gym environments or lack knowledge about how to properly execute strength training exercises without injury. This is where working with a coach can be hugely beneficial.

Time Constraints:

The modern woman's life is busy. The time pressure for women, in the UK, is generally greater than for men. My message here goes to the men: sort yourself out and pull your weight… then the women in your life can go lift some weight!

Getting the Most Out of Strength Training

Consistency is Key

Staying consistent with your strength training can maximise results. Aim to establish a regular routine that feels like fun and works for your schedule. My clients find incredible results when starting with just two 30-minute sessions per week.

Prioritise Protein Intake

Incorporating high-quality animal-based protein into your diet is crucial for muscle recovery and growth. How much? Just start by getting more, once you’ve nailed that, add some more again!

Consider Creatine

Taking creatine can enhance performance during strength training sessions, but it’s also great for brain health, lowering inflammation, hydrating joints, and more. In my opinion, every woman should be taking creatine (unless you have specific kidney conditions).

Tune In: Listen to Your Body

Listening to your body is essential in avoiding injury and ensuring effective training. Pay attention to how your body feels during and after workouts to adjust intensity and frequency as needed. Feelings are feedback!

Find a Community

Connecting with a community of like-minded individuals can bolster motivation and provide essential support. This might be a local gym, Movnat Classes or a Health and Wellness Community like The TRIBE.

Get a Coach

Getting a coach can significantly improve your strength training experience. They can provide tailored workouts, accountability, and guidance on proper technique, ensuring safe and effective training sessions.

Where Do We Go from Here?

Strength training is not merely about lifting weights—it’s an open door to stronger, healthier living that encompasses resilience, confidence, and well-being. Don’t let fear or misconceptions hold you back; rather, let them spark your curiosity and a journey toward empowerment. 

If you need help getting started with strength training or would like to know how to combine it with nutrition and a wider supportive lifestyle, book a FREE call today. Together, we’ll empower you to achieve a robust and resilient body and mind, for life!