GRIPAD ® Blog

We know that increasing and maintaining adequate muscle mass is one of the best ways to keep body fat at bay and to improve overall fitness, particularly as we age. We also know that weight lifting is the best way to build muscle mass. Still, the number of women who actually participate in any formal or consistent weight training workout is still extremely low. Most women who exercise are spending most of their gym time on cardiovascular exercise. Whatever your reasons for avoiding the weights, if you are a woman, here are five good reasons for taking strength training seriously.

1. You will be physically stronger.
   Increasing your strength will make you far less dependent upon others for assistance in daily living. If your maximum strength is increased, daily tasks and routine exercise will be far less likely to cause injury. Research shows that women can develop their strength at the same rate as men.
2. You will lose body fat.
   As your lean muscle increases, so does your resting metabolism, and you burn more calories all day long. Generally speaking, for each pound of muscle you gain, you burn 35 to 50 more calories each day. That can really add up.
3. You will gain strength without bulk.
   Researchers also found that 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 muscle hypertrophy. You will, however, develop muscle tone and definition. This is a bonus.
4. You will reduce your risk of injury, back pain and arthritis.
   Strength training not only builds stronger muscles, but also builds stronger connective tissues and increases joint stability. This acts as reinforcement for the joints and helps prevent injury.
5. It is never too late to benefit.
   Women in their 70s and 80s have built up significant strength through weight training and studies show that strength improvements are possible at any age.