Strength Training
In the past, strength training was viewed as something that only men participate in. You've probably seen pictures or video clips of men standing around a bench press yelling and screaming with sweat pouring out of their skin trying to lift a little more weight than the guys next to them.
Those days are over. Men and women alike are getting involved with strength training due to the incredible benefits it provides. In fact, according to a study in 2001 by American Sports Data, Inc., women accounted for 45% of all those who strength train using free weights. This number is up from 30% in 1987.
So, whether you want to build muscle or just want to tone up, strength training plays a vital role.
Strength training plays host to many great changes in the body. The most obvious is the increase in muscle strength and, if enough effort is applied, muscle size. Some of the not-so-obvious results include increased bone density, improved tendon and ligament strength, improved joint function, increased muscular endurance, and many more.
I want to mention something that is often a fear for women who are contemplating starting a strength training program. That is the fear of developing big, bulky muscles. Building muscle is not easy. It is especially difficult for women because they are lacking in an essential muscle-building hormone called testosterone. Women should look toward strength training for another very important reason...increasing bone density. Osteoporosis is a real issue. Eighty percent of those who get osteoporosis are women. One in two women will have an osteoporosis-related fracture at some point in her life. Strength training is a way you can help prevent this disease that is quickly becoming a major public health threat.
Fitness Fact: Women account for 45% of all those who strength train using free weights.
