by Trent Lorcher

Created on: April 29, 2008   Last Updated: January 17, 2009

Strength training benefits athletes of all shapes and sizes. In the past, strength training was considered appropriate only for men, not anymore. Women, too, can benefit from strength training. 20-minutes, three days per week will produce amazing results.

LOSE FAT

Women cite weight loss as the #1 reason for exercising; they resist, however, the activity that will best help them

accomplish this goal. For many years, it was believed strength training would increase bulkiness in women. This is simply not true. In fact, the lean muscle created through resistance and strength-training speeds up metabolism, leading to a decrease in body fat and an increase in leanness.

PREVENT WEIGHT GAIN

My mother taught me the precious wisdom, "an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure." I was delighted I could repay her with a fat gain prevention program. By counseling her to engage in a strength-training program three times per week, she has avoided muscle loss, fat gain, and a bevy of other illnesses associated with a sedentary lifestyle.

INCREASE METABOLISM

One reason strength-training promotes weight loss is the resultant increase in metabolic resting rate. Simply put, an increase in muscle mass increases the caloric burn while resting, so long after the workout has ended, the body is still shredding fat. This starkly contrasts the old "cardio and starve" routine that women followed in decades past. Excessive cardio led to burnout, and starving oneself lowered metabolic resting rate. I've trained women, who for years followed the "cardio and starvation" training technique with negligible results, only to see unwanted fat dissolve after less than a month of strength-training.

INCREASE QUALITY OF LIFE

Strength training, when done properly, creates strong ligaments and tendons, which support joints and decreases the probability of injuries. Good physical habits become good mental habits. In addition to physical health, mental health improves.

INCREASE PERFORMANCE

Women who in the past engaged in athletic competition will see dramatic improvement as they incorporate weight-training into their workout. Dramatic increases in speed, endurance, agility, and stamina are some of the many beneficial byproducts of strength-training.

INCREASE CONFIDENCE

The most rewarding aspect of personal training is not observing physical changes, but observing emotional changes. No longer viewing themselves as weak and flimsy, women who engage in some type of strength training watch their confidence grow along with their muscles. Tasks previously assigned to father or husband are now done with ease and vigor by women.

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