Think back to the olden times when people lived a simplistic life. This life consisted of people doing their own chores and moving through life by themselves. These were the times when women had to do all the housework. This included many things like carrying huge pots of water from one place to the other, working in fields, and many other things that involved lifting heavy items. So you see, since the beginning, women have always been strength training but our current world is full of stereotypes that prevent girls or women from lifting weights.
Myths about Weight Lifting
The terrible fear of looking like a man keeps women away from strength training. However, the important thing is that strength training is an essential part of getting a toned body and women are missing out on that. Experts have proven that women cannot actually bulk up like men do just with weightlifting and this is due to the fact that women have less testosterone in their body. Typically females have 10% of the testosterone that males have. For a lady to be very bulky, she would have to be given a diet with excessive calories and a very intense workout routine. There is nothing wrong with being bulky, but for the women who are afraid of looking manly… DON’T!! There is nothing to be scared or embarrassed about. Your body is incapable of looking like a man unless it has been given a diet and routine designed to do exactly that.
Advantages of Weight Lifting for Women
Weight lifting strengthens our muscles and increases bone density. It also releases endorphins which help you improve your mood, prevent back pain, fight depression, and make a woman look aesthetically good. Strength training also helps correct bad posture (especially in women after childbirth) and strengthens their core. Strength training, in general, helps prevent many diseases, especially osteoporosis. Osteoporosis is a type of disease that makes your bones fragile and more likely to break. Having strong muscles through weight lifting helps maintain balance and coordination in your body; hence preventing injuries that lead to osteoporosis. A balance of weight lifting routine, a balanced diet and recovery can help keep osteoporosis at bay. Weight lifting is a new challenge and just like any other skill, once you have a habit of doing it regularly, it makes you feel good about yourself. Getting stronger and achieving a goal is a very empowering feeling and a great boost of self-confidence.
In conclusion, a female’s body cannot look like a man’s unless she wants it to. With that being said, we women need a push from fellow females to start training. As it in no way harms you but will make you leaner and develop muscle mass. There are so many advantages of weight lifting, and the fact that society has encouraged this misogynistic myth is truly saddening. At the end of the day, you get to decide what your body looks like, don’t let myths get in the way of that. Let’s get stronger together!!
Author: Amrata Bhatt
References:
https://www.issaonline.com/blog/index.cfm/2019/for-women-weight-lifting-is-essential-heres-why
https://urlife.co.in/blog/articles/body/why-women-are-scared-to-lift-weights
