Why is it important for women to use weights? A lot of women have the misconception that strength training will cause them to bulk up and look masculine. On the contrary, it is physically impossible for women to pack on as much muscle bulk as men. Women simply do not have the same body structure or the same amount of testosterone required to bulk up. So rest assured, you will never look like a Mr. Universe contestant. At least, not by weight training alone!

Women should incorporate weight lifting workouts alongside their usual cardiovascular activity to strengthen muscles. It is important to strengthen your tendons and ligaments in order to prevent injury. Besides that, it also helps increase bone density. This is especially crucial for older women to prevent risk of osteoporosis.

Another important reason to train with weights is to increase your resting metabolism. Most women assume that the best way to burn fat and lose weight is by doing cardiovascular exercises like running and swimming. While those activities are essential, overdoing it can actually lower metabolism. Alternating these activities with strength training will break up your routine and keep your body from getting used to one particular exercise. Weight training will also create bigger muscles which require more energy to sustain itself. Hence, your body will consume more calories even when you’re not moving.

Free weights exercises are a great way to start strength training. All gyms will have a wide array of free weights available to use. If you have a desk job which sees you continually hunched over your desk, it is especially important to strengthen your rhomboids. The rhomboids are the muscles on your back that keeps your shoulder blades back. Single arm rows will do the trick. With weight training, just remember not to use the same light weights over and over again. Slowly increase the weight that you use to continuously push your body and build more strength.