There is a common gym myth among the general public that men use heavy weights while women lift light. Should we color code the weights at the gym? Should all dumbbells 10 pounds and under be pink for women only; and 15 pounds and up colored blue for men? I understand that women don’t want to look too big or masculine, and want to maintain that beautiful feminine and curvy physique. But don’t worry ladies; picking up a heavier weight and lifting it for a challenging 8-10 repetitions (reps) will not send you into the realm of bulky masculinity. Women’s natural testosterone levels aren’t high enough for that, and your probably not eating six thousand calories worth of food daily either.
I have heard this a lot when my female clients first come to me to train. “I don’t want to get all big and muscular like a man or bodybuilder. I just want to tone up and lose some weight,” or “I want to keep all my curves and not look muscular, and lose a little weight.” And I tell them all that: In order for you to have shape (curves) and definition (tone), you must first cause your muscles to grow and take form. You accomplish this by lifting a challenging weight for your body; which breaks down your muscle fibers, and cause them to grow back strong and shapely.
If 10 pounds is heavy for you at the beginning, that’s fine. But you need to be struggling (challenged) by the end of your set on the last two to three repetitions (reps). This is what pushes your body to grow and take on form (curves). Again, a woman’s curves (form) will take on a different shape than a man’s due to our natural differences in body composition, bone structure and hormone levels. So men thank the lord for testosterone and women thank god for estrogen!
A 10 pound weight might be heavy for women on an exercise like lateral shoulder raises (see video) http://youtu.be/kDqklk1ZESo ) or bicep curls http://youtu.be/TVflFTempWA as these are exercises that usually don’t allow for big weights; but for most women a pair of 10 pound weights will be too easy for a 10 rep set of moves like shoulder press, chest press, dumbbell rows, squats and lunges.
So once you overcome the myth and fear of getting to big and bulky, lifting heavier will help you achieve a goal that will please many woman (and men as well): the goal of increased fat burning! For every 1 pound of lean muscle that you build, your body burns and extra 50 calories! Therefore your body becomes more efficient at burning fat, losing weight and “getting toned!
Women have to fight for every ounce of muscle they’re able to put on their frames. Which means you must pick up a dumbbell heavier than your beautiful Channel purse! When you train properly with weights you break down more muscle fibers. Those fibers need nutrients and energy to rebuild. Therefore you increase your bodies overall metabolism for up to 24-48 hours. Moreover, you turn your body into a fat burning furnace fire! The more muscle you have, the higher your metabolism will be because muscle is active tissue that needs fuel (calories), unlike body fat, which requires very little calories to maintain once it’s on your body.
TONE UP: Ok so lifting in the 8-12 rep range is ideal for building muscle (men I’d suggest 6-8). So if your currently doing 15 to 20 reps per set, then walk over and introduce yourself to some heavier weight. For starters, pick one or two exercises per muscle group and limit yourself to no more than 12 reps per set. If the 11thand 12th reps aren’t challenging then increase the weight.Remember, gradual gains add up so there is no rush on increasing the weight. Gradually increase the weight and monitor how your body responds. “Team Lets Get It!”
Questions:
*Do you fear getting to bulky or muscular?
*What weight and rep range are you currently using & why?
*What tips or techniques have you found that work well for your body?
