Give me Strength!!

A strong woman is a woman determined to do something others are determined not be done.

Marge Piercy

A few weeks ago, I wrote about how good it was to get back to the gym after what I hope is the final lockdown! Since then, I’ve been casting my beady eyes around and whilst it’s a bit of a cliché, I’ve been surprised to see so few women doing any strength training. One of the girls I worked with decided to leave the profession and throw herself into becoming a gym instructor, I was very fortunate at the time to be her guineapig and one of the things she drummed into me was the importance of strength training for women. A lot of what she spoke about made perfect sense and has stuck with me over the years so, let me try and pass on her pearls of wisdom.

What is Strength Training?

Strength training (sometimes referred to as resistance training or weight training) is any type of exercise which uses resistance in order to work your body. When trainers talk about resistance, this can be your own bodyweight, or you can add resistance through resistance bands or weights. One of the best things about strength training is that you don’t need to go to a gym to do it, or invest in any specialist equipment.

Squats, lunges, press ups, tricep dips and abdominal exercises such as the plank, (which I HATE!!) are great for building strength. You need no equipment at all and can do them in your living room on a mat if you like!

Will it Make Me Bulk Up?

A lot of women I speak to at the gym are worried that if they do strength training, they’ll look like a body builder. Trust me, it takes a LOT of work (and a very specific nutritional programme) to look like Iris Kyle! Those individuals spend an enormous amount of time and effort to condition their bodies to look that way.

You train for the results you want, and if you want to build visible muscle, that is of course an option. However, most of my gym buddies just simply want to “tone up” and become more functionally fit and this is where strength training really comes to the fore!

Is it really necessary for women to build strength?

Let’s face it, life is so much easier when you’re a bit stronger. When trainers talk about being “functionally fit”, what they’re talking about is being fit for life. Personally, If I need to lift something heavy, I don’t want to be relying on some burly bloke who just happens to be walking by! It is important to have a strong back and core to prevent pain and injury. Any of you mums out there that have ever had to carry a tired, screaming 3-year-old home from the park will know how sometimes you feel you need the strength of Wonder Woman to be a mum, not to mention the patience of Mother Theresa!

As we age, our muscle mass naturally declines and our body fat levels increase. In fact, and I know it’s depressing, this process starts in our 30s and is accelerated as we enter the menopause, because of the hormonal changes that take place.

This means that whilst your weight may stay the same, you could have a very different body composition in your 20s versus your 50s. Studies have suggested that strength training can help reduce and even prevent this process of muscle loss, which is amazing and one ot the main reasons I keep Strength Training in my gym routine!

When should you start Strength Training?

To be honest at this point I would certainly defer to a qualified Personal Trainer, not only will they be able to tell you what to do but also when and how to get started to suit your own body, honestly, having used a personal trainer many times, it’s well worth the money!

If you’ve looked at my blog for any length of time, you’ll know I enjoy lots of different exercise so, I don’t just do Strength Training. Over the years I’ve built it up to two or three sessions a week which may sound a lot if you’ve not done anything for a while however, I shoot for half an hour but sometimes, if I’ve done a class and I just want to add in a little strength training I do maybe fifteen to twenty minutes, but again, I’ve built up to this so I kind of know just what is going to give the maximum impact in a short amount of time.

Is it Safe?

I’m far from an expert but what I would say is pretty much anyone can add a little Strength Training into their exercise regime however, if you’re in any doubt, please, seek advice from an expert such as a qualified Personal Trainer. Equally if you have any pre-existing medical conditions, injuries or if you’re pregnant or immediately post-natal, then make an appointment with your GP before you jump in. Strength training is great and can reap enormous benefits, but only if done correctly and safely.

I hope that’s helpful and I hope it’s given you the motivation to give it a go, even if it’s just a few squats or press ups at home!

What’s on this week?