Cardiovascular training or ‘cardio’ has been used by women for years, its been marketed as the most efficient way to burn fat… and so, that’s what many women did. Walk in to any gym and you’ll find women in the cardio area.

But let’s not knock cardio, it’s important for our overall health. It’s just not the only thing women can do.

Although in recent years its amazing to see this shift from women on cardio machines to women in the weight training area. It’s a beautiful thing.

Ivy Russell….

Strength Training is Queen for women, the benefits are huge:

Improved Muscle function (growth, strength, power, recovery and endurance)

Increased bone density (Bone density decreases as we age and hitting menopause)

Increased metabolism and increased insulin sensitivity

Reduced rate of injury and reduced lower back pain

Slows age related declines in strength, bone loss, movement.

Strength training shapes your body, helps with weight management and makes you feel like a bad ass women.

Women fear lifting weights, they fear looking bulky or looking like a man.

Yes, women can grow muscles but its easier for a guy to get bulky than it is a woman. Ladies, you got to work your ass off to get bulky and the nutrition needs to be on point.

Female athletes and body builders are these women because they work hard and that is their personal goals, (ladies, I salute you, I’m in ore of your dedication and hard work) not us average Jane Doe, we can workout 3-4 times a week build some muscles and still look feminine. Often referred to as ‘tone’ also known as being lightly muscled.

Strength training is what helps you achieve this and its never too late to start. I’ve got ladies in their 60s kicking ass with deadlifts and having ‘I can’t believe I did that’ moments. Talk about empowering!

Where to start?

You can join a gym or hire a personal trainer, but you could also do a workout in your lounge.

Bodyweight workouts are a great place to begin. Learn the techniques with your own weight before grabbing those weights. Practice the movement patterns needed, get them squats lowers and push ups stronger.

Sometimes we think we need to be ‘fitter’ before attempting something new or to even get started!

But do you think someone who does single arm push ups started with that first? Hell no, that’s years of hard work.

Yes our squats may not be amazing to start but in a month they will look different, we may struggle to do 6 lunges but with practice those 6 become 12 easy lunges in no time.

Strength training forces your body to adapt to the new challenge you are giving it… and it loves a challenge.

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