Should Women Lift Weights?

SHOULD WOMEN LIFT WEIGHTS?

So, What Do Women Want?

Well, if you’ve seen my 2019 seminar (click here to check it out), you’ll soon realise that the topic of body image, ideal body type and physique (especially in the case of women for some reason), can often lead to hurt feelings, denial, self-awareness, and (in some cases) heated debates.

 So, it’s essential, at this juncture, to stress the psychological importance of loving yourself for who you are, and ensuring that this takes priority first and foremost before embarking on any kind of body-transformation journey. 

 

Your body is just a physical manifestation of your mind, and the two go hand-in-hand.

 

Click on this link for more info about this!

OKAY COOL, SO WHAT DO WOMEN WANT?

Women who make the conscious decision to start dieting and working 

out in the gym do so for a variety of reasons:

...The Feel-Great Factor!!....

A lot of the time (for both men and women), 
it’s the feel-good factor after an intense gym-workout!

...To Lose Weight??!!...

Maybe you’re carrying some unsightly hip-fat 
that you want to get rid-off?

...Oh Yes, And Of Course, To Look Lean!!!...

LET’S GET DOWN TO THE NITTY-GRITTY

If you’re like most women, you want a 

very specific type of body.

 

 I HEAR THIS ALL THE TIME 

(and I’m sure it’s not just me):

 

You want to be lean but not too skinny

You want a flat stomach but some definition.

You want tight, shapely legs, but nothing too muscular! 

…And more now than ever before…

You want that perfect, firm, round butt!!

 

Well,  you can definitely achieve all these things

…..AND I’M NOT JUST SAYING THAT!!…..

 

And you can achieve this irrespective of genetic-makeup!! You don’t have to spend your life running on treadmills, lifting light weights as if it were going out of fashion or living off lettuce, cucumber and the odd glass of water….

 

….NO!!! NO!!! NO!!!!…

 

IN FACT THE OPPOSITE IS TRUE (KINDA)

 

You have to know what you’re doing, though!!!!

Most women who are aspiring to look lean would prefer the body on the right as opposed to the body on the left.

SO, WHEN IT COMES TO ATTAINING THAT LEAN, ATHLETIC PHYSIQUE, WHAT DO YOU NEED TO DO?

Before I go any further here, let me say something that a lot of female trainees (who are not already aware of this) need to know. And it’s important stuff, so bear with me!! 

Okay, here it goes…. if your goal is to build a lean, athletic physique, you’re gonna struggle to do so by lifting loads of light weights, starving yourself, and doing excess cardio….of course, genetics plays a role, and if you’re brand new to the gym, you might get away with it, but:

 

IF FEMALE TRAINEES WANT TO ATTAIN A LEAN, ATHLETIC BODY WITH ALL THE CURVES IN ALL THE RIGHT PLACES, THEN THEY SHOULD TRAIN LIKE MEN AND START DOING ‘GUY’ WORKOUTS!!!

 

I KNOW THAT MIGHT SOUND CRAZY!!!

 

…But it’s NOT!!! It’s really just science…

Think about it, when you see those fitness models on instagram:

 What is it that’s giving them that 

athletic, lean, firm appearance???….

Answer: MUSCLE 

 

So, what’s the best way to build muscle?? 

Answer: RESISTANCE TRAINING (or more specifically ‘weight training’) 

 

So, How do you get bigger muscles?? 

Answer: Lift heavier weights each time you go to the gym! This is called ‘progressive overload’ and will contribute towards bigger muscles as your body adapts to a heavier weight.

 

But lifting heavy weights will make me big, bulky and less-feminine…like a bodybuilder….I don’t want that!!???!!! 

Answer: Unless you’re on steroids, or have bizarre genetics, then don’t worry about itBelieve me, it’s not gonna happen!

...The WORST Workout Advice For Women...

  • EAT VERY LITTLE FOOD.
  •  NOT GET ENOUGH PROTEIN.
  • LIFT ONLY LIGHT WEIGHTS
  • SPEND ALL DAY ON THE TREADMILL (like a hamster)
  • DO LONG AND EXCESSIVELY FREQUENT WORKOUTS (over 2 hours per day for more than 5 days a week). 

...The BEST Workout Advice For Women...

  • EAT ENOUGH FOOD (slight calorie-surplus when bulking, moderate calorie-deficit when cutting)
  •  CONSUME ENOUGH GOOD-QUALITY PROTEIN.
  • LIFT HEAVY WEIGHTS (Progressive Overload).
  • OCCASIONAL CARDIO (around twice a week)
  • DO SHORT AND FREQUENT WORKOUTS (under 1 hours per day for NO more than 5 days a week). 

But will I get fat when I lift heavy weights Jon?

 

Answer…well, yes, no..well, maybe…

 

…Okay, so you get fat when you eat more than you burn (calorie-surplus).

 

 You burn fat when you eat less than you burn (calorie-deficit). 

 

Most people (men and women) need to be on a calorie-surplus to grow muscle 

(there are exceptions which I cover in my books ‘Lean Gains’ and ‘Essentials’).  

 

Hence, a lot of people may gain a bit of unsightly fat whilst growing new muscle (unfortunately) and this is called BULKING…..

 

… but lifting heavy weights helps to preserve muscle whilst burning fat (i.e., reducing calories) and this is called CUTTING…

 

So, the best advice is to go through repeated phases of bulking (growing new muscle on a calorie-surplus) and cutting (maintaining the newly built muscle whilst burning the fat). Repeated phases of bulking and cutting will get you the body that you’ve been craving all this time….

 

…and it’s worth it!!!…

 

This is just the tip of the iceberg though.

There’s a lot more to it than just bulking and cutting. Rest periods, tracking calories, knowing how many sets/reps to do, periodisation, getting the right balance of cardio-to-weights sessions, etc. are equally important! 😳

The GREAT news is that I go over all of this in  detail in 

‘The Essential Guide to Sports Nutrition and Bodybuilding.’

To find out more, please CLICK HERE.

4 Comments

  1. Alisha

    True talk!

  2. Charlotte

    Women have been so misinformed! I’ve just read ‘Essential Guide to Sports Nutrition and Bodybuilding.’ Highly recommended!

  3. Laura

    So true!! I never got results doing the typical high cardio light weight low calorie approach. It’s only when I started lifting heavy i started to get results!

  4. Fiona

    Finally someone speaking the truth!

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