Woman and Weights: Los Angeles Fitness Instructors Debunk 8 Myths That Could Be Keeping You From Your Goals, PART 4

Welcome to the final installment of our four-part article series on the myths surrounding women and weights. Previously, in Part 3, we spoke to some Los Angeles fitness instructors who debunked the following myths:

5. You can eat anything you like, so long as you train with weights: How much you can eat without putting on any weight has more to do with your body’s metabolic rate, which is unique to you.

6. Women only really require cardio exercises and very light weights to stay fit and in shape: Incorrect! Cardiovascular exercise burns fat and muscle. You need weight training to maintain muscle bulk and tone and this applies to both men and women.

Let’s take a look at two final myths:

Women and Weight Lifting Myth # 7: It’s Dangerous For Women to Lift Weights

“Women are typically slighter of frame than men and the weights we incorporate into our workout routines will be lighter, but that doesn’t mean that doing the same weight lifting exercises as men is dangerous,” says a female personal instructor at a Los Angeles Gyms. “The same risks apply to both genders when you get under a heavy weight and attempt to use your body to lift it. You’ve got to warm up, do your stretches and use the correct posture, technique and motions to lift those weights. If you do that, there’s no reason why weight lifting should put you in any particular danger.”

Women and Weight Lifting Myth # 8: Being Lean is the Ultimate Goal of Exercise

“Some people might argue that this is the case for them and, yes, many of the women we see at our circuit training gym are there to become lean and look great in a bikini,” says a Santa Monica group trainer. “But you cannot assume that this is the goal of all women. Some wish to increase muscle or get great abs, while others are working out old injuries or trying to increase whole body fitness in preparation for a weeklong canyon hike. There’s fitness for fitness’ sake, for self-defense, for health, for wellness, for the natural high it gives you, for aesthetics: there are many reasons women AND men sign up to become a member of a gym.” 

 

A Final Note from Gym Instructors Around Los Angeles:

Weight or resistance training is an integral part of any fitness regime; it builds muscle, burns calories and gets your heart rate going faster than cardiovascular exercise. Combined, resistance and cardio training offers women AND men a workout that can help them achieve their fitness and weight loss goals far quicker, which is why circuit training is regarded as one of the most effective systems of exercise for today’s fast-paced and demanding lifestyle.