 Train
Like a Man! Changing Your Training Regime - Part 1
By Ray Burton of Building Bodies Fitness
The majority of women involved with fitness train wrong. That’s a bold
statement, but it comes from seeing a lot of failed efforts from women who
are truly getting frustrated with their bodies and the information available
to them.
Because of old-fashioned stereotypes and outdated myths, women’s fitness has
suffered an undeserved blow. The truth is that women who practice the same
well-designed strength training programs as men benefit from bone and
soft-tissue modeling, increased lean body mass, decreased fat and enhanced
self-confidence in exactly the same way as a man would. The only difference
is that a man will put on muscle mass faster and easier because of hormonal
reasons.
Women should strength train in the same ways as men, using the same program
design, exercises, intensities and volumes, relative to their body size and
level of strength, so they can achieve the maximum change to their bodies in
the shortest possible time.
It’s All About The Hormones - The role of testosterone and its effect on
strength or power and size development is huge. This is why some of the
above-average sized men take extra testosterone through the means of
steroids. If men take extra testosterone to grow large muscles and the
“normal” woman on average has about one tenth the testosterone of the
“unassisted” man, then the theory that women in fitness shouldn’t lift hard
because they will grow huge muscles has no merit. However the level of
testosterone varies greatly among women. Women who have higher testosterone
levels may have a greater potential for strength or power and size
development than other women, but this is not a bad thing. The advantages of
having muscle are numerous and if you ever do reach the point of not wanting
any more size in a muscle group, then it is a simple matter of backing off
in the intensity and load variables for that muscle.
Both men and women should follow strength-training programs that include
periodization, a method that I use heavily with my personal training
clients. Periodization is a training method that incorporates variations in
the resistance and volume load implemented over specific time frames to keep
the body adapting. Coincidently, I found out by watching Oprah that this is
the way that Halle Barry’s trainer trained her for the movie role of “Cat
Woman!” The general consensus of my female clients on that one is, “That
girl was in shape!”
So what are the benefits of experiencing all the grunting and groaning (I
mean glistening!) under “heavy weights”?:
- Enhanced bone modeling to increase bone strength and reduce the risk of
osteoporosis, which is often thought of as an older person’s disease, but it
can strike at any age.
- Stronger connective tissues to increase joint stability which helps
prevent injury so that you can train hard, stay active and burn calories!
- Increased functional strength for sports and daily activity. It doesn’t
matter if you’re sprinting across the finish line or picking up your little
one, it always gets easier and more enjoyable with strength. I’ve always
been fond of the saying, “Train hard so you can play easily.”
- Increased lean body mass and decreased body fat; that is, you get to look
good in whatever you want!
- Higher metabolic rate because of an increase in muscle is metabolically
active and requires fuel to survive. That fuel comes partly from fat
oxidation and calorie consumption. Because of this, even when you’re
watching TV, you’re going to burn more calories daily because of your
newfound muscle.
- Improved self-esteem and confidence. Don’t we all want this? According to
one survey of female trainers, 94% of the participants reported that
athletic participation did not lead them to feel less feminine. Strength
training also appears to give women a sense of personal power, especially
for women who have been raped or abused.
In order to reap the benefits of weight bearing exercises, you must do just
that -- bear weight. If you rely solely on weight training machines, lift so
lightly that you’re barely out of breath or never increase your weight or
intensity, then your body will not respond to your training.
Making changes to your body is going to require hard work. It can be
difficult to skip the temptation of buying into the latest exercise fad that
looks effortless and quick. But, it will pay off if you stick to the basics
and base your training around large multi-joint exercises that turn your
body into a calorie-burning furnace.
Examples of some multi-joint exercises for the lower body are lunges,
walking lunges, step-ups and squats. For the upper body use multiple muscle
groups in exercises like the bench press, pull-ups or pull downs, and the
super best exercise of all time, the power clean and press.
The purpose of weight training in your fitness schedule is to put a demand
on your body that causes it to overcompensate so it won’t be caught off
guard again. This process of overcompensating not only makes you stronger,
but also by default, makes you look great.
I’ve been told while training clients that sometimes the weight is hard to
move! Therein lies the essence of “resistance training.” It resists you if
you are doing it right.
Next issue we are going to get you started with “Sweating The Details -The
Basics Of Working Out.” We’ll go over some of the basics that everyone
should know before starting out on their own greatest journey, a lifetime of
fitness!
Ray Burton is a fitness writer & owner of the Calgary personal
training company Building Bodies Fitness. Visit
www.buildingbodies.ca
for guidance on all matters of fitness. |
