Unleashing strength within: debunking myths of women over 40 and weight training
By Natalie Rivier, RHN
MYTH! Lifting weights, especially heavy weights, will lead to a big bulky physique.
There’s a tendency for women to lift lighter weights for high repetitions like picking up five-pound dumbbells and lifting them 15 plus times. This is often referred to as “body sculpting” or “toning,” promising women they can get stronger without getting bulky muscles. This is false! It’s misleading, misguided and honestly not helpful at all for women, especially as they age and the primary sex hormones, estrogen and progesterone, are on a steady decline along with lean muscle mass and strength.
FACT
Women with big muscles are very rare. You may see them on social media, but training for big muscles may be they’re full time job. I can assure you that a few hours in the gym per week lifting weights is not going to turn you into The Terminator. It’s just not physiologically possible for most women. We don’t have the right hormone recipe for building huge muscles.
With proper nutrition, lifting weights will create a leaner physique — not a bulkier one.
MYTH! Lifting weights increases my risk of injury
A sedentary life has a much higher risk of bodily injury by way of chronic disease than lifting weights ever will.
It’s a common misconception that weightlifting puts a harmful load on the joints or lifting heavy weights puts you at higher risk of injuring your back. But a study published in the Journal of Rheumatology found when people suffering from joint pain performed weight bearing exercises, they experienced a 43 percent reduction in pain after four months. They were also better at performing daily tasks and reported a higher quality of life than those who didn’t strength train.
FACT
Strength training can help grow strength in the structures around your joints, causing them to be better supported. Weight training builds muscle that helps absorb shock, protect the joints, and prevent injuries.
MYTH! Weight training is not an effective way to burn fat
It’s a common misconception that cardio is the best way to burn fat or lose weight. As women, we juggle a lot of things in life. Work, home, and family responsibilities can sometimes deplete us. I also understand that you feel like your workouts are a form of stress relief for you. And they can be, but we need to remember that exercise is a form of stress on the body too.
Women generally produce more of the stress hormone cortisol than men. And unfortunately, as we age, we produce more. This hormone is essential for our survival, but too much of it can wreak havoc on our hormonal system, our sleep, our energy levels, our moods, and our waistline.
Long cardio sessions contribute to a rise in cortisol, which could be contributing to belly fat storage and muscle breakdown.
FACT
Weight training is better for burning calories, since it can increase your basal metabolic rate (the number of calories you burn while watching Netflix), for up to 48 hours after you finish your workout.
As you build muscle with weight training, your body will need to use more energy maintaining all that tissue, which can further increase the number of calories you burn during daily activities.
Therefore, the more muscle you have, the faster your metabolism is going to be.
If you’d like to learn more about lifting weights, and unleash your strength check out
H2C is a full step-by-step experience to learn how to lift weights using a barbell safely and effectively so you can get lean, build muscle tone, and be badass.
From the very first moment you join you’ll be getting constant wins, building momentum in the gym, and you’ll know exactly what your workout is and what you’re working toward.
One key toward feeling comfortable in the gym is finding a good coach. Coaching is crucial for beginners, but it’s also valuable for even the most experienced athletes to improve their technique and make progress
Find out more here.
Natalie Rivier is a fitness trainer who unapologetically helps active women over 40 get lean, build muscle tone, and be badass. No BS training…that works. Download her free ebook “The Perfect Workout Blueprint for Women Over 40”
