Let me share my personal story about weightlifting. When I started as a personal trainer in 2015 I had one goal: to get sweaty. It seemed that sweat was the best indicator of a workout’s effectiveness, and I wanted my clients to feel like they were getting a lot for their money. Every workout included a treadmill warmup, lots of jumping, bodyweight exercises, light weights (for things like “weighted jump squats” and “ultimate dumbbell burpees”), and a finisher that left a puddle on the floor. My own workouts were almost entirely cardio intervals and plyometrics.
I switched to indoor cycling as a full time job in 2017 after leaving the worlds of personal training. This further reinforced my love for cardio-heavy workouts. It wasn’t until 2020, after five long years of nothing but sweat-focused, repetitive fitness, I noticed that nothing was changing, so I took a new approach: heavy weights. I have made weightlifting a priority over the past two years. It has transformed my life and that of my clients. Here’s why I think 2022 should be the year that you lift heavy (yes, you!How to start?
What are the benefits to weightlifting?
1. Increase your confidence
Before this year, I never thought I’d be capable of barbell cleans, 200-pound deadlifts, or heavy push presses. However, now that I know I have so much strength, things like calling the doctor’s office to make an appointment (ugh!) or lugging groceries home from Trader Joe’s to my small NYC apartment don’t seem nearly as difficult. Even small improvements can make you feel badass and that will carry over into your daily life. You are just starting? Remember that “heavy” is relative—there’s no one true definition of what’s heavy and what’s not, so if it’s challenging you, it’s heavy. Look for weights that are both challenging and manageable, and you’ll be amazed at how they feel with each workout. By strengthening the body, you’re also strengthening the mind and gaining more confidence.
2. Feel more toned in the body
We all know that exercise is important. Should It all comes down to our inner mindset. The truth is that we all want confidence in our bodies. We’ve seen fitness fads come and go over the years, but one thing has remained tried and true: Strength training helps strengthen and tone the body. Afraid of looking “bulky?” Don’t be. In order to achieve a bodybuilder’s physique, women need to work more than twice as hard as men because they lack the testosterone required to achieve that level of musculature. Ask any female bodybuilder how many hours a day she trains and how much she eats, and you’ll be relieved to know that most of us aren’t even coming close. Weight training can help you tone muscles and burn fat, but it won’t make you “bulky.”
3. More space
Speaking of “bulky,” what’s with the fear of getting bigger? Here’s my call to women everywhere: Let’s be done with aiming to feel small and squeezing ourselves into close-quartered definitions of what we should be, look like, and do. It’s time to take up some space in this world, both physically and emotionally: Claim your spot in the weight room and occupy it proudly, grow your muscles and show them off to the world, and strengthen your body and confidence by asserting yourself into what you may have been previously intimidated by. Nothing says “This is my year!” more than existing unapologetically in a space that you once shied away from. Whether you’re new to the weight room, haven’t been in a while, or simply haven’t considered what your presence might mean for another woman who’s still a little intimidated, start taking up your rightful space and watch how it changes your life and the lives of those around you.
4. Improve your overall health
This is a no-brainer: Health is wealth. Moving your body and doing any type of exercise is the best way to improve your health. Weightlifting strengthens bones, improves mobility and protects joints from injury. It also improves your basal metabolic rate which is essential for a long, healthy life. If you’re going all in on cardio, you’re missing key opportunities to help prevent injuries while you’re training for a marathon or help slow bone loss that comes with aging. This means that while you know that exercise in any form is good for your health, resistance training is vital for so many important functions of your body and can support your health goals.
5. Feel more independent
Personally, the biggest takeaway I’ve learned during my journey from cardio queen to strength-training stan is that nothing feels better than knowing you don’t need to rely on anyone or anything. Is that a UPS heavy box? Don’t worry, I got it. The elevator’s broken? Six flights of stairs are useless. Moving around town? Well, I still might need some help for that one, but I can still lift even the heaviest boxes without waiting for someone to do it for me (it’s just a simple weighted squat!). If you’re anything like me, weightlifting will help you feel like your most confident, capable, and powerful self in 2022.
How do you begin weight lifting?
Whether you’re training at home, at the gym, or a little bit of both, you don’t need any fancy equipment or complicated plans to achieve your strongest body and start weightlifting. All you need are weights (dumbbells, kettlebells, and/or barbells) that are “medium” (doable for 6-8 reps) and “heavy” (doable for 4-6 reps) and a couple of basic movements for each muscle group (read below for ideas!). Also, remember that proper form is more important than how much you can lift, so talk to a trainer or fitness instructor to ensure you have the right form, and don’t lift Too heavy that you’ll risk injury. Choose weights that feel challenging but won’t sacrifice form, and stop immediately if you feel your muscles fatiguing to the point that form starts to go.
Chest:
Back:
Shoulders:
Legs:
Glutes:
Arms:
Abs:
Source: The Every Girl