The Benefits of Weight Training for Women

Weight training means regular weight lifting to tone muscles properly. But rather than bulking up like men, women have different fitness goals. These goals need to be reached with the help of proper exercise and a good trainer.

Proper physical habits depend on daily activity, eating habits, and sleep cycles. Reputed training programs focus on nutrition and habit formation through training workshops and classes. Programs concentrate on weight training for women and target women of different sizes and lifting backgrounds who would be able to achieve their fitness goals quickly.  

If you are interested in weight lifting, here are some advantages. 

Better Fat Loss Results

Muscle helps in boosting the metabolism and burning more calories than you do during regular gym exercises. Lifting helps in keeping your metabolism strong while leading to the development of lean muscle. It is essential to reduce body fat strategically, which happens when you lift weights. The idea is to gain more muscle mass by reducing more calories. The fat loss of every individual will be improved with the help of proper weight training. 

Helps Build Strength

It has already been established that muscles will be built with the help of proper weight training. When an individual lifts, they get more used to the exertion and develop strength along with muscle tone. Many women hesitate to undergo constant gymming, which is why they refrain from weight training. However, with specific exercises, women can gain strength and more control of their muscles without getting highly defined muscles like men.

Leads to a Better Mood

It is a medical fact that regular exercising boosts the endorphin levels in the body. Endorphins are happy hormones that make a person feel less stressed by improving their mood significantly. They also help in fighting mental health disorders like anxiety and depression. One can quickly get in a good mood with the help of strength training. It suits women who want to feel more confident about their bodies and build a positive self-image.

Gives Better Athletic Performance

Weight training can significantly improve the performance of any athlete. It keeps the heart healthier in the long run for athletic training. The exercise level involved in this process leads to better cardiovascular fitness. Additionally, the body will become used to a certain level of physical activity, which can be translated into any sport. 

Athletes require agility, endurance, and power, all of which can be maintained by lifting weights. The body will automatically adapt to working in difficult situations. Athletes usually have to compete in different environments and practice in the conditions faced in everyday life. They can develop better physical responses to such conditions with the help of exercising and weights.

Reduce the Risk of Health Issues

There are many physical ailments that a woman might face as she ages. These are related to bone density, cardiovascular disease, and diabetes. If the bones remain healthy, there is less risk of sustaining fractures while exercising. Weight training for women is targeted to help increase bone density, which tends to go down with age. 

Preventing injury is a significant advantage of regular exercise and lowering the risk of arthritis. The connective tissues are healthier with better joint stability. The spine also remains healthy and in the ideal posture, which helps fight diseases like osteoporosis. When it comes to cardiovascular health, bad cholesterol is reduced, and the condition of high blood pressure is tackled easily. 

Conclusion

The benefits of weight training are related to women’s physical and mental health irrespective of age and background. It also helps improve confidence while increasing the body’s endurance for daily tasks and athletics. 

The Huberman Lab - An Invaluable Health and Wellbeing Resource

I would wholeheartedly recommend Andrew Huberman’s channel for anyone interested in optimizing their health, sporting performance and fitness. With a host of specialist speakers covering a diverse range of topics (fasting protocols, sleep optimization, nutrition ) and backed by the latest scientific research it really is a one stop shop for everything health and fitness related and so much more!

“The Huberman Lab podcast is hosted by Dr. Andrew Huberman, a neuroscientist and tenured professor of neurobiology and ophthalmology at Stanford School of Medicine. The podcast discusses neuroscience and science-based tools, including how our brain and its connections with the organs of our body control our perceptions, our behaviors, and our health, as well as existing and emerging tools for measuring and changing how our nervous system works. The podcast is frequently ranked in the top 15 of all podcasts globally and is often ranked #1 in the categories of Science, Education, and Health & Fitness.”

How To Perform Mindfulness Meditation

The practice of mindfulness is extraordinarily simple to describe, but it is in no sense easy. True mastery probably requires special talent and a lifetime of practice. Thus, the simple instructions given below are analogous to instructions on how to walk a tightrope—which, I assume, go something like this:

1. Find a horizontal cable that can support your weight.

2. Stand on one end.

3. Step forward by placing one foot directly in front of the other.

4. Repeat.

5. Don’t fall.

Clearly, steps 3-5 entail a little practice. Happily, the benefits of training in meditation arrive long before mastery ever does. And falling, from the point of view of vipassana, occurs ceaselessly, every moment that one becomes lost in thought. The problem is not thoughts themselves but the state of thinking without knowing that one is thinking.

As every meditator soon discovers, such distraction is the normal condition of our minds: Most of us fall from the wire every second, toppling headlong—whether gliding happily in reverie, or plunging into fear, anger, self-hatred and other negative states of mind. Meditation is a technique for breaking this spell, if only for a few moments. The goal is to awaken from our trance of discursive thinking—and from the habit of ceaselessly grasping at the pleasant and recoiling from the unpleasant—so that we can enjoy a mind that is undisturbed by worry, merely open like the sky, and effortlessly aware of the flow of experience in the present.

Meditation Instructions:

1. Sit comfortably, with your spine erect, either in chair or cross-legged on a cushion.

2. Close your eyes, take a few deep breaths, and feel the points of contact between your body and the chair or floor. Notice the sensations associated with sitting—feelings of pressure, warmth, tingling, vibration, etc.

3. Gradually become aware of the process of breathing. Pay attention to wherever you feel the breath most clearly—either at the nostrils, or in the rising and falling your abdomen.

4. Allow your attention to rest in the mere sensation of breathing. (There is no need to control your breath. Just let it come and go naturally.)

5. Every time your mind wanders in thought, gently return it to the sensation of breathing.

6. As you focus on the breath, you will notice that other perceptions and sensations continue to appear: sounds, feelings in the body, emotions, etc. Simply notice these phenomena as they emerge in the field of awareness, and then return to the sensation of breathing.

7. The moment you observe that you have been lost in thought, notice the present thought itself as an object of consciousness. Then return your attention to the breath—or to whatever sounds or sensations arise in the next moment.

8. Continue in this way until you can merely witness all objects of consciousness—sights, sounds, sensations, emotions, and even thoughts themselves—as they arise and pass away.

An End To Suffering

The challenges of the modern world we live in are a constant obstacle to self improvement. Outside influences such as social media, work, environment,and home life can be a very real cause of negative self image. Many of us put self care very low on our list of priorities, this in consequence can lead to destructive habitual behaviour, e.g. overeating, stress, lack of exercise and smoking, to name but a few. The following tale, albeit representative of an older time in history, is still pertinent today.

A long time ago, the son of a king of Persia was raised alongside the son of the grand vizier, and their friendship was legendary. When the prince ascended to the throne, he said to his friend. "While i attend to the affairs of the kingdom, will you please write me a history of men and the world, so that i can draw the necessary lessons from it and thus know the proper way to act."

   The king's friend consulted with the most famous historians and the most learned scholars, and the most respected sages. Five years later he presented himself proudly at the palace.

"Sire," he said, "here are thirty-six volumes relating the entire history of the world from creation to your accession."

"Thirty six volumes!" cried the King. "How will i ever have time to read them? I have so much work administering my kingdom and seeing to my two hundred queens. Please, friend, condense your history."

  Two years later, the friend returned to the palace with ten volumes. But tthe king was at war against the neighbouring monarch. He was found on a mountaintop in the desert  directing the battle.

"The fate of our kingdom is being played out as we speak. Where would i find the time to read ten volumes? Abridge your history even further."

The viziers son left and worked three years on a single volume that gave an accurate picture of the essence. The king was now caught up legislating.

"How lucky you are to have the time to write quietly. While you've been doing that, I've  been debating, taxes and their collection. Bring me tenfold fewer pages - i'll spend an evening mining them."

Two years later, it was done. But when the friend returned he found the king bedridden, in dreadful pain. The friend himself was no longer young; his wrinkled face was haloed by a mane of white hair.

"Well?" whispered the king with his dying breath. "The history of men?"

His friend gazed steadily at him and, as the king was about to die, he said:

"They suffer, Majesty."

"If there is a way to free ourselves from suffering. 

We must use every moment to find it.

Only a fool wants to go on suffering.

Isn't it sad to knowingly imbibe poison?"

- Seventh Dalai Lama

I certainly don’t know many Kings of Persia but I do know that in order to live happier and with less suffering, the adoption of any or all of the 10 strategies below will allow you to make significant step towards an end to needless suffering in your life. Your life will become happier, richer, and more experientially lived.

1. Hydrate Well

2. 5-9 Portions of Veg and Fruit

3. Fasting/Time Restricted Eating

4. Daily Movement

5. Strength Training

6. Yoga, Qi Gong

7. Good Sleeping Patterns

8. Saunas

9. Cold Exposure/Wim Hoff Method

10. Meditation

The Benefits of Conscious Movement

Unless you’re doing an exercise that is built around slow breathing and deep focus such as yoga or Pilates, the practice of mindfulness probably isn’t at the top of our list when you hit the gym.

But it should be. Fitness instructors and physical therapists champion mindfulness, aka, “conscious movement” as a key part out of any workout regime.

So what is conscious movement exactly?

Conscious movement isn’t new — but it’s gaining interest as our workouts intensify

First, it should be recognized that conscious movement may be a trending term, but it’s not a new concept Tai Chi Instructor Neil Rosiak notes the ancient practice of tai chi hinges on this style of slow, intentional and careful movement that highlights the mind-body connection.

“Mindful exercise is a key component of the training we do,” Rosaik says. “The first step is awareness of how one is standing and moving. Being conscious of how the whole body works together and using the minimum effort to move helps the way we move in all areas of life, including using proper structure, [preventing] injury, and [achieving] a calmer mind. Any physical activity can be done slowly and mindfully, however having someone watch one’s posture is important, especially at first.”

Mindfulness can help you zone in on building muscle where you want it

You should also use mindfulness when you’re working out a group of muscles that may be a problem area for you, like the abs or glutes.

"Movement should always be performed with a conscious mind-body connection, placing the focus on the muscles you're working regardless of the pace” This helps not only with technique but getting the most of out the exercise. Neurological evidence shows that our brains play a major role in regulating muscle movement and strength, so if you focus on contracting the muscle(s) you’re wanting to work your brain can send stronger signals, creating more muscle engagement, and helping them to work more efficiently, which also leads to better form, which equals better results and fewer injuries."

At your desk all day? Conscious movement to the rescue

Since conscious movement can be incorporated into most any physical activity, it’s a great technique to practice when you’re doing house chores or how you move at your desk.

Many times, being mindful and conscious of changing small behaviours can yield big results. Bottom line, our bodies are not designed to be still for extended periods of time — they're meant to move. Set an alarm on your phone as a reminder to get up and move. Walk, vacuum or go a park and have some fun on the swings. While walking, bending or lifting, be aware of your core and engage it — paying more attention to how you move will make you feel better, helps reduce pain in the lower back and inflammation in joints.

This is not a weight loss technique, but it certainly helps the journey

Conscious movement isn’t specifically designed for weight loss, but it is an effective tool to complement a more intensive fitness regimen.

For someone who regularly weight trains and runs outdoors, conscious movement includes walking and practicing yoga/pilates. Focusing on my breathing, flexibility and establishing a mind/muscle link has greatly enhanced the fluidity of my movements and the efficacy of my workouts whilst reminding me to be thankful for where i am at each and every moment.