Women and Lifting Weights (Part II)

Now that I've given a brief introduction in Part I, let's move on to Part II.

Let us now go into the weights category. How light or heavy of weights should one lift?

Heavier weights increase your muscular strength and decrease body fat more than lifting lighter weights. Try picking a pair of 2.5kg weights, one on each hand, and do 5 repetitions of a dumbbell backward lunge alternating each leg, followed by changing the weights to 7.5kg each and trying again. By increasing the weights, you will realise a lot more effort is needed to do the exercise.
                                   

More effort = more calories burned = better results

Another reason why women should start lifting weights is to maintain their Bone Mineral Density (BMD). As women age, osteoporosis may occur. Women would then need to work really hard to maintain their BMD by doing weight baring exercises or routines like squatting, lunges, deadlifting with heavy weights and even suspension training like the TRX or Rip60.

Do note that heavy weights does not mean lifting a 20kg dumbbell when you can only work with a 5kg one. Choose a weight that you can lift through a repetition range of 6 to 12 for optimal results.

Happy holidays to all my readers out there! Have a good one.

Darren Stephen Lim
D'Fitness