I’ve been really surprised with how many women I have talked to lately that are worried about bulking up from strength training. Ladies, I promise you, you absolutely will not bulk up if you lift weights! Women simply do not have enough testosterone in their bodies to get big, bulging muscles! On the contrary, if you aren’t currently strength training, you are missing out on the number one best way to slow the aging process. I like to call it the fountain of youth.

Do you know that if strength training is not part of your training regime you will begin losing up to 5 pounds of muscle every decade beginning in your 30s? The condition is called sarcopnia, derived from Greek words for vanishing flesh. The way to combat this side effect of aging? Simply push, pull or lift weights. In addition to vanishing muscle, typically men and women gain about 10 pounds of body fat every decade during their midlife years. The net result is a 15 pound problem every decade!

Strength training can reverse all that by turning fat into muscle. All the cardio in the world won’t do that. And if that’s not enough to convince you to start today, let me give you a few more reasons….

For every pound of fat you change to muscle you will burn an extra 50 calories a day. Your metabolism increases and you are always burning more calories - even while you’re sleeping! When you lift weights it’s not just your muscles that you strengthen. You also strengthen your bones, tendons and ligaments. This can help reduce or totally prevent osteoporosis, arthritis, injuries and other degenerative diseases associated with aging. One more point and I think it may be the best of all… Strength training will dramatically change how you look in much less time than cardio alone. Changing muscle to fat will tone, carve and reduce every curve of your body. Are you convinced?

While we’re on the topic of misconceptions regarding strength training, don’t believe anyone that tells you that you shouldn’t lift any more than 5 pounds or some other totally random number. Low weight and high reps is good when you are learning technique and training your body the proper position and form but once you have that down, there is no reason on earth to do 20 reps with a light weight. I usually start clients with a weight that they can complete 12-15 reps, and the 15th should be difficult. Over time the weight will be increased and the reps will be lowered but more about that on another day…

Do you lift weights? If not, you should…

Start with 8-12 reps, 2 sets. If you don’t have dumbbells, try soup cans, water bottles or whatever heavy object you can find! Get creative! Use enough weight so the 12th rep is hard to complete but you can still maintain correct form.

Standing Dumbbell Hammer Curl

Seated Dumbbell Bicep Curl

Push-up

or Bent Knee Push-up

Dumbbell Lateral Raise

Lying Dumbbell Pec Fly

Dumbbell Triceps Kickback