The MOVE by BJC Blog


Weightlifting – It’s Not Just for Men

Weightlifting – It’s Not Just for Men

Tuesday, March 1, 2022

The sport of weightlifting was first introduced in 1896 at the Athens Olympic Games but was not a popular sport until the ‘60s when it slowly gained popularity in local gyms. Women’s weightlifting made its first World Powerlifting Championship appearance in 1987 and its Olympic appearance in 2000.

Women still face many stigmas and limitations to weightlifting, one of which is the traditionally masculine relationship with weightlifting in sport and media. Many women are fearful of developing what they believe might be a masculine body appearance, becoming “bulky” or “too big”.

Additionally, since women do not produce human growth hormone or testosterone in amounts comparable to men, muscle hypertrophy is much more challenging for women. Without a near perfect mix of genetics, proper nutrition, and consistent weightlifting over a long period of time, women can struggle to become muscularly enhanced.

However, it is more than possible for women to gain strength and make life easier while becoming physiologically healthier through weightlifting.  

4 Key Benefits to Weightlifting for Women

  1. Improved Movement and Decreased Pain

Incorporating strength training into your weekly routine can improve your overall quality of life and movement while performing daily tasks. One of the greatest benefits of strength training to overall wellbeing is a decrease in pain with daily activity. When we incorporate strength training into our routine, we improve joint stabilization, correct improper or imbalanced movements and increase overall stamina during activities.

  1. Decreased Risk of Metabolic Syndrome

Increasing our overall activity has proven over the years to have preventive effects on metabolic syndromes such as heart disease, stroke, and diabetes. Heart disease is one of the leading causes of death in women and increasing overall activity has shown to reduce the risk of death due to metabolic syndromes.

  1. Increased Resting Metabolic Rate (RMR)

Increasing our lean body mass (muscle) by incorporating weightlifting into a regular workout regimen leads to an increased RMR. Simply put, the more muscle you have, the more calories you burn at rest, the less cardio training your body needs for weight loss and the more food you get to eat to maintain a current body composition.

  1. Increased Bone Density

Resistance training is especially important for women due to predisposition to osteopenia and osteoporosis. Weight training over time is a great preventive to osteoporosis and can even lead to bone growth - making your bones stronger and less likely to fracture. Consistently incorporating weightlifting in addition to walking can have positive impacts on bone density and bone health.

Here are a few ways to add weightlifting to your Move workout:

  1. Group Exercise: Our group exercise program is a great way to begin incorporating strength training into your weekly routine and is especially great if you are new to weightlifting. Classes like Les Mills Body Pump, Grit Strength and CORE focus on increasing overall strength and emphasize proper form and technique.
  2. Accountability: Almost everything is easier when you have someone to encourage you. Having a friend join you or simply remind you with a text or phone call can help motivate you until you develop a habit and discipline for weightlifting. Group exercise can also be a great form of accountability as you create relationships with instructors and fellow classmates.
  3. Personal Training: If you are a true beginner, if you’ve had an injury that makes you weary of weightlifting, or if you just aren’t sure where to begin, working with a personal trainer may be a great place to start as well. A personal trainer can give you the tools and confidence you need to experience all the great benefits of weightlifting.

During March, we invite the women of Move to try out a strength-based group exercise class and challenge you to incorporate weightlifting into their regular routine.