Why Women Need Strength Training

I didn’t start strength training until I was 25 years old. I had just joined a CrossFit gym, and it was a new world to me coming from a soccer and running background. Even in collegiate soccer, the emphasis was always on plyometrics and conditioning, and there was a preconceived notion among all soccer players that we didn’t lift weights because we didn’t want to become slow and heavy. Nothing could have been further from the truth! Getting jacked with useful, strong muscle has not only changed how I performed as an athlete (I became a better soccer player after college when I was strength training and playing semi-pro), but also given me a healthier relationship with food and movement, helped heal my body after three babies, as well as giving me the gift of longevity as I enter a new age bracket. 

No matter if you are a collegiate athlete, a mom, or a woman in her 60’s… strength training to some degree or variety needs to be an ESSENTIAL aspect of your life! 

Break the stigma 

For far too long, women have been put into many boxes. “Look like this… wear this… do this…” The thought of not taking up space and being a supporting role is ingrained in us for a variety of reasons, but the effects that it has on us physically speak volumes. The pressure to meet unrealistic body image issues and appearance has us chasing all the trends and questioning our appearance. The outcome is usually embodied in overtraining, undereating, and a constant flurry of complaints about not liking different parts of your body, or in chasing the “I just need to lose 5lbs” mindset. 

While there has been change and development in this area over the last decade, I think the residue of a system that has made women feel like they need to “do it all” still lingers in behaviors. I think, for each woman, this conversation will be different, but if we apply it to our CrossFit community, we all know that women tend to shy away from loading more weight on the bar, yet are usually the first to do extra conditioning or sit-ups after class. Why women hold back in this department can be for multiple reasons. I think we can follow this thread and tease out some healthy awareness once we understand the physical, mental, and emotional benefits of strength training. 

Understand the science behind strength training and hormonal health 

I will preface this by saying I am not a doctor, but if I had issues with hormones, I would look at what I can add or take away to my body in order to regulate this before diving into modern medicine. Blood work is always key to understanding hormones, so I would start by getting a full blood panel and then talking to someone who is well-versed in this area. 

The second thing I would look at would be strength training. By implementing strength training into your routine, you help to regulate your body’s major systems of metabolism, stress, and reproductive health. More muscle on your body equals better insulin sensitivity throughout your body. What this looks like is less risk of diabetes, P.O.S., and more regulated blood sugar levels. When strength training is introduced with a progressive build in mind, your body composition changes (more lean muscle mass), your stress levels stabilize (assuming you are not overtraining and fueling and sleeping enough), and your hormones are better balanced through all the stages of your life (PMS, Peri/Menopause). These all seem like attainable wins that are relatively easy to start with! 

Make deposits in your future 

Say it with me… BONE DENSITY, JOINT STABILIZATION, MUSCLE MASS! Strength training now is like a high-yield savings account for your future. It increases muscle mass that you carry with you as you age. My neighbor is 80 years old and recently called me to pick her up off the floor at 10 p.m. at night. She couldn’t get herself up off the floor, and her husband, who was there, couldn’t lift her up either. This happens more often than not, so what if your training today focused on limiting that kind of situation? As you age, being able to get on and off the floor, get in and out of cars, doing light housework and yard work all become vital to your survival. Independence and not having someone wipe your butt in your older years are goals of mine, as they should be for everyone. This is why women especially need to emphasize strength training because we tend to outlive men by 5-6 years. 

Enhance mental clarity & confidence 

Lifting weights can change moods, boost energy, and make women feel good. If we have a plan, can execute it, and have a sense of control in the process, it will help ease some of the anxiety associated with the fitness journey. “I am going to SHOW UP and warm up, hit my main lift, then do some accessory work.” This inner monologue has a way of calming a rather chaotic conversation because it is backed by numbers, reps, sets, etc., rather than feel. This allows women to have some confidence in measurable changes as they are working towards progress. 

Hitting the weights helps raise the feel-good chemicals in our bodies… endorphins, dopamine, and serotonin. We clear our minds when we focus on the task at hand, using our breath work and attention to positional details to clear out all the other things we are responsible for… When I lift, I get to shut off everything else going on and focus on the task at hand. We get to have alone time, with the freedom of movement to lift weights and express our inner strength. Part of this confidence boost also comes from the aspect that you can DO HARD THINGS! Adding weight to a bar or lift and increasing what you ever thought possible is SO liberating! This helps to build self-efficacy across multiple areas of your life. Ex: I can lift 200 lbs squatting, so therefore I can deal with a difficult situation at work. The same mental skills are needed for both scenarios! 

So ladies, the next time you want to just “go for a run or find yourself doing pointless crunches after class worried about the calorie burn or finding abs…. Grab a barbell, dumbbells, kettlebells and prioritize the strength piece and watch the quality of life increase now AND later!