“GIRL, DO YOU EVEN LIFT?”
Anyone who has tried to go to the gym has surely noticed a familiar sight where all the ladies hustle in the cardio (treadmill, elliptical, stationary bike, etc.) area and all the men conquer the weights area (dumbbells, barbells, squat racks, etc.). This division of sections based on gender is exemplified in the use of the familiar term “Bro, do you even lift?” as only applying to the boys and never to the girls. So let me be the one to ask you the unspoken question: Girl, do you even lift?
For so long now, girls have been iffy with the idea of lifting that piece of barbell (even if they can) or posing for that squat rack (even if they are dead curious about it) because of one major reason: They do not want to get big
And so here comes the article that is bound to bust the myths that encloses lifting weights for the ladies and hopefully convince the ladies to start lifting heavy because really… IT DOES NOT GIVE YOU ENORMOUS MUSCLES.
REASON #1: You will burn more fat
Tying your hair into a pineapple bun before spending hours on the elliptical or treadmill alone may not be the best way to lose that belly fat. In fact, according to Women’s Health Magazine, people who do cardio exercises and weight training lift weights tend to lose up to 40% more fat than those who just do cardio exercise.
By incorporating weight training in your normal cardio exercise routine, you will not only burn fats during the exercise but even after your strength training workout. This happens through the process of excess post-exercise oxygen consumption or EPOC which means that your body consumes additional oxygen hours or even days after your strength workout. In other words, your body will require an increase in metabolic rate for the additional oxygen from your workout.
REASON #2: You will not be bulky, you will be toned and sexy
Unlike men, women have naturally lower testosterone level in their body (to be exact we only have 5 to 10% the amount of testosterone men do) . And thus even if you lift weights, you won’t get the same bulk as men have in their arms, chest, quads. The women you see with big and defined muscles (and are usually heavily tanned) are most likely body builders or professional athletes. These women get their huge muscles only by taking supplements and eating way more calories than a normal woman does.
So what then really happens when you lift weights? You will be stronger and you will get that toned look perfect for an IG beach post (with proper diet, of course).
REASON #3: You will increase calorie consumption
Deadlifts, squats, bench presses, and other lifts will essentially increase your lean muscle mass. With more muscles come more muscle contractions that will contribute to more calories that are burned throughout the day. Also, the muscle you used during the workout will need energy to repair the fibers after the workout. Which means, more burning of calories while you are walking to the office, playing with your dog or even reading articles in pinoyfitness.
REASON #4: Lifting is good for your health
As you lift heavy weights, not only do you build more muscles, you also increase your bone density and improve bone strength. Aside from this, pumping iron can reduce risk of heart disease, improve the quality of your sleep, and ease joint pain.
And if these reasons alone are not yet convincing you to add lifting weights to your normal gym routine, here’s a compilation of fit girls with bikini bods that are well… lifting weights
Coleen Garcia
Solenn Heusaff
Anne Curtis
And last but definitely not the least, the gal every girl wants to look like right now, Wonder Woman herself: Gal Gadot! (Fun fact: Gal Gadot’s training for wonder woman includes 2 hours of weight lifting, 2 hours of horse back riding, and 2 hours of fight choreography everyday!)
Sources: www.womenshealthmag.com | www.bodybuilding.com | www.fitnessmagazine.com | hypebeast.com
