Regardless of NHS recommendation to include energy coaching into your train routine if potential, some myths about lifting weights stay ― particularly for ladies.
Olivia Tyler, Nationwide Health Assurance Lead at Nuffield Well being, advised HuffPost UK, “There are a wealth of misconceptions associated to resistance coaching for ladies. That is truly one of many largest obstacles in the case of ladies and resistance coaching and might impression each bodily health and bodily well being.”
So, we thought we’d share some myths she debunked:
1) I’ll look cumbersome if I exploit weights
If solely it have been that easy, Tyler stated.
“To develop important quantities of muscle, you need to put in some severe work except for common resistance coaching,” she stated. “There must be numerous deal with growing your energy to match the extent of labor you’re doing, and it isn’t simple.“
She provides, “I am going to the health club 4 occasions every week and use weights and I might not think about myself to be cumbersome or have giant muscular tissues in any respect. However we may additionally want to have a look at our personal requirements for magnificence. Being sturdy is simply as stunning as all physique sorts are.”
2) The weights space is only for males
Some would possibly suppose that, however the UK Chief Medical Officers don’t agree, Tyler factors out. “Energy coaching is for everybody,” she advises.
“You might even see a lot of males in that space however go and declare your house and alter the ratios!”
3) Lifting will trigger accidents or be painful
It certain does look sore to carry a heavy weight, and it may be just a little difficult if you begin, Tyler says. But it surely shouldn’t be painful ― she advises a one-off session with a private coach or assist from a health club assistant if [possible when you’re just starting, as poor posture can damage your knees and other joints.
However, “if you start anything too intensely, you may experience some
initial muscle aches. This is because your muscles need to adapt to the new way of moving and the increased load they may be working through,” she says.
This “is why you should start slowly and gradually increase the intensity of your physical activity. When you experience some muscle aches post-workout, this is called DOMS or Delayed Onset of Muscle Soreness and often sets in 24-48 hours after.”
Muscle aches and sharp pain are different, she says; so while a tough workout might leave you sore, it shouldn’t be agonising. “If anything causes you intense pain, you should stop and seek medical advice,” she says.
4) Lifting is only for people who are experienced in the gym
I’ve been hung up on this before. But Tyler says, “When learning a new skill, everyone has to start somewhere. Even people who have been using the gym for years need advice on how to use a piece of kit they haven’t used
before, and I guarantee you that not everyone in that gym is feeling confident.”
She advises you to meet with a personal trainer (PT) or watch videos online to prep.
5) I have to have a really long workout session
“The guidelines are that anything is always
better than nothing,” Tyler said. “Your workouts should be built into your week as part of your routine and so you can only fit in what you have time for.”
Strength training can seem tough to those with busy schedules as they require longer rest times than other workouts. “Some people like to split their weeks into different areas of their body, for example doing chest and tris on one day, back and bis on a separate day and legs on another,” she says ― this can make it easier.
And good news ― you don’t have to go every day. “If you are focusing on growing, strengthening or conditioning your legs for example, you may need to leave 2 days of rest before working on them again. When people train the same muscle groups over and over without any rest, this is when they can become injured,” Tyler points out.
6) I’m already active, so I don’t have to lift
As a cardio girl, I wish this was true. But while some exercise is better than none, you should ideally mix in some strength training to your routine regardless of how active you are.
For instance, runners “need to supplement their training with activities that will strengthen the muscles around their joints. This prevents injury, gives even more health benefits and increases your running performance,” she says.
Looks like I have no excuse to weight (sorry)…
