RFT: Iron in Heels is a new bi-weekly series on tamilyouth.ca that seeks to educate, inspire, and empower Tamil youth to improve their fitness and well-being by developing an active lifestyle.
Written by: Sulaksana Sabaratnam
In today’s society there seems to be this crazy irony of women wanting those firm feminine curves, but not identifying strength training as feminine. From what I’ve heard from past clients and observed in the gym, there are a few consistent concerns women have when considering the idea of strength training. Before I get to that, let me clarify what strength training is. Strength training includes working with resistance in order to prompt muscle contractions, helping build endurance, skeletal muscle and overall strength.
The most concerning misconception women have about strength training is that by lifting weight, they will become “bulky” and less feminine. The truth is, women actually become healthier, stronger and leaner by incorporating strength training into their workouts. As women, our bodies do not have the same hormonal make up as men, which reduces the ability to pack on muscle as easily. Not only is it our hormonal make up that deters our ability to pack on muscle, there are several other factors that you have to consider in order to actually put on a good amount of muscle mass like: your food, your DNA, your program and its intensity as well as your movements. Becoming “bulky” is not a definite result of merely strength training alone.
Another concern that I’ve had women express to me was, “Why begin strength training, when my goal is to lose weight and not build muscle?” In response, I immediately ask, “Is this goal for you to see a result on the scale or in the mirror?” Right off the bat, we can clarify that their goal is based on a vision of what they want to look like.
Strength training is a great way to strengthen the body and, yes, add lean muscle mass in the process. By performing strength training, you are also burning calories at an exponential rate compared to when doing cardio for prolonged periods of time. When paired with great dietary habits, your body is also capable of decreasing its fat percentage at a faster rate. As a result, you also allow your body to firm up and burn a greater amount of calories per minute during a state of rest due to the energy your muscle mass demands. Another perk of strength training and building muscles mass, is developing your Gluteus Maximus – that butt! Your butt, too, is a muscle itself, so for those of us who are not gifted with that Jennifer Lopez, Beyoncé or Kardashian booty, you can definitely work towards one.
The benefits of strength training does not stop there! By incorporating strength training and developing lean muscle mass, one:
– Reduces the risk of injury
– Develops and tones muscle
– Loses body fat due to an increased metabolic rate
– Reduces health risks for diabetes by increasing your cardiovascular health, decreasing your bad cholesterol level and blood pressure
BOTTOM LINE – strength training does wonders for your body as a woman. The benefits of strength training will be evident in the beginning stages and will be something you will be thankful for starting as you age. I urge women to discard the association with strength training and looking “butch,” but rather create this relationship between strength training and living a healthy lifestyle – while looking fabulous of course!
Stay tuned for my next piece “Truth and Lies of Waist Lines.” For questions and inquiries, you can also contact me on Instagram at @sulaksanas! Your question may be the topic of my next piece!
Author
Sulaksana Sabaratnam is a certified personal trainer and weight-loss consultant. She is currently working towards her nutrition manager (NM) certification. With her passion in fitness and her drive to challenge the limits of her body, Sulaksana also enjoys educating her male and female clientele who benefit from both, her physical weight training and complementary nutrition knowledge. Through her articles, she hopes to help women feel comfortable in the gym atmosphere, invite women to take on strength training to strengthen and accentuate the feminine curves and encourage them to ask questions freely. Follow her via Instagram at @sulaksanas for daily inspiration!
Tags: exercise, gym, healthy living, iron in heels, rft, strength training, workout
