Strength training is key for women, but there are many roadblocks women face when trying to reach the minimum recommended amount of 2x/week (by the Canadian Guidelines).
Here’s why you should be strength training:
- Bone mineral density
- Maintain muscle mass
- Independence and function
- Reduce risk of injury
Strength training as a woman can feel overwhelming for many reasons, but the key is to find an environment and the right people to make it enjoyable.
There’s still a certain perspective about taking the time as a woman (or individuals who identify as female) to work out and feel strong. Part of feminine norms in society is the concept that women shouldn’t have muscles or want to be strong, that women are weak and wouldn’t even be able to handle sports or physical training – don’t even get me started on this because it clearly grinds my gears!
From a young age, there are studies showing the girls drop out of sports much more often than boys.
So as females, we’re used to the fact that there will be less women in gyms, less women on sports teams, and so on. The worrisome aspect is that we miss out on not only the emotional, psychological and mental health aspects, but we lose out on the important physical aspects.
Strength Training is key as we age to help with:
Bone Mineral Density
Strength training from a young age can help build bone density, as our muscles pull on our bones, our body learns to adapt and create more bone in those areas. If you are starting fresh, then it can still play a role in promoting bone density in post-menopausal women.
It’s called osteopenia and osteoporosis when we start losing bone mineral density to a specific level.
Maintaining Muscle Mass
Sarcopenia is when we lose muscle. This starts happening way before we think – in our 30s! So it’s essential to start lifting heavy weights and resistance training as soon as possible, in the main muscle groups.
Maintaining Independence and Function
We don’t think about these things while we have them, but as soon as you have an injury or lose strength in your ability to do things you were able to do before, that’s when you’ll have wished you had started training sooner!
Reducing Injury from falls or other unexpected impacts
Your body becomes more resilient when you put it through hard work! This is also impacted by having an increased bone mineral densities so your body can literally take more impacts. Resistance training can improve BMD in the femoral neck (the bone in the hip joint) and the lumber spine (the lower back joints) for both women who are pre-menopausal and post-menopausal.
Getting into a regular strength training program can take time to build up – gradually working into more specific and targeted exercises is like injury rehabilitation. It should be staged and progressive. Following the rehab phases I use for injuries can be a good place to start.
I can understand that not everyone is comfortable or even wants to go to the gym – that’s where personal training can come into the mix.
A trainer can help keep you accountable, and make your program specific to your needs. They are pros at providing external motivation, and helping you start to identify as a gym-goer or someone who strength trains! This switch in mentality is important to keep strength training as a sustainable activity.
I spoke with Mosope, a certified personal trainer and maternal health advocate, helping women – especially moms – curate a personalized wellness strategy.
If you are a mom-to-be or currently taking care of your kids and want to get stronger – Mosope has you covered. We met through Instagram initially, and then I had Mosope come into the clinic for a treatment session so she could experience a physiotherapy appointment with me. I love being able to connect and chat with trainers on a more personal level to find out their motivations.
We’re both passionate about providing care and attention to moms. The current healthcare system doesn’t provide moms with the support they need once they have had their baby. Mosope has experienced this herself, and was determined to help as many moms avoid this as possible.
Mosope is looking to help you to:
– Clarify your pregnancy and postpartum fitness goals
– Create an exercise program that fits your life and helps you achieve your goals
– Design a nutrition program that is sustainable for your current season of life.
You can work with Mosope and learn more about her at her website!
Want to learn more? Have a listen of our live chat about strength training for women:
References:
Paluch, Amanda E., et al. “Resistance exercise training in individuals with and without cardiovascular disease: 2023 update: a scientific statement from the American Heart Association.” Circulation 149.3 (2024): e217-e231.
24 Hour Movement Guidelines Website link
