Weight Training At Any Age

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 Staying in shape… It’s not easy!

I’ll be the first to admit — even though I’m very dedicated to my own fitness routine — it sometimes takes a lot of motivation to get moving.

But there’s one particularly important type of training I never skip, no matter what… and it’s something EVERYONE should be doing regularly:

Weight training.

Now, a lot of my clients ask me if women really need to be lifting weights.

And I’ve got to tell you, it’s a shame so many people think it’s just a “guy thing.” Because weight training is especially important for women. Check out just a few of the potential benefits of weight-bearing exercises:

• Increased bone mass
• Better mood
• Healthier weight³
• Normalized blood pressure

Plus, that “strong and powerful” feeling of confidence you get from weight training can give you a huge boost in your daily life!

The only problem is, when I mention this to my clients, I often get the same horrified response…

“But won’t I bulk up like a man?”

Now, this is an understandable misconception...

But I want to reassure you — your body could not possibly pump out enough testosterone to bulk you up like a man!

The way some women DO bulk up — like female bodybuilders — is by using very specific dietary techniques, and lifting weights for several hours a day.

That means there’s no way you would bulk up ‘by accident’... even if you’re pumping iron for an hour a day and drinking straight protein.

You can also forget about the myth that heavier weights make for bigger muscles...

So if you prefer to challenge yourself, GO FOR IT! It’s an amazing sense of accomplishment. (Just make sure you’re healthy enough for lifting — if you’re not sure, your doctor can help you decide.)

Now, if you’re not sure where to start, here are a few quick tips that have helped a few of my patients:

• Pick the right weight. With the right weight, you should be able to do 10-15 repetitions of a given exercise, for 3 sets, with about a minute between each set. It should be challenging, but doable.
   
• Learn the burn. Yes, the phrase “No Pain, No Gain” is misleading, but you should feel a slow tiring out of the muscle. The “pain” should be bearable — or even feel good!
  
  Remember, you should never feel anything sharp, twisting, snapping, or cramping. That kind of pain is bad news — and if you ever feel it, stop immediately.
   
• Space it out. Working the same muscle two days in a row won’t give it time to heal properly. Instead, alternate days of upper-body exercises, and lower-body exercises. So, if you do bicep curls on Monday, don’t do them again until Wednesday.

If you’ve never weight trained before, I know it might seem intimidating… but the benefits are just amazing, whether you’re using a pair of 2-pound dumbbells at home, or moving whole racks at the gym.

Start slow, and keep at it. I believe in you!                                              READ NEXT ARTICLE

Your Beverly Hills MD,

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