Why you need strength training
Who here loves cardio? I love it too, but 10 years ago that’s all I used to do. Sure, it was great for my heart health and losing weight initially. But eventually I hit a plateau and wasn’t seeing the changes in my body that I wanted. It wasn’t until I heard a spin instructor say this that I finally realized what I was missing.
She said: “𝘐𝘧 𝘺𝘰𝘶’𝘳𝘦 𝘯𝘰𝘵 𝘴𝘦𝘦𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘳𝘦𝘴𝘶𝘭𝘵𝘴 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘸𝘢𝘯𝘵, 𝘪𝘵’𝘴 𝘣𝘦𝘤𝘢𝘶𝘴𝘦 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘯𝘦𝘦𝘥 𝘵𝘰 𝘢𝘥𝘥 𝘴𝘵𝘳𝘦𝘯𝘨𝘵𝘩 𝘵𝘳𝘢𝘪𝘯𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘵𝘰 𝘺𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘸𝘰𝘳𝘬𝘰𝘶𝘵 𝘳𝘰𝘶𝘵𝘪𝘯𝘦.”
Mind blown. I’d really never heard that before. I grabbed a workout buddy and we started learning how to lift weights together, slowly and imperfectly. But eventually it became a big part of my weekly routine and a great complement to my cardio workouts. Once I started lifting regularly, more people started commenting on my “weight loss.” But I didn’t drop any pounds, I was just leaning out and becoming more toned.
Strength training is so good for you and, with consistency, you will see results! Many women worry that they’ll get “bulky” if they lift weights, but that’s a myth. Although your body stops working immediately after a cardio workout, you will continue to burn calories even after you finish a weightlifting workout. This is known as the “after burn.” Ultimately, strength training will make you stronger and better equipped for everyday tasks, like picking up your children or moving furniture.
It can be a little overwhelming and confusing when you’re first starting out. That’s why I recommend working out with a friend. It doesn’t have to be your friend who’s a personal trainer either. It can be someone on the same fitness journey as you, and I find it helpful if you’re about the same strength level.
There are so many free resources out there to help you learn machine, free weight and body weight exercises for different muscle groups. I find lots of inspiration on Instagram, Pinterest and even just through a Google search.
If you’re looking for a simple and judgment-free place to start, join my next 6-Week Fitness Challenge.
