Women often have preconceived notions about gyms and working out–some of them may be right, and some of them are dead wrong. People often fall prey to the many myths out there about fitness. Some are contradicting because there is always new research and articles coming out and it can be hard to tell who or what to believe. At Omaha Barbell, the number 1 gym in Omaha, we are huge believers of education and want all women who are looking at weight training or any type of fitness level to know the right way to work out without hurting yourself. Always research information before you take it as fact or if you still aren’t sure, call us at Omaha Barbell and ask our professionals. We want you to know it is okay for women to be strong. It has many more benefits than you could imagine! See below for some of the most common misconceptions that we are here to debunk.
Misconception 1: You can hurt yourself from lifting weights.
It is true that when performing a weight training exercise with poor form or attempting to lift above your ideal weight limits you can get hurt, and hurt severely if you are not careful. For men and women it is recommended to start light regarding weight training if you are new to this sport. While seeing the numbers double time over time, it can get exciting to skip to your max. We actually recommend for you not to perform this technique unless you are a professional weight lifter. You can hurt yourself badly, causing you life long pain or making the experience of weight lifting a bad one. We recommend for you to start with what you can handle and increase the weight carefully as you get stronger. Whatever you do, don’t be reckless because you can cause yourself and those who are spotting you an unwarranted injury.
Misconception 2: Use less weight and do more reps
This is one of the most long living misconceptions in the fitness world. We believe it might have been started back when Richard Simmons hit the stage in his fancy outfit and knee high socks. High reps can help you burn calories however it will take a lot longer to build the strength you are looking for. The end result is that you might not get the muscle definition you were looking to accomplish. To look toned you must lose body fat and increase muscle size. In typical cases, women want to look healthier and become stronger. With us being the #1 Omaha Gym, we recommend starting a full body strength training program.
Misconception 3: Weight lifting will cause me to look like a man
As we talked about in our last article, some women stay away from strength training or weight lifting because they believe they will start to look bulky, resembling the physique of a man. Remember, testosterone is the main reason men bulk up. If you’re a woman looking to gain strength by weight raining there is no need to be concerned. In most cases, women perform weight training routines consistently for the following reasons;
- Advantage 1: You will have more strength for everyday things. This can include lifting groceries, kids, moving boxes, or during leisurely activities.
- Advantage 2: More calories are burned throughout the day. Weight lifting does not just cause more calories to be burned during the workout, but also during the whole day. This is because the more muscle you have, the more calories are burned when your body is at rest. Your body gets used to burning off excess fat and continues to do that. Isn’t that awesome?!
- Advantage 3: You will look and feel better! And isn’t this the number one reason we start working out in the first place?
Come on down to Omaha Barbell!
Omaha Barbell wants to help you look and feel fantastic. There is a reason why we are called the Best Gym in Omaha. Call us today at 402-594-4485 for our assistance in a New Year’s Resolution or any other concerns you may have about working out as a woman.
