Only cardio burns fat, right?
Wrong. Cardiovascular exercise is effective at torching calories and the larger the muscles worked, the better, but nothing is more effective at building that all important metabolic rate than weight training. Start light and increase as your body grows stronger. Weight training adds muscle bulk to the body and helps to burn fat for up to 48 hours afterward. Seriously.
Why do I need cardio if I want to tone up?
Both weight training and cardio are important and help to build a sexy, lean, muscular body. In order to get muscle definition, it is important to push the body to its limits through weight training. The heavier the weight the more the muscles will gain in strength and grow back stronger. A six-pack is sexy, would you agree?
What about if I get too bulky?
This is a massive myth. Women who lift weights will grow big and bulky. Well if you tried it, you would see that the body only grows lean and sexy. Weight training is a very efficient way to increase the calorie burn at rest. A higher metabolic rate burns more calories and can burn off the old fat in the body to reveal lean muscle tissue. It is also important to watch what you eat. Try to eat healthy 80% of the time and have one cheat day where you eat what you love. Many women complain about bingo wings or trouble with their stomachs and the underlying fat. The best way to target that nasty fat is to weight train.
Does it put strain on the bones?
Unbelievably weight training is one of the best ways to strengthen the bones. Skipping and running also work to strengthen bone tissue but weight training causes both the muscles and tendons to pull on bone tissue, therefore making it stronger.
Am I too old to start lifting weights?
No! As we get older, muscle mass decreases so weight lifting is an important way to keep those muscles in peak condition. When muscle mass decreases the metabolic rate also slows down. No matter what your age, weight train and you’ll keep your metabolic rate high. Regular exercise keeps the skin youthful because of the excess blood-pumping round.
Is bodyweight training enough?
Of course, bodyweight training is very tough but once the fat had been shed and the body has less resistance to work against, this is when weight training can kick in and build incredible strength. No doubt, you have heard that the body gets used to exercises after a while, same with bodyweight training. To start with, you were possibly heavier but now with weight loss the body has become accustomed to the same workouts. If you are adamant you do not want to use weights, try plyometric training. Plyometrics is also an effective way to build muscle bulk without using weights.
Will it cause an injury?
Yes, weight training may cause injury if correct form is not maintained throughout. This is where personal trainers and weight training machines come into play. Personal trainers will teach you good form, especially with free weight training, as this has a greater risk of injury. Weight training machines still use the muscles but not as much as free weight training would challenge them. These machines usually have a picture to show you which muscle groups are being targeted and support the core muscles. Weight training machines usually cause less of an injury.
I perform regular exercise so why do I need to weight train too.
Cardio exercise such as running or cycling is a very efficient way to build a strong heart and improve the blood flow to the muscles but cardio does not build stability or strength. Even elite athletes have to work on their muscles, build their strength and complete their sport at best, incredibly strong.
