You don’t know your own strength
The story is true - I was the personal trainer, and that client is now (no joke!) hauling trucks in weight-pull contests for fun. The moral of the story is that, until that session, she had no idea that she had been lifting far less than her true capability.
That five-fold jump is what was needed to challenge her. After that, her pattern of progress was more typical, coming in gradual increments as she kept lifting. She hadn’t been intentionally selling herself short - she just didn’t know how strong she really was. And she isn’t alone. Many women opt for mini-weights because they are misinformed, afraid of heavier weights for fear of bulk, or simply don’t know how to lift weights. Are you one of them?
Believe in your strength
Mind you, there is no need to go to the gym and lift five times more than your usual weight. But perhaps it's time to entertain the possibility that maybe, just maybe, you are a lot stronger than you believe.
Women of all ages are discovering their strength. All the publicity about the benefits of an active lifestyle certainly helps to get you moving, but there still has to be something inside of you to inspire you to get moving. It could be an expression of your inner determination or self-faith, a way to feel good about your body, a chance for social interaction, or the natural high of endorphins.
Lauren Hollingsworth, an active Colorado woman who trains hard for climbing, says “You have to have some kind of internal motivation. If motivation is external, typically you lose motivation after that external factor is gone.”
If you are exercising to please or compete with someone else, your motivation is dependent on them. But if you are doing it to please yourself, or to compete with yourself, you can look forward to a lifetime of health, goals achieved, and, most importantly, fun. Let your internal motivation move you to pick up some weights that will truly improve your fitness.
You’ve already started
So how did that particular client get so strong if she hadn’t been lifting weights effectively? It had a lot to do with playing hockey on an organized team and the training that it entailed. But she never made the connection between hockey training and strength gained because the training was so much fun. In her mind, hockey didn’t seem enough like work to be making her strong.
If you hike as a habit, you are already getting quality exercise. If you go dancing, if you work in a place where you do lots of walking, lifting or carrying, or if you play any sports for fun, you are getting some exercise already. There is no rule that says workouts must be gloomy, obligatory affairs. Give yourself some credit for being strong, healthy, and having fun while you’re at it. And that fun probably includes some challenging fitness feats. This means you are ready to increase your resistance training!
Start slow and gradual
So why is it a good idea to start slow and work your way up when you begin something new, even if you’re a pro at what you’ve been doing all along? It is a matter of giving your nerves time to recalibrate and learning how to use the same muscle tissue in different ways.
You also need to learn good technique in order to avoid injury. That means it’s not a good idea to run into the gym and start lifting the heaviest weights you can find on day one. Start with something you are sure is manageable and gradually work your way up.
Tips to lift weights
So are you ready to challenge yourself and discover your potential? Here are some tips to get you started.
1. Educate yourself. Invest in a good book, time with an experienced buddy or a couple of sessions with a trainer. A good trainer can teach you the basics of how to move correctly, avoid injury and set realistic goals in just a couple of sessions.
2. Develop core strength. Sit-ups are not the only core-strengthening exercise. Check out Pilates or other specialized core workouts. Having a strong core will give you the foundation to effectively build strength in your upper and lower body. Another way of putting it is that your body is limited by its weakest part, and very frequently that weak part is your “core.” Tightening your abs, obliques and back muscles will help you look good, feel good and, best yet, do a lot to bring out your true strength.
3. Have a plan. Know what you want to get out of your time spent lifting. If you are just doing it for fun or a chance to get out of the house, you don’t necessarily need to worry about setting specific goals - just have fun and revel in the fact you are improving your health. If, however, you are motivated to increase your strength, devise a step by step plan. Set manageable goals and achieve them one by one.
Hollingsworth explains, “Results are progressive - you can see small gains over time, and then eventually you’re way ahead of where you started.” The effort you put into weight training will show benefits in other sports or hobbies, even everyday life, as you get stronger.
Follow this plan
If you are unsure of how to set goals, here is a sample plan.
Decide on the look: Tell your personal trainer about your fitness goals. Do you want a lean cut look, muscular build, muscular endurance, or simple strength? Your trainer can then work with you to design the optimal weight-lifting plan.
Set reps: One of the first things most trainers will do is help you set a target number of times you should be able to lift the weights, called reps or repetitions. This number is usually between 8 and 15 and is determined by what sort of musculature you want to develop. If your target number is 12, but you can only lift the weight 8 times, it’s too heavy – try something lighter. If you can lift the weight more than 12 times, it’s too light – add a little more. Your trainer can also decide the number of sets you should do.
Frequency: You should be lifting every other day or at least two to three times per week for optimal results. You don’t want to lift using the same muscles everyday because your muscles, if they are adequately challenged, will need a day of recovery, possibly more. However, you do need to lift more than once per week. Talk to your trainer about the right frequency for your goals.
Increase your weight: If you find yourself doing 15 reps without feeling much challenge towards the end of your set, its time to boost your weight. Try a 2 to 5 pound increase.
Just do it!
Simple guidelines like this are tools that can help you fine-tune your training - or enhance your play - and get more out of it. Your best bet is consulting a qualified fitness professional to make sure you are on the fitness plan that is right for you. And remember: You will never know what you are capable of unless you dare to dream!
Read more:
