There are some pretty wild misconceptions and misunderstanding in the fitness world and Fitness Folklore is here to clear a few of them up.
Today, we start with Heavy Lifting! There is this massive misconception out there that heavy lifting is only for male gym junkies and bodybuilders who are looking to become the next Mr. Olympia. This just is NOT the case! Heavy lifting can be a fantastic and crucial part of your fitness if you are looking to tone up, lose weight, sculpt a lean physique… or all of the above.
By using heavier weights, increasing sets, and lowering reps, women actually increase their definition because they don’t have the same levels of testosterone as men which causes the bulk up. Heavy lifting can also increase more unseen fitness factors like joint agility, bone density, and fast-twitch muscle fibers.
And hey, want to know something even better? Lifting heavy weights actually burns MORE fat than more reps with lighter weights! Yes, that’s right! Lifting heavy is harder and takes more energy, which means burning more calories. Also, because the fat stores in your body are more readily available than oxygen, heavy lifting burns the fat to help out those fast-twitch fibers complete the rep. This also means those fat burning hormones continue to burn after you’ve left the gym and even overnight so you’re burning more, for longer!
There’s no more mystery and no excuses anymore ladies. Hit those weights to feel a better burn and see the results! Try increasing the weight and sets on classic move like bench press or barbell squats but lower the reps (for example instead of 3 sets of 10-12 reps at a low weight, try 6 sets of 4-6 reps at a mid to high weight).
***Make sure to use a spotter or help from a trainer when starting to increase weight in your lifts. Safety first… then teamwork.
