Should women stick to cardio and avoid working out with weights?

Of course not. If you want to start lifting weights, go for it. And no, you won’t turn into a She-Hulk.

But you will get stronger, with more defined muscles that are anything but big and bulky. There are tons of other health and fitness benefits too such as better heart health, increased flexibility, and so on.

So if you want to be one of those women lifting weights, don’t let anything stop you. Just make sure you don’t injure yourself by following these top 5 tips.

1. Watch Your Form

You can read tons of articles on how to lift weights. And they will all stress that you have to get the form right before attempting to lift heavier weights.

So if your trainer starts you with no weights and just your body weight at first, don’t worry. Once you master the movement patterns and positioning, he or she will soon start adding weights.

Now, if you don’t have a trainer or coach, there are tutorials online that can help. Study them and don’t think you’re wasting time learning proper form when you can be pumping iron right now. It would be harder to break poor lifting habits later on than to invest some time and effort now into following the correct form.

2. Train Like a Beginner

The number one rule of weight lifting for female beginners is don’t do much too soon. More doesn’t always mean better. And that goes for reps, sets, and weight.

Give your body time to adjust so it can handle the extra workload without sustaining any injury.

3. Seek Guidance from a Good Trainer

Now that doesn’t have to mean you need to pay. Maybe you have friends who are already lifting weights. Or perhaps you can look for online trainers or coaches who give out advice for free.

There are some things beginners won’t know unless they seek help from experts. For example, when does someone cut or bulk or when to increase weight? A good trainer can provide inputs that can help make your strength training workouts more productive.

4. Don’t Forget Your Diet

While it’s true that muscles burn more fat, you can’t neglect your diet. Make sure to consume protein to help speed up recovery time.

Eat plenty of fruits and vegetables, whole grains, and healthy fats. And try to avoid excess sugar and refined carbs.

5. Be One of the Women Lifting Weights Today

Don’t start tomorrow or next week or next year. Do it today. Check your local gyms to see if there are trainers or coaches who can start training you.

If you feel a bit intimidated doing that, check out online weight lifting programs. The earlier you start taking action, the faster you’ll see those strength gains.

Need More Health and Fitness Tips and Advice? 

Now that you know some of the best tips for women lifting weights, don’t stop there. Keep on learning more so you can be the healthiest and fittest version of yourself.

For more health and fitness articles, don’t hesitate to browse the rest of our blog.

Mandy X

Author: Mandy Kloppers

Mandy is a qualified therapist who treats depression, anxiety, OCD, PTSD, trauma, and many other types of mental health issues. She provides online therapy around the world for those needing support and also provides relationship counselling.