The Incredible Benefits Of Strength Training For Women

Many women choose cardio over strength training for a number of reasons. You might feel intimidated in the gym,don’t know how to use gym equipment, or fear you’ll bulk up — but if you are a woman, there are many benefits that come from incorporating strength training in your fitness regimen.

According to the American Cancer Society, two to three strength-based workouts each week can result in significant health benefits, such as increased muscle mass, stronger bones, boosted metabolism, better posture, balance and joint flexibility. 

Strength training can be done from the comfort of your home, meaning you can reap the benefits of this training style if you can’t make it to the gym. 

Here are some of the incredible benefits of strength training for women, and why you should consider adding this training style to your fitness routine. 

What is strength training and who can do it? 

Strength training can be done by anyone, anywhere using a combination of resistance, strength and muscle building exercises that target different muscle groups. The exercises use weights of varying degrees of heaviness or just your bodyweight. 

Some of the different types of weights used in strength training include:

• Free weights, such as dumbbells, barbells and kettlebells
• Medicine balls or sandbags
• Weight machines

According to the University of Southern Queensland in Australia, “more than 30 years of clinical research has shown that muscle-strengthening exercise increases muscle mass, strength and bone mineral density… and improves our ability to perform everyday activities such as walking up stairs or getting in and out of a chair…”. 

You can do strength training in the gym, or you can easily lift at home using a few key pieces of home gym equipment.

The benefits of strength training for women 

Here are four amazing health benefits you’ll achieve with regular strength training.

Lifting can help to improve your body composition

When paired with good nutrition, strength training can increase your lean muscle mass and reduce your fat mass. Having some body fat is essential for optimal health, especially for female hormonal health and fertility, but improving your body composition can increase your metabolism and reduce the load on your joints, as well as your risk of chronic diseases such as diabetes, high blood pressure or cardiovascular disease.

Lifting protects your heart 

In 2018, research by St. George’s University in Grenada showed that strength training can be just as effective as cardio in boosting heart health, though the study authors said that people who mixed their types of physical activity fared better than those who simply increased the level of one type. 

The best news: You don’t need to spend hours on strength training to reap the benefits. A 2018 study from Iowa State University in the US found that lifting weights for less than an hour a week may reduce your risk for a heart attack or stroke by 40 to 70%. 

You’ll build stronger bones

As well as increased muscle strength, multiple studies have shown that strength training can have a positive effect on bone health, and can slow the decline of bone density as you age.

Women are more likely to be affected by bone density loss, which can result in brittle bones, or osteoporosis. Findings from a 2020 web report on Osteoporosis by the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare saw osteoporosis most common in older women, affecting over 1 in 4 women aged over 75.” 

As strength training supports bone density, it makes it a great option for women of any age.

It can improve your mood

Though cardio has traditionally been championed for its feel-good endorphins, researchers have recently started to look at how strength training impacts mental health. A meta-analysis study published in 2018 in JAMA Psychiatry found that strength training significantly reduced depressive symptoms, and other research points to a reduction in anxiety symptoms too.

Which Sweat strength training program is best for you?

Ready to give strength training a go? There are strength-based Sweat programs available on the app. Each workout comes with step-by-step instructions and guided demonstrations to make sure you complete each exercise with correct form. 

The following Sweat programs can be completed both at home or in the gym:

PWR at Home combines free weight, resistance band and bodyweight exercises, and is divided into targeted body-area workouts. Each workout includes a warm-up, pyramid training, supersets or tri-sets and burnouts.

Best suited for:

• Anyone looking for challenging strength training you can do at home without needing to go to the gym.

FIERCE at Home incorporates a mixture of strength training and high-intensity workouts and uses a combination of circuits and finishers to help you gradually progress to lifting heavier weights. 

Best suited for:

• Women working out at home and wanting variety in their workouts.

LIFTING at Home is a great option if you want to get started with weight training at home using dumbbells, a kettlebell and a resistance band. This program focuses on adding volume to the muscles through the use of supersets and a combination of compound and isolated movements.

Best suited for:

• The inclusion of four foundational weeks makes this program suitable if you’re a newcomer to this style of training.

High Intensity Strength at Home with Cass combines heavy lifting, functional movement and high-intensity training for a high-energy workout. You can complete this program using dumbbells, kettlebells and a skipping rope.

Best suited for:

• Women who want short workouts with maximum results. 

Low Impact Strength with Kelsey is designed to build your confidence with strength training. This program will help you learn fundamental movement patterns through a combination of 20-minute time-based and rep-based workouts using a pair of dumbbells.

Best suited for:

• Beginners or anyone returning to fitness to help develop muscular strength and endurance. 

Bodyweight Strength with Anissia will help you build a fitness foundation and you’ll learn the fundamentals of movement with time-based strength training and bodyweight circuits you can do at home without equipment.

Best suited for:

• Beginners who want to develop a consistent training routine with short, effective workouts.

Strength & Cardio with Marilyn will help you learn the basics of strength and cardi movement through circuit training using dumbbells and a chair.

Best suited for:

• Beginners or anyone returning to fitness who enjoy varied training in short, effective workouts.

Experience the amazing benefits of strength training

Whether you’re a beginner or you want to supercharge your strength-based workouts, you can do strength training at home any time – all you need is some space to move and some free weights.

The benefits of weightlifting for women go far beyond just stronger muscles. Using external resistance in the form of free weights, machines and resistance bands can improve your heart health, balance, posture, metabolic resting rate, bones and mental wellbeing. 

Strength training can also help you improve your performance in your other physical activities – and your everyday life.