Every Woman Should Be Strength Training: Separating Fact From Fiction
Have you heard that weight training is good for you but aren’t sure why?
Do you feel intimidated by the weightlifting section of the gym?
Are you worried about getting hurt or becoming bulky?
You’re not alone. Many women share these concerns about resistance training. However, strength training is essential for overall health, performance, and longevity. Let’s explore the science behind these common myths and discover how lifting weights can make you stronger, leaner, and more confident.
Fiction: It’s Dangerous for Women to Lift Heavy Weights
Fact: When done correctly with proper form and progressive overload, weight training is safe and beneficial for women.
Always start with a warm-up to elevate muscle temperature and improve joint mobility. If you’re new, begin with lighter weights to master technique, then gradually increase intensity. Training consistently, even just two sessions per week, builds strength and reduces injury risk over time.
The initial gains you notice aren’t just muscle growth; they’re neuromuscular adaptations, as your nervous system learns to activate muscles more efficiently. Within 4–8 weeks, you’ll notice improvements in strength, coordination, and overall mobility.
Research shows that proper resistance training improves muscle strength, balance, and joint stability, reducing the risk of falls and injury at any age. (Westcott WL, Curr Sports Med Rep 2012.)
Fiction: Lifting Weights Makes You Bulky
Fact: Women typically do not have the hormonal profile to develop bulky muscles.
On average, women have about 85% of the muscle mass of men and significantly lower testosterone levels. In a study published in the British Journal of Sports Medicine, moderately increased testosterone improved strength and power in women, but did not produce muscle hypertrophy or bulkiness.
Without anabolic steroids or extreme training volume, most women develop lean, toned muscle rather than large size. In fact, strength training helps reduce body fat and improve muscle definition by increasing lean mass and basal metabolic rate.
Fiction: Cardio Is the Best Way to Lose Weight
Fact: While cardio supports cardiovascular health and calorie burn, strength training is more effective for long-term fat loss.
Muscle is metabolically active tissue, meaning it burns calories even at rest. The more muscle mass you have, the higher your resting metabolic rate. Resistance training also triggers excess post-exercise oxygen consumption (EPOC) a sustained increase in metabolism that lasts for hours after your workout.
Combining resistance training with high-intensity interval training (HIIT) maximizes both calorie expenditure and muscle preservation.
Fiction: All Women Eventually Get Osteoporosis
Fact: Osteoporosis is preventable.
It affects approximately one in three women over the age of 50, but lifestyle plays a major role in prevention. Resistance training provides mechanical loading on bones, stimulating osteoblast activity and increasing bone mineral density. Osteoblasts are a type of cell that builds new bone.
Building bone mass in adolescence and maintaining it through adulthood significantly reduces fracture risk later in life. Strength training, adequate calcium and vitamin D intake, and hormone balance form the foundation of lifelong bone health.
Fiction: You Have to Lift Every Day to See Results
Fact: Recovery is part of the process.
Training two to three times per week is sufficient for meaningful strength gains. According to a 2023 meta-analysis, lower-body muscle strength tends to increase faster than upper-body strength in women, emphasizing the importance of balanced programming.
Dr. Stacy Sims and other female physiology experts recommend focusing on heavier weights with fewer repetitions, emphasizing compound lifts such as squats, deadlifts, and rows for the greatest functional benefit.
Sample Strength Training Plan
This plan uses a percentage of your one-repetition maximum (1RM) to determine training intensity. Aim for 3 sets of 4–6 repetitions at 80% 1RM for each exercise, resting 60–90 seconds between sets.
Warm-Up (5 minutes)
Light cardio or dynamic mobility drills
Main Workout:
Squats – 4–6 reps × 3 sets
Bench Press – 4–6 reps × 3 sets
Deadlifts – 4–6 reps × 3 sets
Lunges – 4–6 reps × 3 sets
Bent-Over Rows – 4–6 reps × 3 sets
Forearm Planks – Hold 30 seconds × 3 sets
Cool-Down:
Stretch major muscle groups for at least 5 minutes
This type of program builds muscle strength, bone density, and metabolic health while improving posture and mobility.
The Bottom Line
Every woman, from teenagers to seniors, benefits from strength training. Resistance training builds and maintains muscle, bone, and confidence, improving performance, longevity, and quality of life.
By learning proper form and building progressively, you’ll train safely, move better, and feel empowered.
So grab those dumbbells, challenge yourself, and start your journey to becoming stronger - inside and out.
References
Hirschberg AL et al. (2020). “Effects of moderately increased testosterone concentration on physical performance in young women.” Br J Sports Med.
Jung R et al. (2023). “Muscle strength gains per week in resistance-trained women: A systematic review and meta-analysis.” PLoS One.
Keen MU & Reddivari AKR. (2023). “Osteoporosis in Females.” StatPearls Publishing.
Børsheim E & Bahr R. (2003). “Effect of exercise intensity, duration, and mode on post-exercise oxygen consumption.” Sports Med.
Phillips SM. (2014). “A brief review of critical processes in exercise-induced muscle hypertrophy.” Appl Physiol Nutr Metab.
Schoenfeld BJ et al. (2019). “Resistance training volume enhances muscle hypertrophy.” J Strength Cond Res.
Grgic J et al. (2018). “Frequency of resistance training on muscle growth: A systematic review.” Sports Med.
Westcott WL. (2012). “Resistance training is medicine.” Curr Sports Med Rep.
Guadalupe-Grau A et al. (2009). “Exercise and bone mass in women.” Eur J Appl Physiol.
Sims ST. (2016). ROAR: How to Match Your Food and Fitness to Your Unique Female Physiology.