There are countless articles, celebrities, and magazines touting the benefits of strength training for women, yet many are still hesitant to get lifting. Despite scientific proof that strength training may be the single most important activity one can do for their health, many forego weights for cardio machines every time they’re at the gym.

So what’s with this disconnect? Unfortunately, some women believe that strength training leads to bulking up rather than leaning out. Our personal trainers have heard this false idea over and over again from clients, and we can attest that this is far from the truth. In fact, strength training is key to achieving a slender and strong physique.

To learn why, Elite Performance Trainer Lance Barrett is sharing a few reasons why every woman of any age should start incorporating strength training into their weekly workouts.

1. Bone density. Wolff’s Law states that bones will adapt according to the load placed upon them. So unless you’re a high-performance athlete, gradually increasing the load on your bones throughout your entire body is best done with progressive resistance strength training in the gym.

2. Connective Tissue Integrity. Similarly to Wolff’s Law, Davis’ law states that one can strengthen their muscle and connective tissue when they introduce progressive loads. This means you can expect less injury while on a proper strength training program.

3. Muscle Imbalance. It’s important to consider muscle imbalances. There are many agonist/antagonist relationships between muscle groups in your body that are key for improving your performance as well as your posture. Through strength training, you can help restore balance throughout the body.

4. Maintain and Increase Lean Mass. If you want to maintain a youthful appearance, increasing your muscle mass is key. Between the ages of 25 and 45, women are susceptible to losing up to 10 pounds of muscle mass. This can create a slew if issues, such as a slower metabolism and weight gain. And even though you may have a slender frame, without strength training, your body may have an increased amount of body fat storage even if the number on the scale hasn’t budged.

Don’t just take our word for it, as science has long proven these benefits. Dr. Edward R. Laskowski, a physical medicine and rehabilitation specialist at Mayo Clinic, states “If you don’t do anything to replace the lean muscle you lose, you’ll increase the percentage of fat in your body. But strength training can help you preserve and enhance your muscle mass — at any age.”

We know how intimidating strength training can be. Knowing what to do and how to use the free weights, deadlifts, and other machines properly can be incredibly intimidating. That’s why we always recommend meeting with a qualified personal trainer who can design a custom program for you. Need help? Contact the Elite Performance Personal Trainers in Vancouver and start the road to strength.