Strength training for women

Ever wondered about strength training and quickly gone off the idea for fear of getting it wrong, not understanding it or feeling like a fish out of water?

In our recent mini course I refer to strength training as one of a number of VIP's (very important processes). So in this blog I explain  why I rate it so highly for women in triathlon, and why I feel you should all get a bit of resistance in your life! 

Why does it feel alien to many women?

Strength training is about lifting weights. It's about being strong. Sadly in the past women have been portrayed as nurturing, intelligent, and many other things in sport, but not always as strong. This has been the status quo for a long time, and it's only in recent years that it's starting to evolve.

So this has translated to the weight section of a gym being predominantly male based, and many men's magazines about health showing pictures of Arnie-like men, thus creating this feeling of a male only space.

Even if this has not deterred you, strength training has certainly gotten very complicated, like most things have with fitness, exercise and nutrition since marketers realised social media could pedal new products. We absorb so much of our information about fitness online, so it's not surprising it leaves the average person bewildered about it all, sometimes paralysed by not knowing why and how to move forward with strength training. 

So why persevere and access strength session as women? Well, its down to a few very important factors:

Why Strength train?

• To preserve your muscle mass. As you get older, you need to stress your muscles to help them grow and be healthy. This is done with lifting weights and using resistance in your workouts, as opposed to doing the long slow steady workouts. These are still elements of your training for sure, and with triathlon you need a certain amount of endurance training. But don’t be fooled that if endurance is all you do you will be preserving lean muscle mass, changing shape, keeping strong etc. This will come mostly from resistance training and weight training.

• You want to keep building power and speed You can reverse the effects of aging on your body, sometimes even get faster and stronger as you get older, purely by doing more weight training.

• Bone health Strength training will aid redevelopment of bones and keep you strong. Not just for triathlon, but who doesn’t want to carry their bike, grandchildren or shopping bags upstairs, and hold yourself upright long into your 70’s and 80’s? If so, you need a good skeleton! 

Common myths

Myth 1: I will get injured

Lifting weights is all relative. DO NOT start lifting heavy weights if you are very new to it. Like any sport, build slowly and start with bodyweight (ie just your own weight).

Always ask for help with the technique of lifting weights, or be very committed to finding the techniques online, and practice them (top tip: mirrors help a lot!)

But do not let risk of injury put you off, or keep you in a phase of being unsure about what to do, so you end up doing nothing. 

You are more likely, statistically, to run without good technique and end up inured, so don’t allow the fear of getting it wrong stop you starting your strength training mission.

Correct form first, then add weights. Simple!

Myth 2: I will bulk up and look too muscly

Unless you are REALLY trying hard to bulk up, you literally cannot do it. To look like Arnie you need huge amounts of testosterone (not found in women in big doses!) You will also need to eat a certain VERY strict diet, and you will need to do nothing but lift weights. As a triathlete you will be doing a really good dose of aerobic/cardio fitness anyway. So in short, you wont bulk up at all. You will look lean and toned but not bulky.

How to access strength training (for triathlon)?

First of all, why is it good for triathlon?

Well, it means you will be stronger on the bike, stronger on the run, stronger in the water, prevent injuries, become lean, and feel great. Bingo!

But you are busy people grappling with 3 sports already, how can you fit this in? 

1) Cutting back slightly on those lovely long sessions that are not doing too much for you. In fact, too much longer distance training CAN lead to injury, as its repetitive, so cutting back on it slightly and adding a strength session is one good idea.

2) Double up a strength session with a session straight afterwards. Such as warm up, 30 minute gym session, then a 30 minute run interval session, or hop on the turbo trainer. 

3) How about a one to one personal training session, to help you with technique? A great idea if you can afford it, one of the best investments you can make for your future self.

But this doesn’t come cheap like any one to one coaching, and for most people the addition of triathlon in there life is expensive enough. But what if you had 2 x sessions to master technique and get a routine built up, then do them at home with your own weights? You could change the session every 6-8 weeks, have another one to one session to perfect your form, before setting off on your own again. 

4) Online courses - start with bodyweight first, for enough weeks that you feel you are ready to introduce weights. Then progress to a session that is online that uses weights. It's the 'using weights' side of it thats key. You need to keep progressing or your body will just adapt and no further changes will happen. 

Different stages of life

As a rule of thumb, the older you get as a woman, the more important to add resistance training in. It's great for women in their 30’s, to get strong, and get into great habits.

As you get to your 40’s you will be losing muscle mass and also bones will start to degrade slightly. Strength training will help with all of that, plus keep you injury free. 

In your 50’s you have likely have perimenopause to deal with and those fluctuating hormones. Strength training comes into play even more here, as the hormones head for flatline, and you rely on your training to stimulate the muscles to keep them strong.

In your 60’s and beyond, its about using your strength and high intensity training to stimulate your muscles and bones to stay strong, where your hormones cannot do this any more.

So why don’t you see more women (especially women over 40yrs) in the gym hanging out at the weights rack? Well I have no idea, because it seems like a no brainer to me.

Why don’t we start a revolution, and ensure that at least all Mojo Sisters are accessing some strength training for their triathlon goals,  overall health and general awesomeness!! Happy lifting 😊