Women Should Train for Strength

I am sick and tired of all this politically correct B.S. saying that women can’t and shouldn’t train the same way as men. Nope: women should stick to their machines, aerobic classes, and “designated” workout rooms filled with old machines and dumbbells that go up to a whopping 15 pounds. But, if they want to come over to the “men’s area” to use an empty barbell or a bench for some “toning” exercises, than it’s okay. After all, everyone knows that endless triceps kickbacks and dumbbell curls are the best way to get great arms. Right . . . . . .

I keep waiting for things to change. I keep waiting for women to see their true potential in the weight room. I keep waiting for women to step off the elliptical for the final time and explore the new exciting future that awaits them with dumbbells, barbells, kettlebells, sandbags, and bodyweight exercises.

It hasn’t happened. In fact, we may be going in an even worse direction.

I don’t apologize for being in the weight room. In fact, I find it quite amusing when I’m standing next to a guy by the dumbbell rack and he grabs the 35 pound dumbbells for his flat bench presses and then I grab the 45’s for my incline presses. I like that I can bench 150 pounds and deadlift 240 (I know it’s higher now, but I haven’t maxed out in several months) at a bodyweight of 125. I love the look on people’s faces when I’m doing sets of deadlifts with 225 on the bar. I love watching guys do lat pulldowns with 80 pounds and then I'll bust out 12 chin-ups from a dead hang on each rep. And I'm not done. I will get stronger. And you know what else: I'll still look like a woman. Please, don't believe the B.S. your personal trainer tells you about lifting heavy weights. You will not get huge.

I will never apologize. And I will never encourage a woman to spend time on any machine, do “toning” exercises, or waist their life away by performing hours a week of “cardio.”

I’ve said it before, and I’ll keep saying it. The best exercises a woman (or man) can do to improve her body composition and appearance are squats, deadlifts, overhead presses, pushups, dips, rows, chin-ups, lunges, and intervals with bodyweight exercises and/or dumbbells.

Those exercises, and their variations, will give women (and men) the body they desire that will have true functional strength. You won’t get that with machines and wimpy exercises like triceps kickbacks and adduction and abduction machines. And I don’t even want to hear about how you drove 15 minutes to the gym, searched for the closest parking spot, and then spent 30 minutes on the elliptical, and then drove 15 minutes back home. If you’re going to take 60 minutes out of your busy life, make sure those 60 minutes bring you closer to your personal goals. An elliptical machine won’t do it.

The tide will turn. I will keep saying that “women should train for strength.” By training for strength, the body composition goals they desire will happen and their training will be filled with purpose.

Life is short. Train smart. Train hard. Get results and get on with it.