Feature Welcome to The Hills Echo’s annual spring health and wellbeing feature, The Health Hub. This edition is jam packed with health and wellbeing news and information from The Hills Districts and Surrounds.
7 Reasons Why Ladies Should Lift
There’s still a pretty clear gender divide at the gym. Men tend to stick to the weights section and grunt as loudly as possible, while the majority of women avoid weights at all costs and opt for the running machines instead. Of course, this isn’t to say that no women lift weights, but there is definitely an imbalance. Maybe women are less sure about how to use them, or are scared of looking too muscley. However, lifting weights will not magically turn a woman into the Incredible Hulk. The reason for this is that ladies typically have 10% less testosterone than men. Testosterone is the primary muscle building hormone, so females are going to struggle to gain large amounts of muscle mass. Here’s why this trend should change, and why more women should give pumping iron a go. Stronger bones and connective tissue – Lifting weights is load bearing exercise which helps strengthen bones. Maintaining strong and healthy bones lowers your risk of osteoporosis. Your metabolic rate will increase – For every pound of lean muscle mass gained, you burn an extra 50 calories per day. Decrease your risk of injury – Lifting weights helps develop stronger tendons, this gives your joints more support and stability through daily tasks. Boost stamina and energy levels – When you are stronger you have more energy for day to day tasks and you won’t get anywhere near as tired. Stress Relief – Exercise in general is a great way to manage stress. Researchers have consistently found that those who regularly strength train tend to manage
stress better and experience fewer adverse reactions to stressful situations as those who do not exercise. In addition, resistance-training studies on older adults show that moderate intensity weightlifting improves memory and cognitive function. Next time you need to blow off some steam, hit the weights. Anti – ageing – You lose muscle and strength as you age, however if you strength train you will develop and retain your strength and muscle mass helping to maintain your youthful shape. Reduction in body fat levels - This goes hand in hand with having more lean muscle mass and speeding your metabolic rate up. Lowering body fat reduces the amount of toxins in your body which improves the quality and elasticity of your skin. So ladies if you are looking to feel strong, determined and confident in everything you do from fitting into jeans, to moving heavy furniture, to playing with kids, to dealing with a stressful career, start lifting today!
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Bootcamp (George Willmore Park, Ferny Hills) Mon, Wed & Fri: 9.15am - 10.15am and Thurs: 6.30pm - 7.15pm Pilates in the Park (George Willmore Park, Ferny Hills) Tuesday: 9.15am - 10.15am
Strength & Conditioning (Ferny Hills Studio) Tuesday & Wednesday: 5.30am - 6.15am Interval Training (Nulty Way Stairs, Arana Hills)
Saturday: 6.30am - 7.30am www.hillsecho.com
Fitness For Mums BABYSITTING AVAILABLE!!
0430 000 585 BOOK ONLINE!
www.exquisitefitnessbrisbane.com The Hills Echo, October 2018 - Page 23