Contrary to popular belief, women can train dirty and maintain their femininity! While cardio is essential to shedding excess weight, strength training, defined as the use of resistance (free weights, machines, your own body weight) to build strength, anaerobic endurance and size of skeletal muscles, is just as vital to looking and feeling fabulous. After all, stronger muscles equal the ability to burn more calories – quicker.
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Recently, BlackDoctor.org had the opportunity to chop it up with 2008 Fitness Olympian Laticia “Action” Jackson, author of Yes Women Lift! who broke down the benefits of women hitting the weight room.
“As women, after the age of 35, research shows we lose 3-5% of muscle tissue each decade. What happens is, when we don’t do resistance training, as we get older, we become more prone to osteoporosis – brittle bones.”
Meanwhile, when you have more muscle tissue on your frame, “you’re burning more calories, increasing your metabolic process,” as well as providing enough lean, mean muscle tissue necessary to aid “you in tasks such as lugging groceries and climbing stairs.”