That could be you! The problem is, you probably hate running, and that’s understandable, for some, it can be tedious, monotonous and it does not exactly always leave one with a feeling of satisfaction. Don’t fret, however because here’s an alternative for weight loss: weightlifting.
Whenever we think about losing weight, we think about running, but people fail to see weightlifting as another way of losing weight. It spikes up your metabolism and leaves you burning calories even after you’re done exercising. But there are many misconceptions about weightlifting, women think they’ll get bulky or look butch, people think it’s bad for your joints, early teens say that it’ll stunt your growth, etc. These are all myths and I’m here to debunk them.
• Weightlifting is bad for your joints. This is one of the many myths that won’t die. Weightlifting involves low impact and controlled movements. Weightlifting actually helps joint health. Studies show that weightlifting increases the muscles and ligaments that hold joints together. If you manage to check the knee health of the average Power Squatter, you would see that his/her knees are healthier than those of the general population. Dr. Nikhil Rao of Tmuscle.com had this to say about joint health and weightlifting:
Injuries come with the territory when you push yourself in the gym. That excess mass and the heavy weights do put more strain on your joints, although this is counterbalanced by the fact that your muscles bear more of the load and your connective tissue less.
• Weightlifting makes women look bulky. If you see a female bodybuilding show, you couldn’t discern a man from a woman. The women are freakishly bulky, this led to the belief that women will get bulky and will look like guys if they lift weights. But an honest truth: Most women do not have access to high grade supplements and most women don’t have the testosterone to build that much muscle. It’s all in genetics, women produce tiny amounts of testosterone, but not enough to build muscle like men do. You’d have to be a genetic freak to be a woman and produce unusual amounts of that male hormone. Strength specialist and owner of the gym
“DeFranco’s” had this to say about women and lifting:
“This myth just won’t go away, mainly because of bodybuilding magazines. People associate females who strength-train with the female bodybuilders pictured in bodybuilding magazines. Professional female bodybuilders usually resemble men because of the massive amount of anabolic, androgenic drugs they consume.
However, these females shouldn’t be confused with drug-free women who incorporate resistance training into their fitness programs. The next time that this topic comes up, remember the following facts:
1) Much of the difference in muscle mass between males and females is attributed to hormones, specifically, Testosterone. On average, men produce ten times more Testosterone than females. Unless you’re a female who’s taking anabolic steroids or other male hormones, lifting weights will not make you look like a man! It’s actually harder for most females to build muscle compared to their male counterparts.
2) There’s also a difference in muscle mass distribution between men and women, especially in the upper body. If you do build a significant amount of muscle, you still won’t look masculine.
So, it’s important to remember that male hormones and muscle mass distribution are the two main reasons that men usually carry more muscle than woman. Ladies, get in the weightroom!
• Weightlifting will stunt your growth. Arnold Schwarzenegger, Lou Ferrigno, Dave Draper, Shaquille O’Neal, David Robinson, Karl Malone, and Michael Vick; what do they have in common? They all lifted in their teens and they’re all over 6 feet tall. When proper technique is in use, your body is able to lift more weight than it can, in fact, it can actually lift. Joe DeFranco, a world renowned strength coach and gym owner had this to say,-
“It still amazes me that parents won’t hesitate to get their young children (6-7 years old) involved in sports such as football, gymnastics, basketball and soccer, yet they feel that participating in a strength-training program is damaging to their children’s bone health and will stunt their growth. Nothing can be further from the truth.
The fact of the matter is that running, jumping and tackling can create loading on a child’s body which is up to ten times greater than most strength training exercises. In other words, the physical demands on a child’s body are far greater on the athletic field compared to the weightroom. Parents who don’t let their children participate in resistance training are actually increasing their children’s risk for injury on the athletic field.”
• Weightlifting makes your bones weaker. In reality, your bones get stronger. Another quote from Joe Defranco:
“There have even been position stands by such organizations as the American Orthopedic Society for Sports Medicine and the American Academy of Pediatrics suggesting that children can benefit from participation in a properly designed and supervised resistance training program. Position stands recommend that prepubescent children shouldn’t lift maximal weights; they should lift weights that can be lifted for at least six repetitions with proper form.
Strength training in this manner can be the most potent exercise stimulus for bone growth and development. In fact, research has shown that young weightlifters have greater bone densities than individuals who don’t lift.
Thus, the positive benefits of resistance training for bone health, injury prevention and improved athletic performance are far greater than the risks.”
So don’t be discourage to lift, the pros outweigh the cons, and wouldn’t you want to lose those love handles?
Happy lifting!
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