We’ve been sharing about our lifters who competed recently at RPS and Beer Muscles, but I wanted to share a bit this week about the strength training for people who don’t want to compete. I’ve been seeing so many news articles about the benefits of strength training, especially for women, for aging, and even for reducing depression and anxiety symptoms. So we know that strength training is good for everyone, and has incredible benefits for your health and wellbeing, but there’s so many barriers to strength training. Let’s talk about how to overcome some of these obstacles!
Don’t Know What to Do
So many folks I talk to just don’t know what to do in the strength area. There’s a lot of equipment, it’s a bit confusing, and it seems easier to just jump on a treadmill for a while. Or maybe, you lift, but only use dumbbells, or machines, because they don’t seem as scary. If you’re being challenged and happy with your workouts, that’s totally cool! But if you feel like you could do a lot more if you just knew what to do, we can help! Even if you can’t make it to train with us in person, we have remote group programming, where the workouts are all set up, with video demos, and access to your coach for help. You can submit videos, so if what you’re doing isn’t quite right, your coach will give you feedback and you can make adjustments week over week.
Gymtimidation
This is fear of the gym, the people in the gym, and maybe even fear of being bullied at the gym. I see videos go viral once in a while mocking someone doing something that looks a little odd in the gym, or even just mocking someone who is in a larger body, or older, or otherwise doesn’t fit conventional body norms. As much as I want every gym to be a place where anybody can go to move their bodies in ways they enjoy, not every gym has that vibe. We strive for a welcoming vibe at PPG, but if we’re too far away, here’s a couple things to help you work on overcoming gymtimidation.
- Bring a friend. “It’s dangerous to go alone!” Said by the old man from the Zelda game, telling Link to take a friend to the gym (I think). Having a friend can give some moral support when it feels scary.
- Have a plan. It feels scarier to just wander about with no particular plan. Go in knowing what you’re trying to do.
- Try to go at less busy times. Most gyms are busiest after work. Early AM or midday are probably less bustling. You might just need a couple off peak training sessions to get the confidence needed to brave the 6pm crowd.
- Bring your headphones and your RBF. While it’s certainly not a guarantee, if you’ve got your headphones on and you mean mug it, it’s less likely anyone will try to chit-chat with you.
- Remember you’re paying and deserve to be there as much as anybody. Take up space!
Fear of Bulking Up
Mostly applicable for women, sometimes people are scared of lifting making them bulky. It’s common for coaches to kind of blow off this concern. I have a sort of complicated reaction to people’s fears about getting too bulky, but I empathize with wanting your body to look a certain way, and having been taught that lifting would make you look not that way. How much muscle you can put on is determined by a bunch of factors including your genetic and hormonal makeup. For the majority of women, it won’t be that easy to put on muscle. Plus, all of us lose muscle as we age, and that muscle loss can put us at risk for injury, illness, and just not being strong enough to do the things we care about, including basic activities of daily living. Strength training can help prevent this muscle loss, and the associated risks that come with it.
Fear of Injury
So many times I’ve posted a video of myself lifting and someone comments “OMG girl, my knees could never”, or “Please be careful of your back!” It is certainly possible to get hurt lifting –I don’t want to act like it isn’t. However, lifting also strengthens your bones and connective tissue making them more resilient and resistant to injury. People who regularly engage in resistance training are at lower risk for osteoporosis, fractures, and other injuries. Strength training is also protective for people who engage in other sports (looking at you, runners!). A good program with appropriate progressions and good coaching can reduce the risk of injury from lifting.
Strength training is good for everyone, whether you have competition aspirations, or just want to feel better and live healthier! Whether you live near or far, we have options for in person or remote programming that can give you the support you need to be able to overcome the obstacles to strength training. Book a free intro with us to learn more!
