One of the most common phrases personal trainers hear from new female clients is that they don’t want to “bulk up” with weights and would prefer other forms of exercise. For some reason, many women fear one lifting session will transform their bodies into large, bulging, manly creations. The fact is, weight lifting is a great way for women to exercise for both health and vanity purposes.

Women of all ages and with almost any fitness goal can benefit from incorporating weight lifting into their health regimen. There are aerobic, fat burning and cardiac benefits to weight training and of course, weight training has been proved to be a key weapon in the fight against osteoporosis. Osteoporosis occurs when bones begin to lose density. Over time, they become hollow and brittle. According to the National Institutes for Health, 34 million Americans will be affected by osteoporosis this year costing an estimated $17 billion in healthcare. As the population ages, these numbers are expected to climb. Among the injuries related to osteoporosis are fractured hips and broken spinal vertebrae. One in every two women and one in every four men will suffer a fractured vertebrae as they age. These injuries lead to stooped or humped posture in the aged and significantly reduce mobility.

However, there is hope. Dr. Karl Insogna M.D. Director of the Bone Center at Yale University Medical School says, “Bone is every bit as dynamic as other tissues. It responds to the pull of muscles and gravity, repairs itself and constantly renews itself”. Weightlifting, and any weight bearing exercise can significantly impact your bone health. A study by the American Society for Bone and Mineral Research studied the bone density of athletes, particularly weightlifters and gymnasts, versus non-athletes and found the athletes’ bones were 13% more dense. In addition to bone building, weightlifting can improve your overall health, posture and balance.

Celeste Turner, a certified personal trainer at East Jefferson General Hospital has devised a simple routine designed to help women gain the full bone and body benefits of weightlifting. This routine will help build bone density, burn fat, build cardiac health and focus on areas most women would like to enhance, the shoulders, arms, thighs and backsides. This routine is designed so the exercises can be performed at home or at the gym, alone or with a friend. Our model is Karen Puente, a member at the Wellness Center. Karen is a mother of four who has become a believer in the positive impact weight lifting can have on your frame and your mindset. “Since Katrina, I have lost 43 pounds and most of that is through the weight lifting program I follow”. Karen says dropping four dress sizes has done wonders for her energy level, overall health and, of course, her confidence. She described her fitness regimen as, “lifting weights three times a week and every day I walk four miles, one for each of my children”.

Exercise 1: Chest Press – Tones and tightens the chest and the back of the arms. Using dumbbells, lie down on the floor, a ball or a bench with one weight in each hand. With your elbows out, place dumbbells approximately over your armpits. In a smooth motion, lift the dumbbells straight up until your arms are extended. Smoothly bring your arms back down to the start position completing one repetition, or rep. Do 3 sets of 15 reps with a 60-second break between sets. 3 sets of 15 reps.
Exercise 2: Overhead Tricep Extensions: tones and defines the back of the arm. From a seated position, grasp a dumbbell in one hand and raise your arm until you’re the weight is extended straight into the air with your elbow next to your head. Keeping your back straight and using your free hand to balance the weight, slowly bring the weight down behind your head until the elbow is completely bent, then raise the weight back up until the arm is extended. For added results, hold the extended position trying to “squeeze” your tricep muscle. 3 sets of 15 reps.
Exercise 3: Seated Lateral Raises: Builds the shoulders With your arms to your sides, elbows slightly bent, raise the dumbbells simultaneously out to your side until your elbows are even with your shoulders. At the top of this exercise, your palms should be pointed down as if you are pouring a pitcher. Slowly return to starting position. 3 sets of 15.
Exercise 4: Ball Squats: Builds the posterior and thighs. Place a fitness ball between a wall and your lower back. Stand with your feet roughly shoulders width apart and slightly out in front of you. Slowly squat down rolling the ball up towards your neck until your legs are bent at 90 degree angles, do not go down any further. Hold that position for one second then return to starting position concentrating on pushing into the floor with your heels. 3 sets of 15 reps.
Exercise 5: Reverse Crunches: Builds the abdomen. Lie on your back with your legs bent at roughly a 90 degree angle and your feet on a chair, bench or ball. Using your lower abdominal muscles, slowly roll your upper body up towards your feet until your tailbone is slightly off the floor. Hold for one count and slowly return to starting position.  3 sets of 15 reps.