The Advantages of Weight Training for

Women: Is a Dumbbell
The New Fountain Of Youth?
By Julie Gabbard

When the average woman wants to lose fat, tone muscle, or strengthen
her body, she normally thinks of aerobic exercise. Jogging, climbing, and
Pilates classes are common exercise choices for women. Weight lifting has
historically been stereotyped as a man’s domain, and because of this, most
women don’t consider pumping iron. In fact, only 10 percent of women over
the age of 45 weight train (Toth 54). Of the millions of women who were
members of commercial gyms in 2014, less than one-third picked up a
dumbbell (Toth 54). Dr. Nanette Santoro, a women’s health expert at
Montefiore Medical Center,
states, “Strength training will
improve bone density, improve
endurance, reduce body fat,
and improve the ability to
perform daily tasks without any
threat of injury" (“Women
Reap” 1). The benefits of
weight training far surpass
most women’s expectations.
Harvard studies show that Figure 1: Jacobs Stock/Photography/Photodisc/Getty/Kim
weight training can produce Grundy/SheKnows
results that aerobic exercise is not able to equal (“Strength Training” 2). In
addition to offering specific cardiovascular advantages (“Weight Training
Has Unique Heart Benefits” 1), resistance training offers protection from
osteoporosis, obesity, arthritis, and diabetes; increases balance and
flexibility; lowers blood pressure; improves cognitive function and brain
shrinkage; encourages a youthful appearance; and boosts confidence
(“Strength-Training Leads to Big Health Benefits” 46). Weight training can
offer women of all ages huge payoffs.
If weight training has so much to offer, then why aren’t more women
doing it? In Western cultures, the awareness of the female body has been
primarily focused on beautification rather than strong physical health (Smith
24). These traditional beliefs about beauty and femininity have led to a
decline in muscle mass and strength, two of the major indicators of longevity
and well-being (Smith 24). Many women fear that lifting weights will cause
them to bulk up and become overly muscular. This fear is unwarranted
because studies show that women do not have enough natural testosterone
to grow muscles the size of men’s (“Strength-Training Leads to Big Health
Benefits” 46). Lifting weights produces female muscles that are slightly
larger in size and shape, but not nearly the size that men are able to
accomplish with resistance training (“Strength Training” 2). Additionally,
large commercial weight training equipment is intimidating for many women.
Lack of familiarity with the equipment and apprehensions about feeling
awkward or embarrassed in public keeps many women out of the gym.
Weight training performed properly is a learning process that requires time
and effort. Learning how to lift weights correctly requires concentration and
focus. This combination of physical and mental exercise can have a twofold
benefit; it produces positive effects not only in the body, but also in the
mind.
Can lifting weights make a woman smarter or slow the process of her
cognitive decline? Some researchers believe that yes, brain function is
altered with strength training (Friedman 1). One of the more interesting
benefits of weight training involves intelligence. Cognitive decline is a nearly
universal result of aging (Friedman 1). In recent studies, it is empirically
proven that weight training decreases brain shrinkage that naturally occurs
with age. Additionally, it increases
the growth and creation of neurons
in younger women, and helps them
reach their full cognitive potential
and keep it (Friedman 1). In one
study, women who suffered with
mild cognitive impairment were
assigned a six-month weight training
program.

Figure 2: Getty / LWA / Dann Tardif

The results of this study showed that the women exhibited improved
associative memory and conflict resolution functioning (“Weight Training
Staves Off Dementia” 1). Professor Teresa Liu-Ambrose, the head of the
study at The University of British Columbia, reported: "What our results
show is that resistance training can indeed improve both your cognitive
performance and your brain function. . . . Weight lifting requires focus; this
in itself improves brain function due to the effort required to learn how to do
the exercises properly (qtd. in “Training Staves off Dementia” 1). The brain
responds to exercise by growing, and it deteriorates with a sedentary
lifestyle (Bartol 20).
Older women have a simple and affordable way to improve their health
and quality of life (Viljoen 1). Weight training can be done conveniently at
home with inexpensive dumbbells or hand weights. Lifting offers women of
advanced years the benefits of improved cardiovascular health, such as
lower blood pressure; lower risk for diabetes and arthritis; relief from the
negative symptoms of menopause, such as depression and insomnia;
protection from osteoporosis or bone loss; decreased knee and hip pain; and
improved balance (Toth 54). Aging women no longer have to resign
themselves to their bodies becoming frail and weak; weight training can
improve bone and muscle strength for women of all ages, even the very
elderly (Viljoen 1). Janet Viljoen reports in Business Day:

Menopause usually occurs in women from the age of 47 to 55 years.

There are both physical and psychological symptoms linked to
menopause. The physical changes are driven by a loss of estrogen
hormones. One of these changes is increased belly fat, which is a risk
for heart disease and type 2 diabetes. The other is the loss of muscle.
Muscle loss means that women become weaker and stand more of a
chance of developing problems such as osteoporosis. (1)

Studies have shown that “women between the ages of 50 and 70 who
regularly strength train can not only stop their loss of bone mass, but
actually increase their bone density” (“Weightlifting Benefits” 26).
Additionally, these women increased in their spontaneous physical activity,
improved strength in the major muscles, and practiced a more active
lifestyle (“Weightlifting Benefits” 26). Strength training is a tough defender
against osteoporosis. Elderly women can benefit more from weight lifting
than they imagine: “Most elderly women think they could never lift weights,
but in reality, they are the group that stands to benefit the most from weight
training. If there was a perfect poster-child for weight lifting, it would be a
thin, elderly European woman . . . not Arnold Schwarzenegger” (“Weight
Training for Bone Density” 1). A Harvard study conducted on nursing-home
residents showed an improvement in muscle strength of 113% over a 10
week period: “. . . [S]ome residents were also able to graduate from walkers
to canes” (“Strength Training” 2). Weight lifting for women in their 80s and
90s can help them remain
independent (Toth 54).
Independence for the elderly
increases their happiness and life
satisfaction. Research shows that it is
never too late to begin training with
weights, regardless of a person’s age
(Tipton 6).
Women are beginning to shake off
the stereotypes and labels placed on
them by society. The belief that
Figure 3: Michelle Obama pumping iron.
Amanda Lucidon/The White House
femininity is defined as being slim, small, and weak is being challenged.
Beauty is more commonly being defined as healthy and strong. The strength
that women gain through weight training cannot be duplicated with other
forms of exercise. Wayne Westcott, director of fitness research at Quincy
College in Massachusetts, explains, “Beginning in their 20s, women lose an
average of 5 pounds of muscle every 10 years. After menopause that
number doubles, causing metabolism to get 3% slower every decade” (Sole-
Smith 108). This inevitably leads to increased weight and decreased activity,
which raises a woman’s risk for heart disease, diabetes, cancer and other
diseases (Sole-Smith 108). The good news is that “strength training can
reverse the damage . . .” (Sole-Smith 108). In a surprisingly short period of
time, women can regain the 10 pounds of muscle they lost over the last
decade, many in as little as 10 weeks (Sole-Smith 109).
The benefits of weight training for women are broad. Those who weight
train regularly should expect to see improved cardiovascular health;
stronger bones; improved circulation, energy, and respiration; better
flexibility and balance; lower risk of developing arthritis, cancer, and
diabetes; greater mental focus; boosted self-esteem; and overall improved
health and wellness (Sole-Smith 110). Weight lifting helps women regain the
strength and vitality they had in years past, and in many instances, makes
them stronger than they ever believed they could be.

Works Cited
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the Brain." Beginnings 31.2 (2011): 20-20 1p. CINAHL Complete.
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Friedman, Richard A. "Can You Get Smarter?" The New York Times 2015: 1.
Opposing Viewpoints in Context. Web. 12 Dec. 2015.
Smith, Diana Lynn. "Strong-Minded Women: Transcending Traditional Beliefs
About Attractiveness, Strength and Health." American Fitness 1996:
24. InfoTrac Health Reference Center Academic. Web. 12 Dec. 2015.
Sole-Smith, Virginia. "LIFT Off 10 Years." Prevention 68.1 (2016): 108-117.
Academic Search Premier. Web. 13 Dec. 2015.
"Strength Training." Harvard Women's Health Watch 2.9 (1995): 2.
Academic Search Premier. Web. 12 Dec. 2015.
"Strength-Training Leads To Big Health Benefits For Women." Jet 2005: 46.
Biography in Context. Web. 14 Dec. 2015.
Tipton, Nancy. "RESISTANCE IS NOT FUTILE; Research Shows Strength
Training Has Profound Benefits for Men and Women." Albuquerque
Journal (NM) 10 Apr. 2011: 6. NewsBank. Web. 12 Dec. 2015.
Toth, Michele. "The Wisdom of Dumbbells." Biography 7.6 (2003): 54.
Academic Search Premier. Web. 12 Dec. 2015.
Viljoen, Janet. "Pumping Iron Beats the Blues of Menopause." Business Day
(Johannesburg, South Africa) 04 June 2015: 1. NewsBank. Web. 12
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About the Author

My husband and I live on a small farm in NW Arkansas with our

daughters. Watching my husband return to college in his 40’s was
inspirational. His completion of a bachelor’s degree, and subsequent
master’s degree, motivated me to pursue my own education. I was
apprehensive about starting college during midlife, but the encouragement I
received from him helped spur me forward. The experience has been
overwhelmingly positive, and I have benefited not only intellectually, but
emotionally as well.
Selecting a research topic that genuinely interested me was the first step
in writing a successful essay. Equally as important was the creation of a
strong thesis statement for use as a guideline throughout the writing
process. I chose to construct my essay about the benefits of weight training
for women following the chronological steps of a woman’s life, from youth
through advanced age. I found that writing the body of the paper first, made
writing the introduction and the conclusion easier. Once my paper was
complete, I stepped away from it for a day. The next day I read it again,
correcting errors and revising as needed.
For best results on your paper, I encourage other student writers to try
the following steps. Before turning in your paper, make use of the Writing
Center, or get someone else to read your paper with fresh eyes. Revise your
paper as many times as necessary. Oscar Wilde said, “I have spent most of
the day putting in a comma and the rest of the day taking it out.” He
understood the power of revision.