You all know I love weight training and it’s a big part of my workout regime, but do you really need to include it in your training?
As a general rule I would say that including weight training as part of your exercise regime is a brilliant thing to do! Contrary to popular belief, it’s not just about getting massive biceps or being able to bench press a huge weight. Obviously, yes it does make you stronger, but there are so many other benefits to weight training. To mention a few, it’s great for burning body fat, increases your metabolism and reduces your risk of injury and osteoporosis.
I would always recommend including weight training in your workout regime (obviously unless you have any conditions, etc that prohibit it) because it’s hugely beneficial…in so many more ways than just the aesthetic reasons! Check out some of my posts all about weight training for more details about why it’s so great!
If you’re still freaking out at the thought of lifting actual weights, even just bodyweight resistance exercises can be great! We all know how tough a press up can be and how difficult it is to even do a single pull up, and those are both just using bodyweight, so who’s to say you have to stack on the weights if you really don’t want to!? Find what works for you!
Those of you who follow my blog will know that as well as weight training in the gym, I regularly do pole fitness and aerial hoop – neither of which involve lifting weights, but they are both all about bodyweight resistance training and are awesome workouts!
That being said, lifting weights won’t make you bulky. Honest. I’ve been lifting weights for a long time and am yet to even start getting near a bulky appearance, so don’t worry about that!
Try adding some form of resistance training to your exercise regime every week and you’ll soon see just how much stronger and more ‘toned’ it will make you!
So the reason I thought I’d talk about this briefly is because the lovely people at Anax Fitness recently conducted a survey to find out people’s general gym habits and I thought it was fascinating how few people incorporate weight training in their plans. I’ve included the infographic below so you can check it out:
Something else that shocked me from the results is how few people set a goal, because for me, having goals is a way that I can tell how far I’ve come and how much better/faster/stronger I’m getting – am I sounding like Daft Punk yet!?
Even just setting mini goals is a great way to keep track of your progress. Then you’ll be able to see how you’ve improved, which will boost your confidence and make you feel like everything you’re doing is making a difference (which can be particularly helpful for those times when you feel like none of it has been worth it).
So try setting some goals to work towards. They don’t have to be major…if you’re just starting out then one of your goals could even be to go to the gym three times a week for a whole month. It doesn’t have to be weight/dress size related either…my favourite goals are the ones that have nothing to do with appearance and everything to do with strength/stamina! Those are the ones I find empowering and I doubt I’m the only person who feels that way. An example goal could be that you’ll be able to do a certain number of press ups by the end of the month.
On a lighter note, something that made me freak out a bit from the results of this survey is the part stating how much money most people spend on their gym clothing every six months…I think I seriously need to reassess my current spending patterns as it’s way more than the people surveyed! My bank card could practically find its own way onto some of the gym clothing sites without my help, it’s been there so often! 😉
I would strongly suggest researching the gym clothing you buy though because although I know there are plenty of clothes out there for less than 1/4 of the price of some of the bigger names, there’s usually a reason the price is less. The good gym clothing will be sweat wicking and will move comfortably with your body, and it definitely makes a difference to your workout because you won’t spend the whole session adjusting your clothes (or dripping with sweat)!
It’s worth doing some research before buying gym clothes.
Where are your starry gym leggings from? They’re beautiful! I definitely spent more than £40 a year on gym clothing too, i was amazed by that figure! My issue is that since starting workouts seriously again about 18 months ago, my leg muscles are now super strong, but have also bulked up quite a lot. Yes, I don’t have wobbly thighs, but I’d also appreciate them not being so obviously muscly. I know most people will read that as “what are you complaining about?!” but when I look at my thighs and calves, all I can see is my Dad’s legs and how defined the muscles are. If only my abs and back were the same! 😉 Alice xx
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Thank you lovely! They’re from Tikiboo, they have loads of fab leggings. Yeah, I reckon people must have been hiding the true amount they spend on gym clothing when they answered the survey, ha. Ah wow, you’re definitely doing really well to have such defined legs! If that’s how your Dad’s legs are too then it sounds like it’s just your genetics to have awesomely defined legs. Sorry hun. If it makes you feel any better, I would love for mine to be more defined! Your abs and back will get there soon though, I’m the other way around and my legs don’t show definition but my abs and back do. We always want what someone else has though, haha.xx
So true, shouldn’t complain at all, I’m not going to lessen what I’m doing or give up squatting because it then has the domino effect on everything else and since ive started strength exercises as well as cardio, my mum has improved hugely! I can feel my abs are also super strong, they’re just hidden under a layer of “protection” at the moment that I’m slowly trying to shift off!! 😉 xxx
You’re doing brilliantly lovely!! Don’t worry about the “protective layer”…we all have that somewhere on our bodies. 😉 Keep up the awesome work!xx