It seems as though we are all bombarded on a daily basis with a plethora of the latest and greatest infomercials and sales pitches pertaining to dieting and the benefits of exercise by the various forms of the media such as newspapers, magazines and television as well as online.
Although all of this press definitely stimulates an increased awareness for diet and exercise, researchers and the majority of the public now concur and acknowledge that it is important to avoid dangerous and often ineffective and costly diet and exercise fads and instead, focus upon making prudent meal plan choices and remain physically active on a daily basis. As a nutrition, fitness and wellness coach, this is the mindset I have strived to pass on to the many women fitness clients and athletes I have counseled and coached over the past 20 years.
Since the advent of increased exercise and athletic opportunities for women and girls in the late-1970?s, many of the long-standing myths and misconceptions pertaining to females, healthy body image and strength training exercise have been overturned. Yet unfortunately due largely to the media continuing to perpetuate the female ?princess syndrome? many of the myths and misconceptions regarding this subject still prevail not only in many men?s perception of females and strength training exercise, but also ironically, to many women as well.
Chief among these is the belief that a woman will become too muscular and appear unfeminine, particularly from strength training forms of exercise. Research has established that the role individual hormone levels play in the development of strength and muscle growth is significant, although quite variable from person to person.
In their 1998 Physician and Sports Medicine article pertaining to women?s strength training issues, Ebben and Jensen state that testosterone levels in women are usually about one-tenth that of men and these even widely fluctuate amongst women. This would account for the reason why some women are able to develop a greater degree of muscular size, strength and definition than their peers.
Ideally, a sound exercise program should include a well-balanced emphasis on the following chief components including; enhancing functional muscular strength, power and endurance as well as cardiovascular fitness and muscular flexibility. For many women, the initial phases of their training program will also likely initially incorporate progressive weight loss techniques and eventually, a weight management component.
A woman needs to carefully examine and access her particular genetic traits prior to beginning her exercise training so that her program will satisfy her individual needs and goals in a healthy and realistic manner rather than adhere to established gender based misconceptions and stereotypes. Therefore, undergoing a thorough fitness assessment prior to beginning with a training program is highly recommended.
This particularly holds true when considering several of the primary benefits many women desire and can derive from exercise. These benefits include enhanced bone density and the restructuring of body composition through the loss of adipose tissue or body fat and building lean and well defined muscle tissue. The latter of which, in conjunction with a sound nutrition program, is essential in creating an effective long-term weight management program.
These physiologic changes occur as a result of systematically subjecting bone, muscle and connective tissue to an increased training stimulus or training load over a predetermined time.
As Ebben and Jensen determined through their research, the greater the muscular overload, within personal limitations, the greater the amount of positive physiological change that occurs. This change includes an increase in functional strength, joint stability and integrity which significantly reduces the risk of injury, especially fractures from falling incidents which when combined with advanced stages of osteoporosis can lead to serious health consequences, especially for women over 65 years of age.
Although the use of machines need not be totally eliminated from a strength training program, the use of multi-plane movements in combination with a free-weight based exercise program are more effective for developing functional strength and an enhanced ease of adapting to managing the stress and physical requirements of daily activities.
A well-balanced program will incorporate 1-3 sets of eight to 12 repetitions performed for all the major muscle groups; chest, back, shoulders, torso, hips, thighs and calves. For post-menopausal women an emphasis is usually placed on developing and maintaining strength, stability and integrity of the hip joint as weakness and instability in this area is usually the culprit in falling and subsequent hip fracture incidents.
Exercise and pregnancy is another concern for an increasingly broader audience of women as many more women are putting off having children until after the traditional child bearing years in pursuit of career interests. More research in this area has supported the recommendation that exercise is beneficial before, during and post-pregnancy. Upon getting an OK from a doctor, a woman should strive to exercise two to three times each week in 20 minute intervals.
Although exercising vigorously during pregnancy is fine, exercises that involve any bouncing or ballistic movements or exercising in extremes of temperature should be avoided. Exercises that involve excessive bending over or require that you lie on your back are to be avoided after the onset of the third trimester. Be sure to drink plenty of water during exercise sessions and be sure to stop exercising if you feel overheated or dizzy. Maintaining your fitness during pregnancy will help with delivery and also facilitate a quicker post-pregnancy recovery.
In conclusion, although exercise protocols are essentially very similar for men and women in many respects, there are issues and situations which are unique to women and being as such, require specialized attention in order to insure that an exercise program is safe, effective and enjoyable. Maintaining a balance of these three program components is essential for long-term success and program adherence.
Consulting with a knowledgeable fitness & nutrition professional is a great first step and a sound investment toward developing a nutrition and exercise program that is fun, enjoyable, and ideally suited to empower a women to successfully and healthfully meet her specific health & wellness needs and goals.
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