The Chiseled Goddess: The Benefits of Strength Training for Women

Rethinking the Gym: From Grungy Iron to Boutique Spaces:

When one thinks of fitness, especially strength training, one may envision dumbbells, kettlebells, or barbells lining the wall of a hot and smelly gym-based artifact of the 1970’s, that may have once been a place almost exclusively occupied by men. One may also envision the new wave of high-end specialty gym with TRX suspension straps, bands, AstroTurf, and medicine balls that are more in line with that of F45, Orange Theory, or Fit wall. Regardless of facility, there is always a place in a gym for women!

A Personal Journey: Discovering Strength through Sport:

When I began working out at the age of 16, I first stepped into a place called Universal Sports and Courts. This was, in the 1990s, the only place from which I had to choose, but it was open and friendly, and I immediately felt like I had a place there. The reason I began a weight training journey was because I was told that if I wanted to be a better athlete, then I needed to begin a weight training regimen to become stronger.

That introduction sparked a lifelong love of strength training. Not only did I become a better athlete, but I also reaped countless health benefits—improved flexibility, lower blood pressure, stronger bones, better metabolism, more energy, and greater confidence. The gym became my sanctuary, a space where I worked through mental, emotional, and physical challenges. Strength training became a metaphor for life: the weights we lift mirror the burdens we carry—and overcome.

What is Strength Training, Really?

At its core, strength training is simple: it’s moving heavy stuff. It’s exerting effort to overcome a physical load—whether it’s a barbell, dumbbell, kettlebell, resistance band, or your own bodyweight.

But its benefits go far beyond muscle:

• Better athletic performance

• Improved mental health and body image

• Greater functional strength and balance

• Enhanced sleep and mood

• Stronger bones and joints

• Injury prevention and faster recovery

• Long-term independence and longevity

Lifting heavy stuff has profound health benefit

Why Women Need to Lift-Especially as we Age:

Strength training is for everyone—but women, especially, have historically been underserved or discouraged in the weight room. Whether due to lack of access, outdated social norms, or myths about “looking bulky,” women have often been sidelined from serious strength work.

Fortunately, that’s changing. Today, more women are confidently taking up space at the squat rack. Science and society are catching up to the truth: women thrive with strength training, and it’s essential for maintaining independence, bone density, and mobility as we age.

Muscle Doesn't make you "Manly"- It makes you fit, strong, and resilant!

Let’s be clear: muscle is muscle. It’s the engine that powers your body, no matter your gender. Yes, men tend to build muscle faster due to higher levels of testosterone and growth hormone—but that doesn’t mean women shouldn’t train for strength.

In fact, the concern that lifting weights will make a woman “look like a man” is not only outdated—it’s biologically unfounded. Without chemical enhancement, women will build lean, functional muscle that improves performance, posture, energy, and self-confidence.

Final Thoughts: Ladies, Don't Fear the Iron

Weight training will not take away from your femininity—it will enhance your vitality. Lifting builds resilience, confidence, and capability. If your goal is to stay active in your sport, recover from injury, or simply feel empowered in your body, strength training is not just recommended—it’s essential.

Health Benefits or Strength Training:

Physical Health Benefits

1) Longevity: Statistically speaking, women still live longer than men. However, we have a propensity of live more of our lives, less healthy and I argue that part of this is due to unhealthy muscle which is due to lack of strength training. When we strength train for life, we increase our metabolic capacity, improve our overall health which can help us live stronger and healthier for longer.

2) It builds Lean Muscle, improved posture, core stability: We naturally have more type I fibers and fewer type II fibers:  type I fibers are the type of fibers that lend themselves to aerobic based work, like walking, running, standing up straight, not falling over however our type II fibers are for speed, power, strength- like getting across the street faster, keeping oneself from falling over, getting off the toilet or chair or getting off the ground. We need both types to be functional for a life time. We lose our type II fibers faster and earlier due to lack of training them. Strength training helps keep the type II fibers around longer.

3) It strengthens bone tissue: We are at a greater risk of osteoporosis: Although osteoporosis is not a woman’s disease, rather it is a disease of bone that can occur due to loss of the hormone estrogen. Estrogen is a human hormone found in both men and women yet through menopause and the dramatic drop in estrogen can have a profound effect on a woman’s bone health. Strength training can help improve bone health. When we weight training, muscle will pull on the bone by whey of the tendinous attachments. This induces bone cell activity to help build bone which can help make the bone thicker and stronger thus reducing risk of bone injury.

4) There is a reduced risk of falling and injury: As we get older the loss of muscle fibers, especially type II can lead to increased risk of falling. However, with maintaining a strength program over the years can help prevent muscle fiber type loss which can lead to improve balance strategies, and the ability to utilize those strategies should we lose our balance. With our ability to catch ourselves from falling, we are less likely to be injured due to fall prevention.

Mental and Emotional Health Benefits:

1) Improve confidence, agency and mental health: who does not feel more confidence when looking in the mirror and liking what you see. Feeling like one looks good naked, clothes that fit sharp, looking good overall has a positive impact on our mental outlook and when we feel good, we act good toward ourselves and others.

2) Stress Relief and Mood Boosting: In todays current climate, we work long hours, deal with a wide variety of inputs from our family, environment, and work be in from negative news, the constant constructional development of the outside world as well as a whole host of other anxiety provoking stimuli. Working out and strength training can have profound effects on our ability to adapt to our environment by training ourselves to be able to deal with difficult stuff.

Types of movements best for what

Compound movements such as squats, deadlifts, pushup, pullups, bench press, lunges, step ups are great types of movement to incorporate into a sports, general fitness or functional routine as they mimic the normal everyday movement patterns we do such as sitting and standing, picking up items off the floor, pushing open a door, walking upstairs, walking or running.  Assisting movements such as bicep curls, tricep extensions can help with daily tasks such as opening bottles, lifting a jars to shelves, pushing up from a chair. Core work and glute work for general stability. These are just a few ideas however when beginning a new program or when unsure, seek advice from a trained professional!