Many women have traditionally avoided weightlifting because of the common misconception that it will make them “get big.” Fortunately, the power of this myth seems to be fading, as more and more women are turning to weightlifting as a means of improving their strength, balance and overall well-being. In 2004, only 17.5% of women in the United States participated in strength training two or more times per week. Fast-forward 16 years, and in 2020 it was reported that 26.9% of women met the guidelines for muscle-strengthening physical activity.
So, let’s turn this myth on its head and talk about how women who have a goal of gaining muscle can do so safely and effectively through resistance training.
Before we get into the “how” of weight training, let’s look at some proven principles and clear up some misconceptions.
1. Lifting Heavy
To stimulate muscle growth, or hypertrophy, a stimulus must be placed on the muscle. Some women, in response to a fear of “getting big,” tend to stick with weights that they are comfortable using for a full three sets. However, a greater stimulus must be placed on the muscles to see any real changes. You need to get out of your comfort zone using appropriate load progressions and put greater physiological demands on your muscles. Once you can make this paradigm shift in your mind, you will be able to make substantial progress in both your strength and muscle gains. Generally, it is recommended to increase your load in 5% increments until the weights are heavy enough to complete each set within the goal repetition range. For example, if you currently bench press 10 repetitions using 100 pounds (45 kg), increase to 105 pounds (48 kg) to see if this decreases the number of repetitions you can perform. If you can still complete 10 repetitions on your next set, add another 5 pounds (2.3 kg).
Women often underestimate their strength and, by default, grab lighter weights. This is a mistake. Instead, choose a weight that can be lifted 10 times, with the last two repetitions posing a significant challenge. It is important to maintain good form throughout the set, so as soon as you notice your form starting to fail, reduce the amount of weight being lifted or take a rest. The goal is to lift heavy and well, not lift heavy and get hurt. Be sure to have a spotter when performing exercises such as a back squat, bench press and overhead press, especially when learning a new exercise or going up in weight.
2. Sets and Reps
The typical recommendation for building muscle is to complete three to six sets of six to 12 reps of an exercise. If you choose a heavier weight and do fewer repetitions (e.g., three to six), you’re more likely to gain muscular strength, while using lighter weights and higher repetitions lead to gains in muscular endurance. If you’re aiming for greater strength, take a little extra rest time between sets (2 to 5 minutes). If your primary goal is to increase muscle size, reduce the amount of rest you take between sets (30 to 90 seconds).
3. Frequency.
One of the most important elements of achieving muscle gains is consistency, so aim to weight train four to five days a week, if possible. Recording your exercises and weights in a journal is a great way to track gains. You can have good intentions to lift heavy, but the only way to know if you are getting stronger is by writing down the sets, reps and weights used during each workout. Another thing to consider is the breakdown of your weight-training sessions. Will you perform total-body workouts or focus exclusively on upper- or lower-body exercises? Or maybe two body parts per workout? Whatever you end up deciding, the key is consistency and overload.
4. Exercise Selection
There are countless ways to create a workout to gain muscle mass. Ideally, perform exercises requiring larger muscle groups first, such as squat/squat variations, bench press, deadlifts, lat pull-downs and overhead press. Doing so enables you to expend greater energy on these movements, while still being able to perform well on movements involving smaller muscles/muscle groups toward the end of your workout. Choose six to eight exercises to perform on any given day. You can split them up into circuits or do them separately, utilizing rest periods between sets that are specific to your training goals.