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Strength Training for Women Over 40
 A woman’s body goes through many changes as she grows older with time. The body she has at 40 is drastically different from the one she had when she was 20. Instead of ignoring these changes and denying the fact that your body has changed, women should actively engage themselves with workouts to keep in shape and reduce the effects of aging on their body. Strength training for women as they become older is healthy way of ensuring that their bodies stay fit.
Thankfully there is more women strength training now than ever before. The days of aerobics, sweating to the oldies and wearing leotards are long and gone. With that said, it's still a fact that most women don't strength train properly especially as they grow older. The gyms are filled with women over 40 who do a lot of exercise but not in the proper way.
Form over Speed
It is important for women over 40 to focus more on form than speed when strength training as they are more likely to develop injuries. After 40 the body heals slower so an injury can have severe repercussions and greatly affect any further strength training for women. By proper form, it is meant that you follow slow and controlled movements during exercise in the correct range of motion.
Be wary of boot camps
Strength training for women over 40 is very different from those workouts most youngsters follow. With age, most female bodies are less able to hold up to the rigors of running and jumping. Boot camps are highly competitive and you're likely to overwork yourself, resulting in sore knees, back pain and possible wear and tear on the breast tissue. Unless you are small-chested and/or have a sports bra that supports you perfectly, at that age the last thing delicate breast tissue needs is to be violently stretched up and down.
Workout at home
Strength training for women over 40 can be done in a gym or at home with just a few tools. It is recommended that women do their strength training at home once they cross age 40 because it provides a much more convenient environment for them. This way they can escape the rigors of commuting and enjoy a healthy workout at home.
The Benefits of Strength Training
Physiologically, the benefits of consistent strength training include an increase in muscle size and tone, increased muscular strength, and increases in tendon, bone, and ligament strength. Lifting weights has also been shown to improve psychological health as well, by increasing self-esteem, confidence, and self-worth.
The body develops more endurance, power and strength which translate into more useable energy. Moreover, women over 40 will also experience improved digestion and elimination processes after strength training. Strength training in women also shows results of improved intellectual capacity and productivity. Your brain needs a reprieve from thinking; physical exercise provides that respite from the constant intellectual thinking tasks of modern life.
Strength training in women over 40 has shown results of better sleeping patterns while it also increases bone mineral density as a result of the imposed loads being placed upon the bone during the exercise sessions. Since you are active in a productive manner and the brain sends out endorphins signaling a happy pleasant state of mind during and after exercise, women over 40 are less likely to develop depression as strength training decreased stress too.
However, it is highly advised that you consult your doctor or physician before altering your workout routines or diet plans. With that in mind, don’t let age hold you back from pursuing health & wellness goals. The time to look & feel your best is today!
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