A weighty argument in favour of strength training
As someone whose fitness poison of choice has always been at the lighter end of the spectrum (yoga, Pilates and ballet barre), I can confidently say the most I’d previously ever deadlifted is a full bin bag on the way out of my flat, after a particularly bottle-heavy dinner party the night before.
Yet here I am, managing to puff my way into lifting my first 20kg. That’s thanks to Laura Hoggins (@bicepsandbronzer on Instagram), a strength and conditioning trainer with a passion for getting other women into pumping iron.
Hoggins says she first found the joy of lifting weights back when she was working in a corporate career, and fate happened to throw a Crossfit studio across from her office. “I spent months trying to improve, learn and get faster and fitter. As a result, I felt better at work, I slept and ate better, and I dealt with stress and anxiety more calmly,” she recalls.
These positive life changes are the reason she decided to quit an office job to become a personal trainer.
A survey found that, in 2011, just 0.9 per cent of women used weight training for fitness, and although there are no more recent statistics for comparison, you only have to look around your local gym to notice the change. Instagram is also adding to the appeal. As well as Hoggins, prominent figures like Christmas Abbott, Elisabeth Akinwale and Chloe Madeley are showing just how accessible weights can be, while a community of female fans are finding each other through hashtags like #womenwholift and #quadgoals.
The shift in mood is unsurprising when you look at the myriad of health benefits; as well as building muscle, increasing bone density and lowering blood pressure, studies have found that strength training can help improve posture, sleep, mood and energy levels. As well as burning fat and boosting your metabolism, Hoggins believes that repping weighted moves can also help you to torch calories more efficiently, saying: “It might seem like a cardio class burns more, but because of the intense recovery your body goes through after a strength session, you actually continue to burn calories for hours after you’ve left the gym.”
She admits that there’s also an addictive element that appeals to her inner warrior: “Lifting something you didn’t think you could... it not only makes you look like a boss, you feel like one too.”
While she’s optimistic about the gains women are making, Hoggins knows there’s still plenty of distance to cover. Last year, for instance, fitness blogger Kelsey Wells spoke out over Instagram after she received sexist criticisms and body shaming comments about her muscular physique.
“Comments along the lines of, ‘You’re looking manly’, or, ‘Careful you don’t want to be bulky’, or, ‘Weightlifting isn’t feminine’, never cease to amaze me,” she told her 1.4 million followers. “I choose not to respond to negativity, but I do have something to say about this and I want to say it loud and clear: The only thing a woman needs to be beautiful and feminine is to be herself.”
The argument that women should avoid weights for aesthetic reasons is something that frustrates many of its ambassadors. “People just saying that lifting weights will make you bulky drives me mad,” says Hoggins. “Lifting weights, combined with a strong mix of cardio, mobility, nutrition and recovery, will deliver you a strong and lean physique, and despite some of the myths, it’s not going to make you bulk up – that would require a significant calorie surplus alongside your training.”
The class drills through a circuit of weights, building my confidence with the apparatus while showing me how to correctly deadlift and squat, incorporating everything from kettlebells and dumbbells to barbells. The endorphin high is amazing, and I’m fast learning why so many women are curious about resistance training.
Hoggins adds: “Now women are better educated in what they can do as part of a broader training regime, mixing both cardio and resistance training, to get a lean, strong and toned physique.
“These days, I regularly see women deadlifting more than the men, and it’s super empowering.” n