Since time immemorial, any form of lifting is considered a man's domain. However, with the enlightenment given by women's liberation and women's rights groups, it is now accepted in Western societies that women are co-equal with men in almost all aspects-- some extreme women's groups supporters would even say that with childbirth and childrearing, the female gender is even more superior.

But if there is any area in the fitness world where a lot of women still give to the men hands down, it's in the aspect of weight training. Most Eves find this domain too "manly" and would rather stick to the much more female-oriented cardiovascular routines. You can't blame them. After all, women still need to hold on to their "female side" and lifting weights, no matter how small the poundage, is just too much of "man's thing." Add in the misconception that weight training for women makes them bulk up like their boyfriends is enough to scare them away from dumbbells for life. This is a misconception because women only have one-tenth of the testosterone-- the hormone that builds muscle-- of their male counterparts. Unless they purposely train long hours and lift very heavy weights, there is no way for their bodies to naturally look like the muscle men in gym posters. Physically and metabolically, women do not bulk up with weight training.

However, by not lifting weights, women miss out on a lot of benefits. From weight loss to bone health to heart health to enhanced strength to increased feelings of wellness, weight training for women offers a lot of health advantages.

Let's start with muscle strengthening. When women do resistance training with weights, they are increasing their muscle capacity with heavier workload. With continued training, women who train with weights will notice that not only can they lift heavier objects or sacks of groceries, they are also more able to maintain their balance as they do these things. Thus, they lessen their risk for slips and falls.

Where weight loss is concerned, weight training for women is extremely beneficial. This is because in lifting weights, muscle mass is increased. Since muscle burns more calories than fat, the metabolic rate is increased. When women train with weights, they convert more fat to muscle and as a result, they continue to lose weight even when they are in between workouts.

Weight training for women is also crucial to bone health. As females (and males too) age, bone mass progressively deteriorates. By doing weight-bearing exercises, stress is placed on the joints and as part of their adaptation, they increase in density and become stronger. Women should train with weights to halt this natural phenomenon or manage it at its earlier stages before any irreversible damage results.

Resistance training is also important to the heart health of many females. It reduces their risk of high blood pressure and other diseases that can cause heart attacks. When the ladies are healthier, they are able to do their daily routines with ease. Mothers who have to juggle between taking care of their kids, doing the laundry, cooking and shopping for groceries can benefit immensely from the strength and endurance that resistance training offers.