9 Women On Why They Switched From Cardio To Weight Training
Anna Danes was a lifelong runner, jogger and walker, but after giving birth to her daughter 12 years ago, she got busy and wasn’t able to keep up her regular exert routine. She rapidly noticed changes in her body, especially her weight beginning to creep up, and eventually went back to a cardio-heavy routine.
She wasn’t seeing outcomes, though, and after successfully combating breast cancer, getting divorced and shaking off her old life as a lawyer to become a jazz singer( her sophomore album,” Find Your Wings ,” topped iTunes’ jazz chart in 2016 ), she knew it was time for a change.
” I’m not ready to look midlife, even though I am midlife ,” says the 47 -year-old musician.” I’ve got a new life post-divorce: dating and a new career that’s taking off .”
So merely three weeks ago she began lifting weights four times a week, and has already noticed major changes.
Aside from losing 8 pounds — no small feat! — Danes says,” My energy is style up too — old working velocities are now a breeze .”
While every body requires a different workout routine, and the exercise regimen that works best for you may involve all cardio or very little, fitness experts say that a mix of cardio and weight developing can be important is not merely for aesthetic reasons but also to help prevent injuries and lessening the risk of osteoporosis, particularly in girls.
” I think the most important thing about any athletic pursuit for women … is the general sense of competence you get from knowing that your body can do whatever you need it to ,” says Karen Ko, a Toronto-based strength coach-and-four and personal trainer.” This is huge for women. We’re socialized to defer to humen in the field of physical activity — they are the experts, they are inherently stronger than us. Strength training challenges this narrative and is exceedingly empowering .”
While some girls, especially those facing sickness or injuries that impede their ability to perform load-bearing workout, do best with cardio merely, most would benefit from adding some kind of weight training to their workout routine. Ko says it’s never too late to start, and adds that the” bro culture” of the weight room is changing and becoming more welcoming to people of all genders.
Need a little inspiration? Let the journeys of Danes and the other women below motivate you to try something new.
” I feel in control more, that I can do this, I can get fit on my own merely by doing the run — and feel strong !”
