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Bodybuilding for women. Yes or no?

When you think of bodybuilding for women what do you think of? You may think of a muscular and intimidating woman wearing a bikini such as this.

Most girls would not want to become muscular like that and may shy away from lifting heavy weight. However, let's go over the facts first.

First of all, women don't have the same amount of testosterone as men. This means that women cannot look like the female bodybuilder pictured above without taking steroids.

So what happens if women weight train with heavier weight? Well, expect to build some muscle. A picture is better than words, so here is an example.

Fitness Model posing with dumbell. Photo by Glenn Francis of www.PacificProDigital.com

This is a fitness model. These women train with challenging weight but still look very feminine. She is muscular but not big and freaky like a female bodybuilder.

So girls, don't be afraid to pick up heavy weight when you workout. Using very light weight won't help you in the long run as they don't put stress on the body.

Now here are some pros and cons about bodybuilding for women.

Pros

1. Prevention of muscle shrinkage and osteoporosis
As we get older, we lose muscle mass and our bones get weaker. Weight training regularly prevents this from happening. You would rather be fit even later in life right?

2. Strength increases
As you increase the weight that you lift, you will become much stronger. I know that strength may not be important to everyone but it is still a pro.

3. Maintain lower levels of bodyfat
When you weight train, your muscle mass will increase to a certain extent. This means that you have more metabolically active tissue, which results in a boosted metabolism. This will help you stay lean and fit all year.

Cons

1. More muscle mass
Not every girl want to looks slightly buff. Gaining some muscle mass is inevitable.

2. Clothes will fit differently
You may not be able to wear your favorite pair of jeans because your thigh muscles grew thicker.

3. Might be viewed as unfeminine
You might be the only woman in the gym who engages in heavy lifting. This could make you stand out like a sore thumb because mostly men use the weight room right? Or your female friends may not understand you for using heavy weight. This could cause you to feel different and left out.

I think bodybuilding for women is a great idea in general. It allows them to get in better shape and feel great about their bodies. Just stay away from steroids.

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