As a fitness coach, you have to change your training approach based on who you’re training. Most coaches use the same approach for male and female athletes, but don’t make that mistake. You need to use different techniques with weight lifting for female beginners from the ones you use with males.
Taking The Same Training Approach With Men and Women
Male and female athletes often have similar goals for their training. They may want you to help them reach peak performance, get better results, or win a game or competition. However, there are some important differences and issues that you must consider when you’re training with weight lifting for female beginners. You have to understand the history of women in sports and competitions and society’s attitudes towards women. You also need to understand the physiological, mental, and emotional differences between men and women. Then you can adjust your training approach to meet your client’s needs. When you do that, you’re guaranteed to see better results.
Being Your Own Weight Lifting Personal Trainer
You may also be reading this article because you want to train yourself. You can be your own trainer. Although, there are both benefits and drawbacks for being your own trainer.
The Eye-Opening History of Women in Sports
Women in sports today don’t face nearly as much discrimination as they did in the past. There’s still not a lot of research on strength training or athletics for women, though. So, as a trainer, you should understand the history behind women’s involvement in sport. This will help you tailor your training techniques to your clients so they can reach their goals.
Nobody paid any attention to women’s sports until the 1960s and ’70s. Before that, people saw sports as an activity for men. Similarly, there was little research done on female muscle development. Although, some passionate female physical educators, athletes, and coaches helped change that. Gradually, women found more and more opportunities to participate in sports, and the popularity of watching women’s sports continues to rise. Women’s involvement in athletics slowly progressed from high-class sporting events to more common participation at many schools and universities. Now it’s not uncommon to see female sporting events when you turn on the TV. You even see women go head to head with men on nationally televised fitness events like American Ninja Warrior.
For women, overcoming the challenges to their participation and involvement in sports helped change society’s perspective. The world records that women hold in nearly all sporting events today show that women have just as much of a right to compete like men. Women’s success in sports refutes all the old arguments that society used to prevent women from participating, so don’t let anyone try to convince you otherwise.
Debunking the Myths About Female Athletes
Today, men and women still share separate spheres in sports and competitive events. That’s mainly because of the physiological differences between the two sexes. However, that doesn’t mean that one is better than the other. Many people still believe that women shouldn’t do sports. You’ve probably heard some of the most common myths about female athletes. Some people say that women who do strength training or sports will develop big muscles and lose their femininity. Others try to create a negative image of female athletes, primarily through biased media coverage. Some people also claim that women can only perform at such a high level if they take performance-enhancing drugs. It’s your job as a coach and encourage your clients to perform at their best and ignore all the critics.
Why You Need to Adapt Your Training Approach for Female Athletes
Women are in no way unqualified to participate or compete in sporting events. No one should try to stop women from participating in weight lifting or sports. There are, however, some clear differences between men and women. As a coach, you must consider these physiological, mental, and emotional differences in order to help your clients succeed. You may also need to consider cultural, religious, social, and ethnic/racial differences between your different clients.
The Physiological Factors For Weight Lifting For Female Beginners
Men and women certainly have some physiological differents. As a coach, you must consider these differences in anthropometrical factors, strength, body composition, hormones, bone formation, and their varied physiological responses to resistance exercise. For your female clients, there are some great strategies that you can use to help them get the best results. Make sure that they gradually increase their resistance load, participate in continuous exercise and training without breaks, and set monthly goals. You should also implement injury prevention strategies such as stretching, rehabilitation, and ensuring adequate recovery and rest time. You’ll find those female athletes often have less-developed muscles in their upper body than male athletes, so be sure to target those areas in training. Remember that resistance training doesn’t always have to use weights many core exercises are best done with only body weight.
The Psychological Factors For Weight Lifting For Female Beginners
You’re probably aware that men and women also operate differently on a psychological level. It’s important for you to be aware of those differences so you can modify your training approaches appropriately. In general, men are more often drawn towards the aggressive, power-driven undertones of sporting activities. Women, on the other hand, usually look to sport to fulfill their emotional needs and goals through self-realization and the recognition that comes with winning. Women are also sometimes more susceptible to the way media represents (or misrepresents) female athletes. This can lead to eating disorders and low self-esteem. As a trainer, you can help them avoid these issues. You should use a holistic strategy and create a well-designed, individualized program of nutrition, exercise, and supplementation.
Social and Ethnic Factors
In most societies, men are more favored and accepted than women. Of course, this varies from country to country. Some societies demonstrate much higher regard towards women than others. Several countries, though, still prohibit women from publically participating in certain sports. For instance, women in most Islamic countries aren’t allowed to participate in competitive sporting activities, with a few exceptions. Saudi Arabia and Iran, in particular, have strict codes regarding women’s attire and their role in society that preclude them from participating in sports. However, more and more fitness and sports facilities have been opening their doors to women even in the strictest societies. Often, though, women are only allowed to use them for recreation and leisure, and not for competitive activities.
As a coach, you should recognize and respect your female clients’ roles in society. Try to design programs that don’t compromise their long-term mental, physical, and emotional future. If you push your female clients beyond their natural inclinations, they may want to drop out of the sport altogether. To avoid this, explore your clients’ needs, wants, fitness capabilities, and life goals. Then you can design the best, personalized fitness program for each of your clients.
Choose the Best Training Approach
Sport is likely an important part of your life, especially if you’re a trainer. If you’ve ever participated in a sport, you know that it can be very fun and fulfilling. So, encourage your clients to participate in the activities that they enjoy, and don’t let anyone try to stop them. You should clarify concepts, set goals and objectives, and plan short- and long-term training schedules for your clients. Use the best training approach for each of your clients. That way, you can help motivate them and set them up for success.
Encourage your female clients to try strength training so that they can be better competitors in whatever sphere of sports that they choose. When more women participate in sports and strength training, they’re able to then inspire a stronger and healthier future generation. There’s a big need for more research into strength training and athletics for women. There’s also a need for more female coaches who can apply that research to the next generation of female athletes. As a coach, you can apply your current knowledge to help your female clients succeed and reach their goals. We have many more articles on women’s fitness to help you reach your goals.