Ladies I know what you are thinking ‘I don’t want to look like a man‘ but lifting weights doesn’t have to mean this.

Men and woman have completely different body shapes and gain muscle bulk in different areas. Muscle development will also depend on the choice of targeted muscles, for example some men over train their trapezius muscle and end up with huge big shoulders and necks . Obviously as a woman you are unlikely to have any desire to work on such muscles, therefore you would never develop this undesirable bulk.

Instead a woman would be better focusing on gluts, abs and back stabilising muscles. The key with lifting weights is to engage a multitude of muscles including your abdomen, ‘switching on the core’. As a chiropractor myself I tend to discourage sit-ups and crunches due to the pressure it tends to repetitively put on the lower lumbar joints and discs. Any area you over stress is more likely to wear out and potentially injure. Instead you are far better learning to engage ‘switch on’ your core muscles when lifting to support and protect your more delicate spinal structures.

This is why I love the squat (when done correctly).