Some people fear lifting weights because they will get really big. So big their excessive size may restrict joint movements due to the increase in muscle mass between the two articulating bones. Completely irrelevant for women. Even if you are a lucky woman with the genetics to put on 1-2kgs of muscle, this amount will actually make you smaller (more fat burnt because you have more muscle) and less fat means you will have more energy and you will move around easier.

For the guys…Most guys will also find it very difficult to put on any more than 5-10kg of muscle (without drug support). “Just ask the men who are strength training regularly and seeing very small increases in muscle”. If you are one of the genetically gifted males who can put on large amounts of muscle, make sure you balance your strength training with cardiovascular exercise and flexibility training (stretching). Hey, have a look at the genetically gifted, male, power athletes such as 100 and 200 meter sprinters. Their large amounts of muscle are definitely not restricted, inflexible and slowing them down.

Spot reduction exercises promote working a particular body part or muscle to burn fat from the worked area. Unfortunately, this theory goes against every scientific principle of exercise physiology. We cannot choose where we want to lose fat. If you worked one leg and not the other with side leg raises, you wouldn’t get a fat leg and a thin leg? NO! When you move more, eat less and lift weights, fat will come off from all over your body. Where from and how quickly is different for everyone depending on your genetics and your general body shape. If fat did come off in the areas that we worked or moved the most, we would not have fat on our faces – we move our facial muscles all the time. We could chew gum to burn fat off our face? We would not have fat on our bottoms, hips and legs/thighs. We use all of these muscles for our daily, regular transportation like walking, running, cycling etc.

To use fat as a source of fuel, it can only be oxidised (burnt off) aerobically. This simply means while you are alive, breathing, sleeping, moving or exercising your body uses fat as a fuel source to survive. Move more, for longer and faster and you will burn fat, from all over your body faster. Exercises that work one body-part at a time, such as crunches and side leg raises, create a burning sensation in the muscle which people commonly misinterpret as exploding fat cells. This burning sensation is only a build-up of lactic acid – a substance produced by the body when you are working anaerobically, NOT aerobically. When you are using your anaerobic system to produce energy you will be using glycogen (carbohydrate) as the main source of energy. This means you are NOT burning any significant amounts of fat. Fat can be compared to petrol in a car, if you wish to burn the petrol you have to start the car, take it out of the garage and drive it a significant distance. Doing exercises that work one body-part at a time, is like going up to the car and continually opening and closing the bonnet – no fuel burnt and worn out hinges!

Overload can only come from a regular increase in the loads you are lifting. As your body adapts (gets stronger) to lifting a certain weight, that weight will now be easy to lift and you will need to lift more weight to create an overload. Doing the exercise more times (repetitions) will force your body to “endure” more weight but there will no longer be an overload. Put simply, get stronger, to maintain/build more muscle and to burn fat faster. If you are not getting stronger, your body does not have to work harder. Remember; keep lifting heavier weights to build a faster fat burning engine. Then do cardiovascular exercise to burn off the fuel.

The reason it has been suggested children should avoid lifting weights, is a fear that the weight will cause damage to their growth plates – the parts of the bone that are still growing. Interestingly, there is no published evidence that safe, supervised, controlled, strength-training causes any damage to the bones, growth plates or muscles of pre-adolescent children. All the research shows positive changes in muscle strength, bone strength, joint stability, posture, sporting performance, injury prevention and self esteem.

Children achieve the same physiological gains to strength training that adults do, except for an increase in muscle size. They have not yet developed the same levels of testosterone, the hormone responsible for muscle hypertrophy (the growth of muscle). All the peadiatric and orthopeadic associations in the world now recommend children commence a safe, controlled, supervised form of strength training at the age when they begin to participate in contact sports or team sports, example: Netball, football, gymnastics, soccer etc. Again interestingly, it is these contact sports that can cause damage to little bodies – strength training will help to protect their bodies and avoid injury!

It is recommended by the American College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists that pregnant women should maintain their weight training program. It maintains muscle tissue and strength throughout the pregnancy which will decrease the physical demand on the body. It aids in reducing labour time and enhances the physical recovery from birth. Pregnancy is no time to commence a weight training program but existing programs should be maintained. Medical clearance is recommended, however, ensure your Doctor or Gynaecologist is up-to-date with all the latest research and information on strength training for pregnancy.

Training intensity should be adjusted accordingly: avoid exercises that put you in a flat back position for long periods; include longer rests between exercises and watch that your heart rate remains around 140bpm. Exercises such as squats and lunges are recommended as being beneficial in preparation for delivery and all the other functional compound exercises are recommended, to maintain a strong body. Personal training is strongly recommended for pregnant women maintaining their strength training program.