Studies on the Effects of Weight Training in Women

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends at least 20 minutes of strength training two times per week for all adults, no matter their gender. However, just 17.5 percent of women met these guidelines as of 2006. But research supports the importance of regular strength training for women, as it builds lean muscle mass, improves balance, increases bone density and even decreases inflammation.

Balance

• Regular strength training improves balance in older women, according to a 2008 study published in “Calcified Tissue International.” The research involved eight months of twice-weekly resistance training. It concluded that this training reduced the risk factors for falls. Although this study targeted older women, people of all ages can benefit from balance training, as your sense of balance begins to decline in your 20s, according to "The New York Times."

Bone Density

• Women’s bones naturally lose density as they age through a condition known as osteopenia. This can lead to weak, fracture-prone bones and osteoporosis. Regular strength training helps slow or prevent this thinning of your bones. Researchers at the University of Arizona studied the effect of progressive strength training on the bone mineral density of women during a four-year period. In the study, which was published in 2005 in "Osteoporosis International," the women completed three strength sessions a week; at the end of the four-year period, they gained between 1.9 and 2.3 percent bone mineral density.

Body Composition

• If your goal is to increase lean muscle mass and improve your body’s physique, strength training can help you achieve that goal. A 2011 study published in “Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise” followed previously sedentary women for six years as they engaged in a regular resistance training program. Body weight and fat were measured each year, and researchers concluded that resistance training is a viable long-term method of preventing fat gain and muscle loss.

Inflammation

• For women at risk of metabolic syndrome -- a group of conditions including increased blood pressure, high cholesterol levels, extra body fat around the waist or high blood sugar that increases risk of heart disease, stroke and diabetes -- whole-body resistance training can reduce inflammation, a conclusion backed up by studies in both 2010 and 2012 issues of the “Official Journal of the American College of Sports Medicine.” This conclusion supports the idea that overweight and obese women should continue to lift weights regularly for these health benefits, even if they don’t experience weight loss as a result.

Overall Health

• If your exercise goal is simply to be in better health, then regular resistance training is the ticket. Strength training sessions can decrease body fat and improve blood pressure, according to a 2009 study published in “European Journal of Applied Physiology.” This particular study followed healthy yet sedentary women for 24 weeks as they engaged in regular aquatic resistance training – indicating that you don’t need to do traditional, on-land strength exercises to reap the benefits of weight exercises.