No more a weighty issue for women

Women trying their hand at deadlifts in gyms in spite of regular taunts from their male counterparts

Hyderabad: Fitness has now become an utmost priority, especially among women, after a scary ride through the pandemic. However, this time, beyond just hitting the gym for regular workouts, a rising number of women in Hyderabad have turned towards lifting weights and strength building.

Sunita Sharma, 45, a fitness and strength training coach from the city, underscores the importance of fitness for women and also the need to focus on building their strength. “It should be inculcated in every woman regardless of their age. As we age, we tend to lose muscle mass from the body and our fat goes up leading us to become less functional and start gaining weight,” she says.

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Sunita adds that due to lack of awareness, it took a long time for women to understand the importance of strength training – which can be highly useful for their daily activities as well.

“The main problem among women was the fear that they might get bulky or look like a man if they lift weights. No, that does not happen to women as they do not have the testosterone hormone that makes the man develop muscle bulk. So, it is not possible for women to get the muscle cuts like a man unless she takes supplements aiming for it,” Sunita emphasises.

However, a woman might get toned depending on the kinds of exercises she chooses.

Beyond just strength building, lifting weights also makes a woman confident and also helps her overall mental health, feels Shraddha Karanam, 23, who has been deadlifting almost every day in the gym for the past three years.

“Lifting weights has really helped me in several ways. It has improved my mental and physical health, including my menstrual cycle. Even if I have a good or bad day, I express it all in the gym,” Shraddha shares. It is suggested that unless a woman is specifically advised by a doctor not to lift weights, it is perfectly alright to lift some dead weights which might actually help the woman stay intact in the long run.

However, women usually have to deal with sarcastic comments from their male counterparts in the gym.

“Many-a-time, when a woman tries to lift heavy weights, most men get intimidated. But we have to just ignore and concentrate on our workout and health. It actually makes me feel proud that sometimes I lift heavier weights than a few men in the gym,” Shraddha, who has a record of lifting 120kg of deadlifts, shares.

“Women have to move out of the mould of being ‘delicate darlings’ and push themselves to get stronger and independent. And lifting weights will help you do just that,” Shraddha concludes.

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