[Chinwendu Achonu is a senior at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. She is majoring in Exercise and Sport Science with a concentration as a Fitness professional, and minoring in Food Studies. She is taking part in the Athletic Lab Coaching Mentorship program.]

From physical health to mental health—and everything in between—weight training serves as a powerful catalyst for improving internal & external health markers. With consistent weight training, women can increase measures of bone mineral density, fat-free mass, strength, and power, while reducing risk of chronic cardiovascular and metabolic disease, depression, and anxiety (Bachero-Mena & Moral-González, 2021). These adaptations are especially noteworthy given that women are disproportionately affected by bone mineral loss and osteoporosis, heart disease, Alzheimer’s disease, depression, and generalized anxiety disorder (Kiley, 2019). And, these benefits are only a small subset of the notable adaptations that have been validated over the years.

Benefits of Weight Training for Women

The remarkable benefits of weight training for women have not always been so readily acknowledged by health experts however. In a 1925 interview with Dr. Thomas Wood, Director of Physical Education at Columbia University, he revealed that women in the late nineteenth and early twentieth century were “hindered in pursuit of athletic achievement by a general societal concern for the de-feminizing impact of sports as well as by the medical community’s belief that “strenuous” sports interfered with women’s reproductive capacities” (Todd, 1992, p. 4). The first two-thirds of the twentieth century was also marked by misinformation (Todd, 1992, p. 4). Athletic coaches and physical educators commonly believed that weight training would make athletes slow, stiff, and “musclebound” (Todd, 1992, p. 4). Athleticism is often associated with agility and speed. Thus, the notions about weight training obviously did not champion the use of weights among athletes of any gender. Still, the stigmatization of being stiff rather than flexible or fluid, as well as being musclebound as opposed to dainty and slender, affected the perception of weight training as a practice among non-athletic females much more than among non-athletic men in the general population since these traits were touted as less feminine (Todd, 1992, p. 5).

Weight Training in College Women: Past and Present

Over time, even with the eventual amendment of medical misinformation regarding the use of weights to train athletes, the prohibitory societal expectations for weight training among women in the general population persisted.  Beginning in the 1920s, with female athletes featured in magazines like Strength and Physical Culture, a new enthusiasm developed for the fit, but slender, woman as the ideal (Todd, 1992, p. 6). Despite these athletes publicizing their weight training programming while being revered for their performance and physique, North American women in the general population, and even those who were athletes, were slow to adopt weight training due to societal taboos (Todd, 1992, p. 6). Instead, in a bid to still achieve the fit and slender physique that was garnering so much acclaim, women largely opted for aerobic exercise and low volumes of type 1 (slow-oxidative) muscle fiber dominant weight training routines (Craft, Carroll, and Lustyk, 2014). So, despite 15 million women claiming to use free weights by 1995—a 7.6 million person increase from 1987– 1) physical activity in college age women actually declined during this time, 2) there were still 75 million women over the age of 18 who were not weight training, and 3) these weights were likely not being used in a manner that constitutes strength, hypertrophy, or power training (Harnes and Bixby, 2005).

A general stigma of women exercising has crept its way into the twenty-first century.  On the whole, whether intentional or unintentional, girls are found to be more sedentary from a young age; they “play in ways that are less active, whereas boys are more likely to be encouraged to be outside running, jumping , and wrestling” (Incledon, 2005, p. 7). Data from 2016 shows that 85% of adolescent boys met exercise recommendations for their age group, while only 78% of adolescent girls met the same recommendations (WHO, 2020). Similar inequalities across genders are seen in preceding years as well (WHO, 2020).

The trend of greater inactivity in females compared to males only appears to continue as women age. Across all ages men are reportedly engaging in weight training 30% more frequently than women (Hurley et al., 2018). In addition, for every one woman using a free weight, there are approximately 27 men using the same equipment (Hurley et al., 2018). As of 2017, only about 24% of college-age women (age 18-24) in the U.S met Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommendations for general exercise (NHIS, 2018)–i.e. muscle strengthening exercise twice a week, along with either 150 minutes of moderate exercise per week or 75 minutes of vigorous exercise per week (Barlow, 2013). This percentage is contrasted against the 43.3% of college-age men who met the same exercise recommendations in the same year (NHIS, 2018). Furthermore, both of these statistics showcase a significant drop in activity in comparison to percentages from adolescent counterparts in the previous year (WHO, 2020).

Generally, trends in the last two decades display consistent imbalances between women and men who meet activity guidelines—including weight training guidelines. A comprehensive evaluation of data consistently displays a 10-20% gap between males and females meeting requirements (NHIS, 2018). Moreover, only between 19% and 20.7% of women were meeting very basic activity guidelines—i.e. the minimum requirements to reduce risk of cardiovascular disease—over the six-year span of 2010 to 2016 (NHIS, 2018). Still, there may be cause for optimism since more recent CDC data on physical activity indicates an increase of almost 8% more women meeting CDC activity guidelines—i.e. 28.4 % of women met activity guidelines in 2018, compared to just 20.7% in 2016 (NHIS, 2018). Although this is far from an optimal percentage of active women in the U.S, this growth demonstrates positive change that may be replicable. Now the only questions that remain are: what obstacles are presently preventing college age females from strength training, and how may those obstacles be overcome?

Based on more recent research among college age women, the barriers of weight training in this century are not too dissimilar from those earlier discussed in the last two centuries. Starting from the early 2000s, one perceived barrier found for weight training in college age women who reported choosing not to strength train previously was time-effort, meaning that women reported having too many other tasks to complete in their day to day routine (Harnes and Bixby, 2005). The time-effort barrier stood out significantly from all other barriers which were surveyed (Harnes and Bixby, 2005). Following the time-effort barrier, in order from most to least inhibiting, was social barriers (i.e. friends do not encourage exercise or one does not want to exercise alone), physical barriers (i.e. looking silly or having sore muscles), and lastly specific barriers (i.e. other barriers like not having an adequately equipped gym to go to) (Harnes and Bixby, 2005).

A later study assessing barriers to weight training in 116 college age women (not that college age has a mean of 27 in this particular study) found similar barriers to Harnes and Bixby as well as similarities to earlier studies. Women reported gravitating towards cardio machinery because of greater positive associations for body image than with weights (Hurley et al., 2018).  Women actually make up 70% of patrons using cardio equipment in a given fitness center (Hurley et al., 2018). The study also discussed findings of weight rooms and free-weight areas being stigmatized as masculine or associated with “bulking up”; therefore deterring any women who wished to present as feminine (Hurley et al., 2018). Women in Hurley et al. also supported the pre-established conclusion that lack of time is the greatest perceived barrier for weight training, just like Harnes and Bixby (2018).

The Future of Weight Weight Training for Women

With many of the common barriers discussed, it is time to consider what can be done to ameliorate them. Based on the findings in both the Harnes and Bixby and Hurley et al. studies, college age women today apparently consider body image, psychological, and physical health to be the most beneficial outcomes of exercise (Harnes and Bixby, 2005). In this case, as Harnes and Bixby suggest, initiatives designed to encourage strength training participation need not focus on either of these variables (2005). Due to a long history of efforts on the public health and exercise science fields, these benefits are already known and well accepted. The logical conclusion is that they are just not strong enough factors to attract a greater percentage of women to strength training.

Rather, it seems that a worthwhile appeal would be communicating time efficiency—an obvious barrier from both recent studies. Specifically for college age students, “negotiating between academic requirements and strength training participation for non-strength trainers in a college environment [is paramount]” (Harnes and Bixby, 2005). In action, this could look like creating small, low-equipped, and private workout spaces within dorms (similar to study rooms) that could serve as a convenient workout space during study breaks. In this way, women on campus can avoid a long commute, as well as exercise without worries about public perceptions.

In addition, Hurley et al. suggests integrating a strength training unit or time slot within each of the wellness classes already required for most college students (2018). Not only would this address concerns of time, because class time is time that is already set aside, but it also addresses one of the other major barriers found: social perception.  By standardizing learning how to strength train in a class setting, women will be provided with the social aspect/common interest of friends who are doing the same thing across campus. With knowledgeable instructors, they are less likely to be injured or feel insecure about unfamiliar movements since there is someone to correct them; plus, everyone is learning.  Furthermore, results indicate that women preferred and adhered to a structured resistance training class more than strength training on their own (Hurley et al., 2018). Buckworth and Nigg even found a significant relationship between moderate to vigorous physical activity and engagement in resistance training among college women (Hurley et al., 2018).  For college age women who are not in school, a similar idea of an all-female gym or an all-female beginner weight training class at a local gym could be a useful intervention for adherence, social interaction, and low perception of judgment.

The studies all seem to point to earlier intervention of weight training programs for women. Research clearly displays that “older age predict[s] lower resistance training frequency” (Hurley et al., 2018). By getting women interested and familiar with strength training early—as young as middle school age–habits will be formed more easily and training adherence will likely increase as a result. Furthermore, early introduction may enhance positive social associations, motivation, and behavior adoption overtime which are all supported metrics of adherence for women in particular (Hurley et al., 2018).

Conclusion

As the world becomes more mechanized and sedentary, it is increasingly important to take initiative in promoting physical activity in all populations.  Considering the relatively higher risk for various diseases and  disorders that females face, women arguably have even more to gain from adhering to a weight training program than men. As information about strength training becomes more accessible via channels like social media, it is also increasingly important for exercise experts to hold a primary position in the dissemination of information about training principles and exercise technique, so that the benefits of strength training are realized without undue effects.

References

  • Bachero-Mena, B., & Moral-González, S. (2021). Resistance Training in Women. In Resistance training methods: From theory to practice (pp. 343–361). essay, SPRINGER.
  • Barlow, R. (2013, March 6). Women and weight lifting: It’s good for you: Bu Today. Boston University. Retrieved February 22, 2022, from https://www.bu.edu/articles/2013/women-and-weight-lifting-its-good-for-you/#:~:text=5%20percent%20of%20American%20women,for%20Disease%20Control%20and%20Prevention.
  • Craft, B. B., Carroll, H. A., & Lustyk, M. K. (2014). Gender Differences in Exercise Habits and Quality of Life Reports: Assessing the Moderating Effects of Reasons for Exercise. International Journal of Liberal Arts and Social Science, 2(5), 65–76.
  • Harne, A. J., & Bixby, W. R. (2005). The Benefits of and Barriers to Strength Training Among College-age Women. Journal of Sport Behavior, 28(2).
  • Hurley, K. S., Flippin, K. J., Blom, L. C., Hoover, D. L., & Judge, L. W. (2018). Practices, Perceived Benefits, and Barriers to Resistance Training Among Women Enrolled in College. International Journal of Exercise Science, 11(5), 226–238.
  • Incledon, L. (2005). Strength training for women. Human Kinetics.
  • Kiley, J. (2019, April). 9 health issues every woman should understand. Northwestern Medicine. Retrieved February 22, 2022, from https://www.nm.org/healthbeat/healthy-tips/9-health-issues-every-woman-should-understand
  • NHIS. (2018). Figure 7.6. Percentage of adults aged 18 and over who met 2008 federal physical activity guidelines for both aerobic and muscle-strengthening activities through leisure-time aerobic and muscle-strengthening activities, by age group and sex: United States, 2018. Free data visualization software. Retrieved February 22, 2022, from https://public.tableau.com/app/profile/nhis/viz/FIGURE7_5/Dashboard7_5
  • Todd, J. (1992). Origins of Weight Training for Female Athletes in North America. Iron Game History: The Journal of Physical Culture, 2, 4–14.
  • World Health Organization. (2020). Physical activity. World Health Organization. Retrieved February 22, 2022, from https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/physical-activity