When it comes to weight training, men and women have two completely different approaches to exercise.  Men tend to focus on heavier weights with fewer repetitions.  Women typically lift weights with higher repetitions.  For the women, I have some bad news.  You need to change your weightlifting approach to resemble that of a man's.

Most women tend to be afraid of weightlifting.  They're afraid that they will end up looking like a man with huge muscles.  Most women think of the stereotypical bodybuilding female as the end result of lifting heavy weights.  This is simply not true.  Most female bodybuilders are using excessive amounts of drugs to create muscular growth.  They have more male hormones running through their systems than most football players.  Weightlifting, when properly understood and executed is not something women should fear.  In fact, it could be argued that women probably have a greater need of weightlifting than even men.

It is important to note that there is no difference between the muscles of a man and the muscle of a woman.  Anatomically they are exactly the same.  The big difference between the size of a man's muscles and a woman's muscles has to do with the predominance of fiber types within the muscles and hormones.  Muscles have two primary fiber types. Fast twitch fibers and slow twitch fibers.  Fast twitch fibers produce large amounts of power for short periods of time (these fiber grow larger and are stimulated with weightlifting).  Slow twitch fibers are good for endurance but are incapable of producing much force (these are stimulated with cardiovascular exercise like running and do not grow in size). Men will tend to have a greater percentage of fast twitch fibers versus slow twitch fibers in thier bodies compared to women.  This allows them to experience greater strength and growth potential.

Another factor for muscular development is hormones.  Hormones account for a large part of the discrepancy between men and women's muscles.  Testosterone, especially, will cause increased tissue growth.  This is obviously in greater supply in men versus women.  Most women simply lack the body chemistry to get large muscles.

Once you understand that lifting weights is not going to turn you into a female sideshow, you are now ready to learn the importance of weightlifting.  In recent years, weightlifting has been shown to be more effective in the reduction of blood pressure and cholesterol than even cardiovascular exercise (the best plan is to combine a combination of both cardiovascular and weight training exercise).

1 pound of muscle burns 35 calories a day, at rest.  Muscle is highly metabolically active tissue.  More muscle on your body equates to a faster metabolism.  Having a faster metabolism will make it far easier to lose weight or maintain your current weight.  Extra muscle on your body will not make you look like a freak.  It will simply give your body more shape, and consequently a more "toned" look.

Weightlifting exercise is also the major stimulus for bone growth.  It used to be thought that weak bones could be strengthened through weight-bearing activities such as running and walking.  This has been proven to be inaccurate.  It is actually the contraction of muscles that stimulates the bones to develop.  Muscles are most effectively contracted through resistance/weightlifting activity.

How you exercise is also highly important.  The benefits of exercise have been shown to be inversely proportional to the intensity with which they are performed.  What this essentially means is that the harder you work the greater the benefits.  If you are lifting light weights, you're going to get very little out of the activity.  Instead, you need to be executing exercises with weights that you can handle for a maximum of six to 12 repetitions.  If you perform your weightlifting with this intensity, you will help shape your body while at the same time significantly improving your overall health.

Exercise requires a significant investment of time and energy.  Make sure that your investment is paying off properly by exercising your body properly.  Ladies, stop worrying needlessly about weightlifting misconceptions and start lifting heavier weights.