Many female athletes shy away from strength training. It is not because society holds a stigma saying females should not lift; however, society does place a stigma saying if girls lift, they will become bulky and manly. It is simply not true.
Females’ genetics are not like that of males. They have a much smaller scale of testosterone, the hormone that increases muscle mass, than males. Similarly, if females have this preconception of lifting weights, then the likelihood of them wanting to participate significantly decreases. If their desire decreases due to lack of knowledge, then their curiosity to ask questions to help with proper form will simply vanish. As an athlete, this creates a plethora of side effects: imbalance of muscle function, decrease in performance, and a great increase in risk of injury.
Because many have failed to properly educate the female athlete of what her body can do and how it will respond to weight training, many females are timid, resulting in uncertainty. I know as a high school female athlete I was very uncertain about weight training. I had a big fear that I would become bulky and heavy compared to my other teammates. I was already one of the tallest females in my class including the boys, so I did not want to stand out any further than I already did.
Once I reached my junior year, a strength coach finally educated me on the female body. She taught me how to lift, train, jump, run — anything I was afraid of because of ignorance simply disappeared. From that moment forward, I loved to be in the weight room. I could not get enough of it. I found that my body became leaner and my strength was constantly increasing in response to weight training.
This is what the female body does in response to weight training. Our muscle tone lengthens and strengthens. Not only do we have a physical change but mentally and emotionally. If any athlete sees his/her body change in a positive manner because of hard work, that hard work becomes inspiring. Their mindset becomes stronger and their confidence level significantly increases.
As females, we can create fundamentally sound athletes by learning about our bodies and understanding how they will react to training. Here at Extreme Studio Performance, we can help you achieve that you can do anything you set your mind to. We have trainers that will take time to educate you on your body and its functions in relation to strength training and your sport. We can accommodate to what your goals are individually and for your sport. We understand that there is unsaid pressure on high school female athletes, and we want to stand in your corner to break down those barriers.