Fitness’s biggest myth busted

It’s the most clichéd question any woman could ask about resistance training. ‘Will it make me bulky?’ Don’t worry. We’ve all asked it at some time or another. So many little-understood training methods have come into the mainstream and been demystified recently, but the correlation between weightlifting and thunder thighs is still one that needs to be dispelled. In the pursuit of ‘strong not skinny’ (the hottest fitness trend for a decade), surely now is the perfect time to address our fears of feasting at the barbell buffet?

Why weights?
Want to look stronger and leaner? Then weightlifting is for you. New muscles will develop and your body fat will drop. Weightlifting can also have a huge impact on your confidence. You will understand your body better and realise the need to fuel yourself properly to make it through a set of interval sprints and deadlifts. And if you don’t know what a deadlift is, you’re about to learn.

These are the top three lifts recommended by Lucy Denver, WHL’s PT. Lucy also advises you get at least one session with a personal trainer to take you through these if you’ve never worked with barbells before, and check out these videos so you can see how each lift should be performed.

Deadlifts
Targets: bum, hamstrings and lower back

How to do it and why?
A deadlift is generally the heaviest weight you can lift. It’s a great lift to learn because a deadlift is picking an object up from the floor: a functional movement that you do every day, without even thinking about it. Nail this lift for a firmer bum and to tone the backs of your thighs.

Back Squats
Targets: bum, quads and core

How to do it and why?
Squats are an essential, primal movement with the added benefit of toning your bum to supermodel proportions. Adding in weights and squatting low will help develop those long, lean muscles you see on the Victoria’s Secret runway – and who wouldn’t want to look like that!

Thrusters
Targets: total body, especially core

How to do it and why?
This move combines everything you’ve learned from squats, but adds in an explosive overhead press. If you want your entire body to ache the next day, thrusters are the lift for you! Your abs get a great workout, as they will stabilise you on both the squat and the press. Start this move with small dumbbells (5kg) or an empty barbell and go from there.