Alex Silver-Fagan - Get Strong for Women: Lift Heavy - Train Hard - See Results

Even though more women strength train now than ever before, there is still a myth floating around that weights will make women bulky. As for the women who already do strength train, the majority of them simply arent training properly or with enough resistance to produce an effect.

One thing we can all agree on, however, is that as women we want to feel strong, empowered, and confident. So, Im here to dispel the myths you hear and to help you achieve true strength in and out of the gym.

This book is for youto help you reap the benefits of lifting weights the right way. Get Strong for Women will help you train with the proper exercises and with the proper intensity. This book will help you train with confidence.

Lifting weights will make you stronger, healthier, and leaner, but the benefits go beyond just the physical. Strength training improves your confidence, lessens your stress level, and helps you develop overall mental toughness.

How do I know? Because I have watched my own body and my own life change, along with the lives of my clients, by using a smart and systematic training program. As a personal trainer, certified strength coach, and group fitness instructor, I have worked with clients of all different levels and ages, helping them to get fit, healthy, strong, and capable of anything.

With 61 exercises and three 12-week programs based on your fitness level, this book provides all the information and tidbits you need to GET STRONG, regardless of your goals or your starting point.

So lets do this.

Lets get strong together.

Alex Silver-Fagan

The best way to sculpt a healthy physique is by training with resistance, and with proper training, your body is capable of lifting very heavy weights. The movements you do in the weight room translate to stronger, more confident movements in your daily life, empowering both your body and your mind.

Youll be surprised by how quickly the shape of your body begins to change when you lift heavy weights. Even within the first week, your muscles will feel firmer and more defined. Plus, when you work out, your body releases endorphins , chemicals produced in the brain that can boost your mood and relax you during times of stress or pain. Exercising triggers actual, positive feelings. Your resulting confidence and euphoria are not superficialthey are your bodys natural way of encouraging healthy fitness, which rewards you with a more sculpted body and more graceful movement.

By training your body in multiple planes of motion with added resistance, you also improve the way you move in daily life. The movement patterns you execute in the weight room translate to more stable, flexible, and balanced movement in generalno matter where you are. This functional training approach reduces your risk of injury and lets you confidently approach any movement challenge.

Lifting weights and training for power will increase your bodys lean muscle mass. Do not let the fear of getting big or bulky dissuade you from heavy lifting. In reality, it is actually the opposite; although muscle weighs more than fat, it occupies less space and is more shapely. Even though you might not see the number on the scale go down as you gain muscle mass, you will notice a drastic difference in your appearance as you become slimmer and sculpted. Your glutes will become tighter, your waist trimmer, your legs leaner, and your posture taller and stronger.

Strength training causes a lot of stress on your bodyin a good way. This extra resistance forces the body to work hard to recover, which heightens your metabolism while at the same time increasing muscle mass. Lifting weights boosts your resting metabolic rate (also known as your RMR), meaning you will burn more calories throughout the day, even long after youve left the gym.

Building strength

Getting strong doesnt happen overnight. It is a gradual process that requires commitment to routine, dedication to form, and drive to continually push yourself every day. Each time you pick up a weight, you are training your muscles to become stronger and more adept at functional movement.

Push your muscles

Your body adapts to the type of work you demand of it. If you habitually lift heavy weights, your body responds by building the muscular strength and power to support the activity. Thats how strength training worksyou overload your muscles, allow them to adapt, then overload again.

An effective training program is one that keeps your body guessing by varying the movements and challenging your body with greater resistance. This way, your body never gets comfortable, and your progress never halts. The programs in this book will pull your body out of that comfort zone so you see results.

build muscle mass

On a microscopic level, resistance training builds your skeletal muscle massthe muscles attached to bones and tendons that are responsible for the force behind all your movement. These muscles are composed of individual muscle fibers. When your muscles work against external resistance, such as when lifting weights, you cause microscopic tears in your muscle fibers.

After your workout, your body repairs these damaged fibers, making them stronger and thicker than before. As you continue to train, your muscles grow in size and definition. Gradually increasing the amount of weight you lift ensures that your muscles continue to build.

move functionally

Building strength should not mean that you become muscle-bound or lose flexibility. A strong body is one that is able to move fluidly. For this reason, the movements in the book are functional, meaning they challenge your body to move as it is naturally designed to: in multiple planes of motion and in fluid, compound movements.

Effective functional strength training employs the seven foundational movement patterns: squat, lunge, push, pull, hinge, twist, and walk. Together, these patterns of movement occupy all planes of motion and keep your body healthy and injury-free.