MUSCLE MASS FOR WOMEN: ESCAPING THE MATRIX

The Matrix was a decent movie. Though I would argue that it borders more on a documentary than a piece of fiction entertainment.

We all remember the scene with the red and the blue pill. Take the blue pill, and stay trapped in the Matrix forever. Take the red pill, and escape the world of programmed conditioning.

This article is not a review of The Matrix. And I'm neither Morpheus, nor Neo.

This article is about the importance of muscle mass for females, and why conventional wisdom is once again trying to play a trick on us.

Vanity, in my honest opinion, is a luxury we don't have much time for these days. We are facing important health challenges, and as far as I'm concerned, heart disease, strokes, diabetes, osteoporosis, depression, cognitive decline, and physical dependence haven't vanished from the planet.

But that's not the main point.

The main point is that we can set ourselves up for the consequences of merely being alive. Just in case, you know. Because we cannot anticipate what's around the corner. But it would make sense to be at our physically strongest for it, wouldn't it?

Building muscle in females has undergone a shift in perception - albeit slightly, and very slowly - in the last five to ten years. What was deemed unacceptable and against the image of a woman years ago, has now step by step taken a different direction of thought.

Wanting to look a certain way is mostly an emotional decision, I would argue, whereas getting strong (and building muscle in the process) is predominantly a rational one. It doesn't necessarily set off a firework inside you thinking about how more muscle mass will make your immune system stronger, does it?

'Looking the part' in front of a mirror and in the eyes of others, however, is way more likely to do so. Correct?

We have a problem to solve: how do we override the emotional with the rational and have more women understand the importance of building muscle - while making them aware that they won't look like a female version of the Hulk?

The answer is: we can't. Because being perceived a certain way physically will always have a stronger pull than, for example, enhancing insulin sensitivity of our muscle cells.

The vast majority of women wouldn't like to be perceived as 'muscular', because it would go against the grain of what we have been conditioned to believe for many years.

But with this kind of analysis, we are falling short. Very short in what building muscle (and getting stronger) actually does to the female body in a powerful, life-changing way.

Muscle builds a woman's body up and stops it from breaking down.

Her appearance changes in a way that makes her look healthier and like someone who values her body as her most important good. With all of this, she earns more respect from people around her.

A woman who carries muscle on her frame looks like a stronger woman. A stronger woman is a more confident woman. A more confident woman has a better outlook on life than a less confident one.

Building muscle is inseparable from building mental fortitude. When a woman puts muscle on her frame as a result of getting stronger, her body creates a certain amount of tension. A 'positive tension' I would call it, which makes her more 'switched on' for wanting to accomplish things in life. She carries her children around with greater ease. Physical tasks which used to be 'reserved' for men are now like a walk in the park for her. She carries herself with a difference presence - one which displays optimism, capability, and strength.

In contrast, picture a woman having very little muscle mass, being slack in her posture, weak, lethargic, and moving like someone who is about to fold because she is unable to keep herself straight. I doubt this is a picture any woman would like to paint in her head about herself.

If we look at the physiological changes and challenges a woman is facing from her mid 40's to early 50's onwards, it becomes clear that having more muscle mass will give her stronger bones, better heart health, a better capability in dealing with the effects of stress, a stronger immune system, better cognitive health, less joint pain, and better sleep.

This means that the process of building muscle sets a cascade of mechanisms in motion, and she decides which direction they go into: lack of muscle - then domino day is waiting. More muscle - then a ticket to a better and healthier life is hers.

To all females: have you decided which colour pill you're taking?

#strengthtraining #strongwomen #womenshealth #fitover50