Santina Philips, better known as ‘Bam’, is the co-owner of URSUS Fitness. The gym’s clientele is predominantly female and Bam herself is a competitive Strongwoman with several titles under her belt including Asia’s Strongest Woman.
Myth: Lifting weights will make you bulky
Truth: When women want to lose fat and shape their bodies, I cannot recommend strongly enough the importance of weight training. By using strength training as a tool to build muscle, you in turn also increase your basic metabolic rate (BMR), meaning you burn more calories during rest. In reality, ladies have a completely different hormone profile to men, so the male propensity to bulk and pack on muscle is near to impossible for most females.
Quick fact: a pound of muscle burns three times the amount of calories as a pound of fat. After a weights session, your metabolism stays elevated for longer post exercise than a long cardiovascular workout which further increases fat loss. In short, by building muscle you are turning your newly sculpted body into an energy burning machine!
Advice for beginners: If you are new to the gym or lifting, I would recommend trying a group class geared towards strength or some personal training to build your confidence and knowledge. Start off with two to three sessions a week so that you are able to train most muscle groups. I teach our popular URSUS Fit classes every Monday, Wednesday and Friday covering lower body, upper body and a split routine respectively for anyone who wants to give it a try!