Christine Sciberras, Founder and Head Coach at Melita Fitness.

Strength training is important. I bang on about it. Muscle mass. Bone density. You know.

But what we don’t talk about enough is that it just feels so good. And why you’ll like it! Because you will!

The ability to do things!
There’s the sheer satisfaction of doing things that require strength: the ability to lift heavy stuff, the ability to move shift furniture if needed. But also, the ability…

• to carry the overfilled shopping bags all the way home.
• to lift the bike up onto the car.
• to not even question whether you’re strong enough for that mountain walk.
• to be able to do handstands on the beach with the children…

Building your capacity to do hard things
“I’d never worked out with weights before and always thought I wouldn’t be able to. But Melita Fitness has made me realise I am capable of so much more than I thought I was.”

It’s a common theme, especially with women who are new to exercise or weight training. Strength training helps you to realise that you are capable of so much more that you thought. Almost every person who starts a class, baulks at the 8kg weight that I suggest they start on. But within 4 weeks, they’re squatting, lunging and overhead pressing it confidently and competently.

And this new confidence this permeates into daily life. It gives you the willingness and belief to try new things. It gives you the gumption to attack hard things.

Because 2 or 3 times a week you are doing something hard. And completing it. And so over time, your capacity to do hard things increases.

Self-acceptance
“For me, it’s the joy of learning what my body can do.”

Women, particularly those of us born in the 70s and 80s, have spent so much of our adult life conditioned to judge our body for how it looks. But these days we’re learning to love and be grateful for what our body can do instead. Strength training is a brilliant way to emphasis and experience this. Session by session we increase the repertoire of things we can do and see tangible evidence of progress.

Plus working out to increase strength is a more positive goal for body image and self-acceptance. It shifts from the focus away from the “exercise to lose weight” mantra that we hear about all the time, and towards a healthier relationship with exercise.

For longevity
Muscle mass is vital for women especially as we age. But really, specifically, have we thought about why?

It’s important for the things it will help us do as we age. Like:

• Get off the toilet unassisted when we’re 80+
• Keep up with the grand-children when we’re 60+
• Live a life full of adventure, right now!

For your mental wellbeing
“I feel physically and mentally stronger and no matter what the rest of the day throws at me. I know I have accomplished something and taken some time out of the day just for me.”

Whether it’s the release of happy hormones or the suppression of stress hormones, strength training leaves you feeling accomplished, with mental clarity and resilience to boot! And finally, it doesn’t need to be complicated. You can do it on your own with minimal equipment. Or join a group so you can’t go wrong.

Either way, pick up those weights and start your journey to getting strong. I promise you’ll love every moment of it!