Christina Najjar, aka Tinks, is no longer just a Pilates girl. As for what she’s doing instead, “I started lifting weights,” she revealed on a recent episode of the podcast “It’s Me, Tinx.” “I learned to do some heavy lifting. TikTok got to me.”
This influencer started strength training after seeing an online video that claimed strength training was the key to building strength and muscle. And TBH, she’s right. “This is definitely a great way to build strength and muscle because it creates progressive overload, which means you can continually increase the amount of resistance your body is putting up,” says Fitness. says Alex Silver Fagan, CPT, trainer and creator of the Flow Into Strong method. A combination of strength training and yoga. Silver-Fagan says Pilates is great for building core stability, flexibility, and endurance, but only uses body weight or light resistance. (However, if you are using a Pilates reformer, you can add more resistance than standard mat Pilates.)
Let us introduce you to the experts. Alex Silver-Fagan, CPT, is a strength coach, yoga teacher, and creator of the Flow Into Strong program, which combines the two.
Compared to aerobic exercise and bodyweight training, weightlifting can increase the amount of muscle required, making it more effective for muscle growth. It’s the key to building lean muscle and reducing body fat.
If you love Pilates, you don’t have to give up Pilates completely (Tinks says she still “adds Pilates into the mix from time to time”). Each has its benefits, but the most important thing is to do movements that you enjoy. But if you feel like you’re not getting the results you want, strength training can make a difference.
The other thing Tinkus heard? “A lot of people on TikTok said that if you gain muscle, you can lose more fat,” she said. This is also true. Breaking down and rebuilding muscle requires a lot of energy, so building more muscle not only reduces body fat but also increases your metabolism. It also requires more calories to maintain, so the more muscle your body has, the more you can continue to burn calories after exercise, Silver-Fagan says. This “afterburn” effect is also known as after excessive oxygen consumption.
Not only that, weightlifting promotes bone health. A recent study published in BMJ Open Sport & Exercise Medicine found that lifting heavy weights contributed to improved muscle and bone strength after several years. It also improves insulin sensitivity and the ability to manage blood sugar levels, says Silver-Fagan. In fact, a 2017 study published in Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise found that women who engage in strength training have a 30 percent lower rate of type 2 diabetes and a 17 percent lower rate of cardiovascular disease. It turns out that
Also worth mentioning. Tinks shared that lifting makes her feel empowered. This resonates with Silver Fagan. “You can see and feel tangible progress and feel like you can do something difficult,” Silver-Fagan says. “There’s a beautiful emotional element to it that makes you realize and acknowledge your own resilience.”
Is weight writing worth trying? WH has a training plan for beginners.
WH+ members have access to even more strength training workouts, plans, and challenges.
More information from experts to get started with strength training
Olivia Luppino is an editorial assistant at Women’s Health covering health and fitness. She previously contributed to The Cut, POPSUGAR, and Salon, and has written about everything from New York Fashion Week to dating app trends to the U.S. Women’s National Soccer Team (aka her heroes). When Olivia isn’t writing, she can be found attending a Bravo show or running late to a barre class.
