Polycystic Ovary Syndrome is a hormonal disorder, where a woman's body produces large amounts of male hormones called “androgens''. Women are generally affected by this syndrome at their reproductive age, mostly between the ages of 15 to 55. Let’s know ‘How Strength Training Helps In PCOS’ in detail.

Around 10 to 15 percent of women who are of reproductive age are affected by this medical condition. PCOS can cause: 

  • Sleep Apnea.
  • High Blood Cholesterol Levels.
  • Increase in Blood Pressure.
  • Increase in Risk for Pregnancy-Related Complications. 
Strength Training in PCOS

Image Credit : Breaking Muscle 

While not every woman suffers from PCOS, you can make some changes in your lifestyle that can help reduce the chances that these effects will occur. We will help you understand how strength training for PCOS is necessary, but if you have any additional medical queries please feel free to consult a doctor.

Is It Necessary To Exercise If Suffering From PCOS?

Women with PCOS usually experience high rates of Insulin resistance, compared to women who don’t have PCOS. Insulin resistance affects how your body uses blood sugar for energy. Physical exercise is something that you can do to help maintain your health if you have PCOS. 

It is strongly advised that you do physical exercises if you want to resist PCOS, but it is not known which exercise regime is best for you. Still, there is increasing evidence that strength training offers huge benefits to women with PCOS. It is suggested that strength training helps lower glucose and plasma testosterone levels. It also assists in building lean muscle mass and reduces visceral fat. 

If you are new to resistance or strength training, all this can be a bit intimidating for you. But don’t worry, we will help you out. 

Strength Training Helps Reduces Insulin Resistance

One reason for PCOS is insulin resistance. Strength training helps improve resistance through different mechanisms. Glucose is consumed majorly by muscle cells, hence growing muscle cells by strength training helps keep your blood sugar at a good level. Exercising makes muscles more sensitive to insulin, which is why the pancreas needs to produce a lot less insulin to keep your metabolism running smoothly. 

Strength Training Decreases the Male Hormones In Women With PCOS

women doing workout

Image Credit: iamandco.com

High numbers of male hormones will cause multiple PCOS symptoms like belly fat, facial hair, acne, and hair loss. It is shown that strength training reduces the level of male hormones in women affected by PCOS. 

Strength training will help you lose weight by keeping your metabolism working at its best. If you diet just to lose weight, you will also start losing muscle mass. This can make losing weight difficult since your body will require fewer calories to sustain itself. Hence, you will have to reduce your food intake to lose fat. If you perform strength training you stimulate muscle growth and prevent muscle loss. 

Strength Training Exercises To Prevent PCOS

Front Dumbbell Raise

The dumbbell raise is excellent if you are just beginning your strength training regime. You must start with a dumbbell in each hand, at the level of your thigh. You then raise the dumbbells parallelly to the floor and then return to the starting position to complete a single repetition. 

Triceps Overhead Press

Start with the dumbbells held in front of you. Raise them over your head till your arms are stretched out straight. Lower the weights slowly behind your head and try not to flare your elbows too much. Try to keep your upper arms in place throughout the routine. 

Dumbbell Bent Over Row

Hold a dumbbell in each hand, and bend over at around a 45-degree angle, with your back straight. Try lifting your weights, and they should not go higher than parallel with the shoulders. While you lift, keep your wrists from extra movement down or to the side. Do not move the leg while exercising. Remain bent until your repetitions are complete. This exercise will target your upper and middle back muscles. 

Which Equipment Should You Use To Prevent PCOS?

Performing strength training for 45 minutes to 1 hour, two to three times a week is an excellent way to build your muscle mass, boost your metabolism, and help you burn calories. This makes your weight loss an extremely easy process and helps prevent PCOS. Multiple strength training exercises can be performed from the comfort of your home and OTG strength training equipment is your perfect partner to do so.  

Conclusion

Multiple exercises like squats, triceps dips, or push-ups improve the functionality of insulin in your body and also boost your metabolism by building muscle mass. The more muscle mass you have, the more calories you burn while exercising. Combine strength training moves to get the best results and prevent PCOS. 

Fitness is very important and there is no question about it. OnTheGo Fitness is here for your help so that you can embrace fitness in your way and at your own pace. Buy the workout equipment from On the Go where you can get a varied range of compact and useful equipment for your gym as well as your home.