The weak woman went out with the bathwater years ago; the strong woman is IN more than ever.

There are four reasons YOU should strive to get strong in body.

It’s not unfeminine for women to get strong. In fact, getting strong is a matter of survival for women.

Not only will a strong body be less likely seriously injured in an accident or more likely to successfully fight off disease — but it can help a woman escape a dangerous situation.

There are four basic reasons that a woman should work on getting strong.

#1     Empowerment

Suppose you’re afraid to stand up to a demeaning or unfair boss, or are afraid to terminate an unhealthy relationship.

Get going on the deadlift and bench press: two extremely effective strength training moves. Let’s say you get up to 175 pounds and 135 pounds, respectively.

Think it will be a whole lot easier for you to stand up to that workplace tyrant and drop the toxic relationship like a bomb? Of course!

#2     Commitment

When people strive for greater and greater strength…they just can’t help but stay committed to their fitness regimen.

Achieving one’s strongest body has no limits, whereas focusing on reaching the desired body weight does: Once you reach that weight, then what?

Yes, work on keeping your body weight there, but that’s just not as exciting as gunning for higher barbell numbers.

#3     Scale number vs. barbell number

Discourage yourself from fixating on the scale and instead to fixate on the weight of the barbell you’re lifting.

You will become more excited about your workouts and crave higher numbers on the weights that you push and pull against.

And there will be a most intriguing side effect: fat loss and physique transformation.

#4     Embracing strength, not a size zero

Think of how much better you’ll feel about your body when you know that you can deadlift twice the body weight of a size zero woman.

Think of how self-confident you’ll be when you know that you can bench press the size zero woman’s body—for a warmup.

It’s been said that women who are naturally thin are lucky…but women who must work to be lean are strong. Weak is never attractive.

Lorra Garrick is a former personal trainer certified through the American Council on Exercise. At Bally Total Fitness she trained women and men of all ages for fat loss, muscle building, fitness and improved health.