Women embrace extra weight - in the gym

Only a few years ago the gym weights room was largely the testosterone-filled domain of the muscle-bound male, a place where women were rarely seen.

But times have changed. Women are ditching time-honoured cardio workouts in droves in favour of lifting weights. And not lightweight dumb-bells either, but Olympic barbells with dead lifts, squats and presses on the agenda.

Twenty-two per cent of American women reported lifting weights as at the end of 2013, up from only 17 per cent in 2004, according to the US Centres for Disease Control and Prevention. CrossFit - the weightlifting meets gymnastics meets high intensity interval fitness trend sweeping the world - has 10 million self-described devotees in the US. A surprising 60 per cent of them are women, according to the American Council on Exercise.

In Hong Kong, the rising popularity of the rigorous women-only Bikini Fit programme demonstrates the dominance of strength-based workouts among the city's women. Known for its punishing weightlifting regimen, the programme has grown to seven daily groups of up to 40 women each in just two years. And Hong Kong's nine CrossFit affiliates boast a similarly high proportion of female followers to their American counterparts.

Unlike most fitness trends, it's not just the promise of a taut, pert physique that's driving the uptake. Instead, it's the mental gains that keep women striving to lift more. "Girl power" takes on a whole new meaning.

"There is so much empowerment in being able to lift and move heavy things - especially if it's more than your body weight," says Bikini Fit head coach Tricia Yap. "Putting fears of failure aside, attempting something one might not otherwise dare to do, and then achieving it - it's a powerful thing that our community of women can apply to other aspects of their lives."

Kristen Johnson, 27, a coach at Hong Kong's CrossFit 0260, agrees. "When you're able to lift a barbell and control your body, you know you can achieve whatever you want," she says.