Girls, this one is for you.

From my experience in gyms, free-weight rooms are male-dominated and cardio rooms are female-dominated. While it would seem resistance training isn’t as important for women as it is for men, this couldn’t be further from the truth.

Benefits of weight training for women include increased functional strength, improved athletic performance and decreased risk of numerous health conditions.

For example, strength training increases bone density. This decreases the likeliness of osteoporosis, a condition characterized by fragile bones.

Weight training also prepares muscles for everyday activities, making you more efficient in life and less prone to injury.

Another good thing to note: Weight training can provide unique fat-loss mechanisms.

“Research has actually shown that doing resistance training exercises — when done properly — has better effects on fat loss and lean body mass than cardio training [alone],” said Pat Caulfield, American College of Sports Medicine-certified personal trainer at the Recreation Center.

Muscle requires more energy to maintain than fat. This means a woman with more muscle will burn more calories throughout the day than another woman with less muscle mass, even if they weigh the same.

This increased basal metabolic rate — the rate at which you burn calories at rest — leads to easier fat loss.

I don’t think girls neglect lifting weights because they’re unaware of the profits. I think myths hold them back.

One common misconception is lifting weights will make you bulky. This isn’t always the case.

“It’s not like you’re gonna lift weights and then overnight you’re gonna have this muscle mass that you automatically sprouted up,” said Nicholas Dal Pra, fitness director at Peak Fitness, 4304 E. State St. in Rockford. “You [need to] put on 1 pound of muscle before you can put on 2, before you can put on 3, 4, 5, etc.”

Additionally, it takes a special type of weight training — one with low repetitions and very heavy weights — combined with a large calorie surplus to add bulk. But even if women lifted like this, they still wouldn’t put on as much muscle as men due to hormonal differences.

Another myth I’ve heard is there aren’t as many exercises for women as there are for men. The way I look at it, all lifts are functional for men and women. Everyone has to squat down and pick stuff up from time to time, as well as push, pull and curl things.

There are no guy-only lifts.

Finally, there’s the false idea resistance training will deprive you of the cardiovascular benefits of running.

But, a circuit-based resistance workout with little rest in between sets will increase your heart rate while simultaneously strengthening your muscles.

“If females are looking for fat loss while getting toned and not building that bulky mass, circuit training is honestly the best way to do it,” Caulfield said.

Women who lift weights are healthier and more prepared to perform the actions life requires.

Don’t let stereotyping hold you back from weightlifting. Grab some weights and enjoy the payoffs.