Are you struggling to get that toned curvy beach body look? Or are you a fitness freak who has long been hitting the treadmill to create your ideal physique? Whatever the case, to achieve your fitness goals, you’ll get the best results if you include strength training (a.k.a. resistance training or weight training) into your daily routine!
Strength training is any physical exercise that forces your muscles to contract against resistance with the long-term aim of improving their strength and/or size. Resistance may be in the form of free weights (like a barbell or dumbbells), the weight stack on a weight machine, or your own bodyweight.
Unfortunately, women often forego strength training because building the size and strength of muscles is often seen as a masculine endeavor, or they fear that it will make them look bulky’. Nothing could be further from the truth. Strength training is more than just a form of exercise – it is a practice that can make you stronger, fitter, and healthier than you ever have been, and give you a better physique than you may have thought possible!
Why is Strength Training Beneficial?
Exercising with resistance has several health benefits ranging from strengthened bones and stronger muscles to weight loss and healthy aging. External weight or resistance from either free weights, weight machines, or bodyweight makes muscles adaptive and tighter.
Following are some benefits of making strength training a core part of your fitness routine:
It Builds Stronger Bones
Due to external resistance applied, the stress on bones forms new cells to increase bone density. This builds bones making them denser and stiffer than otherwise and prevents injuries.
It Helps Reduce the Risk and Severity of Chronic Health Conditions
Regular weight training routine aids in maintaining blood pressure and adequate cholesterol levels, lowering the rate of heart conditions in women. It is just as effective as cardio.
Resistance training improves glucose control which helps with managing type 2 diabetes. It also improves bone balance and tightens up your body to give you a better posture, which yields long-term benefits.
Prevents Age-Related Issues
After a certain age, physical inactivity can lead to a perpetual and seriously detrimental decrease in muscle and bone mass in the body, especially in women. Strength training as a woman, combined with a healthy and balanced diet, is essential to restore the bone mass and avoid bone deterioration that often leads to common diseases in arthritis and osteoporosis. Strength training can also be an efficient practice in preventing or reducing arthritis pain.
Helps in Healthy Weight Management
Weight training builds muscles, which in turn increases your metabolism. As you age, you are more likely to be experience a lowered metabolism that can put you at risk of steady weight gain. Women’s strength training leads to an increase in the overall metabolic rate, which helps burn more calories than you otherwise would and thus burn off some of that extra weight. Weight training can also improve your physique and give a more toned body to women.
Supports Good Mental Health
Exercise increases blood and oxygen flow to the brain, which releases endorphins and serotonin hormones that make you feel good. It also increases your energy levels. As such, you feel generally better and more fresh mentally. This will also add to your confidence and increase your self-esteem. Strength training for women has also been shown to have an impact on alleviating symptoms of depression.
What are Some Common Strength Training Regimen for Women!
Now that you know how beneficial strength training can be for women, it’s time to make a start. The first thing to do is decide what type of resistance training you want to do. The simplest form of resistance exercise is bodyweight training or calisthenics. All you need is your own bodyweight and a bit of open floor spaceperfect for beginners.
If you’re a little more confident or experienced, we recommend getting a barbell or some affordable dumbbells and doing free weight exercises. Working out with free weights is very effective, but also carries a greater risk of injury from dropped objects and poor technique leading soft tissue damage.
Another safe and effective option is to use machine weights. Get a small multi-gym, incorporate some of the exercises you’ll find below, and start building that muscle!
Here is how you can begin your fitness revolution:
- Circuit Workout
Start with your own body weight as this type of resistance training is perfect for beginners to make you stronger. This workout can be carried out anywhere and all you need is some empty space and some pieces of furniture for support. Begin at your own pace and you’ll know when it’s time to increase. It is advised to begin with:
- 20 rep bodyweight squats
- 10 rep pushups
- 10 rep lunges per leg
- 10 rep crunches
- 15-second planks
- 30 jumping jacks
Warming up before training is as important as fueling before driving. Always ensure to light, dynamic exercise for 5-10 minutes before moving on to resistance training.
- Dumbbell Workout
This is a great first step into free weight training. A pair of dumbbells can make an incredible amount of difference to your overall strength! Making use of external weight will help your body balance against a force and adds difficulty above and beyond that offered by your body weight. Start with weights that are challenging, but not difficult to pick up or put down:
- 10 reps goblet squats
- 10 reps dumbbell lunges
- 10 reps lateral raises each side
- 10 reps dumbbell rows per side
As you start building strength, increase the number of reps and dumbbell weight week by week and customize the workout to your endurance.
- Barbell Workout
As mentioned, barbell training is one of the best ways to get stronger. Considering the extensive weight often used in barbell training, it is important to ensure you’ve learned correct lifting technique and built the necessary strength (e.g., from dumbbell training).
Barbell exercises often make use of multiple muscles and muscle groups. These movements are broadly known as compound exercises. Begin this kind strength training with 3 rounds of:
- 10 reps back squats
- 10 reps bench press
- 5 reps deadlifts
Now that you know the benefits of strength training for women and some beginner workout routines, there is no need for you to hold back!
It’s pumping iron time, so hit the gym or get yourself some basic weight training gear and get started! Good luck!
I’m a 20-something stay-at-home mother and wife. I have an amazing husband, a beautiful daughter, two loving dogs, and a lazy cat. I wouldn’t change my life for anything! I love to read, listen to music, cook and blog!
Speak Your Mind