Weight Training For Women: Five Compound Exercises for Basic FitnessAlong with a range of health benefits, weight training for women prevents the types of body problems women worry about the most such as unshapely legs, flabby arms, a stomach pouch, and lumpy hips and butt. Studies show that the average woman who does not do some form of strength training is far weaker than a man of her size and weight who also doesn’t lift weights – as much as 45 percent weaker in the upper body. Women can gain significantly in strength by lifting weights on a weekly basis and as a result, a strong body thwarts a multitude of health issues including back pain and osteoporosis, as well as keeping you physically and mentally fit and able to manage body weight. You Are Not the Weaker SexWith few exceptions, weight training for women is not much different from the workout plans men follow. You can do a variety of squats, lunges, leg extensions, bridges, planks, push-ups, ab crunches, lat and triceps pull-down, biceps curls, and so on. Women should also do some exercises that have traditionally been the male domain such as the deadlift, a key exercise that helps develop the legs and lower back. In fact, the deadlift will teach you how to pick up heavy weights from the floor safely using posture and technique to avoid back injury. Compound Exercises are the Most Effective
Women, if you only do five types of weight training exercises, then make sure they are compound exercises, which work more than one muscle group at a time. These include all the muscles in your body including legs, butt, back, chest, shoulders, abs, and arms. You will want to work the largest and strongest muscles first (such as the legs and trunk), and leave smaller muscles like arms and abs for last so that you don’t tire them out early in the workout session.
Weight training for women involves a variety of exercises that are done on circuit machines or a cable station, or by using free weights (dumbbells and barbells), resistance bands, or one’s own bodyweight. For example, ab crunches can be performed on a mat with no equipment, with an exercise ball for a more intense ab muscle contraction, on a cable pulley, or an ab machine. Let’s look at five highly effective weight training exercises for women:
The five types of exercises listed above are by no means a complete workout. You can add curls, extensions, flyes and other isolation exercises (single joint exercises that work one muscle only) to your training schedule, but if your time and attention is limited, it is best to stick with these compound exercises. Also, don’t worry about doing isolation exercises that promise to spot-reduce problem areas like flabby arms or a round tummy. Those don’t work. Compound exercises efficiently recruit both major and minor muscles groups for an all-around strength conditioning regime. Don’t forget to add a weekly cardio program to help you slim down your entire body.
The Minimum Requirements for a SessionDuring a workout, do 6 to 12 repetitions in a set, 2 to 3 sets per exercise. The workouts should last 20 minutes to an hour, doing 2 or 3 sessions per week. Give your muscles a day or two to recover between lifting days. For best results, lift slowly and work to near-exhaustion during several sets but never to complete exhaustion as that will cause the final few reps to be sloppy. As you progress with your home gym workouts over several weeks, increase the resistance (weight) to keep the muscles challenged. Always challenge yourself and don’t hold back! The benefits of weight training for women are diverse and long lasting. Return from Weight Training for Women to the Home Gym Reviews Index Page
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