Strength Training for Women – Things to Know Before Getting Started
Are you a woman who has decided she will start strength training? This blog will serve as a guide for you on this journey.
You must have lots of questions in mind, for instance, and the most common one “is strength training for women?” Of course, it is! In fact, men, women, young and old – everyone can try strength training. It’s beneficial for all.
Benefits of Strength Training
These benefits are not limited to females, they generally apply to everyone who chooses strength training:
You will be stronger than ever. Plus, you won’t have to call a man to help carry heavy items. Even if it’s an air conditioning unit, you can handle it yourself by taking the stairs! Life will be easier when you are stronger.
With strength training, you will be able to build strong muscles. As a result, your tendons, bones, and ligaments will become strong too. The result – you will be less prone to injury.
As we age, we lose muscles. But if you have done strength training in your younger days, you will remain independent in your seniority.
You won’t have to complain about joint, hip, and back pain. You will remain strong.
Long story short, strength training is one of the best things you can do for yourself. However, only 20% of women do it, which sucks.
What Does Strength Training For Women Look Like?
It doesn’t have to be different from a male’s strength training routine. You can train with barbells or free weights just like everyone else at the gum.
In case you didn’t know, strength training is the movement of any weight, even if it’s your body weight. In other words, any type of exercise that pushes the muscles of your body and forces them to rebuild and become stronger, is called strength training.
You will be forcing your muscles to adapt and rebuild themselves to become stronger consistently.
If you are wondering, weight lifting does not make you bulky. Females don’t have the same amount of testosterone as men do. Those who want to get bulky must try another type of exercise to get big.
Getting Started With Strength Training
To start your journey, you must begin with “Bodyweight training.” it’s the type of exercise in which your body is the weight, and you are lifting it. This exercise is perfect for all beginners. You can work out anywhere you like, and it’s easy to get started.
Lunges, squats, and push-ups are the types of exercises to start with. You can get strong with bodyweight training. Beginners can start with this:
Twenty squats
Ten push-ups
Ten lunges
Ten dumbbell rows
Fifteen-second plank
Thirty jumping jacks
The Dumbbell Workout
Once you have mastered your bodyweight lifting regime, you can now move to strength training with equipment, particularly a dumbbell. Most gyms have dumbbells, so you won’t have to worry about finding them.
You can also purchase your own. They can last for forever if taken care of. Plus, they don’t take up much room. You can easily store them anywhere. Dumbbells are best if you are looking forward to adding some difficulty to your bodyweight regimen. For instance, you can perform lunges while holding dumbbells. These are less intimidating than barbells. It’s easy to scale them. Once ten pounds become easy for your body, level up to fifteen pounds.
Training with Barbells
This one’s tough, but it’s for you if you want to become strong. Some ladies think they should skip this one, but it’s important because it forces every muscle in your body to move. It’s perfect for building power and making core muscles, legs, and glutes strong.
Caution: Make sure you are strong enough when you plan to lift barbells because even an empty barbell can be heavy. Before you start your barbell training, make sure you can perform the following:
Ten gobble squats
Ten push-ups
Ten Romanian deadlifts with twenty pounds of dumbbells
Ten dumbbells rows in each arm
If you can’t do these movements, it’s a sign you are not ready for barbells yet.
Strength Training and Weight Loss
Since you are here, you must have thought that lifting all this weight helps with weight loss? Fortunately, strength training does help with weight loss. It reduces the fat covering the muscles, and it makes your muscles stronger and tighter.
So before starting your strength training cycle, you don’t have to lose weight. No need to do hours of cardio to shred fat. If it helps, you won’t have to set foot on the treadmill ever again.
However, for the fat loss to happen, it’s important to get two things right. First of all, make sure you eat fewer calories than you are burning every day. Second, keep on picking heavier stuff.
Best Strength Training Exercises for Women
There are so many great exercises women can do when it comes to strength training. Let’s have a look at the names:
Bodyweight row
Squats
Push-ups
Pull-ups/chin-ups
Barbell squat
Barbell bench-press
There is no pressure to try them all, but if you really want to build strength and tone your muscles, it’s recommended to try at least one of them. It’s great if you recruit a friend to encourage you. If you are trying it for the first time, never do it alone, even if you think you are following the tutorial or video guide step-by-step. Always train under the presence of a professional fitness expert.
Don’t forget that 90 percent of the success of your fitness journey depends on what you eat. If your goal is to bulk up, you must consume more calories than burning. On the other hand, if your goal is to trim down unwanted fat, you must eat fewer calories than burning.
Summing Up
Strength training is the best decision a woman can make for herself. It will give you the power and strength you will cherish your entire life. Set the right goals and stay motivated to embark on this journey.
You can do it!