When deciding on an exercise regimen, it is always important to pick something that involves resistance training. Even if you only do resistance training two days a week, it still offers many health benefits that are worth working for. Most of the time, resistance training refers to the use of weights, although other resistance training materials such as special bands, cords, etc. may sometimes be substituted. This type of exercise is especially important because it increases bone density and builds muscle. As you age and your body begins to replace muscle with fat, resistance training is especially beneficial for replacing and maintaining good muscle tone. Even when you are resting, muscles burn calories, and this is another fantastic reason to work at building strong muscles.
Another benefit of muscle is the fact that it takes up less space than fat, so the more muscle you have, the more compact your body composition will be. Some women worry that weight training will bulk up their muscles and cause them to look like men, but this is a myth. It is very difficult for a women to build her muscles to that type of level, and light weight training will instead cause a woman’s muscles to be lean and toned.
If you are unfamiliar with weight training, you don’t need to be wary about it. Most people don’t want or need to use the large barbells that weight lifters use to bulk up their muscles. Also, sometimes the large weight machines in gyms can tend to be a little intimidating. Although these can easily be explained to you by health club workers, if you instead prefer to work with weights in the privacy of your own home, there are easy ways to accomplish that. Hand held dumbbells work very well for average, everyday weight lifting purposes. These can be found in sports stores or department stores for a very reasonable price, usually about a dollar per pound.
Once you have chosen a workout video, book or magazine article outlining weight lifting exercises that you would like to try, it is important to begin with very light weights. You can always add more weight as you become comfortable with each exercise, but to learn the exercises properly without hurting yourself, it is wise to begin with the weights that are very light and easy for you to handle. Don’t be discouraged if this means you are only starting out with one, two, or three pounds. Weight training is something that takes time to accomplish, and each workout you complete will leave you a little bit stronger.
Another reason it is important to go slowly and use light weight is because learning the proper form for each exercise is crucial. When you do an exercise, you should know exactly what area of the body it is supposed to be toning, as well as at which angles and directions your body should be moving. It is important to move carefully, deliberately, and slowly at first, using the proper form to avoid injury. The first few times you do your workout, this method may seem frustrating, but it is the foundation on which the rest of your workouts are built, and it is extremely important. As you learn correct form and feel the appropriate muscle groups responding, you will be setting yourself up for health and success. Before you know it, you will be able to perform exercises easily and will be ready to move up to the next highest set of weights.
Once you have mastered correct form for each of your weight training exercises, it is important that you pick a set of weights that challenge you. If the weights feel too heavy to execute your moves with proper form, move down to the next lowest set of weights. If they are so light that you do not feel a challenge, move up. You should feel a slight burn, especially toward the end of your repetitions, but you should never be in actual pain. If you feel pain, stop immediately.
The best trick to remember is to try to push a little bit past the point of exhaustion with each muscle group. When you near the end of your repetitions and you reach a point where you begin to feel your muscles get extremely tired, try to push past the fatigue and work through another two or three repetitions. Although these last few are the hardest repetitions to accomplish, they are also the ones which bring the most benefits.
Another thing to remember, especially if you tend to work your muscles hard, is that you should not use weight training on the same muscles every day. Some people decide to weight train on one day, and alternate with cardiovascular exercise (like jogging, swimming, biking, etc.) the following day. Others work the muscles of the upper body one day, and then do the muscles of the lower body the following day. You can decide what works best for you, but be careful not to overtax your muscles by weight training every single day. The time you allow for your muscles to repair and rebuild themselves is just as important as the weight lifting itself.
There is no need to be an expert bodybuilder in order to enjoy the benefits of resistance training. With these tips and a little determination, any woman can change the shape of her body and increase her health with the use of weights!
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