Strength training workouts for women, as opposed to common perception, do not really lead to bulking up, and owing to the many benefits they offer, you can find more and more fitness oriented women looking their way. So, just what should you know about the different weight training routines for women?

For starters, know that getting started with a good weight training program for women will help in increasing your body’s metabolism, increase its bone density, increase your strength, tone you muscles, and have you looking better than your former self. Therefore, in looking for a good strength training program for women it is important that you look for one which has proved to be beneficial in the past, as opposed to falling for a new fad routine.

Good strength training routines would have you lifting weights three to four times each week, and this would include using free weights as well as machines, whilst focussing on different muscle groups.

Free Weights

Using free weights require that you use your core muscles, and this helps in improving coordination, balance, and stability. Given that they allow you to carry out movements that you would in your day to day life, they make for versatile alternatives, and are particularly helpful for women training for specific sports. Targeting particular problem areas is also something that can be done using free weights. For example, lateral raises can be an effective way to tackle big hips.

Machines

Weight training machines are designed to allow a given degree of motion and provide additional support to the body. They help in aligning the body, amongst other things, making them a good choice to be included in a beginner’s strength training routine for women. These machines are known to offer control and stability, and can work well in isolating specific groups of muscles.

Working the Entire Body

Strength training workouts for women rely on working out all important muscles groups of the body using different exercises, and here’s what you can expect.

• Arms: Take into account that almost every pulling motion which uses the upper body makes use of the biceps, and the triceps come into play almost unfailingly when pushing is involved. As a result, not much is required to work out the arm, with something as simple as dumbbell/barbell bicep curls and triceps’ press downs doing the trick.
• Neck and Shoulders: The neck and shoulders play an important role in one’s posture, and this makes it important that the deltoids (anterior, medial and posteriors) be worked out. For the anterior & medial deltoids, the overhead dumbbell works, to work the posterior you could do dumbbell front raises or use an alternative such as a ‘thera cord’ extension for the shoulder to work the posterior.
• The Chest: Focussing on this area involves working out the largest upper extremity anterior muscle, the pectoralis major. It is seen that women favour using the machine chest press owing to its safety aspect. Weight training routines for women addressing this aspect will normally involve carrying out isolated chest motions and they would also bring into play your shoulders, triceps, and pecs.
• The Back: Strength training for the back can include machines and free weights, and would rely mainly on building resistance. The latissimus dorsi (lats) can be exercised using barbell pullovers and pull downs using machines. Seated lower back extensions address the lower back (erector spinae); and the rhomboids can be exercised through one arm dumbbell rows and standing barbell rows.
• Legs: The quads and the glutes are the body’s biggest muscles, and apart from these, strength training workouts for women also focus on exercising the calves, the adductors, hamstrings, and hip flexors. In focussing on the legs, you would have to rely on exercises which work multiple muscles like double leg raises, lunges, ball squats; as well as exercises like calf raises, leg curls, and hip abduction, which rely on using single muscle contractions.
• Abs: Working out the abs can include crunches, and these can be carried out using a machine or an exercise ball. Given that working out the abs can lead to fatigue as well as stability concerns, it is best that they come last in your workout routine.

The Routines

, and there is no reason why they cannot embark upon a strength training program like Bill Starr’s Beginner 5×5 Workout or . Take into account that both these programs, as with others like them, get you started at a beginner’s level, and then have you work your way up.

What’s seen, though, is that women prefer using a mix or cardio and weights when it comes to devising , and as a result, the same has been incorporated in a number of strength training programs for women. Here are a few examples of what you can expect.

• Example 1: Two to three days of cardio and two to three days of weight training (leading to a total of not more than five days).
• Example 2: One or two days for cardio and four days of weight training, and this would result in faster results.
• Example 3: One or two days for cardio and five days for weight training, and this is when you’d be targeting specific muscle groups, working each out not more than once a week, recommended only for advanced lifters.

An Example Routine

Here’s an example beginner’s level strength training program for women, and this includes weight training as well as cardio.

• Day 1:

Warm up – 5 minutes Treadmill – 10 minutes Bicep curls – 3 sets Lat pull downs – 3 sets Triceps’ push downs – 3 sets Dumbbell raises (front) – 3 sets Cool down – 5 minutes

• Day 2:

Rest

• Day 3:

Warm up – 5 minutes Treadmill – 10 minutes Crunches – 3 sets Plank – 3 sets Bent-knee hip raises – 3 sets Cool down – 5 minutes

• Day 4:

Rest

• Day 5:

Warm up – 5 minutes Treadmill – 10 minutes Squats – 3 sets Forward lunges – 3 sets Leg curls (lying) – 3 sets Abduction (lying) – 3 sets Cool down – 5 minutes

• Day 6:

Jog or run for half an hour

• Day 7:

Rest

This is just an example and does not imply that you have to incorporate cardio into strength training workouts for women, and as mentioned earlier, there is no reason why you cannot embark upon a purely weight training program for women.