Men, it seems, are not the only ones who enjoy lifting weights. These days, women are seen circuiting the gym, deadlifting, squatting or benching. Research indicates that people found that lifting weights as a woman would not cause you to add 50 pounds of muscle to your frame overnight. In fact, it was found that resistance training provided a shapelier, curvier, leaner, more defined physique than one which could be attained through cardio alone.
In lieu of the same, Bishal Kandel – a Master Fitness Trainer and the Co-Founder of Healthy Smart Calories has compiled a quick workout / diet routine for women to help them on their fitness journey.
So, if you’re a woman who is looking to get stronger and fitter, the following routine is perfect.
Warming up
Before you execute any workout schedule, it is crucial to indulge in a warmup. Warming up prior to exercise is significant because it helps increase your flexibility and mobility, and helps lessen the risk of injury. By stretching the muscles before training, you help improve muscle fibre elasticity.
Types of Exercise
- Push Ups
This is the most common, yet well-known workout moves. Begin in a lying position. Ensure your back is flat and your abs are pulled in. Bend over the elbows to the sides and then breathe out as you push back up to plank. Begin by attempting 10 repeats in your training. Build up to two sets, three sets, and ultimately four sets of 10 in your workout.
- Cable crossovers
This is a terrific training regime. Raise or hand down the cable to chest height, and then tie the handles onto each side. Start the weight at about 5 pounds on each side. Hold on the handles and face away from the cable machine. The handles will be at shoulder height, and then you can move one foot ahead and one foot behind. Pivot a little ahead at your waist and breathe out as you pull the handles towards the middle of your body at your belly button. Breathe in as you free the cables back to their starting position. Start off with three sets of 10, and then you can work up to doing three sets of 15 repetitions.
c. Flat Bench Barbell Press
This higher body exercise works the chest and shoulders. You can start off with three or four sets and eight repetitions. After a few weeks, you can develop up to 10 repetitions or boost the weight or sets.
- Incline Dumbbells Fly
This workout is a lot like cable crossover, with the exception of you utilizing the workout bench. Snap up a pair of 5 pound dumbbells. Move up the bench to about a 45 degree angle. Then take a seat on the bench and hold onto the weights over your chest. Open them out to the sides and breathe out as you push them up towards the center. Begin with three sets of 10 repetitions. Then work your way up to three sets of 12 reps, and then four sets of 10 reps.
Rest Between Each Set And Exercise
If you want to get strong, your body will require to recuperate amongst each set and exercise. So rest 30 seconds – 1 minute between sets and 2 – 3 minutes between exercises.
Diet and Nutrition
It doesn’t matter how tough you are doing with strength training or weight training; if you aren’t eating the right foods at the right time, all of your attempts will be in vain. Bear in mind, to get strong and toned, eating right is important or else, you will become neither strong nor toned. You’ll also struggle with weight loss, despite any high intensity workouts. As such, ensure to drink enough water and get plenty of healthy proteins. Most importantly, don’t forget your veggies.