Womens Weight Training
		Common Questions & Answers
		The importance of strength training among women is placed at the same level as men. The development of lean body tissue, or muscle mass, has an equal effect with both sexes. Muscle has the ability to burn ten times the amount of calories as compared to fat. When you increase muscle mass, you improve your ability to burn calories.

Why do women need weight training?

1. Strength training will increase lean body tissue.
Increasing your lean body tissue will increase your overall calorie burn. Understand that the female body will not develop like the male body. Women do not have the same amount of muscle mass or testosterone as men...so dont worry about training with heavier weights. It is also important to understand that muscle weights more than fat. People weight training may not lose pounds and may actually gain some weight. The increase in weight is relative to an increase in muscle tissue not fat. An increase in muscle tissue translates into an increase in your resting metabolism. The denser your muscle tissue, the more calories you will burn during the times of the day when you are doing nothing. ( One pound of muscle burns 10 times the amount of calories in comparison to one pound fat ).

2. Strength training helps fight osteoporosis.
Training with weights has been proven to help prevent and improve osteoporosis. This is due to the fact that weight training actually stimulates bone growth. The body is amazing in its ability to adjust to outside factors. The bone actually growing stronger is just another example of this fact. The bone growth effect can be seen in people of all ages. Your never too old for strength training.

How much weight should be used?

1. Maintaining physique.
Chose a weight that can be used to perform a movement 10-15 repetitions ( the number of times you can perform a movement in one set). This method will also developed increased strength, but at a slower process

2. Increasing strength.
To have faster continual strength gains it is recommended that you chose a weight that can be performed at 8-10 repetitions per set. When you are able to perform that movement easily 10 times you are ready to increase the weight until you can only get 8 reps in per set.

How do you develop a good strength training program?

1. Warm-up.
It is important to get the core body temperature up. By getting the muscles ready to perform they will react better while helping to prevent injuries. This will help you to get the maximum results from your strength training program. A good warm up consists of continuous movement for approximately 10 minutes. Using cardio equipment is a great way to get warmed up.

2. Large muscle groups first.
It is best to begin with large a large muscle group first. They provide a better warming of the core body temperature. This will make the rest of the strength training go more smoothly and help to prevent injury.

Large muscle groups:
Legs
Back
Chest

3. Balanced muscle groups
Perform exercises according to their balancing muscle groups. When you are working one muscle through a working motion there is always an opposite muscle that is being worked through a stretching motion at the same time. When one muscle is pushing the opposite muscle is pulling. After you work a particular muscle it is recommended that you work the opposite muscle next.

Basic balance muscle groups:
Chest/Shoulders
Back/Abdominal
Quads/ Hamstrings
Biceps/Triceps

4. Total body workout.
If you plan on working the entire body in one session it is recommended that the strength training be limited to every other day. The muscle needs 24-48 hours to recover. This recovery time is crucial to the muscles healing properly and to avoid possible injuries. It is when they heal that they heal into a stronger state of being.

5. Split workouts
Some people enjoy weight training everyday.. If this is the way you wish to workout it is recommended that you only do part of the body in any one session. Follow the balancing muscle groups to help determine the proper muscles to work together.

7. Stretching
Yes, stretching is important. If you want to reduce the amount of soreness you feel in the following days after a good workout, you need to perform proper stretching. Stretching is also the way to increase flexibility. Stretching is best immediately following a workout. ( a proper stretch is when you hold a stretch in a particular position for 10-20 seconds)

 

Find even more detailed information on strength training techniques in our mens training section. Many of these tips can be applied to both men and women. We have tried to avoid repetitious writing among the different articles on this website.