Sports-And-Fitness

Weight training for women

introduction

Even if it seems hard to imagine, women, at around 66%, represent the far larger proportion of members in fitness studios than male participants. The desire for a better figure is much more pronounced in women than in comparison with men. Many sports providers have responded accordingly and founded fitness studios that are primarily geared towards the needs of women. However, it is not primarily the exercises on various strength machines, but the targeted strength endurance program in a wide variety of courses, or the special endurance machines that are visited and used by women.

General

For many women, strength training continues to be a synonym for thick muscles and the appearance of various women, the visual impression of which can be compared with well-trained men. However, this fear is completely unfounded, because such an appearance cannot be achieved with conventional training.Women who practice bodybuilding often train with training volumes of more than 3 hours of equipment training per day.

Read about this too Natural bodybuilding - what is it?

In some cases, the outward appearance shows male features, which is indicative of the additional intake of male sex hormones.

An integration of various exercises on strength training machines in addition to targeted endurance training never leads to oversized muscle packages.

aims

When it comes to the question of the right way of strength training for women, you can seem to find all sorts of theses. If some advocate pure endurance training with minimal weights, then numerous forums recommend strength training that is structured in a similar way to one of the male gym visitors. Some advise pure endurance training on machines, while others swear by pure training on machines. Basically, the question of the right method, the number of sentences and the choice of intensity is difficult to answer across the board. Every man and woman goes to the gym or to endurance training with different requirements and different expectations and goals. In principle, the female organism works in a similar way to the male. The muscles of women react to training stimuli just like those of a man. However, because of a higher testosterone level, male athletes have higher and faster adaptation symptoms with regard to muscle building. However, it is a fact that men tend to prefer to gain muscle, while women prefer weight loss and general skin tightening.

So why should women do the same training program as men?

Aerobics, step aerobics, taebo and other courses should definitely be integrated into or maintained in training for women. Targeted endurance training is and remains number 1 in targeted fat burning. What has changed in recent years:

It used to be said that if you want to lose weight, you should complete a pure endurance program. Today we know that targeted strength training with increasing muscle mass causes a general increase in fat burning, because muscles burn fat. It therefore makes perfect sense for women in the gym to work on the weights. The statements women should not attend courses, but train like men, is simply wrong. Professional advice from trained specialists should always be carried out before each training session. A fitness trainer recognizes their requirements and can create a training plan for the desired goal. Training plans should never be created solely from the arbitrary information on the Internet.

Effects of strength training

In the past few years, some strength training myths have become popular and are being re-launched over and over again. On the one hand, it is claimed that the muscles become tighter through strength training. Not much is known about the muscle in living people, but one thing is certain that it cannot become tighter. Surrounding connective tissue and skin is able to appear tighter through targeted strength training and the effects on the muscles. As already mentioned in the previous chapter, strength training has a positive effect on fat burning. Training on machines increases the percentage of muscle mass and thus leads to an increased basal metabolic rate. See next chapter.

One of the most important, if not the most important, aspects of strength training for women is health. More and more women, especially young women, are suffering from spinal complaints. More and more women complain of increasing pain, especially in the lumbar spine area. As in men, the causes of pain in this area are the predominantly sitting and incorrect posture, incorrect and insufficient movement and the disproportionate relationship between body weight and body fat percentage. Targeted training of the straight abdominal and back muscles can save young women a visit to the doctor!

In many sports there are one-sided loads that can result in muscular imbalances. Here too, adequate strength training can help.

Weight training at home

For strength training, it is not absolutely necessary to leave your own four walls and pay expensive membership fees in sports studios. Many effective exercises can be done at home with just a few aids. It is not for nothing that many women's magazines advertise the new ideal figure with simple exercise programs. Of course, it's important to follow the basics of strength training at home too. For example, a certain intensity and continuity of training is necessary in order to burn more calories and stimulate the muscles to grow. So the training plan for at home should also contain increases and variety.

For training at home, there are sports equipment specially designed for this purpose, such as steppers or home trainer bicycles. Such an investment can definitely pay off compared to the monthly fee in the gym. For advanced athletes, free weight training at home is also possible. Most sports stores have handy dumbbell sets. But even exercising without any exercise equipment can be effective in strength training. Here are some exercises for beginners:

Pulling the door: All you need is a towel and a sturdy, wide-open door. The towel is placed around the handles on both sides so that both ends can be easily grasped. The feet are under the door handle. At the beginning, the exercise is carried out in a straight stance (later also in a bent knee position). Lean back until your arms and back are straight. Then the upper body is pulled forward towards the hands, pulling the shoulder blades together. Then you lean back again. The exercise trains the back and biceps and can also be performed with one arm.
Squats: The movement of this exercise should be familiar. Beginners start with a larger space between their feet. For advanced users, an increase in difficulty with arms above the head or one-legged squats is suitable. This is where the muscles on the buttocks, thighs, calves and back come into play. Squats are also great for buttock training
pushups
Hip extension: This exercise is performed lying on your back on the floor. The legs are bent, the feet are firmly on the floor, the arms are next to the upper body. Then the buttocks are moved upwards until the thighs and torso are in a straight line. The core of the body is tense. To increase the difficulty, you may be able to stay in the stretched position for one to two seconds or put your feet on an elevated object beforehand. Then the buttocks are lowered again. This exercise is particularly active in the legs, buttocks, back and upper body.

Lose weight

For many women, losing weight is primarily about losing as much weight as possible. Those who do not also take part in sports often do not lose fat tissue but primarily water and muscle mass. Therefore, strength training is a healthy, effective way for women to lose weight.

Strength training helps you lose weight in two ways:

During and after training, calories are burned through muscle activity (this is often even more overall than with pure endurance training)
The body's basal metabolic rate (ie the amount of energy that it also uses in “standby mode”) increases because more muscles burn more calories even when at rest. This also makes it easier to maintain the new weight and there is less risk of the so-called yo-yo effect like after many strict diets.

Sport is also significantly better for the psyche and thus for motivation instead of losing weight just by not eating. In order to maintain motivation during strength training, it is ideal if the women clearly define and write down their training goals in advance. When the first intermediate steps towards this goal have been achieved, it is an additional incentive. The check on the scales should not be done too often, but only once a week at the most. Many trainers also recommend ignoring the scale entirely. Some women who have started strength training to lose weight are initially disappointed because the scale shows no less or sometimes even more. This is not because the training is not working for them, but because not only fat is broken down, but muscles are also built up. As a result, the difference between the decreased body mass (body fat) and the increased body mass (muscles) is positive. In order to make the progress of strength training visible, a determination of body fat is more useful here. In overweight women, it will also take a little longer before the newly trained muscles become visible. Because only when the body fat has been significantly reduced are arm muscles or abdominal muscles not only noticeable, but also recognizable. Therefore, especially for overweight women: persevere!

Read more on the topic:

Lower body fat percentage
Losing weight on the thigh - how fast does it really work?

Exercises for several large muscle groups are particularly suitable for losing weight, as they consume more energy than individual muscles in activity. For beginners, two days of strength training per week of 20 minutes each are sufficient at the beginning. Each exercise should be done in one or two sets of 12 repetitions each. It is important that there is at least a day's break between training sessions. Because only during regeneration does the actual muscle build-up and fat burning take place.

What should be considered in weight training for weight loss?

Muscles are built up through strength training. Muscles are metabolically active tissue, which means that our muscles consume energy. She does that all the time. So when we do sport, someone who has more muscle mass will consume more energy on the ergometer with the same performance than someone who moves less muscle mass. However, our muscles consume more energy than, for example, fatty tissue, even at rest. Strength training can increase our basal metabolic rate - i.e. the amount of energy that we consume at rest. We always lose weight when we use more energy than we absorb. This goal is supported by the increased energy expenditure by building muscle mass in my strength training. During the training itself, compared to endurance training, less energy is consumed, rather less. With strength training you benefit from long-term energy consumption. It should be noted, however: if you step on the scales after a few weeks of consistent strength training to evaluate your success, you shouldn't be alarmed. Although fat is effectively burned through strength training, muscle mass is built up, which is also noticeable initially as a small plus on the scales. If you want to lose weight through endurance training, you will probably see more success on the scales, but sometimes even reduce your muscle mass to a minimum and are so much more tied to regular and very intensive training in order to lose fat permanently.

Strength training is therefore an effective means for women to specifically burn fat and lose weight, even if the result on the scale is not immediately apparent. It should also be noted in this context that enough high-quality protein should be consumed through food so that during intensive training it is not the body’s own protein, namely the hard-earned muscle mass, but the fat deposits that are attacked. Diet plays an important role, including when losing weight through weight training.

nutrition

The muscles need energy in the form of calories for strength training (kcal). We take this in through our food. The three major nutrient groups are carbohydrates, proteins and fats. Protein is especially important for muscle building, as the muscles are built up from this nutrient. Nevertheless, it is also important for women in strength training to eat a balanced diet. This means that pure protein diets don't make as much sense as a diet in which all three basic nutrients are represented in the same number of calories. Experts see differently as to whether meals should be divided into five (every three hours) or three (every five hours) per day.

The average woman needs about 2,000 kcal per day. If you want to lose weight, you should limit the daily amount of nutrients to 1,500 kcal. Of course, no meal should be left out completely. If, on the other hand, she wants to gain weight, the daily calorie intake increases to 2,500 kcal. Protein shakes and weight gainers in addition to normal meals are particularly suitable for taking in these additional calories for muscle building.

In order for the diet to optimize the training, a detailed examination of what you eat is necessary. It is therefore best to have a diet that is as natural as possible, without ready-made meals, for strength training women. This is the only way to know for sure what and how much nutrients you are consuming. Finally, the principle still applies: always drink enough! Water or unsweetened tea is best. In addition to proteins, our muscles consist of 75% water. Therefore, a lack of fluids can quickly lead to fatigue and muscle cramps.

diet

All figures given have been chosen arbitrarily and serve only for understanding.

In the initial situation, the body consumes approx. 1400 kcal per day (basal metabolic rate). If there is movement in everyday life, the daily consumption increases to approx. 1800 kcal. With normal eating habits, women consume approx. 1800 kcal through food. So there is a balanced energy balance. It doesn't get thicker or thinner. To lose weight, the energy supply simply has to be reduced. Your body is only getting an estimated 500 kcal (depends on the diet). A negative energy balance is created. The woman is losing weight!

7 pounds after 7 days. However, since the body can react to all stimuli, so will dieting. The decisive factor is that the daily basal metabolic rate drops in the long term due to the low food intake through the diet. Accordingly, the woman no longer consumes 1400 kcal per day, but only 1100 kcal. When normal eating habits begin, a positive energy balance is created. The woman is getting bigger.
Regular strength training and endurance training cause the daily basal metabolic rate to be increased. In our case, this would be from 1400 kcal to around 1800 kcal.

Strength training for specific muscle groups

Strength training for the buttocks

When women do strength training, they tend to focus more on the lower extremities - the legs and buttocks - compared to men. The training of this part of the body is not only interesting for body shaping, it is also advantageous for losing weight, since the leg muscles form a very large muscle group, the training of which consumes a lot of energy. Popular strength training exercises for women are the leg press and the adductor and abductor machine. However, exercises on free machines are much more effective and at the same time demand stabilizing muscles of the trunk and train the coordination of the leg muscles. Squats (Squats) and lunges (Lunges) and deadlift (Deadlifts) with a barbell can make training for the buttocks more exciting and effective. There are also barbells that run in guided rails that make it easier to exercise safely. In many fitness studios these devices are now also available in the "ladies' area" so that you can carry out your exercises undisturbed during strength training.

In all of these exercises, proper technique should be observed and weights should be chosen carefully to avoid injuries or stressful incorrect execution.

You may also be interested in this topic: Butt muscle training exercises for a firm bum

Strength training for the chest

In contrast to exercising the lower extremities, many women avoid exercising their chest muscles when doing strength training. Usually for two reasons: the training of the chest muscles is typical for men, the equipment is often in the free weight area and is sometimes uncomfortable to do alone without safety or support. The second reason is the fear of negatively affecting the shape of the breast or its size. Point one is sometimes difficult to solve. Bench presses and rope pulls are mostly in appropriate areas of the studio where women can feel uncomfortable.It can also be uncomfortable to go to your limits during hypertrophy training and to lie under a dumbbell that, if in doubt, would be difficult to lift off your chest. Support is helpful here and gives you the security of doing the training correctly and pushing your limits. However, there are also guided devices, e.g. Butterfly or the guided chest press, which are usually more pleasant to use.

The second reason, that the chest may shrink from exercise, is unfounded. The training builds up the pectoral muscle, which lies under the glands and fatty tissue of the breast, and the breast is optically lifted and under certain circumstances it appears tighter or larger. However, the breast tissue becomes smaller due to the general breakdown of fat in the body. If we lose weight, it cannot be controlled which fat deposits the body accumulates first. Fat pads on the thighs and hips are broken down in the same way as the fatty tissue of the breast. So general strength training can lead to a reduction in the size of the chest. But if you want to lose fat, you can't avoid it.

Also read: Chest muscle training exercises for a defined chest

Strength training in combination with endurance training

If you want to achieve optimal training success, and this applies to women as well as men, you should find a healthy alternation between endurance and strength. If the daily schedule allows, endurance and strength should always be split. Otherwise, the following always applies: strength training before endurance training. Running is and always will be the best and most effective way to achieve success in endurance training, but if running is done with complete reluctance, you have to switch to another sport. Cycling, Nordic walking, inline skating, mountaineering and numerous courses are just a few of the many. Swimming should definitely be learned professionally. Errors in swimming technique lead to long-term complaints, especially when breaststroke.

Training recommendations

Strength training should be done in addition to endurance training.

The load in strength training should be so high that between 15 and 25 repetitions per set are completed.

Please refer Health-oriented strength training

Such training leads to an increase in muscle mass, even if others say otherwise. But never to the point where too much muscle is worried about.

Method of medium strength effort with medium repetitions

Repetitions: approx. 15

Intensity: medium

Speed: slow

Break: 1-2 min

Scope: 3-4 sets per device

What weights should you use?

In order to build muscle mass you have to do hypertrophy training. The same conditions apply to women and men, even if men usually achieve faster results due to the higher testosterone level. Hypertrophy training is done with weights that can be moved neatly in 8-12 repetitions. The weight should never be increased at the expense of the right technique, but the weight can be so demanding that maybe 12 repetitions can be performed in the first set but only 8 properly. The muscle is supposed to exhaust. In hypertrophy training, long breaks are observed (2-3 min) and 3-4 sets are performed.

When it comes to strength endurance training, which is aimed at muscle maintenance, blood flow to the muscles and coordination, 20-30 repetitions of an exercise are performed in 3-4 sets with a moderate to light weight. The pauses are short (30 seconds).

The choice of weight is of great importance for training, but it must be selected individually for the user so that the correct load is present. Never choose weights that can no longer perform the exercise properly.

How often should you train?

Regular training is necessary to achieve an optimal training result. To a certain extent, however, the training plan can also be adapted to the woman's everyday life and schedule.

Strength training can be done in the form of a so-called split plan. A training session is set for specific muscle groups. If you have a little more time, you can split the strength training into 3 days (e.g. legs and stomach, shoulders and back, chest and arms). The advantage of a split plan is that the muscle groups are challenged intensively but with sufficient regeneration time. On 2-3 days, e.g. after an intense strength session, ideally between the strength days, endurance or endurance training should take place. Under these conditions you would get 3-6 training days with usually no more than 1 hour of training. If this quota cannot be fulfilled, strength training can be shortened to 2 split days (upper body, lower body and torso) or full body training can be carried out twice a week. Endurance can then be performed 2-3 times, depending on the time budget. You should train 3-4 times a week to achieve a training result.