The idea of going to the gym may seem intimidating at first. However, going in with a game plan in mind will not only reduce the intimidation but give you motivation. Here are some weight training for women tips for creating a workout that works for you. Before you design your workout, take a trip to your doctor and discuss your intentions with them.
Be Honest with Yourself
After you are medically cleared by your doctor to workout, it is time for one more important conversation. This one you need to have with yourself, with paper nearby if you need to write notes to refer to or for inspiration.
This is the time when you make note of any medical limitations you may have. It is also the time when you are honest with yourself in terms of how much you know about strength training. Don’t be afraid to admit that you are a rookie who is just starting on your journey.
The final aspect of your internal conversation revolves around your goals. Do you have a short-term goal in mind? For instance, are you a bride trying to tone up before your wedding? Are you starting on a lifelong journey towards strength and wellness? Do not rush your answers to these questions, they will help determine the timeline and course of your workout.
After having this internal discussion with yourself, it is time to start looking at the aspects of the workout.
Stretching
No matter what your goals are, it is always important to stretch before you begin working out. Stretching warms up your muscles and helps you to focus on what is coming. Warming up will also help lower your risk of injury. It is also important to stretch following the end of your workout to keep your muscles loose.
Some stretches to consider include:
- Range of motion including stretches like bouncing a medicine ball off of a trampoline.
- You can also do things like put one arm over the other and pull with your opposite hand.
- Don’t forget your legs as well if you are planning to do a full body workout or a legs day. Put your arms against the wall and take a giant step back, hold this for at least five seconds. Do it as many times as you need to feel warmed up and ready to work.
- You can also sit on the floor and lean forward towards your toes. Think of the sit and reach you did in high school. Hold your toes or as far down as you can get for at least five seconds. Once again do this as many times you need to feel warmed up.
Full Body Workouts
These workouts allow you to work every aspect of your body. You can use them as part of both short and long term goals. Spread out your exercises through the week, with at least one day between each body group to allow for proper rest.
Some of the elements to include are:
- Work with dumbbells to help shape and tone troublesome arms. These will also help you strengthen your non-dominant arm. You can do things such as curls and shoulder presses. Remember when you are working on toning, you want to keep the weights low and the reps high.
- Don’t forget to do some crunches, either standard or reverse, to strengthen your core.
- In terms of legs, you can either workout on the treadmill or stair stepper.
Upper Body
When you want to focus on just your upper body. It is important to remember to use light weights with more reps. Spread out the workout throughout the week.
An example schedule for this area might be:
Monday work with dumbbells doing curls and should press.
Wednesday focus on chest exercises such as flies and bench press using machines and dumbbells.
Friday use this as another day of curls along with lighter versions of chest exercises if you need.
Legs and Core
If you are looking to focus on your legs and core, it’s time to make friends with the treadmill and other similar machines. Beyond these machines, some of the weight related exercises include:
Monday work on the leg press, leg curls, and crunches.
Wednesday work on leg extensions, leg lifts, and planks.
Friday work with a variety of the above exercises, depending on how you are feeling.
Remember, no two people have the same fitness goals. Don’t worry if your program is different from someone else’s. Use the elements above to create the perfect program for your success.
Do not let those around intimidate you. Rather than intimidate, try to inspire someone next to you. It’s always better to workout with a buddy to keep both of you on track.