This content is about the benefits of strength training for women at the gym. But before we discuss it, we will understand what strength training is all about and also get some other important information about strength training.
Meaning of Strength Training
Strength training involves carrying out any of the workouts or exercises that are meant to enhance endurance and strength. Strength training involves the use of body weight, free weights, machine resistance, powerbands, and other external forms of resistance. There are so many benefits one can get from involvement in strength training exercises, so it is worth taking part in.
So now that we know the meaning of strength training, let’s get to know some of the strength training exercises women can get involved in.
Some Strength Training Exercises for Women
- Push-up: This particular training makes use of all push muscles (the chest, shoulders, and triceps) in your body.
Push-up - Bodyweight squat: The bodyweight squat makes use of all the lower body muscles like the quads, hamstrings, glutes, and the core.
- Bodyweight row: This particular strength training exercise for women works all your pull muscles and assists get you ready for a pull-up.
- Pull-up or chin-up: They are the best pull workouts that everyone should try out and they work your biceps, chest, and some other muscles in your upper body.
- Bodyweight dip: This is the advanced push movement that works your push muscles (chest, shoulders, triceps) differently from how push-ups do.
- Barbell squat: The Barbell squat is the best workout for your muscle building. The exercise works on almost all push muscles in your body and is a great core workout.
Barbell squat - Barbell deadlift: The Barbell deadlift makes use of all pull, leg, and core muscles in your body.
Barbell deadlift - Barbell benchpress: This particular strength training exercise for women makes use of all push movements in your upper body and can also make you strong.
- Barbell press: In this strength training exercise, you press the bar above your head. The exercise works the shoulders and triceps more than the chest.
The Benefits of Strength Training for Women at the Gym
Here are some of the benefits women get from strength training
- It helps in weight loss: When you are lifting weights you build lean muscles. That is to say, the more muscle you have, the faster your metabolism works, and also aids in the burning of more calories.
- It enhances your mood and reduces stress: exercise releases endorphins that enhance your mood, prevent pain, and fights depression.
- It gives more strength without bulking: Women don’t add in size from strength training like men do due to the levels of testosterone women have compared to men. As a result of this, women develop muscle tone and definition without the size.
- It reduces the risk of injury, back pain, and arthritis: It enhances bone density which reduces the risk of fractures and broken bones.
Strength training also builds stronger connective tissues and enhances joint stability which assists in the prevention of injury.
It also enhances spinal bone density and creates a strong and healthy spine which alongside an adequate quantity of dietary calcium may turn out to be a woman’s best defence against osteoporosis.
Strength training exercises assist in the correction of bad posture. The building of a strong back and core will likewise assist in the prevention of any lower back pain.
- It enhances athletic performance: When a woman involves in strength training exercises, she builds a stronger body that assists her in sporting activities by enhancing power, speed, and endurance and makes her able to be agile during the activities.
- Strength training exercises reduce the risk of heart disease and diabetes: The exercise assists in improving cardiovascular health by reducing bad cholesterol and increasing good cholesterol and this assist in lowering blood pressure.
- Strength training exercises increase muscle mass: Muscle is important for movement, so maintenance of muscle mass as you age can assist in the prevention of injury and improvement of range of motion as well as assisting in daily functions like walking up the stairs.
- Better quality of sleep: Recent studies have shown those who take part in strength training get better and uninterrupted sleep. Enhanced sleep can assist keep your overall wellness in alignment, especially as you age.
- Strength training exercises enhance confidence: you know that social media has a lot of views on how the female body should look like. While many cardio fitness regimens are about aesthetic goals, strength training is about functional goals like enhancing weight or speed.
- It enhances your Body Shape: whether you have the athletic kind of body, curvy, or slim body shape, you can change it to the body shape you want when you begin to lifting weights.
Your genes and lifestyles can be determinants of your body shape as a person, but gym routines can do more.
Tips for you to start with strength training
If you have not been involved in strength or resistance training before getting to start might look difficult for you. So here are steps you can take to get started with your strength training exercises.
- Hire the services of a trainer: Getting started with a trainer will help you get the best out of your strength training exercises because the trainer will assist you in knowing the right form, enhancing the muscle and mind connection and learn how to structure a workout very well.
With this you will have the needed confidence to keep up with your workouts on your own having in mind the fact that the workouts are safe and productive.
- Get an exercise mate: When you feel working out in the gym intimidates you, you can come along with your friend and this will make workout fun and not frightening. Your friend who comes to the gym with you can also ensure you work towards achieving your set fitness objectives.
- Begin slowly: Since you are aware that strength training places stress on the muscles and joints, that means training too much can result to fatigue, injury or lack of interest over time.
So, in order not to lose the drive to keep up with the activity, you can begin with two strength training exercises for each week and add up more as you feel comfortable carrying out the first ones.
- Adjust your nutrition: Food charges the body to perform as well as getting better both in and out of the gym. You will need to adjust your nutrition for the support of your exercise sessions. Discuss with a qualified dietitian to know how you can go about that.
Some Equipment for Strength Training
Here are some of the equipment you will be needing for your strength exercises.
- Body weight: you can use the body weight for squats, push-ups and chin-ups.
- Resistance bands: This strength training equipment provides resistance when stretched. They can be adapted to most workouts.
- Free weights: These are classic strength training tools such as dumbbells, barbells and kettlebells.
- Medicine balls or sand bags are weighted balls or bags
- Weight machines: These are devices that have adjustable seats with handles joined either to weights or hydraulics.
- Suspension equipment: This is a training tool that makes use of gravity alongside the user’s body weight to achieve different exercises.
Things to consider when designing a strength training program
It is very essential you consider safety as well as form so you can limit the risk of getting injured.
Here are the major thins to consider when designing your strength training program
- Choice
- Order
- Frequency
- Intensity
- Volume
- Rest interval
- Progression
The workout should be concentrated on the following
- Strength
- Hypertrophy
- Power
- Muscular Endurance
A Final Thought on the Benefits of Strength Training for Women at Gym
Remember that the strength training exercises will not make your body bulked up, so even though you still want to maintain your curvy body while carrying out strength training exercises it is very possible.
But seek advice from experts before getting started and ensure you are taking the right diets that will work in accordance with your goal of having an effective strength training exercise.
Editor’s pick
How to get bigger hips naturally and fast through exercise
10 Scientific benefits of exercise you need to know