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Workouts for women should include both strength
training and
cardiovascular exercise.
Let’s look at
both separately.
Strength
Training for Women
Women
of course have different goals with respect to
exercising with weights. Some women want to add muscle without getting
too muscular. Don't worry, you won't get bulky or huge. That's a myth.
Still other women are into serious bodybuilding while the
majority
of women are more interested in
toning and adding some muscle strength which at the minimum, most women
should
be doing to prevent osteoporosis from developing. Women have a higher
percentage of developing osteoporosis compared to men so
it’s important to include some form of strength training
early in
their lives. You may want
to read these 2 featured articles
on osteoporosis from a woman’s perspective.
So how should women go
about incorporating strength training
into their exercise workouts? There are a number of different ways that
you can:
Fitness Classes
These days many quality
gyms have excellent fitness classes focusing
on just strength training. They’re not only fun, but they are
led by qualified
instructors who offer a complete and varied strength training workout.
These
classes are ideal for women who are new to strength training or who
like the
class atmosphere of training. These classes combine the use of free
weights,
resistance and other fitness equipment.
Weight Training
If you are not
interested in fitness classes or you like to
customize your own workout, you can do so using dumbbells, barbells and
weight machines.
My exercise
section has many examples of exercises that women can also
do. All you
have to do is tailor them to your own fitness goals by customizing the
number
of sets and reps for each exercise.
Also, most quality gyms
should have weight machines that are
more suited for or preferred by women. Even some of the machines guys
like to
use, many women can use too. All you have to do is lower the amount of
weight
used and increase the repetitions.
You can also vary your
leg workout with an upper body
workout using the Bosu and free weights. Not only is the bosu great for
strength training your legs, but it is challenging and adds variety to
your
workouts. It’s especially great if you are pressed for time
because it can
combine an upper body with a lower body workout.
Here’s a
concise article from a woman’s point of view
explaining why women should strength train: Benefits
of Strength Training for
Women.
Cardiovascular Exercise
You should be doing some
form of cardiovascular exercise.
Not only do you need it for your cardio system, but it will help tone
your body
and help you lose weight or those few extra pounds.
The type of training
that you undertake depends on your
likes and fitness goals. If you prefer exercise machines, there is a
variety
for you to choose from. If you prefer fitness classes, these days there
are so
many different types of cardio classes ranging from aerobic to dance
fitness
like Salsa and Zumba. Not only are they fun, but you will forget that
you are
actually exercising and enjoying it.
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