EVERY time I visit the gym I’m greeted by the same old scene. Men, who always outnumber women, are using the bodybuilding and weight training equipment while most women find themselves floating between the treadmill, cross-trainer and exercise bike.
It’s a very typical picture in my gym.
Apart from myself, there’s one or two other girls who I often see using weights, kettlebells and medicine balls as part of their exercise regime.
Many women and girls have a fear of looking too bulky if they lift weights, particularly heavy ones, and think they will end up with a figure resembling a bodybuilder’s.
However, incorporating weights into your weekly work-outs will help speed up your metabolism, burns fat, strengthens your bones and gives your body a defined, healthy look. It’s this ‘bulky’ myth coupled with a lack of education into how weights work and how to get the most out them that women tend to avoid the mat and weight training equipment.
It’s all about protecting your muscles as well as strengthening and building them.
Weights burn fat and sculpt muscles to give you a toned figure. Research has shown that people who combine cardio with weight-lifting burn more fat than those who use cardio only and while you may end up losing the same amount of weight, weight-lifters will have increased muscle tissue which in turn speeds up the amount of calories you burn during the day.
Realistically, it’s harder for women to get huge muscles and it takes a strict diet and training regime to come close to a bodybuilder figure.
The good thing about weight-training is that it can be done at home so if you don’t have access to your local club or leisure centre then invest in a few weights or kettlebells.
Start out small with 3kg and 4kg weights and use these with your squats and lunges. If you are doing sets of 20, then the last few should feel sore and as your training continues, gradually increase your weights to ensure your body is constantly challenged. Also change the width of your squat and use a chair or wall for a unilateral squat.
Kettlebells are great way of strengthening all different parts of your body and efficiently works the muscles in the legs, lower back and shoulders. Start with your legs shoulder width apart with both hands grasping the handle, lower into a squat position while swinging the kettlebell behind your legs then as you straighten your back into a standing position, swing the kettlebell forward up to your eye level. Repeat this for three sets of ten.
This exercise targets core, glutes and lower back.
An exercise for the arms is to stand with feet apart with the kettlebell or weight at the bottom with straight arms, then pull up the weight with your elbows coming out keeping your core and arms tense. This targets the shoulders and that’s where you should feel the burn.
There’s a wide range of exercises that can be performed with kettlebells and weights which are very effective.
If you don’t fancy spending too much, get creative and use weight props you’ll find in your home.