Wednesday Video - Should Women Lift Weights

Muscle Myth #1

Many women are afraid of lifting weights in gyms. Mainly this stems from a fear of putting on too much muscle and therefore looking unfeminine or the fact that lifting weights is just plain intimidating

So, should women lift weights in their exercise routine, or should they only stick with cardio? We discuss the myth of women having to avoid lifting heavy weights!

Monday Muscle - 5 Popular Misconceptions About Weight Training For Women

In spite of great efforts by the weight trainers the myths associated with weight training for women does not seem to go away ever. Weight training for women has a lot of controversy surrounding it. Read below and learn the five popular misconceptions about weight training for women:

1. Training makes the women look masculine and bulky: 

Whenever we hear weight training for women the first image that comes to our mind is of the women bodybuilders. It is a fact that women can't produce testosterone, responsible for increase muscle size and thus it is very difficult for the woman to have muscle mass simply by doing some weights. The women bodybuilder who develop their bodies rely on synthetic testosterones and anabolic steroids. The results are also a combination of genetics and rigorous training programs wherein, they lift very heavy weights. Women who regularly do weight training without the steroids have fit and firm cellulite-free body.

2. Exercise increases the chest size: 

It is a myth that breast size increases with weight training.

Bench Presses

The breast is made of fatty tissues. In case your body fat decreases by 12 percent the size of the breast decreases considerably. The myth was born because weight training increases the back size and thus there is an increase in the size. Just remember that breasts size can be increased either by gaining fat or breasts implants.

3. Weight training makes you muscle-bound and stiff: 

If you do all the exercises through a full range of motion the flexibility is bound to increase. Exercises like dumbbell presses, flyes, chin-ups and stiff-legged deadlifts stretch the bottom muscles. All these exercises improve your stretching capacity considerably.

4. When you stop weight training the muscles turn into fat: 

This is like saying that gold if not used turns into brass. Fats and Muscles are two different entities. After women quit weight training there is a certain loss of muscle and drop in diet. Bad eating habits lower the metabolism system, low muscle mass all make muscles look like fat. Though, the truth is as simple as fat starts to accumulate after muscles are lost.

5. With weight training fats convert into muscles: 

This is like saying brass turns into gold. If you want to transform the body then you must try and lose extra fats by taking a nutritious diet and gain muscles by following a planned weight training schedule for women. Remember you can't change muscles into fat.

Therefore we can say that weight training for women has no actual side-effect. It is just the popular myths that stop women taking up weight training sessions. But remember, when you start with the weight training for women it is very important to do it under a well experienced trainer. This will ensure your well being and safety. Take it slow and steady for healthy weight training!


Article source: Rakesh Vasoya  5 Popular Misconceptions About Weight Training For Women http://www.sooperarticles.com/health-fitness-articles/weight-loss-articles/5-popular-misconceptions-about-weight-training-women-983955.html#ixzz3recRu8GF

The beginners Break in routine

Hopefully by now everyone should know that for successful weight loss, and to keep it off, you need to train with weights

Many people are loath to start weight training for a variety of reasons. This is specially true of women who fear that as soon as they pick up dumbbells or any other type of weight they will somehow become massive muscled freaks with facial hair and deep voices! This is a shame as nothing could be further from the truth. The fact of the matter is that while cardiovascular training is good for weight loss it contributes next to zero for body composition, lean tissue, improved posture, muscular strength, preventing loss of bone density (osteoporosis also known as brittle bone disease). Weight training is the answer to many of these. 

Perhaps the best way to put it is that if you are pear shaped and you embark on a programme of exercise based solely around aerobic exercise you will just become a smaller pear! If you combine this with weight training you can sculpt and shape your body and you will go a long way to getting the body you want and the body that you deserve - a fit, healthy body that performs the way you want it to. A body that allows you to enjoy life and live it to the full.

That still leaves the question, however, of exactly where to start. There are so many programmes out there with a huge variety of options that it's easy to get overwhelmed with the sheer volume of information. however, as with most things in life, it is best to follow the KISS maxim (which stands for Keep It Simple Stupid). 

The best place is with a whole body programme. Why? Because our bodies are designed to work in unison, it involves all the major muscles, it gets them used to working with weights and it ramps up your overall metabolism. 

Before starting, however, seek the advice of your doctor or health care professional. I cannot stress this enough. Your health is the most important thing so get a check up or clearance first. The second thing is to have a professional exercise coach show you exactly how to perform the moves listed. You can watch as many videos on Youtube or follow other people in the gym (who may also be performing these exercises incorrectly!) but you need a certified professional to watch out for you and correct your form to eliminate injury and make sure you exercise in the correct manner!

During the break-in period you will work in sub-maximal fashion (i.e with less than full, all out intensity) every day for 5 consecutive days. This should take 20 to 30 minutes performing one set of a variety of exercises that work the major muscles. In this way you grow accustomed to the exercises and it will prevent you from suffering major soreness once you begin more intense training.

Start with a five to ten minute general warm up such a stationary cycle or treadmill. Just something gentle enough to get your heart rate up and your muscle limbered up. It should not be so intense that you are panting for breath! Leave the real work for the weights.

For all the exercises listed you should perform them once for 10 - 12 repetitions. Make sure your coach fine tunes your movements and corrects any slips in form. Perform each repetition in a nice smooth controlled manner with no heaving or jerking of the weight. On days 1 - 3 you will stop 3 repetitions short of failure (i.e where you are not able to complete another repetition). This will also allow you to fine tune your weights so that you know how much you are capable of handling. On day 4 you should stop 2 repetition short of failure and finally on day 5 stop at true muscular failure. This ensures that you have worked your muscle to it's full capacity so that it adapts and grows. There is no need to do any more.

The exercises are as follows (do them in the order listed)

• Squats - with a barbell or machine (works the majority of the leg and back)
• Leg curl (works the hamstrings - back of the leg)
• Calf raises (works the calf muscles)
• Rows - supported or bent over (works the major back muscles and biceps)
• Shrugs (works the trapezius and back muscles)
• Bench press - with dumbells, barbell or machine (works the chest muscles, front of shoulder and triceps which is the back of the arm muscles)
• Curls - with dumbells or barbell (works the biceps)
• Tricep pressdown (works the tricep muscles along the back of the arm)
• Crunches (works the abdominal muscles.

After this break-in period rest 4 to 5 days to let your body fully recover. After this resume training with such a routine no more than 3 days a week and pretty soon you will be on your way to the body you deserve!

Weight Training For Women - Get Big Time Benefits

Why isn't weight training for women more popular?

Some women fear they will build too much muscle and lose their feminine shape. This isn't true as women don't have enough testosterone to make that happen. Women who do engage in weight training are fitter, healthier and burn fat faster than those who rely on cardio classes alone. You will get multiple benefits from incorporating effective strength training into your daily fitness routine.

What other benefits can you get from weight training?

Lose Body Fat: Lifting weights three times a week over two months can burn three and half pounds of fat. As lean muscle mass increases so does your metabolic rate. After a workout your body continues to burn calories and fat for up to eight hours. For every pound of muscle you have you will burn an extra fifty calories a day without doing more exercise.

Improved Strength: Women gain strength from lifting weights but won't gain size like men do. You will have better muscle tone and greater definition in your arms and thigh areas. Studies have now proven that women who lift weights are thirty to fifty percent stronger than women who don't.

Decreased Risk Of Osteoporosis: Working with weights can increase the density of your bones. Lean muscle mass helps support and strengthen your bones as well. Women who are in the early stages of Osteoporosis can slow the effects of the bone disease and live a more active life for a longer period of time.

Change Your Shape: You can drop a dress size easily with weight training. As your lean muscle mass begins to build you will notice changes to all areas of your body. The most noticeable areas will be around your upper arms, the thigh area, your bottom and hips. You will feel better and may even need to purchase a whole new wardrobe.

Reduce Risk Of Heart Disease: Improve your cardiovascular health by working out with weights. It reduces bad cholesterol levels and increases good cholesterol levels. Weight training also lowers blood pressure and increases circulation.

Diabetes: Strength training burns up calories and excess sugar in the blood. New research shows individuals who train with weights are less likely to get diabetes. The body is able to metabolize the sugar and produce the right amount of insulin needed to maintain healthy glucose levels in the blood.

There you are ladies, several good reasons to begin weight training today. If you aren't sure where to start, call a personal trainer and find out what they recommend.

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