Fitness can be intimidating. Even small, mom-and-pop gyms
are usually full of weird-looking machines, equipment you don't know how to
use, and unapproachable sexy people lugging around milk cartons full of pink
water. Most of us new to the world of weights will walk into a gym feeling
immediately overwhelmed. There's so much going on it's difficult to even know
where to begin!
That's when the non-scary elliptical calls your name. Your
friendly neighborhood cardio machines have never failed you, so you jump on one
and start swooshing. And that's where you stay, silently watching other people
go about their awesome-looking workouts.
When you finally muster the courage to try some resistance
training, you'll likely head over to the machines. You'll choose an open one,
read the directions, and then try to copy whatever the model is doing in the
pictures. "WTF am I doing?" you may ask yourself as you go through
the motions. "Is this even right? I swear those directions don't make any
sense. Good God, I hope no one is watching me!"
After your bout with the machines, you think about making
your way to the dumbbell rack, but it's overrun with huge, muscle-bound guys
doing their best to out-bro each other. Besides, what the hell would you even
do once you had dumbbells in your hands?
After you leave the gym, you head home and start arguing
with yourself about your next meal: I just worked out, why should I ruin it by
eating? Maybe I'll just have some pasta...
And thus you struggle on with your fitness routine, never
quite making the progress you hope to make and always wondering what "the
secret" could be.
If any of this sounds familiar, you're in dire need of a
fitness overhaul! Thankfully, you've come to the right place. The "Female
Training Bible" offers everything you need to walk into the gym with
confidence so you can start building your happiest, strongest, best self.
Training: Weight Training For A Better Body
Many women worry that weight training will somehow transform
them into Hulk-ettes, so they spend hours doing cardio in order to maintain
their "feminine" figure. The truth is, women just don't have the
hormonal support to gain muscle mass like men. The hormone testosterone is
responsible for large increases in muscle mass. Women's testosterone levels are
a fraction of men's. That means you can bench press without concerning yourself
about how much chest hair you might grow.
There are women, typically professional bodybuilders, who
look masculine. It takes many, many years of dedication and a particular
lifestyle to achieve this sort of muscularity. Unless you have goals of
becoming the next star in female bodybuilding, you don't ever need to worry
about looking too masculine.
You're right about one thing, though: training with weights
will increase your lean muscle mass. That's a good thing! The more muscle you
have, the more calories your body will burn. The more calories you burn, the
leaner you'll get. Increased muscle mass will also add shape to your arms, take
inches from your tummy, and even add some roundness to your booty! When women's
magazines talk about "tone," they're really talking about strong
muscles.
Reach Your Fitness Goals Efficiently
Another problem women run into is that they just don't know
what they should be lifting or why. We hear and read things like
"split," "leg day," and "programming," but have
no context for those ideas or how they apply to us.
All those fancy words refer to one thing: the routine you'll
use to achieve your fitness goals. To get the best results from lifting, it's
important to lift with purpose and direction. You can't wander from machine to
machine without first establishing which exercises and which amount of sets and
reps will best help you achieve your goals.
If you're not sure how to reach your goals most efficiently,
try one of our awesome trainers. It's like having a personal trainer, except
you don't have to pay for one. We've done all the prep for you—all you have to
do is follow along!
Curve Appeal: Your 12-Week Weight Training Program
This program is meant to improve your strength, muscle size,
and conditioning simultaneously. Each four-week block will build upon the
strength and skill you learn from the previous four weeks.
The general format for every workout is as
follows:
1.
Warm-up: Each of your workouts should include a
warm-up that will activate your muscles, prepare your central nervous system
for the workout, and increase your blood flow to your muscles. It's also a
great idea to do foam rolling before each workout. For leg workouts, roll the
quads, hamstrings, IT band, piriformis, and calves. For upper-body workouts,
roll the shoulder, chest, triceps, and biceps.
For more info visit www.bodybuilding.com
Written by Cassie Smith
Cassie Smith is a senior editor for Bodybuilding.com. After
her tenure as a college soccer player, Cassie found a competitive outlet in
CrossFit. In July of 2015, she competed as a member of the Verdant CrossFit team
at the CrossFit Games. Cassie is also a national-level weightlifter and a USA
Weightlifting sports performance coach.
Before she came to Bodybuilding.com, Cassie was an adjunct
professor in the Boise State University English department, where she enjoyed
teaching composition and literature. Now Cassie's biggest passion is helping
women find confidence, happiness, and health through fitness.
