Strength training offers some specific benefits to women in addition to enhanced muscle tone and shape. Adding a small amount of muscle can help with weight management by raising a woman's metabolic rate, which is the number of calories she burns on a daily basis. Extra muscle also increases bone mass, reducing a woman's likelihood of developing osteoporosis. You can choose a wide variety of exercises to enhance your figure, depending on what equipment you have available.
Lower-Body Exercises
For many women, toning up the lower body is a priority, and many exercises are available to work this area of the body. The best exercises are the ones that work the legs and hips together for maximum efficiency and functional carryover while burning plenty of calories at the same time.
Performed with a barbell on your shoulders, dumbbells in your hands or just with your body weight, squats are a very effective exercise for all of the muscles in the legs. Squats are also very functional as they mimic a large number of everyday movements, such as getting out of your car or sitting on a chair, and really target the common problem areas of the thighs and butt.
Like squats, lunges can be performed with or without added weight, and because they involve a split-leg stance, they also challenge balance and coordination. There are a variety of lunges for you to choose from, including forward, reverse and traveling--all of which are effective butt blasters. Lunges work the thighs and butt and also the inner thighs, a common area of concern for many women.
Dead lifts are especially effective for working the hamstrings at the rear of the thighs and the butt. Dead lifts are an excellent exercise that can be performed with a barbell or dumbbells. Performing dead lifts can also put emphasis on the butt by performing them with stiff legs. In addition, this exercise teaches how to safely lift objects from the floor, which is important, especially when lifting or playing with children or performing your daily chores.
Upper-Body Exercises
Although the lower body may be many women's training focus, the upper body is a close second. If you wear sleeveless tops or dresses, toned and shapely arms can really enhance your appearance. The combination of the dumbbell curl and press is a very efficient solution for developing these areas. You can perform this exercise sitting on an exercise bench or standing, which will also challenge your core muscles.
Triceps kickbacks are an effective exercise that target the backs of the upper arms, which is an area of concern for many female exercisers. Triceps kickbacks can be performed with a single dumbbell, pulleys or even rubber exercise bands, making this exercise not only effective but convenient too.
Push-ups can really enhance your bust line and tone the backs of your upper arms without building big unsightly muscles. Push-ups also challenge your core muscles and are a convenient and effective exercise that can be modified to suit almost any fitness level, from beginner to Olympian. Performed using no exercise equipment and a minimum of space, push-ups are an ideal home exercise.
Repetitions
To get the most from these exercises, perform two to three sets of 12 to 20 repetitions three times a week, allowing 60 seconds rest between sets. Adjust the weight so that the last couple of repetitions are challenging.
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