Women need strength training in their exercise programs to provide improvements that cardiovascular exercise alone cannot provide. Strength training can be an easy addition to any week. It does not have to be time-consuming or complicated. A simple series of exercises performed several times a week is sufficient to create health and fitness results.
Benefits
The benefits of strength training are numerous. Aside from enhancing your physical look, you will have additional health benefits that can prevent injury and illness. Strength training can increase your metabolic rate, which will help you to burn more calories. It helps to prevent osteoporosis and can reverse the affects of bone density loss. It increases lean muscle mass and reduces your risk of coronary heart disease. You will improve your balance with a proper strength training routine which can help prevent injury from falls. Plus, you will have better performance in your exercise routine and your life in general.
Program Design
There are several components to creating a proper strength training routine. Design a plan that fits into your daily schedule and is achievable for the long run. The Mayo Clinic states that two to three strength training sessions a week lasting just 20 to 30 minutes are sufficient for most people. Include exercises using muscles from all of the major muscles groups, including those in your core, arms and legs. Keep a record of your strength training routine. This will help you remember what you did the last time and is a great way to monitor progress.
Repetitions, Sets and Tempo
When designing your program, you need to consider how many times and the speed you need to perform each exercise. A repetition is one complete movement of a particular exercise. Aim to complete 10 to 15 repetitions of each exercise. A set is the number of repetitions placed into one group. Completing one to two sets of each exercise is appropriate. The tempo is the speed you use to raise and lower one exercise, such as the raising and lowering of a bicep curl. Use one count to raise the bicep curl, two counts to hold it at the raised moment and four counts to lower it.
Muscle Soreness
It is not uncommon for beginners to experience some muscle soreness when starting a weight training routine. You usually experience it about 24 to 72 hours after you have completed your workout. This muscle soreness will typically subside in about two to three days. Keep moving to help to make the soreness disappear more quickly. You can also try icing your sore muscles. If the pain is severe or lasts more than four days, you have likely lifted too much and need to back off on your weights for the next training session. If muscle soreness lasts more than seven days, consult with your physician.
Beginner Routines
When designing your strength training routine you need to work the largest muscles first and move progressively on to the smaller muscles. This prevents the smaller, supportive muscles from fatiguing before you work the larger muscles and helps to prevent injury. You can use a combination of body weight, dumbbells and resistance bands in your routine or stick with one mode for an entire workout. As a beginner, you need to start with a total body workout several times per week and wait for more complicated split body workouts such as upper body versus lower body until you have mastered basic weight training moves.
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