It's no secret that being physically fit offers significant health benefits, including help with weight management, disease prevention and improved mood. For women who want to become stronger or who are in training for bodybuilding competitions, building muscle is vital. By following a resistance training routine, women can build muscle, and gain strength, confidence and health benefits in the process.
Body Types
When setting your goal to build muscles, take into account your body type. DNA plays a part in how quickly and to what degree women can build muscles, according to the American Council on Exercise. Mesomorph body types tend to be muscular, endomorphs voluptuous and rounded and ectomorphs slim. Mesomorphs can usually build muscle quickly, so they may not have to do as many repetitions or use as much weight, according to ACE, whereas endomorphs may have to lose weight before they see muscle definition, and ectomorphs may not see a large increase in muscle mass with weight training.
Weight Lifting Tips
Weight lifting offers a flexible way to gain muscle and become stronger. Most women will experience a 20--40 percent increase in muscular strength after several months of resistance training, according to ACE. To build muscle, the basic rule of thumb is to lift heavier weights and do less repetitions. When increasing your weight amounts, be careful not to add too much weight too suddenly or you are more likely to be injured.
Getting Started Weight Lifting
When creating a weight lifting program, choose exercises that target all of your major muscle groups, including back, abdominals, arms, shoulders, legs and chest. The American College of Sports Medicine advises doing eight to 10 strength training exercises for eight to 12 repetitions twice a week for good health. You can alter the guidelines to build more muscle by doing five to eight reps of each exercise at a higher weight. If you want to increase your muscles as fast as possible, you might do weight training every other day, but it is important to allow the muscles to rest and rebuild a day between workouts.
Other Resistance Training
In addition to weight lifting, women can perform other types of resistance training to build strength and muscles. Exercises such as Pilates use your body weight and can increase muscle mass. Squats, push-ups, crunches, pull-ups and lunges are some other common weight-bearing exercises. Although all these exercises build strength, it is best to incorporate them into a weight lifting routine, as lifting heavy weights is what tends to build bigger muscles.
Warning
Consult your doctor before beginning a weight building program. If you are considering taking muscle-building supplements, talk to your doctor; some of these supplements may be ineffective and even dangerous. The President's Council on Physical Fitness and Sports reports that adding protein to your diet will not necessarily build muscle. Most Americans consume enough protein daily, which is about 68 to 102 grams of protein for a 150-pound person, according to the Council.
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