More women have taken to strength training and building muscle to help them quickly lose fat and get a toned body. But what if you don’t want to go to the gym or if a membership is a little out of your budget? Fortunately, there are plenty of strength training workouts you can do by yourself with little to no need for any exercise equipment. So if you plan on getting stronger, leaner and healthier, try out these basic exercises to get your body into shape.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i0wxCYR7aps
Squats
Contents
The lower muscles of your body are going be working in this exercise. This includes the quadriceps, glutes, hamstrings and your posterior chain. Start with your feet a little over a shoulder width apart. Whenever you’re doing a squat, make sure that your knees are not going inwards or outwards, instead they should remain in neutral position as they go forward whenever you descend. Imagine you’re sitting back down on a chair while trying to keep your back straight. Start off with 2 sets of 20 reps.
Incline push-ups
Wherever you go, people will always say that push-ups will always be a staple of any strength training exercise. If you’re just starting out and find it difficult to do normal push-ups, start with inclined push-ups first. This is done by placing your hands on an elevated surface like a bench and proceed to do the normal motion for a push-up. The goal is to gradually strengthen your body so that you’ll be able to do normal pushups on a flat surface. To get some results try doing 3 sets of 10 reps.
Bench dips
The great thing about dips is that they can strengthen your arms and you can do them with any park bench or chair. Simply place your hands behind you on a bench with your knuckles facing forward. Have your legs extended forward and dip down until your arms are in a 90 degree angle. Don’t shrug your shoulders as you’re lowering yourself down since this might cause injury. Do 3 sets of 10 reps with these.
Aussie pull-ups
If you’re a complete beginner, being able to do your first pull-up can seem like an impossible feat. You should go with a less intense version and work your way up instead. Using an inverted row, go under the bar and position your body horizontally from the bar. From there, pull yourself towards the bar while squeezing your abs and glutes. Make sure you don’t bend your hips as you go back down. Only do 2 sets of 10 reps of these and increase the amount when you feel more comfortable with it.
Hip bridges
This exercise rounds out your training session by stabilizing your spine, hamstrings, and muscles in your inner thigh. To perform this, start lying on your back. Have your legs bent on a 45 degree angle and keep your arms to your side with your palms planted on the floor. Lift yourself up by extending your hips upwards. As you’re going up remember to squeeze your glutes and breathe out. Inhale and relax as you’re going back down. For beginners to this type of training do 3 sets of 10 reps.
Lying knee tucks
No training session is ever complete without a little ab work. Again, lie on your back with your legs just a few inches above the floor and your arms at your sides. For each repetition, tuck your legs closer to your chest and extend them out to finish the repetition. Unlike crunches, there’s little strain placed on your neck with knee tucks so there’s less risk of injuring yourself. Try to do 3 sets of 15 for this one.
Once you’re more comfortable with these exercises you can increase the intensity by adding more sets to your workout or by trying a more difficult version to some of these exercises. If you’re at a point where push-ups are not doing much for you anymore, try challenging yourself with clap push ups. Or if you’re getting bored of Aussie pull-ups, go vertical and do normal pull-ups. Always remember that proper technique beats out how many repetitions you complete so focus on doing it right to get the most out of your workouts.
Interested in learning more about women’s fitness tips? Feel free to give us a call.
What makes a woman strong?
What makes a woman strong? Both physically and mentally, exercise can play a big part in promoting strength; this benefit promotes health and fitness. Beyond this, exercise can help inspire a way of life and an approach to life, as well as impact your perspective and view of yourself. If you don’t already know, it’s time to look at how exercise gives women strength!
Perhaps the most obvious way exercise promotes strength is in terms of strength training and increasing muscle power. While many women do not want to bulk-up like a weightlifter and create extra size, they do want tone. Strength training builds that tone and is an important element in any exercise program. Not only can you strengthen bones but also strengthen your immune system and resistance to certain physical ailments. On top of this, by building up toned muscles you can burn more fat too. Beyond strength training, exercise inspires strength in other ways including:
Strength to perform longer
Exercise can boost your stamina levels, allowing your body to perform to its best ability and capacity. At the same time, the more you train, the longer you can keep going due to your increased endurance levels. As you progress you find the reserves of energy to keep on going, which could exceed your expectations.
Strength radiating from the core
Working on your core muscles is vital as it is from this strong center that so many other benefits are created. Resistance work can strengthen the core, which includes the muscles round the torso, as well as some of the muscles in the back, sides and upper legs. A strong core promotes stability and balance which in turn creates strong protection against injury. With greater flexibility and range of motion your functional movements improve making you feel capable and solid.
Strength of character
To exercise efficiently you need to employ discipline, commitment and dedication, along with respect, control and an understanding of what makes you tick. Keeping in shape can also transform who you are and what you value. By helping reduce stress levels, exercise can give you the space to connect with who you are and help pave the way for change that goes further than physical conditioning.
Strength to mentally overcome obstacles
Every journey has challenges and these stumbling blocks and obstacles can make reaching a destination feel even sweeter. When you reach a fitness plateau or are feeling the burn it is not just your body that needs to adjust but also your mind. Exercise helps strengthen your ability to face difficulties and mentally get past them. This strength may come through putting yourself through a tough exercise regime but it may also offer support in other areas of your life too that are non-fitness related.
Strength to stay motivated and focused
Along with character and mental resolve, exercise can also strengthen your focus and pep up your motivation levels. By continuing to exercise you are creating and reinforcing a healthy habit. This propels you to stay motivated beyond any initial flashes of inspiration which got you started in the first place.
Be a strong woman and look after your health by creating a lifestyle that you can own and be proud of.