Body-Toning Workouts with Weights for Women
Fat naturally accumulates in certain areas on a woman’s body, balancing out the figure. But, it never hurts to give nature a helping hand and work out with weights.
Some people think that only guys can use weights, or that the women who do will end up with huge muscles, but it’s simply not true. Try out different types of workouts and ask your trainer to set you up with the right weights for your body.
Weight training has been around since Ancient Greece. It’s come a long way since then and now, you can find different kinds of weights and workouts. Additionally, working out with weights offers incredible benefits for your health and physical shape.
Why should you use weights?
Sure, men and women are different but that doesn’t mean that women can’t weight train as men do. Women just have different hormonal processes than men, which translates into less muscular results.
Think of a woman’s body as a crude diamond. In other words, it has potential but needs to undergo some training first. Women might have a great figure but working out with weights will help them nail a fit body that’ll make them feel great.
So, why should you work out with weights? It’s simple: workouts that use weights have great health benefits in a short amount of time:
- Fat burning.
- Tones.
- Bone, ligament and joint strengthening.
- Less risk of heart attacks.
- Speeds up metabolism.
Weights come in many varieties. You can try kettlebells (if you’ve never used them before, we recommend starting at 4 or 6 pounds), ankle weights, or even filling water bottles with sand to use them as temporary weights.
Before we dive into our weight workouts for women, keep the following in mind:
- Eat well: include enough protein and vegetables in your diet. Your body will need the energy for workouts and by eating well, you won’t feel drained or tired for the rest of the day.
- Warm up before working out: get your muscles ready before lifting. Preparing your muscles will prevent cramps, injuries, and soreness.
- Do some cardio: get cardio in your routine at least two times a week. Cardio workouts will oxygenate your muscles. Try HIIT or LISS workouts.
- Stretch after working out: stretch your muscles out well to loosen them up.
- Get enough rest: your muscles repair themselves when they rest. Let your body rest sufficiently.
Workouts with weights for women
Now, let’s move on to weight workouts. Aim to weight train two to three times a week (do cardio on the other days and always remember to leave a full day for rest) and make it count!
Goblet squat
The first workout on our list is a classic Crossfit exercise. Do a goblet squat by holding your weight firmly at chest-height and do a squat. Don’t funnel your energy into your shoulders. Instead, direct it into your legs, abs and, of course, your arms to maintain the weight steadily.
Do 5 sets of 12 reps. Try to avoid mistakes that could lead to injuries or inefficiency. Check out this link to see what to avoid when you do squats.
Dumbbell shoulder press
While standing, hold a dumbbell in each hand and bend your elbows (the dumbbells should be at shoulder-level and your elbows should be pointing downwards). Lift with your arms while making sure you keep your shoulders down the whole time. Return to the starting position and repeat with your other arm. Do 3 sets of 20 reps.
Deadlifting
Fit the weights on each end and stand behind the bar. Lower yourself as if you’re going to do a squat, bend your needs to get close to the floor and keep your back straight. Grab the deadlift bar and stand, returning to the starting position. As you lift, make sure you keep your heels planted on the floor. Do 2 sets of 15 repetitions.
Side bends with weights
Stand up straight and hold a dumbbell with your right hand. Bring your left hand up to your head, touching your forehead with your fingers. Bend your torso to the right and return to the starting position; this is one rep. Do 3 sets of 15 reps. This workout will work on your abs and waist.
Sit-ups with weights
Lay down on the floor and bend your knees. This workout is similar to a traditional sit-up. However, instead of placing your hands behind your head, use them to hold a weight at chest-level. Do 3 sets of 10 sit-ups.
These are our five weight workouts for women that’ll tone glutes, legs, and abs. They’ll also score you a better figure and strengthen your muscles. Don’t go overboard with weights. Muscles need pauses to oxygenate and rest. So, you have the workouts, now it’s time to get toning!