Muscle Building for Women: Tricks and Tips

The physiology of the female body is designed to consist of between 24 and 26 percent muscle mass, compared to 40 percent or more for men. Despite the fact that women have less of a natural advantage in this respect, it's entirely possible for them to increase their muscle mass through exercise, nutrition, and weight training aimed at muscle building.
Muscle Building for Women: Tricks and Tips

Last update: 09 November, 2019

For women, muscle building can be something of a challenge, given that their capacity to carry muscle mass is less than that of men. However, it’s still possible. There are various tricks and tips that can help them achieve strong and toned muscles.

There are many reasons why a woman might want to build muscle. An interest in bodybuilding, wanting a more defined look, building strength, or simply because that’s what she wants. There is a stereotypical preconception that women can’t have defined muscles. However, nowadays many women are proving otherwise, demonstrating the depth of feminine power and drive.

For a long time, women have been underestimated in many areas of life. Over time, they have proven themselves capable of doing anything they set their minds to. Muscle building is well within a woman’s reach. Keep reading to learn how!

Muscle building for women

Not every woman is looking to lose weight. Some want to get in shape and enjoy a physical condition that allows for optimal daily performance. Increasing muscle mass is commonly linked to weightlifting. While weights do play a leading role is building muscle, there are other effective options available.

Woman working out with weights

To get a better understanding of the process, let’s divide the options into three categories: training, nutrition, and habits. This way, it will be much easier to know how to incorporate the tricks and tips into your routine.

Training

  • Work out regularly. Your muscles won’t grow if you exercise sporadically. You need to be consistent in order to properly develop your muscles, ligaments, and joints.
  • Don’t always do the same exercises. Repeating the same routine will only make the muscle fibers accustomed to the exertion. You need to do different exercises every day in order to properly work the muscles.
  • Lift weights. Do exercises with weights, and eventually start lifting. It’s important to note that if you’re new to weight training, start with light weights. You don’t want to exhaust your muscles.
  • Do cardio. In addition to strength exercises, it’s also important to include cardio work, given that cardio burns the fat surrounding the muscle. This way, you’ll enjoy better oxygenation and blood flow, and the muscle won’t be covered by as much fat.

Nutrition

  • Consume protein shakes before working out. Approximately an hour before starting exercise, you can have a protein shake. The amino acids in the proteins will stimulate the growth of the muscle fibers. You can make the shakes using protein powder, or opt for a healthier alternative using natural proteins.
  • Don’t pay too much attention to carbohydrates. Many people have the idea that muscle building requires the consumption of lots of carbohydrates. In reality, it’s not essential. Carbohydrates are responsible for producing glucose, which we later use as energy, but our bodies can produce glucose perfectly well using a normal amount of carbohydrates. Don’t overdo it: women are advised to consume about 7 ounces of carbohydrates per day. These can come in the form of sweet potatoes, potatoes, fruits, and grains, among other foods.
  • Creatine is a supplement associated with weight training. In women, it tends to have positive effects in terms of building strength and muscle mass. It also improves endurance and helps burn fat.
Woman with water bottle

Habits

  • Rest is fundamental to allowing the muscles to recover after exercise. Failure to get enough rest can even impede muscle growth.
  • Proper hydration is also an important factor in muscle building. Lack of hydration can cause muscle cramps that will affect you negatively.
  • Under no circumstances should you work out on an empty stomach. This will lead to you burning muscle, not fat. In addition, you run the risk of decompensation during your workout.

Women are amazing beings who can do anything they set out to do. Using these tricks and tips, muscle building will be easier and produce excellent results. So there’s no longer any excuse: use these recommendations to start building toned and firm muscles today!


This text is provided for informational purposes only and does not replace consultation with a professional. If in doubt, consult your specialist.