I think that nearly every female client who has done personal training to me has said “I want to tone up, but I don’t want to get big muscles”. I personally think this stops a lot of women doing any weights at all.
Here are the facts and women using weights:
It is extremely hard for women to get big muscles because they do not have the hormones like men. Men have testosterone in there bodies, which helps their muscles to grow, the average woman has only one tenth the amount of testosterone as a man.
To get big muscles you have to eat loads to feed the muscles so they can grow. Most women at the gym are trying to get slim, so they simply are not taking in the food to build up big muscles.
Take a look round the gym next time you are there and find a lady with a toned body. Keep an eye on her and I bet you she will go and do loads of resistance exercises and she will do them heavy.
If you see a woman with huge muscles she is probably on drugs. Don’t be scared by the big female Olympic weight lifters you see on TV, trust me they have all been on drugs at some point, your weight training will be completely different and tailored to your needs.
The toned body you want won’t appear over night, it will take persistent effort and regular workouts to achieve it. You won’t develop huge muscles over night. So when you get your body to the shape you want it you can just maintain it there and keep what you have, you’ll keep the level of tone you have as long as you carry on doing what you have been doing.
Most ladies find that they actually enjoy doing weights when they have tried it. Its more fun than cardio because you are constantly changing what you are doing, so less boredom, and you get a good buzz out of it when you have finished. My advice to women is this:
If you are looking to tone up try doing at least 30mins of non-stop weights 3-4 times a week.
Do the heaviest weight you can. If you cannot perform the exercise correctly then the weight is probably too big for you. Keep you technique perfect and choose the heaviest weight you can without jeopardising your technique.
The last few reps of any set should be hard to perform, if they are not then you need to put the weight up.
When doing weights your muscles should burn slightly.
As a general rule if you can’t feel you muscle working when you are lifting weights then the either your technique is wrong or the weight is not heavy enough.
Put as much effort into your weights as you do your cardio.
If you relate to what I am saying and feel you need help in this area why not book a personal training session with me to get you started the right way. I can explain to you how to apply these principles to your workouts and get you using them properly to benefit you.
To book a session or for comments and questions call or email me:
Email: pete@petegriggs.com. Phone: 07947 049889
Until next time keep training and keep Improving!
Please Read Disclaimer: The opinions expressed in the above articles are those of the authors and theirs alone. Information in the articles is not to be taken as medical advice, please consult you doctor before undertaking any type of exercise programme especially if you have any medical conditions.