Benefits of Strength Training For Women

Women often shy away from strength training because they are afraid of building huge muscle masses. Here you will learn the benefits of strength training for women. As with all other sports, there are some stubborn myths about strength training for women and men. The good news: This is not possible, because there is much less testosterone involved in women. Therefore, you build bigger, but leaner muscles during strength training. Even 30 minutes a week can make a big difference.

Not convinced yet? Then read on, because here you will also find inspiration for your training plan. We explain the best exercises for at home and the gym, which you can also do as a beginner and without any equipment!

When do you see the first successes?

First of all: When it comes to strength training, it cannot be universally determined when results become visible. Success always depends on how well the person is trained. Of course, the more muscles there are, the longer it will take to see progress. For beginners, however, the first results can be noticeable after just one or two weeks. There are two main factors influencing the efficiency of strength training.

Proper nutrition during strength training

To build muscle quickly, it depends on what is eaten at what time and to what extent. A protein-rich diet supports muscle building, and an adequate calorie intake gives enough energy. So be careful not to cut your calories too much. A rough guideline for a (main) meal is:

• 45 percent carbohydrates
• 30 percent of proteins
• 25 percent of fats

If you eat high-carbohydrates two to three hours before training and, for example, drink a protein shake after the strength session, you will create a good basis for your muscles.

Training frequency during strength training

As a beginner, it is worth doing half an hour of strength training two to three times a week. Over time, the duration and frequency of the training can then be increased.

However, it is always recommended to do endurance sports regularly on the other days of the week. If you are a beginner, for example, your training schedule may look like this:

Monday: 30 minutes of strength training

Tuesday: 20-30 minutes of jogging

Wednesday: 30 minutes of strength training

Thursday: break

Friday: 30 minutes of cycling

Saturday: 30 minutes of strength training

Sunday: break

You should definitely treat yourself to break days because the muscles need some rest in between. You also get better motivation and mental health.

Lose weight with strength training: how it works

Weight training is an unbeatable way to lose weight and define the body. Because the more muscles you have, the more fat you burn and the more calories you burn, even after your workout is over. If you are on a diet, you should definitely include weight training units, otherwise, you risk muscle loss through energy deprivation and have to reckon with the yo-yo effect after the diet.

It is a myth, by the way, that doing lots of lightweight reps works best for women. In fact, as a woman, you can definitely follow a man’s training plan. Don’t worry, you’re guaranteed not to look like a bodybuilder – these athletes often help with anabolic steroids.

So, the harder the training, the faster the muscles grow. But that doesn’t mean that you should basically lift the heaviest weights that the gym can handle for hours. You should be able to do all of your exercises cleanly until the last repetition.

If that gets too easy and you could easily keep going, it’s time to raise. Your training for getting started can look like this:

• 8-12 repetitions of an exercise
• 30-60 seconds break
• 2-4 sets per exercise

Strength training for women at home: training plan for beginners

You don’t need huge, expensive equipment for strength training in your own four walls. You can easily do the most important basic exercises such as squats or lunges without aids. These basic exercises are important in order to train individual muscle groups so that they complement each other.

But it’s not a bad idea to get a dumbbell set, an exercise ball, and a mat for strength training at home. This allows you to vary your exercises even better, not only work with your body weight but also stress your coordination and more muscle groups. For example, you can start with the following exercises:

Floor crunch:

When lying on your back, raise your legs at a right angle so that your shins are in the air parallel to the floor. With your arms outstretched, lift your shoulders off the floor and hold this position for 10-15 seconds. To make the exercise even more difficult, you can also pulsate slightly forward.

Leg press:

In the supine position, support the elbows to the rear. (Warning: shoulders and back should not drop!) You raise your legs, bend your knees and clamp the exercise ball in between. Now you keep pushing the ball together with your knees. This strains the thigh and abdominal muscles.

Elevated pushups:

You do normal pushups with tense abdominals, a straight back, and controlled lifting and lowering. The difference: your hands are not on the floor, but on a slightly higher level, such as a chair or a step. As a variation, you can also put your feet on the couch or a chair and do lowered push-ups.

Door opener:

You stand in front of an open door and embrace both handles. The door is between your feet so that it closes with your heels. Now you lean back until your arms are stretched out, then pull your upper body back towards the door until it touches your chest and then go back to the starting position.

This is just a small selection that you can or should vary depending on the fitness level and muscle group that you want to train. The most important thing is to not get bored or underwhelmed because it will give much effect with regular strength training and muscle building. No Cheating! When training at home, you should be particularly strict with yourself – if no one is watching, you tend to skip repetitions or not move as cleanly. But: no muscles without effort!

Strength training in the gym

In the studio, as a beginner, you have the advantage that you can have the professionals show you exactly how the exercises are best carried out. This applies both to devices and to exercises with free weights. It is best to start with basic exercises such as pull-ups and deadlifts. Here is a small selection of exercises:

Bicep curls:  The upper arm lies on a surface; you hold a dumbbell in your hand and move the forearm up and down in a controlled manner.

Bench press: Your back lies on the training bench, the weight is lifted up and lowered again.

Kickbacks: The leg is hooked into the loop of an expander, which serves as resistance. Then you pull your leg back in a controlled manner so that the band stretches.

Squats with barbell: The barbell bar lies on your shoulders; you bend your knees evenly and get up again.

The key to success here is the right dose. For reducing the overload on the muscle, your weights should always be heavy and the repetitions should be intense. Just get help from an employee if you are not sure.

Conclusion: Fit and slim with strength training for women

Forget the image of muscle-bound bodybuilders – it is more than unlikely that you will look like this after regular strength training. As a woman, you benefit from many types of continuous strength training. Here are the results at a glance:

• Muscle building and stronger fat burning as well as afterburning in resting phases
• Optimization of curves and proportions by tightening of the body
• Reduced cellulite because the muscles make the skin appear plumper and compensate for small dents
• Reduced risk of osteoporosis in old age due to stronger bones

Strength training is definitely worth trying if you want to lose weight or simply want to better define your body. In order for this to work, it is important not to start off so easily, but rather

• Adjust the diet
• Create a meaningful training plan
• Practice enough endurance sports.

The rule is: all exercises should be demanding, but it should never be too much. As a woman, this trio will only then guarantee you to benefit from strength training.

Last but not least: don’t go too far according to the numbers on the scales. Muscles weigh more, which means you’ll be heavier if you do weight training. However, these muscles are a good weight, so to speak, because they work for you by burning calories and making your body look more defined.