Strength Training Routine for beginners??

I am trying to add strength trainig to my cardio workouts however I am not familiar with which exercises are the best, etc. Does anyone have any suggestions on where I may be able to find an easy routine? Maybe one specifically designed for women??

Replies

  • thomassd1969
    thomassd1969 Posts: 564 Member
    I just bought the book, new rules for weight lifting for women, it makes a lot of sense. I am going to try it as soon as I finish the book.
  • GSCPostBaby
    GSCPostBaby Posts: 111 Member
    Decide how many days you want to strength train and then divide your body accordingly. Then experiment with different exercises and media til you find stuff you like.

    I strength train two days on, one day off, and so on. I work half my body each day so I'm working each part either two or three times per week depending on the week. I like variety so I do three exercises per muscle group, two sets per exercise. My days also alternate between free weights and resistance tubing, and I throw in an interval strength day intermittently to keep my body from falling into a slump. I like change and I get bored, you don't have to vary your's this much.

    Best of all, I do everything from home in my dining room with my husband. No gym memberships and no car rides and no waiting for machines.

    My days rotate like this:

    Day 1: Back, Biceps, Shoulders and Abs with Freeweights
    Day 2: Chest, Triceps, Legs and Abs with Bands
    Day 3: Active rest day (I usually go for walks)
    Day 4: Back, Biceps, Shoulders and Abs 12 10x50 sets with varied media
    Day 5: Chest, Triceps, Shoulders and Abs with Freeweights
    Day 6: Active rest day
    Day 7: Back, Biceps, Shoulders and Abs with Bands
    Day 8: Chest, Triceps, Legs and Abs 12 10x50 sets with varied media
    Day 9: Active rest day

    And then the cycle repeats.

    Here is the workout I'm doing today . . .

    Resistance Band Day

    Chest: Incline Press - 2 sets
    Incline Fly - 2 sets
    Standing Press - 2 sets

    Triceps: Overhead Extension - 2 sets
    Push Down - 2 sets
    Cross-Body Extension - 2 sets

    Legs: Squats - 2 sets
    supine Bridge - 2 sets
    Leg Extension - 2 sets

    Abs: Running Man Reach - 2 sets
    Ball Pass - 2 sets
    Russian Twist - 2 sets

    I warm up by walking briskly (sometimes just around the house) and cool down with stretching.


    Don't be afraid of bulking up. As a woman, you don't have the right hormones to do so without some serious effort (think competitive body building) so no need to worry there. Also remember that you may not see your results as well as you'd like until you lose the extra weight, so don't give up. Muscle burns fat and the more of that you have the more fat you'll burn.

    Some side notes . . . . the reason I do so few sets is because I do so many different exercises that basically hit the same muscle group in slightly different ways. If you want to stick to one or two exercises you'll want to do 3 or 4 sets. Also, there are many different muscles in the back and legs which require very different movements to work, keep this in mind when you're developing you workout for the day and try to make sure you're hitting as many as you can throughout the week. There are many different ways to split your body up into sets of zones. Some people like to do upper body one day and lower body the next, some do their whole arms one day and their chest and backs the next and their legs the next.

    Bottom line is, don't over do it on a daily or weekly basis. Your muscles need time to recover so they can grow stronger and tighter. If you work one part too much (This happens a lot with abs, you can't work you abs every day for an hour a day. You give your body no chance to rebuild the muscle you've torn down by exercising) or too frequently. Honestly, I'm probably pushing it by working mine four to five times per week, but I make sure that some days are lighter than others.

    Whatever you do, have fun with it and stick with it. Your body will transform and you'll love it.
  • mpizzle421
    mpizzle421 Posts: 80 Member
    I actually made a post outlining a supposedly effective beginning strength training routine earlier, looking for people on the site to partner with.

    Check out bodybuilding.com for good starting routines. Also, if you can't afford a trainer to show you good form, be SURE to check out the videos on that site. Form is everything.