Women, tell me your weight lifting routine.

WARNING: VERY LONG POST

I created this for a few other people on here that are also new to weight lifting. Hope it helps. Please excuse any typo's.

Weight lifting routine for a new lifter

My suggestion is to do three sets of three different exercises per muscle group. I will arrange them in this fashion for you here.

• Each set should contain anywhere from 10-12 reps with the last three reps being fairly difficult to complete.
• If you don’t struggle to complete the last three reps then you need to consider going up in weight.
• Always make sure that FORM COMES FIRST. If you are struggling to keep your form correct during your set then you need to lower the weight.
• While you are doing each exercise, keep in mind which muscle you are exercising. Always focus your energy on that muscle and contracting that muscle. Too many people think they can just go through the motion of moving the weight around without paying attention to which muscle they are using to move it.
• I highly recommend using Google to search for the proper form for each of these exercises as I will be unable to explain the form to you well enough through text.
• Always remember while doing exercises where you are standing you need to keep your knees soft. NEVER lock your knees. Especially while doing squats as this puts a lots of extra pressure on them.
• While using machines, do not let the weight “clap” during every rep. If you let the weights meet that means your letting your muscles go to rest between sets.
• Always try to use a 2 count. Two counts in one direction, two counts in the other. Example: For a bicep curl, curl it up for 2, lower the weight for two. Do not every swing weights. Always keep them under control.
• Always inhale on the easy part of the lift and exhale on the hard part. Paying attention to breathing also helps you not do the move too fast. If you do it too fast you'll breath too fast and hyperventilate. Don't do that (haha).

Three day a week workout:

Day 1: Chest, Shoulders, Triceps

Chest:
1. Bench Press
2. Dumbbell Press (Can substitute seated fly machine if your gym has one)
3. Incline Dumbbell Press

Shoulders:
1. Standing overhead dumbbell press
2. Arnold’s (Google this. Seated dumbbell press but when you bring them down you twist them to face you in front of your chest)
3. Straight arm in and out fly (you’ll lose pretty light weight on these. I only use 5 lb. dumbbells)

Triceps:
1. Kickbacks (one arm at a time or two, either way, just Google correct form)
2. Overhead tricep extension (hold one dumbbell with both hands)
3. Tricep push downs (if you have cables in your gym, otherwise you could do dumbbell or barbell skull crushers)

Day 2: Legs

1. Squats (You can do these with the barbell or dumbbells with DON’T lock your legs out at the top and try to get your thighs parallel to the floor every time!)
2. Walking Lunges (Holding dumbbells, keeping both legs at around 90 degrees when you take a step, and push off with your back leg to work your glutes more. Also, don’t step your feet together between steps, just take long strides into the lunge each time)
3. Leg extension machine (do not swing the weight up as you do this, make it a two count up and a two count down)
4. Leg curl machine (Don’t swing the weight or kick yourself in the butt)
5. Standing calf raises (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kQxv2AkNHcE uses this youtube video as a guide for the form, but don’t lock your legs like this guy does. But for this exercise you should do 15 slow, 10 fast for each direction (toes out, forward, and in)

Day 3: Back and Biceps

Back:
1. Lat pull downs (lats are those “wings” that men get when they’re really big, google it so you know which muscle you’re concentrating on)
2. Seated row (don’t lock your knees!)
3. Bent over barbell row (definitely google for form)
4. Back extension

Biceps:
1. Alternating bicep curls (elbows stay glued to your side, your arms only move from the elbows down, only bring your arm up a little past parallel to the floor)
2. Concentration curls
3. Static Arm Curls (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EF5L3bkDPak Here is a youtube video to use to understand WHAT you’re doing but DO NOT have the bad form this girl does. She is swinging her body, using her shoulders A LOT and going WAY TOO FAST. So this is an example of how to perform the exercise, albeit badly)


If you only lift weights two days a week then just combine Legs with Back and Biceps.

This is a lot of information but I hope it helps!!! Please let me know if you have questions about ANY of these exercises and I can go into more detail.

Stronglifts is a simple but effective routine for beginners

http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/560459-stronglifts-5x5-summary