4 things women tend to skip that can deliver results

Posts: 228 Member
edited September 2024 in Fitness and Exercise
Saw this article on yahoo and thought it was interesting.



Here are four things women tend to skip that can deliver serious results.

1. High-intensity training.

All that time coasting on the elliptical at a comfortable pace probably hasn’t done much for your body, says Panama-based trainer Belinda Benn, creator of the Breakthrough Physique home fitness system. In fact, the biggest mistake women make in their training is not exercising with enough intensity, she says.

High-intensity interval training, or HIIT, is typically a 10- to 20-minute workout that alternates short, intense bursts of activity with moderate-exertion recovery periods. “High-intensity interval training is the best way to improve your overall fitness, burn fat, and stimulate your hormones for a stronger body,” says Benn.

How to tell if you’re training hard enough? Look to your body for clues, Benn says. Good indicators are sweating, increased heart rate, and lactic acid production (i.e., feeling the “burn”) during exercise. Moderate muscle soreness for up to a few days post-workout is also a good sign. “If you feel nothing,” Benn says, “you probably didn’t work out hard enough.”

2. Heavier lifting.

For most women, a typical weight-training session equals light dumbbell exercises, says Toronto-based strength and conditioning specialist Craig Ballantyne, creator of the Turbulence Training Program. But doing fewer reps with more weight—say, 8 reps per set with a 15-pound dumbbell, instead of 15 reps with an 8-pound one—will burn more fat, he says. Lifting heavier will also increase your strength and muscle definition.

Start by swapping out your normal weights for slightly heavier ones, and gradually work your way up.

3. Upper body workouts.

Women tend to store body fat around the waist, hips, and thighs, so that’s where they typically focus their exercise efforts—neglecting their upper bodies, Benn says.

But you can’t spot-reduce fat, and sticking with what’s easy can stunt your progress, says Benn. Because you may feel weak while attempting pull-ups for the first time, Benn suggests doing the hard stuff at the start of your workout, “when you’re freshest and feeling mentally strong.”

“Focusing on underdeveloped muscles will improve the contours of your body,” Benn says.

4. Training with a barbell.

Think barbells are synonymous with back-breaking chest presses? Not so. “You can do a tremendous workout just with a barbell,” Benn says. “If you’re holding a bar rather than using two separate weights, it forces you to get your body in sync.”

Barbells are great for both upper- and lower-body exercises. Balancing one across your shoulders while doing squats, lunges, or walking lunges helps develop posture and balance, Benn says.

If you’re flirting with a barbell for the first time, go as light as you need to. Even 10 pounds is a good start.

Bonus tip:

If you’re worried you’ll bulk up with any of these exercises, consider your body type. Benn says women generally fall into two categories: those who build muscle easily, and those who don’t. If you build muscle easily, she suggests emphasizing high-intensity exercises. If you develop muscle slowly, you’ll benefit from spending more time on heavy lifting.

Chelsea Bush writes for AskFitnessCoach, a site that promotes a down-to-earth approach to fitness and weight loss.

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Replies

  • Posts: 159 Member
    thank you
  • Posts: 123 Member
    thanks for sharing..
  • Posts: 42 Member
    I read this on Yahoo this morning also, good info. I feel Im doing good on the weights but I know I need to step it up on the cardio.
  • Posts: 1,646 Member
    My husband is constantly telling me I need to do more lifting. heavy lifting.. but I don't like it. I would rather run on the treadmill or cilmb on the stairmaster... anyday
  • Posts: 2,521 Member
    This should be reposted every week.

    LIFT & SWEAT LADIES!!! DO IT!!!
  • Posts: 4,519 Member
    check
    check
    check
    and check
  • Posts: 799 Member
    Thanks for the tips...
  • Posts: 1,696 Member
    i go to pump class twice a week ( with bar bells) i love it , i have been increasing my weights! LOVE IT!
  • Posts: 1,438 Member
    Love this! Heavy weights keep making me lose inches. Don't fear muscles, ladies!
  • Posts: 213 Member
    I am dedicated to 1 and 3!!! Nothing better than the feeling of killing a HIIT or doing your first unassisted pull up! I lift often, but I have that body type that tends to "bulk up" with heavy lifting, so I restrict what muscle groups I lift heavy with.
  • Posts: 461 Member
    good to know i'm doing them all. thanks for sharing.
  • Posts: 537 Member
    bump!
  • Posts: 576 Member
    Thanks for posting this....Time to reassess my workout routines!! :indifferent:
  • Posts: 1,057
    bumping for later
  • BUMP !!
  • Posts: 926 Member
    GREAT article! Thanks for posting!
  • Posts: 1,658 Member
    Good to know.
  • Posts: 144 Member
    bump
  • Posts: 89 Member
    This article was really informative! Thanks!
  • Posts: 1,004 Member
    I will mix my half marathon with HIIT. This should help. I build muscle really easily and it make me look bigger as long as I hae fat over it
  • Posts: 621 Member
    thanks for postign this! very interesting :)
  • Posts: 64 Member
    this is great! i did 3 out of 4 this morning and know i'll pay for it tomorrow. in a GOOD way! it's worth the "i'm going to puke" feeling. :)
  • Posts: 3,329 Member
    6 months ago I couldn't lift a dumbbell above 10 pounds...now I'm doing deadlifts with 115 pounds (more than my weight!) and squats with 95 pounds...we did shoulder press today and I hit a high of 65 pounds...look better than I ever did, and I'm strong!! And I still only weigh 108 pounds, no bulk on me!

    PLEASE ladies, pick up those weights!! They will do you a world of good!
  • Posts: 1,083 Member
    check
    check
    check
    and check

    ditto.
  • Did someone copy my blog post? Cuz, I swear I just said that stuff a lttle while ago. LOL!
  • Posts: 876 Member
    Did someone copy my blog post? Cuz, I swear I just said that stuff a lttle while ago. LOL!

    LOL, yes you did and didnt it get deleted because it offended some!!! Crazy!!!!
  • Posts: 3,549 Member
    Looks interesting I'm going to read it later thanks for the info.
  • Posts: 1,549 Member
    I appreciate this info!! Will re-evaluate my workouts!
  • Thanks for sharing!
  • Posts: 55 Member
    Makes me glad I'm over 1/3 of my way through P90x! I actually think I haven't lost a single pound yet but I know my clothes fit better and I'm much stronger in all areas. While for me, I want the scale to go down, I know there is more than just that number. This morning was my 'Plyometrics' and I completed the whole thing, no adaptations! While that doesn't sound fabulous to some, I'm still in the 190s in weight (I think, I'm forbidden from the scale until the end) - and I'm working my butt off one way or another!!

    I'm glad to read this though. My husband has been telling me this for a while and I finally listened in January! :)

    Keep it up folks!!!!
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