Weightlifting for Women

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krevill
krevill Posts: 65 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
I want to add more exercise with weights into my gym routine and I would be grateful of some advice on which exercises to do.

From previous posts it seems squats and lunges are very effective but unfortunately due to a dodgy knee I am unable to do lunges.

I would be grateful for ideas of other exercises I could incorporate into my routine.

Replies

  • Mixmode
    Mixmode Posts: 332
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    Depends on what areas YOU want to sculpt.

    Pushups or bench presses are always a help for women wanting some extra ''lift' in the pectoral area. :wink:

    I have a bad knee so I don't squat or lunge well but I love to do the leg press.
  • krevill
    krevill Posts: 65 Member
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    Thanks for your response, think the exercises will be helpful
  • Mixmode
    Mixmode Posts: 332
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    Suprised no one else has answered.

    Everybody part is worth working out. It just depeneds on your own attributes. If you have strong legs theres no need to work them if you have thin or flabby arms I would focus on those. If you google "arm-shoulder-calf" exercises you will get plenty of examples. Also look at yourself in the mirror and take note of the areas you want to target then do the research. good luck
  • seekingstrengthX2
    seekingstrengthX2 Posts: 771
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    I would suggest meeting with a personal trainer a few times. Most places offer a few introductory sessions for a reduced price, or your gym may have some. I never used to do strength training and it has had a HUGE impact on my weight loss goals. I don't know enough about it to give you specific exercises to do, but a trainer could get you on the right track!
  • sammys1girly
    sammys1girly Posts: 1,045 Member
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    I try to focus on legs/glutes two days a week and arms/abs two days. I bench press and use different weight machines at the gym, but also do some dvd's with focus on strength training. Gotta love Butt Bible...it's a workout!
  • Rae6503
    Rae6503 Posts: 6,294 Member
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    I always suggest the book New Rules of Weight Lifting for Women to newbies. It's a great book really, and a great program. If your knees are wonky, start with low weight (maybe just body weight) and do rear step lunges instead of front. As you build the strength of the muscles around the joints the joints themselves will start to feel better. But maybe clear it with a doctor first.
  • ravensfan1
    ravensfan1 Posts: 78 Member
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    I also have bad knees. I don't go to the gym but I do some weight lifting exercises I got online. You can search weightlifting for women and see what hits you get..good luck
  • fraiseroja
    fraiseroja Posts: 215 Member
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    See if your gym has a weight lifting class. I do pump at golds and it's good. Also going to magazine websites like shape and health they often have how to videos and different exercises. When I do weights on my own I always pick three weight exercises and do a set of ten, switch to the next thing do a set of ten, then the last exercise and then repeat so you do three sets. Then i Pick Three more and so on. This can up your calorie burn while lifting. Good luck!
  • myboysmomx2
    myboysmomx2 Posts: 505 Member
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    I highly recommend "The New Rules of Lifting for Women: Lift Like a Man, Look Like a Goddess" by Lou Schuler (NROL4W). There is also a NROL4W support group on MFP. I've joined the MFP support group here, I joined Lou's Facebook page and group there, and I just added The New Rules of Lifting video channel to my blog. You can view my blog here: http://transformingabetterme.blogspot.com/ The videos are on the right hand side not too far from the top if you scroll down a little bit. I'm so excited that Lou has written a book for women who want to lift weight and he does it in a way that's starts us out correctly without any confusion. I have a friend on MFP who has been doing NROL4W for two weeks now, and she's already lost 2% body fat. YAY!!!!!! If you join Lou's Facebook page, you can ask him questions about the program and he's very good about answering them. Now how's that for personal training and help from the author himself???? I love it! Have a great day and enjoy lifting!
  • krevill
    krevill Posts: 65 Member
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    Thanks for all your advice, I have asked one of the trainers at the gym to go over a few exercises with me :smile:
  • HeidiMightyRawr
    HeidiMightyRawr Posts: 3,343 Member
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    The types of exercises I do:

    Squats
    Deadlift
    Leg press
    Bench Press
    Chest flyes
    Overhead press
    Bicep curls
    Assisted tricep dips
    Tricep pushdowns
    Lat pull down
    Assisted pull ups
    Reverse pec dec
    Bent over rows

    You can get the general idea of each exercise online / youtube etc but a few it might be good to have a trainer show you if your a complete beginner with them. Go light if anything's giving your knee's trouble, it should grow accustomed over time but if it's a persistent thing, maybe ask your doctor what would be best for lower body.

    As Rae6503 said as well: New rules of lifting for women. I've heard great things about that book and plenty of my MFPals use it :)

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