Resistance training for women
Personal trainer and fitness blogger Alexis Fletcher is back once again with more quirky insights into the world of health and fitness. Welcome to PhysioRoom.com’s guide to resistance training for women.
Many female clients come to me looking for a toned summer body look. But mention strength or resistance and they cower into the shadows – somewhere behind the bench press. And understandably so; social norms and common fitness ideals have all but ruined the concept of female resistance training. After all, when most think of strength training or weightlifting the connotations usually denote imagery normally attributed to such behemoths like that bloke from Austria or that infamous documentary by Louis Theroux .
Somewhere along the lines, the imagery has been skewed. Ladies, I’m going to let you in on a filthy secret; to get that toned hard body look of your dreams, you’re going to have to pump some iron and, guess what? You’re not going to end up at 250lbs with biceps the size of tree trunks. Not unless you want to anyway.
In contrast to popular opinion, simply lifting weights isn’t enough to look like Lou Ferrigno or his female counterpart. If it was, there would be far more gym rats looking like something out of the Mr Muscle adverts on peacock parades around the gym floor. Like most themes in the world of health and fitness, something can be learned from the bodybuilders of old. We’re not talking testosterone and super-set deadlifts here, we’re talking about resistance.
Resistance training has stepped into the 21st century, making its way on to the football field and the female workout regime. Items such as resistance bands and suspension trainers alongside the traditional barbells of old are helping women of all shapes and sizes firm up their flabby bits and get that summer look.
Check out our top tips below to streamline your figure and fast track your fitness this summer!
Resistance bands
Resistance bands allow you to train various body parts using the weight of the body and traction resistance to create a solid force with which to train your muscles. With a few different types to choose from, these handy pieces of kit are lightweight enough to chuck in your Mulberry and use just about anywhere! Each colour band denotes a different strength gradient from light to heavy making resistance training easier than ever. Colour coded and suitable for use around the gym, home or even office (on lunch break) the specified resistance bands will help increase strength, improve flexibility and and exercise the muscles of core all at the same time. Resistance is certainly not futile with these handy bits of kit.
Try these killer moves for an awesome full body workout:
Perform each exercise one after the other with no rest. Repeat 3 times with 1 minute rest in between sets.
Leg Press
Start by sitting on the floor and hooking the band around the foot. Lay down and wrap the band around your triceps, holding the handles at your collarbone. Raising the foot with the band, slightly and slowly allow the leg to bend to a right angle, then press forward against the band for one rep without locking your knee. Perform 12 reps on each leg.
Leg Press
Stepping on the middle of the band with one foot, hold the handles in the front of your shoulders. Press the handles straight up overhead and slowly lower arms back to shoulder height. Perform 12 reps.
Bicep Curl
Standing on the band with feet a foot width apart, hold the handles at tension in a bicep curl. Use the tension created by the band to perform a single arm bicep curl. Perform 12 steps on each side.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bcE0DAPbqLU
Band Squat
Using a loop band or tying a normal band round your legs above the knee, perform a simple squat with the band round legs to resist against. Perform 12 deep squats and burn baby burn.
For the remaining exercises wrap the band around a stable anchor like a stair post or pole outdoors…..
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7-5lXnY-IEc
Lunge Press
Facing away from the anchor point, feet together holding the band at each end. Bend elbows out to the sides, palms facing down and step forward with one foot into lunge position. Press arms in front of you controlling as you bring them back. Perform 6 reps on each leg whilst holding lunge.
Air Row
With the band just above waist height face the anchor point and hold handles with arms straight out. Lower down into squat position and, holding this position, pull one arm back so it brushes your side. Resist the band as you straighten the arm back out, not letting the torso twist to the side. Perform 12 reps on each arm whilst holding the squat
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x3LNu_GcgDc
Oblique Mix
Holding both handles stand sideways to the anchor point. Fully extend the arms in front of you by slowly moving the arms in a circular motion away from anchor. Stir it up! Perform 12 reps and repeat on other side.
PhysioRoom.com stock a great range of resistance bands such as the PhysioRoom.com Exercise Loop and the Four Pack Resistance band. Join me next time when we talk about suspension training and the benefits of using body weight for that much sought after toned look!