Most woman think that weight training will make them looks like a big shouldered muscled man. This is largely a big misconception. For woman it is difficult to build muscle mass. So this worry should really not be weighing on the decision. Women are simply not built to be muscular. Because women have lower testosterone the muscle production process is lower.
As the word implies weight training is exercising with weights. The goal with weight training is to activate an explicit muscle group for each exercise to train that specific muscle group. These weights do not have to be half a ton in weight. Weight training can be any weight. The weight’s scale depends on the individuals strength and stamina. Typically if increasing stamina and core strength then it is best to do many repetition with low weight. If you are looking to increase muscle size/mass then heavier weights with less repetitions is best.
A very typical beginner is always prone to go heavier than they should with more repetitions than they should with little to no intervals in between the sets. This can often lead to injuries and absolute muscle agony with too steep an incline in difficulty. So when starting workouts with weights it is absolutely imperative to understand that you MUST pace yourself and assure you do not use too heavy weights.
Advantages
- Great for toning and shaping your body
- Good for specifically targeting a muscle group
- Low equipment requirements
- Can be done anywhere
- Great utility in life due to knowledge gain in lifting correctly
- Good for burning carbs
- 2-3 Days recovery time – train less often
Disadvantages
- Relies heavily on technique
- Injuries can be severe
- Beginners prone to over exert weight use
- Beginners advised to have personal trainer for guidance
Technique
Technique is another aspect which is critical to how well your weight training will go. There are many ways to life a weight – overburdening your body in a wrong way can create injuries or worsen existing past injuries. If you are not activating the correct muscles with correct posture you will likely not activate the muscle you wish to train. In this case you are burning energy but with the wrong muscle groups and you will see little to no effect where you want it to show.
Having a personal trainer that can guide your technique and body posture is one of the most important aspects in assuring maximum results.
Trow your fear aside and start your first weight training work out.
Typical Equipment
- Dumbbells
- Kettle-bells
- Bar with weights
- Sandbags (attached to ankles or writs)
- Medicine ball (weighted big ball)
Having the right equipment is not always important. Weight training can be done with almost anything. In the home you can use everything from a jug of milk to a heavy washing machine detergent box or heavy book. So be creative and do not feel restricted just because you do not look like a pro in the gym – it will have same effect provided your technique is good.