Vallice Ford
B.S., M.S.
USAW&NESTA
Weight Training 101 For Ladies:
Let me start by saying that Ladies you will not get “bulky” from lifting weights. The main reason is due to the result of your body not producing enough Testerone naturally like males on the other hand. So do not be afraid to lift heavy weights and drop the cute and colorful 5lb weights. Now some of you may be wondering about the pictures you see of women that are Bodybuilders and how muscular they are. Now speaking from my new experience of being a NPC Physique competitor as well as a former collegiate athlete these women have to do a few things in order to achieve this look. They may be consuming extra or outside sources of Testerone or Protein and also may have a very low body fat percentage, which will make anyone male or female look more muscular.
Also, keep in mind that your workouts should be conducive to your goal. If your goal is to drop inches and body fat then you may not follow the same Weight Training regimen as a serious Female competitor will follow. When lifting weights keep in mind that your body will not adapt to loads, demands, stress placed on it unless you lift heavy weights. Now I’m not saying to grab the heaviest weight on your first gym session. What I am saying is that each workout should be a progression to working towards a heavier workload.
Another thing I would like to mention for the ladies is that there is no such thing is “Spot Reduction” exercises unless you have a very low body fat percentage. For example, just look at your body as an Orange or Banana, you can’t eat either one of these fruits until you peel away the outer layers. Your body is the same way. So for the ladies that are overweight, spending your entire gym time doing crunches on machines or seated Hip Adduction/Abduction exercises you are not getting the most benefit from your gym time. I would highly suggest performing exercises that involve more than one body part (i.e. Squat, Deadlift, KB Swings). These exercises are full body and are more efficient and will burn more calories. When in doubt, just ask someone if a Trainer is not financially feasible for you. If you do decide to use a Trainer, please make sure they are experienced and credible and not just a Social Media/Celebrity trainer with a few workout videos posted.