What do we know about bodybuilding for women?
If you’re a woman and would like to slim down and tone up, then joining your local gym and taking a bodybuilding course is a good idea.
Getting a personal trainer who has experience with helping women, specifically, is also a smart move.
After all, no matter how equal men and women are in some areas, they are quite different when it comes to biology.
For example, women tend to accumulate fat deposits in different areas of the body and would want to target those parts more than a man would.
Basic BodyBuilding Tips for Women
Each woman has what she considers her ideal body shape. Hopefully, this image will be based on her own desires, and not those that are constantly thrust upon her by a male-dominated industry.
Set fitness goals that mean something to you and forget what anybody else says about it. There are a few things you should keep in mind to help you achieve these goals.
Above all else, your goals need to be realistic. They can still be big, but if they aren’t realistic to you, then you will have a hard time staying motivated because you won’t see the point.
For example, if you are a size 14 and want to get down to a size 4 in two weeks, then that’s unrealistic.
However, if you say you want to drop one full size every two months until you get down to a size 8, then that’s more realistic.
Furthermore, it’s specific and structured in such a way that you will achieve several mini-goals on your way to your main goal.
The next thing you need to do is decide what fitness means to you. Which bodybuilding technique for women you choose will depend largely on what you’re trying to achieve.
If you want to add muscle mass and bulk up, then you need to lift the heaviest or close to it like weights you can lift, but only for a few repetitions.
If you want toned muscles, then you can use lighter weights, but then you have to do a lot of repetitions. And that’s just one example.
Once you have your goals, you need to develop a plan that’s best for you personally. This can be tricky as there is so much information out there and a lot if it is contradictory.
The easiest solution is to hire a personal trainer. A trainer will be able to assess where you are, where you want to be and the best way for you to get there.
If a trainer won’t work for you, then your local gym is your next best option.
Ask to speak to someone about your fitness goals, then they can tell you which exercises are best for you, as well as which machines to use and how to use them.
There is more to bodybuilding tips for women than exercise. You also need to watch what you eat. A good rule of thumb is to eat foods that are as close to their natural state as possible.
Be sure to get enough sleep so you are ready to take on the day and to have enough energy for any exercising you’ll be doing. Stay motivated, and you’ll be happy with the results.
“But what if I stop working out and all of my muscle turns to fat?”
Believe it or not, this is a common concern amongst people who are not sure about working out.
But you can put your mind at ease as it’s physically impossible for muscle to turn into fat, or vice-versa.
It would be kind of like believing a piece of chicken could turn into ice cream if you let it sit long enough. When you’re working out, you tend to need more calories to fuel your body.
But if you keep eating the same amount of calories, and stop exercising, then your body isn’t burning off those extra calories and you’ll gain weight.
That being said, it is important for women to try to maintain a regular workout schedule. Once you reach a certain level, you may find it hard to lose more weight or get fitter.
This is commonly referred to as reaching a plateau. When this happens you can either push harder but be sure to consult with your trainer to get past it or you can go into maintenance mode where you exercise just enough to stay at your current level.
Even though you will be focused on bodybuilding, you still should do cardiovascular workouts as part of your routine.
Generally speaking, weight lifting will add tone and some muscle mass, while cardiovascular exercises will help you to lose weight and improve your overall health.
If anybody tells you that you have to give up one form of exercise for the other, don’t believe them; you can do both.
Bodybuilding women are not some sort of strange creatures that are meant to be ridiculed. They are simply average women who want to look their best and be healthy.
You don’t have to worry about looking like a man, but you can certainly feel great about looking your best.
What else do you know about bodybuilding for women?
Some women have never considered bodybuilding as a sport because they are simply concerned that if they weight train, they will end up losing their feminine figure, and instead appear big, bulky and masculine.
Many women seek to improve their fitness levels, partly for health reasons and partly for looks.
When it comes to looking more toned this is achieved by building muscle tone and making those muscles much leaner.
But how is this achieved for women?
We all know that women’s bodies are different to men’s in many ways so how we build muscle is also a little different.
Generally, muscle tone improves when the muscle fibers become larger, which is often the result of constant weight training.
A key aspect to remember is muscle can weigh more than fat so don’t be alarmed if the scale numbers increase.
Nothing could be further from the truth.Â
Women cannot naturally produce the amount of testosterone that men do.
It is impossible for women to increase their muscle size in the same ways that men do just by picking up a weight or two.
Without artificial substances, women won’t be able to get the same bulk as men do.
However, many of the same workout advice that we give to men apply to women as well. Eat 5-6 small meals per day, drink plenty of water, and get lots of rest.
The workouts are the same as well although some women may want to limit their reps initially until their strength is built up.
Many women struggle with excess fat and flabby muscle tone on their thighs and in their buttocks. Because women are naturally curvier than men, working these areas makes for a very flattering figure.
To work these areas, you will want to do a lot of dumbbell squats, leg curls, standing calf raises, and leg presses.
Add some lunges as well as dumbbell squat dead lifts as well for maximum effectiveness. You may want to invest in an exercise ball so that you can work your abs and make them tight and defined.
Change your workout every time you perform it and focus on one or two body parts each day you train.Â
By doing this, you are not over-exerting muscles without giving them time to heal.Â
Recovery is very important to the body’s muscles, so give them the time they need to heal and grow.
Many women live their lives by the numbers that they read on a scale.
When you are bodybuilding for fitness, this is an absolute mistake.
Don’t concentrate on what the scale says you weigh, focus on your size and tone.Â
This can be calculated in the form of inches or body fat percentage. You will probably not see a huge weight loss on the scale, but you should see an improvement in your overall body’s look after a period of time.
Here are some areas that women should really focus on in their bodybuilding routine:
Upper Back – Use pull-ups to build the muscles in your upper back which will accentuate your shoulders and make your waist look smaller.
Side Deltoids – Side laterals and overhead laterals will help tone these muscles making your shoulders more defined and, again, your waist look smaller.
Hips and Waist – These areas are mostly chiseled through diet by teaching the body to redistribute body fat.
It is the finishing signature to the rest of your body and will make your overall appearance look much more pleasant.
Quads – The front muscles in your upper thighs need to be worked so that they are toned and defined.
Doing lots of squats will help in this area and will complete your overall look. After all, what woman doesn’t want to have some killer legs!
Women are used to dieting and depriving themselves of food. When you are bodybuilding, however, the reality is that you need to actually eat more.
The key lies in the foods that you eat. Eat the right foods, and they will work for you instead of against you!
As a woman, you need to remember that you will not be able to build your muscle like men does.
However, your approach toward body building will be much the same. There are already many female bodybuilders who became successful in this field.
5 Tips for Women to Build Lean Muscle Tone
Here are the top 5 ways for women to build lean muscle tone and improve their overall appearance.
1. Increased repetitions when weight training
Weight training is the best way to improve muscle tone and to overall build lean muscles.
However, there is little benefit in rarely challenging yourself, as this does not provide enough of a challenge to the muscle fibers.
Each time you are weight training you need to increase the number of repetitions that you are doing to stretch the muscles further.
An ideal workout would be a sensible weight but at six to twelve repetition sessions. But, if you are looking for lean muscle the key aspect is to not go above this limit.
This is because you want to train your muscles for strength rather than stamina as it is the strength that gives you the lean muscle tone.
2. Eat more protein
We should all aim for a balanced diet, which includes a healthy amount of protein whether we are working out or not.
However, if you are looking to build lean muscle tone this becomes even more important.
Protein is essentially the building blocks for muscles, so quite simply, the more you have the bigger you can build your muscles.
Likewise, it is also filling and it can help you feel fuller for longer and reduce the cravings to snack between meals.
3. Reduce the amount of carbohydrates you eat
Carbohydrates are most commonly found in foods such as bread, pasta, and rice. Although they are also a necessary part of a healthy diet.
If you are trying to build lean muscle tone you want to reduce the amount of carbohydrates you are consuming.
This is not to say cut them out completely; they are still an essential part of a healthy diet. Carbohydrates help the body release insulin, which is needed for energy and to help with muscle repair.
4. Eat more vegetables
Again, vegetables are a key part of a healthy diet and should be eaten every day whether you are working out or not.
When you are trying to build lean muscle tone vegetables become even more important.
Vegetables generally contain very few calories and have a high thermic effect. This means they consume a lot of energy to eat, digest, and burn through again.
This helps with building muscle tone, particularly if they are eaten raw or just slightly cooked.
5. Minimize the amount of cardio you do
Weight training to gain muscle is a very different type of exercise to cardio workouts and achieves different aims.
If you are focusing on building lean muscle tone then you need to minimize the amount of cardio workouts you do.
The long distance running or cycling workouts are particularly the worst as they encourage muscle wastage.
Rather than eliminate all cardio workouts, you will help build muscle tone by including very short bursts of high-intensity runs or cycle workouts.
However, this is the absolute maximum cardio that you should do, as it will not help with building muscle.
Additional Reference:
The Female Training Bible: Everything You Need To Get The Sexy Body You Desire
Fitness 360 Programs: Women
http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/fitness-360-women.html
Women: 9 Steps To Building Beautiful Female Muscle
http://www.cutandjacked.com/9-Steps-To-Gain-Beautiful-Muscle-For-Women
How to Start Bodybuilding for Women
http://www.livestrong.com/article/351088-how-to-start-bodybuilding-for-women/
9 Reasons Why Women Should Not Train Like Men
http://bayesianbodybuilding.com/why-women-should-not-train-like-men/
The Top 3 Reasons Why Most Women Trying Bodybuilding Fail Before They Even Start
http://www.nobsbb.com/women-bodybuilding/
Women and Bodybuilding: Female Body Building Myths to Know About
http://www.askthetrainer.com/women-and-bodybuilding/
Female Training Exposed: Myths and Facts About Female Bodybuilding
http://www.directlyfitness.com/store/myths-facts-female-bodybuilding/
What’s the Difference? Women’s Bodybuilding, Figure and Bikini
http://www.ngaidaho.com/whats-the-difference-womens-bodybuilding-figure-and-bikini/
The History and Evolution of Women’s Bodybuilding
http://muscle-insider.com/features/history-evolution-womens-bodybuilding
Women’s Bodybuilding Training Fat Loss Tips
http://bodybuilding.about.com/od/womensfitnesstopics/a/womenfatloss.htm
Top 10 Misconceptions About Bodybuilding – Women Fitness
http://womenfitness.net/top10_misconception_bodybuild/
How Bodybuilding has changed women’s lives
10 of The Most Famous Women Bodybuilders
http://healthcommkey.org/10-of-the-most-famous-women-bodybuilders/
_
Nice post. I really minimize my cardio now that I do weights. They’re not good together.