For me and the majority of my friends, braving the weight room at the student rec center is a daunting task. From time to time we will go in there and do ab work on the mats and maybe lift some dumbbells, but braving the weight room machines is a different story. There are so many mysterious machines and intimidating heavy lifters that we usually stick to the cardio room and the upstairs track.
My friend and I decided to get over this ridiculous fear of the weight room and its intimidating machines, and signed up for a women’s weight training class this term. While I’m definitely no expert on the subject, I thought I would share a few of the tips I have learned thus far.
First, I want to start by addressing a myth that left my heart pounding and pulse racing. After our first week of weight training, my friend and I were feeling pretty great because we had managed to, well… survive, and we had worked hard and already felt that it was paying off. And by paying off I mean that we were incredibly sore! Anyway, we were talking with one of our guy friends about the weight we had squatted that week, and then the fear set in. Apparently there is a myth out there that the more weight women use and the less repetitions they do, the more it results in getting bulkier rather than leaner. According to the myth, women are supposed to use less weight and do more repetitions.
Terrified that I would end up looking like the Incredible Hulk (the female version) if I squatted, lunged, or lifted anything over 10 pounds, I rushed up to our trainer during our next class and questioned her about this supposed “bulky” possibility. She quickly reassured me that this is, in fact, a myth. She went on to explain that the more weight and repetitions you add, the higher your metabolic rate is, and the more you see a leaner, more toned body with less body fat. Of course, this doesn’t mean you should go around lifting 80 pounds, but you get the gist of it. Sounds promising to me!
A couple more take-aways I have learned thus far (mind you, it is only the second week of training) are:
- You should start with working out your bigger muscles first and end with the smaller ones. For example, start by working out your legs with squats, and then moving on to lunges, arms, and ending with abdominal work.
- When adding weights to squatting or lunges, there are two options, both of which work well. Your two options are (1) grabbing a weighted bar or (2) a pair of dumbbells. Be sure to choose a weight you are comfortable with. I personally think the bar is better for squats, and dumbbells are better for lunges.
- Just because the bench press is a bit intimidating, doesn’t mean you shouldn’t give it a try! If you’re really nervous, start out with a light weight – 25 or 30 lbs – and then (if you want) add more weight (slowly!!!) as you get stronger.
- When you are just beginning weight training, start with 2 sets of 10 repetitions and add more sets when you feel comfortable doing so.
- Lastly, I strongly encourage you work out with a friend. Not only is it more fun, but you also need a spotter for some of the more heavy lifting exercises – such as squatting and using the bench press. So grab a friend and go brave the weight room together! I promise you will not be disappointed.
*One of the most important tips to keep in mind is to never overwork yourself. You never want to overwork one muscle group, while ignoring others. A happy medium is to work out in the weight room 2-3 times a week, which is really all that is necessary, and then on the other days be sure to get in some form of cardio exercise. This will allow for a more toned, healthier you!
Do you have any weight training tips? Share them with us in the comments below!
Image Credit:
liftingrevolution.com
allouthealth.com