When at the gym, it can be intimidating to step away from the elliptical or treadmill and enter the territory of overly buff males grunting every two seconds.
Weightlifting has been made out to be this taboo form of exercise designated only for males, out of fear of not knowing the mechanics of a barbell.
Muscle is denser in fat, so look at strength training as an investment. Over time, the more muscle you gain, the more your body naturally burns, because muscle naturally burns more calories than fat does. A study found that whether a female lifted heavy with smaller reps or slightly lighter with higher reps, muscle was gained on both occasions.
Although seemingly scary, it’s a fairly easy tool in the gym that sculpts your body, leans you out, grows muscle and gets your heart rate pumping.
In order to conquer these fears and start seeing gains, here are some simple, yet effective, barbell moves to shape and sculpt your body.
Guidelines to follow for each move are:
- The heavier you go, the less repetitions are needed. The general rule of thumb is to do repetitions by increments of five. For instance, if you are doing it slightly heavy, it would be three sets of 20 repetitions. If you went heavier, it would possibly be three sets of 15 repetitions, or even 10 repetitions. Whatever you’re most comfortable with.
- Start with 40 or 50 pounds and increase the weight or repetition amount every time you go to the gym. Stagnancy doesn’t build muscle, pushing yourself does.
- Keep your posture straight. Don’t arch your back nor slouch. Keep your chin held high to avoid these posture traps.
- Drink water and have a light snack beforehand so you don’t pass out.
- Take thirty seconds to a minute long break between each set.
Now, to the fun part:
1) Straight leg deadlift
In order to start this move, select a long barbell with a weight you’re comfortable with. The general motion involves a straight, flat back with your legs VERY slightly bent at a shoulder width apart. Place the bar in both of your hands dropped straight in front of your hips. Lean forward, keeping your back as straight as possible while slightly pushing your hips back. The barbell should reach your feet before you completely reverse the motion while squeezing your glutes upon standing fully straight at the top of your stance.
That was one repetition– repeat as many times as necessary.
2) Sumo squats
For this position, you will be performing the same motion as a typical squat but with your legs further apart and turned out from the hips. Keep your back straight, make sure your knees don’t push past your toes when squatting and try to go as low as possible. If the barbell is uncomfortable placed on your back, ask to borrow a pad from an employee at the gym.
3) Hip thrusts
Sit down next to a bench that allows for only your shoulder blades and had to rest on top of the bench. Place your feet bent and shoulder width apart. Put the barbell (I’d recommend using a pad) on your hipbones, and thrust upwards. Keep the majority of your body weight when pushing up grounded in your heels, that way your quads aren’t feeling the bulk of the workout. This move is the most effective for seeing a Kim Kardashian-like-booty develop.