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Female Fitness and Strength Training?

April 10th, 2007 Subscribe To Our Feed

Since females are different than males it makes sense that a female fitness program should differ from a male fitness program. Although all fitness programs should include strength training, aerobic and stretching, a female fitness program should be designed to meet the special needs of a woman.

Many women tend to focus their exercise programs around aerobic exercise and minimize strength training, this is a huge mistake. Many women fear that strength training will make them develop large bulky muscles. This is not true if you follow a balanced female fitness routine that includes strength training and aerobic exercise. A woman’s body chemistry is different than a mans, and it is impossible for a woman to build bulky muscles. Strength training is critical for a woman for the following reasons:

Maintain Lean Body Mass

Starting at age 30 our bodies begin to convert muscle into fat. Strength training is needed to minimize the muscle loss that normally occurs. This muscle loss is more extreme in women which is why strength training is critical for female fitness.

Strengthen Bones

It’s common knowledge that women are more susceptible to osteoporosis. Including strength training in a female fitness program makes a woman’s bones stronger and she is less likely to lose bone mass. This minimizes the risk of osteoporosis later in life.

Maximize Fat Loss

Many women think that the best way to lose weight (and fat) is through aerobic exercise. However if your female fitness program includes only aerobic exercise, there is a good chance that you will also lose lean body mass. Strength training helps to prevent the loss of lean body mass. Muscles also burn more calories than fat, which is why strength training is needed to maximize fat loss. This is especially important in a female fitness program because women have higher body fat percentages and more difficulty losing fat.

Female Fitness Myths

Another misconception about female fitness is that a woman should use minimal weight and less repetitions than men. This is not true. In order to maximize the benefits above, a female fitness program should include 10-12 repetitions, 3 sets and as much weight as needed to make the last repetition challenging. Using weights that are too low, will make the exercises ineffective. You need higher weights to maintain muscle and increase bone strength. You need to take your female fitness routine seriously, if you expect to reap the benefits. Muscle is good for females as well as males. Muscles tone your body.

The exercises included in a female fitness program are designed to target the problem areas of the female body. Although a woman needs a total body workout like men do, it should also be customized to target the hips, thighs and buttocks. These are usually the areas that women need more help with. Since all women are different, your female fitness routine should be designed specifically for you to meet your goals. A personal fitness trainer that specializes in female fitness can help you design the ideal program for you. A custom female fitness program can help you sculpt the body that you always dreamed of.

To Your Health,

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