Independent
Articles About:
1. Weight Lifting for Women
2. 10 Websites for Women
3. Health, Fitness & Weight Loss
Dispelling the Myths
By Physicallyelite Attention women: Do you not lift weights because
you think it will make you become muscle-bound? Do you only do a couple
sets of 15 reps on exercise machines because you only want to "tone"?
If so, this article will show you that these and other myths aren't true
and also explain why lifting weights using barbells and dumbbells is the
best workout possible. As an added bonus, this article also has a workout
to help you begin building the body you desire.
Dispelling the Myths
1. Lifting Weights Makes You Muscle-Bound
While strength training will help you build muscle, women simply don't have
enough testosterone, a key hormone for building muscle, to become muscle-bound
and appear masculine. The muscle you are able to build lifting weights will
only improve your appearance and femininity.
2. If You Lift Weights, Do High Reps to "Tone" Your Muscles
Most strength training workouts for women prescribe 2-3 sets of 12 or more
repetitions. While higher repetitions have their place in your workout,
they do little to improve your appearance. If looking and feeling your best
is your goal, most of your workouts should utilize sets of low to moderate
repetitions (5-8) for multiple sets. Performing 3-5 sets of 5-8 reps is
especially beneficial when dieting, as it is the best rep range to use to
ensure you hold onto your muscle. The more muscle you can hold onto when
dieting helps you burn fat faster and keep it off once you achieve your
weight loss goals. Sets of 12-15 reps will only make you look and feel worse
during your diet.
3. You Should Use Machines Instead of Dumbbells and Barbells
While training with machines has its place, such as helping you learn the
basics of strength training, workouts using free weights (barbells and dumbbell)
are the way to go. Free weight training produces greater benefits than machine
only workouts for many reasons with the most important being the fact that
it enables you to perform exercises that train many large muscle groups
at once. This means you burn more calories for every set you perform and
will get better results faster. The following example illustrates this,
doing a set of barbell or dumbbell squats trains your calves, quads, hamstrings,
glutes, lower back, and abs. Compare this to a popular machine exercise
for legs such as leg extensions which targets only your quadriceps. Other
benefits of barbell and dumbbell based workouts is that they are superior
to machines for improving your strength, balance, and bone density. These
benefits become especially important as you get older, since being stronger
and maintaining balance will help you better perform daily tasks and decrease
the risk of injury from falls. Increasing bone density will help decrease
your risk of osteoperosis and its related complications.
4. You Must Lose Weight First Before You Lift Weights
Last but not least is the myth that you should lose weight before you start
lifting weights. This myth exists because women often become discouraged
when they diet and lift weights since the weight loss that occurs isn't
reflected on the scale. This is because the weight lost is body fat, not
the muscle you need to stay healthy. Lifting weights while dieting will
help you keep the muscle you have ensuring the weight you lose is body fat.
Studies confirm this showing that combining aerobic exercise, dieting, and
strength training leads to greater losses of body fat and weight than when
you only diet or diet and do aerobic exercise.
Getting Started
Below is a workout that will help you build the body you desire. It's a
3-day a week workout that should be performed on alternating days, Monday,
Wednesday, Friday for example. Each workout includes exercises for the entire
body, and uses sets of 8 reps to help you burn as many calories as possible
at each workout while building, or at a minimum, holding onto your hard
earned muscle when dieting. Combine this workout with 2-3 days of aerobic
exercise and a proper diet and you will get the best results of your life.
Guidelines
1. Always use correct technique. If you need any of the exercises explained
to you, consult with a qualified personal trainer. If one isn't available
there are many web sites that give animated demonstrations of correct exercise
technique. One good source is http://www.exrx.net.
2. Use a weight that you can perform for 2-3 more reps than what is prescribed.
There is no need use a weight that causes you to 'fail' at the end of each
set. You should leave the gym feeling energized, not exhausted.
3. Increase the weight used when you can do 2-3 more repetitions than the
8 prescribed on the last set of a given exercise. Only increase the weight
used if you can do so without sacrificing proper technique.
4. Start a new routine after doing this one for 4-6 weeks. This will help
keep your progress on track and keep your workouts enjoyable.
5. Lift weights before aerobics. If you want to do an aerobic workout on
the same day you lift weights, that's fine. Just make sure to do it after
you lift. This ensures you have ample energy to perform all of your exercises
with correct form.
6. The exercises in the workout below are divided into groups (A1/A2, B1/B2,
etc.). Each group is to be performed one after the other with about a minutes
rest between sets for the total number of sets given. Once you have completed
all of the prescribed sets for each exercise in a group, move on to the
next group of exercises after 1-2 minutes rest. Doing the workout this way
burns more calories, and you'll accomplish more in less time. Also, if you
are just getting into shape you may need more than a minutes rest between
sets and groups of exercise. If this is the case, rest for as long as you
need in order to perform the exercises with proper form, decreasing the
amount of rest as your conditioning improves until you reach 1 minute.
Below is an example of how this workout is to be performed.
* A1 Lunges: Set 1
* Rest 60 seconds
* A2 Dumbbell Bench Press: Set 1
* A1 Lunges: Set 2
* Rest 60 seconds
* A2 Dumbbell Bench Press: Set 2
* Rest 60 seconds
* A1 Lunges: Set 3
* Rest 60 seconds
* A2 Dumbbell Bench Press: Set 3
* Rest 60 seconds and move onto the next group of exercises.
The Workout
Monday
Exercise Sets Reps Rest Between Sets
A1 Lunges 3 8 60 sec
A2 DB Bench 2 8 60 sec
B1 Leg Curl 3 8 60 sec
B2 DB Row 2 8 60 sec
C1 Crunches 3 8 60 sec
Wednesday
Exercise Sets Reps Rest Between Sets
Seated Row 3 8 60 sec
Stiff Leg DL 2 8 60 sec
Inc DB Fly 3 8 60 sec
Dumbbell Squat 2 8 60 sec
Back Extension 3 8 60 sec
Friday
Exercise Sets Reps Rest Between Sets
DB Shldr Press 2 8 60 sec
DB Step-Ups 3 8 60 sec
Reverse Fly 2 8 60 sec
Calf Raise 3 8 60 sec
Reverse Crunch 3 8 60 sec
Strength Training and Weight Loss
By Chyna Dolores So you've started out on your weight loss journey.
Congratulations on making the first steps. By now, you will have looked
at your nutritional needs and added some sort of cardio such as walking,
swimming or a fitness class to become more active. It's time now to make
that daunting step into weight (or resistance) training.
There is a common fear among some people, especially women, that if they
were to start weight training they will start to look like the next Arnold
Schwarzenegger. Truth of the matter is, those kind of results only happen
when you specifically train for them.
5 good reasons to add a weight training program to your exercise program:
* It strengthens weakened joints, making them more stable and less injury-prone
* It not only works the muscles - it also strengthens bones
* Results are fast - regardless of age & sex. Your strength can increase
by up to 72% in the first 4 weeks
* It not only improves the overall tone of your body, it will also improve
your posture - which will help in making you look slimmer
* It helps to burn kJ faster. Lean muscle tissue is 17-25 times more active
than fat. This means you will burn more kJ even at rest! By adding 1-2kg
of muscle to your body - you'll burn an extra 290-418kJ a day
When you first start a weight program, don't be disheartened if you gain
a couple of kilos. It is often said that Lean Muscle Tissue weighs more
than fat. Do not listen to this hype. 1kg of fat weighs the same as 1kg
of muscle - muscle tissue is more toned and compact than fat so you will
start to look much slimmer.
If the scales are not moving, don't despair. Weighing yourself is not your
only means of tracking you progress. Several other ways exist to help keep
track of your progress and find out if your gain is muscle or fat.
* Measure yourself. Get out a tape measure and measure various parts of
your body - common areas to include are hips, waist, thighs [mid and top],
bust/chest, arms, calves & stomach. You won't need to measure yourself
every week - once every 4 weeks is usually best, as you won't see much of
a difference on a week-to-week basis.
* Use an article of clothing to help measure your progress. That pair of
jeans or skirt that is a little tight is perfect.
If you know absolutely nothing about weights and their proper use it is
best to visit your local gym and see the staff there. They will show you
exactly what to do and even draw up a program for you if you wish. If you
are at school, visit your PE department and ask one of your teachers to
help you out. Most high schools have their own weights area for student
use. They can show you what you need to do, how to do it and help you keep
track of your progress.
If seeing someone or exercising with someone is intimidating for you (or
you don't have the money for the gym) you could try an 'at home' video or
DVD. You will need to buy some free weights (dumbbells or barbells) check
out the program before you buy any equipment. A couple of things to remember
if you go this option:
* Watch the video before you actually start participating. This way you
can see what you will be doing and the equipment needed to participate.
* Make sure the instructors give a "beginners option". This means
there should be someone in the group using no weights - follow them until
you are comfortable and confident with the program to add weights. In addition,
there should be a section at the beginning of the video (or DVD menu) the
focus on showing you the proper form and technique of the lifts required.
* When you first start using the weights, if at anytime, the weights become
too heavy for you, STOP. Change to a smaller weight or revert to the beginners'
option. The old saying "No pain, no gain" is completely outdated
- you can do more damage then good. Listen to your body, it'll tell you
if it isn't coping.
* Another point to keep in mind - the video/DVD should have a cardio/warm-up
section at the start - this is important because you shouldn't start a weights
session with cold muscles. A warm-up should last between 5-15mins and include
gentle aerobic activity. Some programs alternate between cardio and weights
workouts but it is important that the starting warm-up gets the heart beating.
If you don't feel that it is good enough or you want to make sure you warming
up properly - go for a walk [15mins minimum] before you start the session.
* On that same note, make sure that the video/DVD has a "cool down"
at the end of the session. This can include a number of things, most usually
include mini Pilates/Yoga like sessions at the end to stretch out the muscle
groups.
* Aim for good technique when every time. Don't try to keep up with the
instructors. If you need to take a break or slow a section down then do
it. You want to get healthy not injured!
Weights not your thing? Going on holiday?
Try using resistance bands. These bands are usually used by people in rehab
or older people who can't lift weights. They give the same kind of workout
as actual weights but they tend to be a little easier on you.
The added bonus with resistance bands is that if you go away for a holiday
or for the weekend to visit family, etc they are easy to pack into your
bag so you don't have to miss out on your workouts. They also weigh less
and don't take up much space in the suitcase. Add in a daily walk or swim
and you've got your cardio covered as well, so there's no need to 'slack
off' while abroad.
Cholesterol and Women
By Vivek Sharma Cholesterol and Women
Cholesterol is becoming a serial killer and targeting women too. With the
recent survey it was confirmed that every year almost 500,000 American women
dies due to high cholesterol and its related disease. Nowadays men and women
are going head to head in terms of cholesterol level and giving each other
a tough fight. Earlier times it was only men who were at the risk of high
cholesterol but now with changing lifestyle and eating habits women are
too catching up. Approximately there are 56 million American women who are
at the stage of having high cholesterol. This sudden increase has created
a rage among women as it is going at very high speed.
American Health Association has confirmed these statistics and also stated
that with these changing trends now women are under more threat in comparison
to the men. Women usually have higher High Density Lipoproteins (HDL) in
their body in comparison to men. This HDL is said to be good cholesterol
but ones this cholesterol starts falling Low Density Lipoproteins is on
raise. This usually happens at the time when women start consuming unhygienic
and fatty diet. So they are always advised to do constant exercises and
body movements in order to be fit and in shape. Cholesterol generally rises
in the women body during and after the pregnancy. In pregnancy women are
advised to go in for healthy and rich diet but they take it as misconception
and starts consuming fatty and oily diet. However it is good to intake them
but they should be accompanied with exercises.
This consumed fat gradually settles at the arteries and its surrounding
walls resulting in cardiovascular disease. After pregnancy in order to gain
health and fitness women are advised to consume more food. This again uncontrolled
and unhygienic diet is the road towards heart disease. Experts always advise
women to do constant exercises and body movements so that the extra fat
settled around arteries gets burned. It has been noticed that waist, thighs
and biceps are the major areas where the fat settles. So it is wise for
women to do exercises targeting these areas.
So if you're pregnant women or recently gave a birth to a baby then this
is the time to pull up your socks and gear up for some body exercises. Hard
work and exercise at this time is the road to healthy life and happy living.
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Author is experienced health expert.
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10 Great Websites for Women
By Yolanda Shoshana The web is now full of websites that are targeted
for women. What is a girl to do, so many websites, so little time? Here
are great ten sites that you should be sure to check out:
1) www.4woman.gov/- A health website for women. Start to pay attention
to what you are eating and your exercise habits, feel the difference in
your natural energy.
2) www.Womenandco.com- A great website for women to get a financial life.
It is never too soon or too late to take control of your financial future.
Turn the cha-ching into bling bling.
3) www.Womensenews.org- A wonderful resource on finding out what is going
on for women in the news. Their tagline is "bridging the gender gap
every day" that says it all.
4) www.Barbarak.com- Barbara K. has designed high quality tools specifically
for women. The tools are less intimidating and the website answers some
of the "everything you wanted to know, but where afraid to ask"
questions.
5) www.RedDressInk.com- Fun, urban, and hip books full of guilty pleasures
for today's single woman. The books are perfect to snuggle in with a glass
of wine. Cheers! 6) www.LadiesWhoLaunch.com- If you are a woman in business
or thinking of starting a business, this is a great resource. Find other
women to connect with and get the weekly profiles of other business women.
7) www.Whitehouseproject.com- A site for women who are interested in getting
into politics. The elections provided how vital the voices of women are
in the political arena.
8) www.Woodhull.com-The Woodhull Institute was founded by feminists as
the first is a not-for-profit, non-partisan, non-sectarian educational organization
that provides ethical leadership and professional training for women. The
institute retreat center is located in Ancramdale, NY.
9) www.Modernmom.com- Created for the modern mom. The site is packed with
topics such as health and wellness, tips, advice and so much more. There
are Modern Mom clubs around the county so that moms can unite.
10) www.BudgetFashionista.com- For the woman who has high-end taste but
a low-end budget. It does not have to cost a full pay check to look good,
it is all about the right choices and how you work it.
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Yolanda Shoshana (Shoshi) is a life strategist, consultant, speaker, and artist. Shoshi is an expert woman booster and founder of, Center of Female Empowerment(sm), a learning center launching in 2005 that uses multidisciplinary avenues to help master their lives. She also writes a titillating column for & about women, Shoshi Says. For more information: www.yolandashoshana.com
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Weight Lifting - What Every Beginner Should Know!
By Mark Petersen Here are a few things that beginners should know
about weight lifting.
First you put good strain on your joints as well as your bones when you
lift weights. This strengthens your bones. Strong bones protect our bodies
against breakage and osteoporosis.
Another important point about weight lifting is that as your muscles increase
in size your body becomes more shapely and firm - more attractive.
Weight lifting also helps you more vigorously perform your aerobic exercise,
which in turn will increase your cardiovascular endurance and help your
heart. The reason you are able to perform at a higher level is the weight
lifting has increased your muscular strength, and therefore your ability
to tolerate more intense exercise.
Weight lifting also gives you nice after effects to your metabolism. By
adding muscle to your body through weight lifting, you likely will increase
your metabolic rate. If you increase your metabolism you increase the amount
of fat burning enzymes in your body. This means you'll burn more body fat
even at rest! What a great bonus!
When you lift weights you should find the right weight that allows you
to do 8-12 repetitions of the same movement with the same weight. If you
are able to repeat it more than 12 times the weight is too light for you.
If you can't do at least 8 reps the weight is too heavy.
This 8-12 repetition practice is called a set. A beginning weight lifter
should only be doing one or two sets of any weight lifting movement at one
time.
Beginners often forget to breathe when they lift weights, which is dangerous
because it can elevate your blood pressure. You should concentrate on inhaling
on the eccentric or lowering phase of the lift and exhale on the concentric
or lifting phase of the lift.
When weight lifting, you should always work your largest muscles first.
Smaller muscles get tired faster. If they tire too quickly they can't help
you work your large muscles. The first things you are going to work are
your chest, back, shoulders and thighs. Then you do weight lifting exercises
for your arms, abdominals and calves last. If you're new to weight lifting,
I would suggest picking 6-8 exercises that covers all the major body parts
above. Perform these exercises 2-3 times per week making sure you allow
at least 48 hours between workout sessions, so your body has time to recover.
Good Luck!
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If you enjoyed this article on weight lifting, please visit http://weightliftingstation.com to find an extensive listing of weight lifting related information, resources, and articles. Visit us today to further your knowledge on this extraordinary form of exercise.
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Weighting it Out - Your Guide to Using Weight Lifting to Lose Weight
By Mark Petersen Weight lifting helps achieve weight loss goals
because it helps boost your metabolism, which generates additional fat burning
enzymes, and your body subsequently burns more fat.
There is some conflicting information on weight lifting and weight loss
goals, however.
One expert has stated that if a person is more than 25 pounds overweight
that they should set the weight training aside or make it very minimal until
aerobic and other forms of exercise have gotten them within 25 pounds of
their ideal weight.
The reason that extreme obesity and weight lifting don't work well for
weight loss is because obese people often tend to add muscle easily while
they in turn resist losing weight.
What some weight loss and weight lifting gurus tell these obese folks is
to concentrate their exercise and weight loss efforts in the realm of aerobic
exercise until they have gotten their weight down to less than 25 pounds
over their ideal body weight.
At this point they can then add the weight lifting to their weight loss
and exercise regimen. A person, for example, who is 40 pounds overweight,
is recommended to do 30-45 minutes of aerobic activity six days each week.
It is further suggested that their weight loss exercise regiment be two
different forms of aerobic exercise practiced on alternate days.
Once they get to within 24 pounds of their ideal weight then they can cut
their aerobic exercise back to four days a week and use the other two days
for weight lifting. This is considered the ideal weight training and weight
loss method.
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If you enjoyed this article on weight lifting, please visit http://weightliftingstation.com to find an extensive listing of weight lifting related information, resources, and articles. Visit us today to further your knowledge on this extraordinary form of exercise.
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Health & Exercise
By Max Haaksman The most important thing you need to know is that
exercise is a natural activity that is required in order to stay healthy.
The human body was not made for a sedentary lifestyle. Think about this.
Most of us, as we age and become absorbed in our careers, simply ignore
the physical needs of our bodies.
Research is providing some interesting results with respect to fat loss,
muscle mass and general health. For example, did you know that high intensity
cardio can burn more calories in the long term than long bouts of low intensity
exercise? Do you realize that each pound of muscle you carry burns approximately
50 calories per day whether or not you exercise?
As always, before you start any new exercise program, please check with
your doctor first. If you are currently sedentary, overweight or simply
out of shape, jumping into a demanding exercise program may not be a good
idea. Once you are declared good to go then read on to get started.
New Cardio Ideas
Cardio isn't just about slogging away on the treadmill, stairmaster or exercise
bicycle anymore. While low level cardio can certainly play a role in your
exercise routine, it is probably not optimal in terms of achieving your
goals in a timely manner. A new style of cardio, called high intensity interval
training (HIIT), is king.
HIIT involves performing regular cardio activities at extremely high intensities
for short periods of time. HIIT can be performed using activities such as
rowing, cycling, sprinting and stair climbing. For example, after warming
up on your exercise of choice go as fast as you can for 30 seconds. When
30 seconds have past, then go slow and recover for 2 minutes. Repeat these
fast and slow intervals from 5 to 7 times.
Although this sounds easy, you will find this is a very advanced training
technique. You may need to work up to this over several weeks by performing
standard cardio training with brief intervals of intensity. You will certainly
stress your heart and your respiratory system with HIIT training. In fact,
this new style of cardio, while short, maximizes your cardiovascular fitness
adaptations.
Resistance Training
While a complete encyclopedia of weight lifting exercises is too comprehensive
to include here, you should know that resistance training is one of the
best ways to gain or retain both muscle mass and bone density. Why is this
important? Muscle mass is responsible for most of your resting metabolic
activity. It is also what makes you look fit, shapely or sexy.
A common concern for women is that they don't want to look too bulky. This
is generally not something you have to worry about. You will find that even
men, if they are not using steroids or other illicit methods, have a hard
time putting on an appreciable amount of muscle mass. Another concern for
women is that if they put on muscle the scale weight may rise!
It is very important that you learn the difference between total weight
and how lean you are. Putting on muscles will almost never make you look
bad, but covering your muscles with fat will. What you want to do is lose
the fat while retaining the muscle -- something which is not easy to do.
In general, if you diet to lose weight, you lose both fat and muscle, which
reduces your metabolism and makes it increasingly difficult to achieve the
body you desire.
Although adding muscles is somewhat easy in the very beginning, it takes
a lot of time and effort to build up muscles. However, just remember that
for every pound of muscle you put on and maintain, you will be able to safely
eat another 50 calories per day without gaining weight. Of course, you will
likely want to adhere to appropriate nutritional guidelines.
To summarize, add resistance training to your exercise regimen. It is okay
if you use machines, especially at first, but if possible learn to use free
weights. Make sure that you know the proper form for the exercises you do
and focus on compound movements where possible. For example, squats, chin
ups, bench presses, rows and deadlifts are all great exercises that will
work multiple large muscle groups at one time. If you follow this advice
you will find it easy to put on and maintain reasonable amounts of muscle
in a relatively short period of time.
Rest & Recovery
If you are working hard to put on muscle mass, which most men and some women
are, then you need to realize that you gain muscle only when you aren't
in the gym. Muscles grow in response to work, but only if you feed them
the appropriate nutrients and give them time to recover appropriately. Working
out every day or performing long bouts of cardio will probably not help
you achieve your goals!
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Max Haaksman works for a small private think tank organization. In his spare time he writes on a variety of topics for his public hobby site www.topicguru.net. |
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