Read 26 times since Monday, January 23, 2012
Trying to convince women that lifting weights is one of the fastest and more effective ways of training to get the body they want can be quite challenging for me as a Glasgow personal trainer. It can take quite a bit of reassuring that they won't end up looking like a female body builder just by picking up a weight. Explaining how an increase in lean body mass will help reduce both excess body fat and inches always seems to help.
Women often want improvement in their legs and waist, and unbalanced reverse lunge does both. Step back with one leg into a full lunge position with a dumbbell in one hand by your side, then back to a standing position before repeating on the other side. Keep alternating legs until you have done 6 to 8 reps then switch the weight to the other hand and repeat. Stay tall and lift as much weight as you can control. As with all these exercises do 3 sets with a short rest between them.
Dumbbell plank row is a terrific movement for your upper body and midsection. Set up in a press up position holding 2 dumbbells (hands close together, feet further apart), keep your body still and lift one dumbbell up to your side then down before doing the same with the other side. Start light then work up to heavier weights for 6 to 8 reps making sure you keep your body still through the movement.
As women are less concerned with chest muscles than men the next movement I recommend is an unbalanced standing shoulder press. Stand in a balanced position holding a dumbbell touching the top of your shoulder press the weight straight up to arms length and back down for 6 to 8 reps then swap sides and repeat. This will strengthen and sculpt your arms and shoulders while tightening your midsection.
Medicine ball sit twist will quickly and effectively target the stomach. You will need a medicine ball held between your feet and another for your hands. Sit one the floor with the balls in place then lean back and balance with your feet off the ground. Now slowly twist the ball you are holding from side to side so it touches the floor by your hip. Again, aim for 6 to 8 reps on each side with as much weight as you can control.
The final great exercise is skipping, it will increase fitness, burn fat, increase co-ordination and will shape lower legs like nothing else. It takes a little bit of practice but persist and you will be well rewarded for your efforts. Iain Smith (MPhil/CSCS) owns Standout Gym, an independent warehouse gym in Glasgow, focusing on weight loss. He offers small group training as an affordable alternative to Glasgow personal training. Iain is a former international decathlete with 17 years coaching experience. www.standoutgym.com.
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