Weight Exercises for Women

 It is a common myth that weight exercises make women muscular and manly, on the contrary weight training will strengthen muscles and help fat loss. Targeting specific muscle groups with weight training will also give you the figure you were looking for. Many women complain of flabby arms and out of proportion thighs, these areas can easily target with specific leg and arm workout routines. One of the best ways to tighten skin and stimulate fat loss is weight training. Just remember a few things before you start exercising, schedule your workout routine, eat properly and have adequate rest. Another things to keep in mind are to do a 5-7 minute warm routine before you start weight training and do some stretching exercises after you finish working out.

 Start with a five days a week workout routine if you want to lose weight and get an envious figure. Start day one with exercises that stimulate your upper body muscles like chest, shoulders and triceps. Begin the routine with

• Decline Bench Press: Lie down on a decline bench with your feet firmly planted on the floor and dumbbells in both hands. Push the dumbbells straight up by extending your arms fully and get them back to chest level slowly. Do at least 2-3 sets with 15-12-10 repetitions, this is one of the best dumbbell exercises for the upper body muscles.
• Incline Bench Press: Rest your back properly on an incline bench with dumbbells in both hands. Now push the dumbbells up and away from your chest as you exhale, extend your arms fully and then slowly inhale bring them back down. Have at least 2-3 sets with 15-12-10 repetitions.
• Over Head Press: Stand straight with your feet hip width apart and dumbbells in both hands, now push the weights over your head by extending your arms. Exhale as you go up and inhale as you bend your elbows and bring the weights down to ear level. Do 1-2 sets of 12-10 repetitions.
• Lateral Raises: For this routine stand with your feet hip width apart and hands to the side with dumbbell in each hand. Now, exhale and lift both hands together to the side so that the arms are parallel to the ground. Do 1-2 sets of 12-10 repetitions.
• Triceps Extension: This is one of the best cable machine exercises for toning the arms, grip the liver on the cable machine with your palms facing down. Now pull the liver down towards your thighs while keeping your elbows tucked in to your body. Do 2-3 sets with 12-10-8 repetitions.

Now for day two do 40-50 minutes of cardio, if you can't sustain for this long slowly build up to achieve this target.

• Deadlifts: Stand next to a barbell with feet hip width apart, slightly bend your knees and lean forward from the waist to grip the barbell with hands placed shoulder width apart. Now lift the bar by extending your hips and without bending your arms or arching your back. Once you are standing erect slightly bend your knees and hips to go back down, until your torso is parallel to the ground. Do 1-2 sets of 12-10 repetitions, this is a good weight loss exercise.
• Lat Pulldown: Grip the bar on the lat pulldown machine slightly wider than shoulder width apart. Keep your back arched and chest out and look straight ahead. Now exhale and pull the bar down by bending your elbows and bringing the bar to chest level. Do 2-3 sets of 12-10-8 repetitions.
• Bicep Curls: For the bicep curls stand straight and grip a barbell slightly wider than shoulder width apart with your palms facing up. Keep your elbows close to the body and curl the bar up towards your shoulders, go as far up as possible and hold for 1 count. Then slowly let the bar back down so that it almost rests on your thighs. Do 2-3 sets of 12-10-8 repetitions.
• Concentration Curls: Sit on a bench and place your feet wide apart. Grab a dumbbell in your right hand and rest your right upper arm against the inner right thigh. Now curl your right arm by contracting the bicep and pull the dumbbell as far up as possible and hold the position for 1 count. Repeat the motion with your left arm, to tone your arms do 2-3 sets of 12-10-8 repetitions.

To follow up on these exercises, do a 20 minute cardio routine and 30 minute abs exercises on the fourth day. This will help you strengthen your core muscles and tone your waist and stomach region. Continue with weight training exercises on day five with lower body exercises.

• Squats: Position your shoulders under a barbell from the squat rack and step back. Keep your feet shoulder width apart, push your hips back and squat down by bending your knees. Ensure that your knees don't go ahead of the toe line and go down so that your thighs are parallel to the ground. Do 1-2 sets with 12-10 repetitions, this is one of the best barbell exercise for toning the lower body.
• Lunges: Position your shoulders under a barbell from the squat rack pick it up and step back. Keep your feet hip width apart and then lift your right leg and take a big stride forward. Now bend your knees and go down so that your right thigh is parallel to the floor and the left thigh is perpendicular to the floor. Now dig your right heel in to the ground and come back up to the start position. Do 10-12 repetitions and then repeat the motion with your left leg, do 1-2 sets.

You could follow this 5-day workout or work each body part individually and do 12-20 minute cardiovascular exercises everyday for a 6 day workout. You could also try weight exercises at home by using your body weight. Some of the exercises are

• Push Ups
• Pull Ups
• Tricep Dips
• Free Squats

Exercises supported by a good diet plan will help you get that lean figure you always wanted. Weight training will strengthen your muscles and will also give you a feeling of well-being. One last suggestion just consult your physician before you start any weight training or diet regimen.