Choosing a Weight Lifting Program for Women

One of the most effective activities for getting your body into shape and losing weight is something that many women are scared to try. Weightlifting can be a daunting activity for a beginner especially in a crowded gym environment. Seeing the scores of overly muscled men as they throw about ridiculously heavy amounts of weight can scare many from the weight room and keep them happy and comfortable hovering over their exercise bikes or treadmills. This is not always the best place for someone who is trying to lose weight and get in shape however and building true muscle should be part of anyone's exercise and fat loss regimen. Muscle helps to burn fat and muscle also helps shape the body… so choosing a weightlifting program for women can be extremely helpful for them in achieving their goals.

But how does one go about choosing such a program if they are a beginner? Well, as is the case with beginning any new activities the wisest advice is to simply take it slow. You don't have to rush in and pick up the heaviest weight or advanced program you find out about to start making progress. In fact, this is probably the easiest way to impede your progress. Your goal is to get in shape, not hurt yourself. In addition, you don't even have to lift free weights to build significant amounts of muscle.

In any gym environment there are usually a number of machines that you can use in your weightlifting program. One of the trainers on-site or members of the gym can surely help you get acclimated if this is your first time. Your goal as a beginner should be to incorporate as many muscles as possible into each movement you make. For instance, first-time weightlifters are probably wasting their time by doing sets of bicep curls. Instead, choose a compound movement like dips or pull ups using a machine that recruits many muscle groups at the same time. Performing these exercises will allow you to work your biceps, triceps, delts (shoulders), upper back, trapezius, and the muscles of your entire forearm. In the same amount of time it would take you to do a few sets of curls to just hit your biceps or push downs you've worked a good portion of your entire upper body.

The same is true for your lower body. Many women assume that a weightlifting program must include such singular exercises as leg extensions or leg curls. Instead, a few sets of high rep body weight squats will provide you with much bigger bang for the buck. Body weight squats are simply performed by standing straight up and squatting down until your thighs are about parallel with the ground making sure to keep your knees behind your toes. This one exercise can work your glutes (butt), leg biceps (hamstrings), quadriceps, calves and believe it or not, even your abdominals. Add a couple of sets of push ups to these exercises already mentioned and you have worked your entire body.

As you can see, developing a weightlifting program for women to help them build muscle and burn fat is not as difficult as once perceived. Taking it slow and simple can be your key to a healthy and effective weight-loss program.