Womens Routine

Sorry if this has been done already. Just been asked for some advice from two women I work with about what would be a good routine for them. And I must admit I really didn't know what to say. They've recently joined a local commerical style gym and neither overweight to start with.

I could easily advise men on several decent ones, but the goals seem a bit different. Mainly fitness, with some fat loss and muscle gain not being a goal..

As always, what they said they wanted was "toning"

Other than cardio work with a good % of it being interval training, I'm stuck on what to advise for weights, or even machines

 

Depends on what the goals of the ladies are. If they are willing to use free weights, concentrate on the compound exercises: Bench, Squat (Smith machine ladies find comfortable), shoulder presses, lunges, curls, pull ups, dips, etc. Most of the women I know or see in the gym run to the leg machines and spend hours on the cardio equipment. Stress to your lady friends how weight work will increase their metabolism, allow them to eat more and more often, burn calories, etc.

 

Heh, narc has the right idea.

A gentle routine like 3*8- 12 can be good for them... I don't thing max effort is quite the thing they will look for. Cardio machines can be good too.. crosstrainer and Rowing I think are the best, because they involve a bit of everything

 

Agreed, women need to learn how to lift weights! They all seem to think they will 'bulk up' overnight or something

 

Thanks guys.

What about sets of 2? maybe 15-20, going for endurance?

Also not sure how keen they would be to do many free weights. They already mentioned how out of place they felt. But it would be better than concentrating entirely on machines!

 

Ok, so they are "typical" in that they 'think' weights will make them grossly masculine. Let them use machines, again concentrating on the major muscles. Tell them about diet. That is 80-90% of the battle. 3 sets 12-15 is all they need to do for the major muscle groups for a beginner. Start out with 2 or 3 exercises per muscle group and do a split like:

Monday: Chest and Tricep
Bench 3 sets 15 reps
db Flies " "
Dips " to failure

Dips will warm the triceps so you could count that set

Pulldowns 3 sets 15 reps
Tri Kickback " "
Seated Tricep ext. 3 sets to failure

etc. Search this site or a bodybuilding website like bodybuildingforyou.com and search there as well. Good luck to you and your friends.

 

re:freeweights

pgm, my gym has freeweights, machines, and different trainers advocating one or the other. Of the non-kickboxing types at my gym, the only woman I've ever seen make dramatic progress is one who has been on a kettlebell and interval routine for 6-8 weeks now. She was a little chubby before, but now she is carved out of stone and smoking hot. She has exactly the kind of body that most women describe as desireable- toned, chiseled, etc.

 

Hiya gorgeous :love:

Sit them down and make them read www.stumptuous.com

loads of good routines on there too.

 

Thanks babes. Will do! :love:

 

Bump! And that person should be screaming the loudest to her gender!

 

Sure they want muscle, they just don't know how to ay it out loud. Shugart had a great line recently at T-Nation that he said he tells women to help them overcome the weights=bulky chick mentality.

He tells them "Lifting weights makes men big; it makes women firm."

I really like that, and I totally plan on stealing it.

If these ladies are computer-using folks, you might want to have them check out the Girl Power thread.

Ditto on AuntiePink's recommendation of Stumptuous.com, also (you'll see that's mentioned in the previous thread as well.) Another great option for them would be to wander through f-heit.com. It's run by the same crowd from T-Nation, but it's super-super-super female-friendly and they emphasize the importance of weight training.

If they might not go for all that internet-work, take the super-simple route:

- Print out Weights for Women:The Firm Body Guide for Beginners. It's a compact summary of pretty much everything a homemaker who wants to start working out needs to know to fight the current brainwashing myths.

- Put it in a folder. (It's convenient for them, and makes you look like a swell guy.)

- Expect much appreciation, and perhaps a grateful smooch. :love:

 

BeWater, wonderful information. I am surrounded by 40-50 year old women that really just want a 'magic bullet' for weightloss. Heck we all would. Since there isn't, the ladies I know think that the latest diet, or drink, or pill, will help them lose 25 years worth of over indulgence. If they do join a gym I see/hear them talk how they do 40 minutes of walking and use "the machines" but nothing has changed in 2 years. Well no kidding if you are still doing 10 pounds with the shoulder press machine and 5 pounds with the bicep curl. For some reason, as logical as informative as I try to be, those of female persuasion that are fit and toned and curvey, really ought to scream and yell and push this information. I realize that women who lift can be intimidating to those who are just starting out but your words carry sooooo much more weight then mine! You all really are the key to women's fitness!

 

Quote worth remembering, as mentioned by Kickchick some time ago:

"The myth that women should not lift heavy is advanced only by women who fear effort and men who fear women."

Sarge, I know how frustrating it can be. Sadly, because it's so much easier to create excuses, people unknowingly rob themselves of results that really aren't that difficult to find. But, change is scary. Change takes time. And, as the quote above reminds us, change takes effort.

And kudos to Frodo for taking the iron word into the ladies locker room. McG tried that once, and it's why he's banned form half the commerical gyms in England.

 

Props to McG. I realize the battle and unfair treatment you ladies face. That is why I support anyone, male or female, that is willing to say "I got fat, now I am going to get skinny" and then do the work. So much better then looking for that magic bullet!

 

Thanks all, think I have enough advice for them now

That will be fine for them, I'll give them that and the link from Miss Pinkie. Fingers crossed for the smooch

I think the firming goal would go down well!

Problem is just what you mention, with the amount of myths and misinformation in weight training, most people think lifting a weight will turn them into a bulked up meathead

We can only try and educate....

 

pgm316 the one statement that I know works is to just ask them to look around the gym. Have them take notice of the body shapes in the gym. If it is like my gym, many of the women who are of normal size and shape are constantly on the cardion equipment. Those that have that "firm, tight, fit physique" are over in the free weight section. I have asked my friends "based on what you see, what side of the room do you want be?"

 

Thing is, I hear the myth about "lifting weights will make you big/bulky" more on HERE than I ever have anywhere else.

I'm all for lifting, and lifting heavy.

The only fear I have about free weights is form. How do I do it so that I will be safe. I threw my back out once in college, I don't want to do that again. (And since I've been working out, and developing both the abs & back muscles, it's not too likely anymore... UNLESS I lift wrong.)

So I'm registered at what you could call the corporate gym, but I don't see too many trainers there to show me how to use the free weights. Any suggestions?

 

I know that many trainers don't just jump in an instruct proper form. Grab them by the ear and say "SHOW ME HOW". Also, read, read, read. Look for illustrations. Best advice I can give you is be smart in your lifting to avoid injury.

 

The 'Dork to Diva' section of Krista's site is a really good place to start
http://www.stumptuous.com/cms/displaysection.php?sid=23