Due to the widespread misperception that weightlifting will cause them to “get big,” many women have traditionally avoided it. Thankfully, this myth seems to be losing its power as more and more women turn to weightlifting to boost their strength, balance, and overall health. In 2004, only 17.5% of women in the United States participated in strength training two or more times per week. In 2020, it was reported that 26.9% of women met the guidelines for muscle-strengthening physical activity. Fast forward 16 years. So, let’s bust this myth and talk about how resistance training can help women who want to build muscle safely and effectively. Before we get into the “how” of weight training, let’s examine some well-established principles and dispel some myths.
1. Lifting Weights
A stimulus must be applied to the muscle in order to stimulate hypertrophy, also known as muscle growth. Because they are afraid of “getting big,” some women tend to stick with weights they are comfortable using for all three sets. However, a greater stimulus must be placed on the muscles to see any real changes. By using the right load progressions and putting greater physiological demands on your muscles, you need to push yourself out of your comfort zone. You will be able to significantly advance your muscle and strength gains once you are able to make this mental paradigm shift. In general, you should increase the weight by 5% each set until the weights are heavy enough to complete each set within the goal range of repetitions. For example, if you currently bench press 10 repetitions using 100 pounds (45 kg), increase to 105 pounds (48 kg) to see if this decreases the number of repetitions you can perform. Add 5 pounds (2.3 kg) if you can still complete 10 repetitions on your next set. Women frequently overestimate their strength and automatically select lighter weights. This is an error. Instead, choose a weight that can be lifted 10 times, with the last two repetitions posing a significant challenge. It is important to maintain good form throughout the set, so as soon as you notice your form starting to fail, reduce the amount of weight being lifted or take a rest. The objective is to lift heavy without hurting yourself, not lifting heavy. Be sure to have a spotter when performing exercises such as a back squat, bench press and overhead press, especially when learning a new exercise or going up in weight.
2. Reps and sets
The typical recommendation for building muscle is to complete three to six sets of six to 12 reps of an exercise. If you choose a heavier weight and do fewer repetitions (e.g., three to six), you’re more likely to gain muscular strength, while using lighter weights and higher repetitions lead to gains in muscular endurance. Give yourself a little more time to rest between sets if you want to improve your strength. Reduce the amount of time you rest between sets to 30 to 90 seconds if your primary objective is to increase muscle size.
3. Frequency
Consistency is one of the most important aspects of muscle gain, so weight training four to five days per week is a good goal. A great way to keep track of progress is to keep a journal and record your exercises and weights. Even if you intend to lift a lot, the only way to tell if you’re getting stronger is to write down how many sets, reps, and weights you used in each workout. The way your weight-training sessions are broken down is another thing to think about. Will you work out your entire body, or will you only do exercises for your upper or lower body? Or might a workout consist of two body parts? Whatever you end up deciding, the key is consistency and overload.
4. Exercise Selection
To build muscle mass, there are numerous workout options. Perform squat and squat variation exercises, bench presses, deadlifts, lat pull-downs, and overhead presses first if at all possible. By doing this, you can work more hard on these movements while still being able to do well on exercises that use smaller muscles or muscle groups at the end of your workout. Pick six to eight exercises to complete each day. You can break them up into circuits or do them one at a time, resting between sets according to your training objectives. Examples of Exercises for Building Muscle As previously stated, pushing muscles out of their comfort zones encourages muscle growth. To get the most out of your muscle hypertrophy, make sure to incorporate some of these movements into your workouts. Visit the ACE Exercise Library, which has step-by-step instructions for each exercise, to learn more about proper form and variations.
Squat
Whether you choose heavy dumbbells, a barbell or the squat rack, this exercise is great for shaping and building muscle in your quads and glutes. It’s important to train with good form, so gradually add weight while you train. Ideally, when you look into the mirror, you should pretend you are sitting in a chair at the bottom of your squat, with your heels on the ground and hips back.
Press Your Shoulders The dumbbell press, Arnold press, and behind-the-neck press are all variations of the shoulder press. The upper body, traps, and shoulders benefit greatly from these exercises. If you are really pushing yourself, be sure to have a spotter and don’t be afraid to add weight.
Deadlift
This versatile exercise works the hamstrings, glutes, and back muscles, regardless of whether you perform it with dumbbells or barbells, performing the single-leg or traditional deadlift. On this exercise, proper form is very important, so keep your back flat and bend your knees slightly. Reduce the weight and refocus on your form if you notice that your back is rounding. Press your chest A chest press can be done in a variety of ways, including on a flat bench, an incline, or a decline, all of which will target the chest from different angles. You can use dumbbells or a barbell, and if you’re really pushing yourself, bring a spotter.
Curls the biceps Although a smaller muscle group, the biceps can lift some heavier weight when pushed. Include barbell curls, dumbbell seated curls, rope curls, hammer curls, and other variations of curls in your workout routine. Avoid rocking for momentum, and if you notice that your back is starting to arch, lower the weight. Kickback of the Tract Work on shaping your triceps to show off that “horseshoe.” Begin by keeping your upper arm parallel to the ground and bending your elbow until your forearm is perpendicular to the ground. After that, work your triceps to the point where your elbow is fully extended. To truly isolate the triceps and shape those arms, remember to eliminate momentum.
