By Bodybuilding has been such a huge passion of mine for so many years. I didn’t always feel this way, as I too, was plagued with the stereotypical notions that lifting weights would make me look huge and bulky — like a male.
Hands up anyone conditioned to feel the same line of resistance? Because of this, I was the type of female (as most are) who would succumb to the art of cardio every single day. Instead of discovering the benefits of weight training, I would be on a treadmill for 45 minutes, sweating it out with the fat burning goal in mind. It went on for years and years, boring me to tears. Again, I didn’t see any other way to burn body fat and maintain my physique apart from killing myself with cardiodaily.
You could say I was hooked at first sight when I developed my physique.
I just wanted to keep getting better and better. The challenge is to keep increasing your capacity to lift heavier and become stronger. For me, that does not only result in changes externally but also enhancing my self-belief on the inside. The two somehow intertwine with one another on many levels. I genuinely believe that once you lift weights, you will never turn your back on it. Even if you take a month or two off, you will be back — and you will become better than ever before. When It comes to our mental health, one critical aspect of bodybuilding is that it improves brain condition and health. Recent studies show having more muscle is associated with a healthier mental outlook and a lower risk of depression.
This could be why most people (such as myself) think of training as a mind and body therapy. That is why many people become hooked (in a good way) to exercise. It does have a large amount of therapeutic value for all ages.
I believe that slowly, women are finally coming around to the notion that weight training is a superior choice of exercise that can tick all the boxes regarding their body reshaping goals. The evidence is in the vast growth of popularity bodybuilding has generated. The weights area is no longer a man’s domain but is slowly trickling with the female energy. To get the most out of your training, ladies, I’d like to share some of the basics here with you so that you can get results fast and without having to figure out what exactly it is you need to do. Creating a training program (or getting a trainer to do one for you) is very beneficial and notes your progression, plus it keeps you motivated.
Four practical ways to build muscle and get leaner — faster than you think
1 Higher volume training. This refers to the number of repetitions you perform per set of any exercise.Beginners should aim for three sets and 12–15 repetitions. You can then work your way up to 4–5 sets and gradually increase the repetitions towards 15–20. I love using this technique for my biceps, as they are smaller muscles and need a higher volume to develop and grow. It’s equally beneficial to create a higher volume leg workout too. It enhances the environment for burning body fat and gaining muscle — my two favourite things to do simultaneously. 2 Multi-joint exercises. These exercises use the most muscles in your body, burn the most calories, and build muscle faster. They include; lunges, squats, bench press, pull-ups and step-ups. Single joint exercises are biceps curls, lateral raises and shoulder presses.Save single-joint exercises towards the end of my workout to enhance those smaller joints and muscle groups. 3 Shorter rest periods. One of the biggest problems I see in the gym are people spending too much time scrolling through their phone and not paying attention to their workout. Shorter rest periods are the BOMB! Using this strategy builds muscle, creates an environment for fat burning and increases the intensity of your workout. There is no time to do anything apart from catch your breath during these short but sweet breaks, have a sip of water and continue to grind it out. 4. Failure. It isn’t as bad as it sounds. Training to failure is a fantastic way to overload those muscles and give your body the best chance to transition towards a higher level of strength. Failure is when you lift a weight for as many reps as possible until you can’t lift the weight anymore.Don’t worry about those funny faces you might make or the grunting noises coming out of your mouth. It’s what usually happens, and don’t worry too much, as we are all pretty much making some noise or scary facial expression too. Setting up the bar for women to weight train is a must, as the benefits are just too huge for women to keep missing out on. The treadmill is no longer the superior choice for fat-burning. Now women have incorporated handheld weights and bars. Let’s keep spreading the benefits of weight training. It’s not just a sport for your body, but also the mind. I wrote this for the love of weight train.