The fact is most women are pretty intimidated by the weightlifting area of the gym. They see a bunch of guys in there sweating and grunting... and some of them are even lifting weights. So women view weight training as a "guy thing" for people who want big, masculine muscles. By contrast, for the most part, women go to the gym to lose fat and to "tone" their muscles into a tight, firm look.
To make matters worse, popular women's magazine totally mislead readers into thinking they can have the body of Brooke Burke by doing arm curls with one pound dumbbells or pressing on their desktop with their fingertips. Please!
The truth is you can do your girlfriend or wife (Or both! Yuk, yuk.) a huge favor by taking her into the gym and showing her the benefits of a high intensity weightlifting workout. And please remember that "intensity" is a relative term. While you might hoist 300 pounds on the bench press, a beginner woman might get equal muscle growth stimulation from lifting just 75 pounds.
Magic Bullet
But here is the real "magic bullet" that women are missing by staying on the aerobics mats instead of pumping iron: body transformation through new muscle growth. Take a look at this chart that shows the body composition of two women who both weigh 140 pounds.
|
Woman A
|
Woman B
|
Difference
|
|
|
Weight:
|
140
|
140
|
0
|
|
Bodyfat %:
|
28%
|
18%
|
10%
|
|
Lean (lb.):
|
100.8
|
114.8
|
+14.0
|
|
Fat (lb.):
|
39.2
|
25.2
|
-14.0
|
Subject A has 14 pounds less muscle and 14 pounds more fat than B, yet they weigh exactly the same. So one of them looks a bit flabby and out of shape and the other one looks lean, firm and fit.
And the news gets even better!
Muscle is called "active tissue" because it has higher energy requirements than fat. In fact every extra pound of muscle burns about 60 calories per day. That means that Subject B, above, burns a whopping 840 calories per day more than Subject A. So she can eat a lot more than Ms. A and not gain any weight... or she can eat the same number of calories as Ms. A and lose about 7 pounds of fat in a month! How cool is that?
Be Gentle The First Time
So you're doing your girlfriend a huge favor by getting her into the gym to pump some iron. By showing her this "magic" method of transforming her body, it could change her life permanently! You're giving her a lean, hard body and the ability to eat more without gaining weight!
This workout is designed to target key areas that many women want to improve. I've stayed away from really heavy, intimidating exercises in favor of some easier ones that will build confidence and feel good. It's intense enough to deliver results for beginners yet gentle enough to keep her coming back. If you follow it to the letter your friend will enjoy it and want more. If you insist on that "20 sets per bodypart" macho crap it'll be the last time she sees the gym... and maybe you. For ALL of these exercises you can increase intensity by performing a 5 second static hold instead of doing multiple reps. If you are familiar with Static Contraction Training, that is definitely the way to go.
The Workout
Arms
Women enjoy having good definition in their upper arms; they hate that flabby, flaccid look. Women also wear clothing that exposes their entire arm much more frequently than men do.
Preacher curls (View Exercise): Perform one set of 8 to 12 partial reps in the strongest range of motion only. Act as a spotter to prevent the barbell or machine from moving into the weak range of motion. Use a weight that she can only lift 8 to 12 times. If she can do more than that the weight is too light. Don't be gallant and give her a puny weight... you'll be wasting her time. After her set load up the bar and do a single set for yourself with a weight you can only hoist 8 times.
Triceps press downs (View Exercise): Use the high pulley and perform one set of 8 to 12 partial reps in the strongest range of motion only. Pull the bar down for her so she only has to move the weight a quarter rep in her strongest range. Again, after her set is done select a heavier weight and do a single set for you with a weight you can only hoist 8 times.
Upper Back
Again, women wear clothing that exposes their back and, in my opinion, the upper back is one of the most beautiful and overlooked parts of a women's body.
Lat pulldowns: While you're at the high pulley, sit down and adjust the seat so the lat pulldown bar rests at her upper reach. Using a wide grip, pull the bar down one quarter of the way for 8 to 12 reps. Then do a heavy set for yourself.
Chest
Improving the muscle tone in the area of the chest behind the breasts is a great way to improve the look of the bust. It is essentially a "lift" without resorting to using a scalpel.
Bench press: Do one set of quarter range reps in the strongest range of motion. Use a weight she can only press 8 to 12 times. After her set, load up the bar and impress her with your power 8 times.
Legs
Strong legs make a woman look great in a pair of jeans. Working the legs has an added benefit of stimulating the entire Central Nervous System, which triggers all muscle growth. So this is one exercise where you never want to go too easy on yourself. Or your girlfriend.
Leg press: Sit in a leg press machine and slide the sled to its upper limit and engage the safely stops. Adjust the seat so her legs are about 4 inches from lock out. Load the sled with enough weight to limit reps to 8 to 12. Do not remove the safety stops!
Calves
Leave the leg press set up as it is and perform a set of toe presses. Place the balls of her feet on the bottom of the sled with heels not touching the sled. Press the toes forward to move the sled a couple of inches. Most people can perform this exercise with the same with they leg pressed. When your friend is finished just load a few hundred more pounds on the sled and do your leg press and toe press set. You're done!
Conclusion
This beginner's workout is simple and invigorating. Best of all, it will introduce your girlfriend or wife to the enormous benefits of strength training. It simultaneously works to build lean, firm muscles and to remove excess fat. Truly "magic"!
Train Smart!