Benefits of Strength Training - You Can Be Stronger - Leaner - Healthier

The benefits of strength training isn't just for guys! Strength training is a form of resistance which requires your muscles to exert against a force such as weights. It's the fastest way to improve muscle strength and endurance as well as the best way to increase your metabolism..

Female strength training is an important aspect of being healthy and many women do not get the benefits of strength training because they never start. strength training for women will not cause you to become the incredible hulk. Your body does nto have enough testosterone to build huge muscles, but for every pound of extra muscle you have, your body can burn up to an extra 40 calories a day.

Muscle mass diminishes with age. If you don't do anything to replace the muscle you're losing, you body will carry more fat.

The good things is you don't need to spend hours each day lifting weights to get the benefits of strength training.

Two or three sessions each week at 30 minutes are sufficient to improve your fitness, stamina, and overall muscle tone.

Use it or Lose it!

Strength Training can preserve and enhance your muscle mass, regardless of your age!

Health Benefits of Strength Training

- Increases your strength up to 60% within 6 months of regular training
- Increases lean muscle mass
- Shapes and strengthens muscles fibers which minimizes the fatty marbling tissue
- Increases range of motion
- Promotes bone density
- Controls body fat
- Reduces risk of injuries
- Increases your self confidence
- Improves contractile properties of muscles
- Increases structural stability
- Increases your basal metabolic rate

Getting Started Tips

-  Always warm up before starting.
-  Stretch to increase muscle suppleness.
-  Start gradually and work your way up.
-  Listen to your body, don't drive yourself into physical exertion.
-  "No Pain, No Gain" is NOT true. Starting a workout program, your body can get sore, but there should be no pain.
-  You don't workout every day. Your muscles need to rest at least a day in between workouts.

Strength Training Techniques

- Good body alignment is important. While standing your feet should be shoulder width apart with your knees slightly bent. Your movements should be slow and controlled.
- Good breathing techniques are essential. Never hold your breath. Inhale at the beginning of the lift and exhale during the release of each weight.
- You can sit or stand while participating in strength training.
- Never use a weight that's too heavy that you cannot lift for 8 repetitions per set.
- Start with a light weight to warm up. Increase the weight somewhat with the second and third sets.
- Do two to three different exercises for each body part to work the muscle in the group effectively.
- A set consists of 8 to 12 repetitions per set.
- Do not work out with weights more than 3 times a week.
- Workout time shouldn't exceed 30 to 40 minutes.

Other resistant exercises you can do are push-ups, ab crunches and leg squats and thrusts.

"Achieving A Healthy Lifestyle For Women's Health and Fitness"