Most women fear the idea of female bodybuilding. When fitness instructors propose the idea of weight training to them, they initially think of frog-like arms, masculine shoulders, cavewoman. Nothing can be further from the truth than these images. Studies have shown that regular and consistent weight lifting is quite possibly the only way out of most women’s cellulite problem.
Importance of developing muscles for women
Muscle development is extremely important for any individual, no matter what age and gender. As women age, they lose a lot of muscle mass, which makes for poor postures and poor aging. We inadvertently lose most of our muscles once we hit the age of 40, and if we don’t take care of them now, there’s a possibility that our flesh will sag very early on into our midlife.
Women who have not tried weight lifting or legal steroids when they were younger find that they’re incapable of moving by themselves as early as age 50. Today, even individuals over age 56 are encouraged to practice moderate and regular weight training to keep their limbs and bones from deteriorating.
Talk of bulk
Most women fear that they’ll bulk up too much if they involve themselves in too much weight training. After all, it’s not exactly very feminine to have biceps that are too pronounced when you’re in a dress. Fortunately, the bulking up theory is only a myth. Women, because they don’t produce as much testosterone as men, cannot have biceps and muscles as big and pronounced as male muscles. The female body produces hormones that make muscle formation a bit more difficult compared to its occurrence in men’s bodies. Instead of bulking up, women who weight train come out looking leaner, firmer, and more graceful compared to women who don’t weight train.
What about female professional wrestlers?
The bulky women you see on TV, unfortunately, take in anabolic steroids which trigger their bodies to produce more testosterone than is natural. This is the reason why most of them look as bulky, if not bulkier, than the average bodybuilding male.
What other exercises should complement weight training for women?
Optimum female bodybuilding routines should consist of a healthy balance between cardiovascular, strength, and flexibility exercises. 20 to 45 minutes of cardiovascular exercises daily, 4 to 5 times a week, should suffice if you’re trying to lose body fat. 20 minutes of cardiovascular exercise before strength training is more than enough for warm-ups. Always stretch before and after strength training to prevent muscle strains and injuries. You should never strength train two days in a row, and you should never exceed more than an hour of strength training. On days when you can’t weight train, try flexibility exercises to stretch your muscles.
What makes an efficient female bodybuilding diet?
Exercising regularly is no excuse for you to binge on greasy junk food. To help your body lose fat and develop lean, strong muscles, you should follow the food pyramid closely. Take extra care to invest in high-quality proteins, vitamin C, dietary fibers, antioxidants, and complex carbohydrates. Make sure you drink enough water throughout the day as well.
