There is no doubt that exercise is essential for optimal health and is a mandatory component of a healthy lifestyle. Many people exercise in order to prevent chronic disease and maintain good health, however, others are interested in visible results. Unfortunately, there exists plenty of misleading information about health and fitness, which often leaves people confused, unhappy and unable to achieve the results they are seeking. If you are a woman who feels frustrated because your hardwork at the gym isn't paying off, this article is for you. In it, we will address common training mistakes that women make and discuss the components of exercise programs that will help you achieve a leaner, stronger body.
I have been teaching fitness and personal training clients for over 11 years. During my long time career in the fitness industry, I have observed many exercise programs designed for men and women. Some of the programs work well and others do not. Based on what I've seen in the fitness industry over the years, I have developed a complete program designed to get women the results they are looking for.
Most women perform hours of cardiovascular exercise a week combined with low weight, low resistance, high repetition exercises. The problem with this type of program is that it lacks adequate muscle building exercises and will not result in denser, stronger muscles. For those of you who are not aware, denser, stronger muscles burn more fat and as a result, decrease overall body fat percentage.
Many women fear building bulky, bigger muscles. However, what they fail to realize is that endless crunches, lunges, squats and upper back work will actually lead to bulky, bigger muscles. The reason is that high-repetition training, which focuses on specific body parts, causes muscles to grow. If you are exercising regularly to trim down yet have noticed a bigger waist, bigger traps and bigger quads, you are probably performing too much direct work on specific body parts for too long. Most women are interested in toning up, decreasing their body fat percentage and getting leaner. If these are your goals, yet you are performing high-repetition total-body exercises regularly, combined with excessive aerobic exercise, your exercise program needs to change today.
Generally, women perform too much direct work on specific body parts (ie. abdominal crunches). Many fitness clubs offer classes such as, "60 Minute Abs" or "45 Minutes to a Firm Lower Body". Although these classes are big fun and very motivating, simply attending fitness classes will not get you the results you are looking for. In fact, because these fitness classes often focus on working specific body parts for an extended period of time (ie. 60 minutes of abdominal crunches), they result in overtraining a single body part making it bigger. Contrary to what many people have been taught, overworking a body part will not reduce fat around the body part and will only make it bigger.
It is simple. The more you train a muscle, the bigger it will get.
Believe me. I've taught fitness 7 days a week for almost 12 years and I know exactly what exercises are performed during a class and for how long. The reality is, for optimal results, fitness classes should be combined with heavier weight training. Please note that this article is intended to provide information, and I am not encouraging you to go to the gym tonight and start lifting heavy weights. You should consult a certified personal trainer to help you develop a complete training program that will make you stronger and leaner. You should not push your limits sooner than your body can handle. This will only result in injury.
Fitness expert, Chad Waterbury comments on women performing endless lunges at the gym, "I see trainers and females using the same parameters to shrink their thighs that men use to build their thighs." Chad Waterbury
Although cardiovascular training is an important component of most exercise programs, cardiovascular training needs to be combined with weight training/strength training in order to achieve maximal results. Too many women neglect the importance of weight training and focus on aerobic exercise alone.
** Incline treadmill walking is one form of cardiovascular exercise that will burn fat, without placing strain on your joints. I recommend 30 minutes, three times per week to my clients **
Sara designs fitness programs exclusively for women. Her programs combine exercises that work to strengthen important structural muscles, build key feminine muscles and decrease body fat percentage and inches.
Lastly, remember, without proper dietary modifications, reaching your goals will be challenging. 70% of your success is determined by what you eat and when you eat. Sara will provide you with a complete program, designed for you and based on your goals. Her extensive training in anatomy, physiology, physical medicine and orthopedics ensure you will be working within your physical limits. She will provide you with a diet that will reduce food cravings, help you get leaner and bring you closer than ever to your health and fitness goals.
