A Guideline to Strength Training For Women
By Jess Harley

It is no surprise that many women are afraid of strength training. Some of you might thing that strength training will bulk you up. Others might feel that it does not burn many calories because of the misconception that only cardio is good for weight loss. There are many benefits to strength training and have no fear, you will not bulk up and look like a body builder. Strength training increases your muscle mass and your muscle mass helps you to burn calories even when you are not exercising. So where should you start when developing a strength training routine

First thing to learn when getting started on a strength training routine is what a "rep" is and what a "set" is. You will hear this often throughout from trainers. A rep is a repetition. It is how you complete the exercise. Doing one full squat is one rep. A set is a set of repletion's. Most of the time when you are just starting out it is advisable to do two sets of eight to twelve reps. Once you can do that, you can increase it to three sets.

Another thing to consider is when to work out. Most trainers will not recommend you to work out after you eat a big meal. Chances are you will feel more uncomfortable than anything else. On the flip side, do not work out when you haven't eaten in a while. Working out, and this includes strength training on an empty stomach puts you at a risk of getting light headed. The best idea to do is work out in-between meals or even eat a light protein snack such as cheese or an egg before you begin your workout.

Make sure you warm up before beginning your strength program for at least 5-10 minutes. You can do some form of cardio from walking, marching or even doing jumping jacks just to warm up your muscles. You do not want to begin lifting weights without some sort of warm up because you increase your chance of injury to those muscles. It is also important to make sure you pick the right weight. If you have never done a strength training routine, do not reach right away for the 10lbs weight. You might want to start off at 2lbs just until you get the hang of it. Try different weights to find out one is in your fitness range. A good rule of thumb is if you can't lift it in good form at least 8 times, then it is too heavy and you need to go lower. To find out if your weights are to light, see if you can easily lift it 12 times or more. If you can, then it is too light. You want to find a weight that is just in the middle where you can lift it at least 8 to 12 times with a little bit of a challenge. Another thing to keep in mind when strength training is that to build muscle and tone, it might help to use a lighter weight and do more sets. If you are looking to bulk up use larger weights and less sets.

Have you ever seen how some weight lifters seem to be holding their breath with each set? This is incorrect. You should exhale when you lift the weight and inhale when you are returning to starting position. This holds true for adnominal crunches also. Breathe out when you are doing the crunch and breathe in when you are returning your body to the starting position. Making sure you have the right form is crucial also because it not only gives your muscle the best benefit, it also reduces your injury. This is why it might be a good idea to strength train with someone for a while at first so they can correct your form.

Strength training does have to use free weights. You can still get a good strength work out and build muscle by using your own body's resistance. This takes discipline though and you must keep your movements slow and controlled because you are essentially creating your own resistance. If you are sloppy while doing the moves, your effort will be for nothing. Also make sure you take time off. While you can do a cardio exercise everyday, strength training is better to do every other day. You want to give your muscles time to rest.

Follow these guidelines and you will be reaping the benefits of looking leaner, burning more calories and improving your metabolism. By following a strength training program you can have arms like Madonna or Cameron Diaz in no time!