Mistake
#1: Choosing the wrong training method
The truth is
most women are drawn to towards cardio-heavy activities like treadmills or
elliptical machines, and tend to shy away from strength training. There is
nothing wrong with doing cardio, (especially if you enjoy it), but the benefits
of strength training for women are infinite.
Strength training not only helps you to improve your posture, but also increases
your bone density as well as improves your body mechanics…..i.e. flexibility
and balance. Also more muscle mass, allows
your body to have a faster metabolism (meaning: you burn more calories-even at
rest). This is turns makes it easier to
lose body fat. Did I also mention that getting stronger is great for boosting
your self-confidence?
Mistake
#2: Not following a program.
Strength training is critical for women. But it’s not enough. A proper training
program has balance.
I tell my clients you can’t just lift, you can’t just hang out on that stair
climber, you can’t just run – you have to have a combination of several things
for a balanced training program. A concrete training program should consist of
the of the following:
·
Dynamic Warm-Up – This is generally a series of 6-10
exercises designed to prepare you for your workout. These may include arm circles, inch worms,
drop lunges, quad pulls, or even jumping rope. Your body has many mechanisms that need to be activated
and stimulated. When you put your body through a series of stretches
while in motion, it sends signals from the brain to the muscle fibers
and connective tissues in that area to prepare to do work. Your body’s
temperature begins to rise and blood is pumped to the working areas of the
body. Getting good blood flow to the area of the working muscles is very
critical in order to supply the area with energy needed to do
work. Along with getting proper blood flow to the working area, the
muscle fibers and connective tissues will gain more flexibility and range of
motion. Dynamic stretching can help increase power, improve flexibility,
and increase your range of motion.
·
Soft Tissue Work – I usually use a foam roller for soft
tissue work, but you can use a lacrosse ball, tennis ball, stick, or PVC pipe.
Spending a few minutes before and after each training session doing soft tissue
work can increase blood flow to the area, as well as help work out knots in the
fascia tissue.
·
Strength Training – The training routine will vary based on
the training age and ability level of the athlete, but should include
variations of the following movement patterns; multi-joint exercises like the
squat, push up, deadlift, and lunge are great complex movements. Single joint
movements should also be sprinkled in your program. Along with resisting rotation, extension, and
lateral flexion with your core.
·
Energy Systems Training (“cardio”) – The amount and type of
energy systems training that should be included in a program is very dependent
on goals (fat loss, muscle building, etc), and amount of time available to
train. I like using a mix of both high-intensity interval training (HIIT) 2-3
times per week and moderate intensity cardio (keeping my heart rate in the fat
burning zone)
If your program
is missing any one of these critical components, you’re going to be missing out
on
obtaining
maximum results and a better physique.
Mistake
#3: Not lifting heavy enough.
In my earlier
years before I knew anything about strength training – I’d go to the gym and
spend 60 minutes on the treadmill, and then walk over to the free weights and
grab 5-10 lb. dumbbells and go crazy.
I would do a
little of this (bicep curls) and then a little of that (front raises) and then
I’d try to watch other people in the gym and copy what they were doing.
And, it’s accurate to say that I got just about nowhere. My body didn’t change,
and I didn’t notice any toned muscles, or any increases in my strength levels
whatsoever. Why didn’t I see results? Because
I wasn’t lifting heavy enough……………”Heavy” however, is all relative, depending
on if you are just beginning to incorporate strength training into your
workouts. If this is the case, you can
start with just your own body weight. Keep challenging yourself so that your
body has to consistently adapt to keep up with the increasing demands you are
placing on it. This is how you make progress in strength, performance, and body
composition.
Mistake
#4: Not resting long enough in between exercises.
Taking time to
rest between exercises allows your muscles to recover, so that you can perform
quality reps of each exercise with the heaviest load your body can handle for
the given set and rep recommendation.
For bigger
compound movements that are placed at the beginning of your workout, you want
more rest (generally 2 – 3 minutes). In contrast, when doing single-joint
movements, rests can be between 30-90 seconds.
There you have
it. The four biggest mistakes women make when it comes to their training
programs – and how they can be fixed. You know what’s
even better than being told how to fix them, though? A program available that
addresses them all for you! Happy Lifting!
