A Girls Guide to
Gaining Muscle: Weight Training
Provided
by American
Council on Exercise
One of the
biggest misconceptions about weight lifting is this myth that it will cause
women to “get big.” This couldn’t be further from the truth. On the other hand,
many women who “lift” weights constantly pick up the same 5-pound dumbbells
week after week and wonder why they don’t see any aesthetic changes in their
physique. This could be for a number of reasons, but for the sake of this
article, we will be discussing the impact of weight training.
Before we
get into the “how” of weight training, let’s look at some proven principles and
clear up some misconceptions.
1.
Lift heavy.
To
stimulate muscle growth, or hypertrophy, a stimulus must be placed on the muscle.
As mentioned previously, women tend to typically stick with weights that they
are comfortable using for a full three sets. However, a greater stimulus must
be placed on the muscles to see any real changes. You need to get out of your
comfort zone and put greater physiological demands on your muscles. Once you
can make this paradigm shift in your mind, you will be able to make substantial
progress in both your strength and muscle gains.
2.
How to choose the right weight.
Women
often underestimate their strength and, by default, grab the lighter weights.
This is a mistake. Instead, choose a weight that can be lifted 10 times, with
the last two reps posing a significant challenge. It is important to maintain
good form when performing your exercises. As soon as you notice your form
starting to fail, drop the amount of weight being lifted or take a rest. The
goal here is to lift heavy and well, not lift heavy and get hurt. Be sure to
have a spotter when performing exercises such as a back squat, bench presses
and overhead presses, especially when going up in weight.
3.
Sets and reps.
The
typical recommendation for building muscle is to complete three to four sets of
eight to 12 reps of an exercise. If you choose a heavier
weight and do fewer repetitions (e.g., 3 to 6), you’re more likely to gain
muscle strength, while lighter weights and higher repetitions lead to gains in
muscle endurance. If you’re aiming for greater strength, take a little
extra rest time between sets. If you want to increase muscles size, reduce the
amount of rest you take between sets.
4.
Frequency.
One of the
most important elements to achieving muscle gains is consistency, so aim to
weight train four to five days a week, if possible. Recording your exercises
and weights in a journal is a great way to track gains. You can have good
intentions to lift heavy, but the only way you will know if you are getting
stronger is by writing down the sets, reps and weights used during each
workout. Another thing to consider is the breakdown of your weight-training
sessions. Will you perform total-body workouts or focus exclusively on upper-
or lower-body exercises? Or maybe two body parts per workout? Whatever you end
up deciding, the key is consistency and overload.
5.
Choosing your exercises.
There are
countless ways to create a workout to gain muscle mass. Ideally, perform
exercises requiring larger muscle groups first, such as squat/squat variations,
bench press, deadlifts, lat pull-downs and overhead
press. Doing so enables you to expend greater energy on these movements, while
still being able to perform well on smaller movements toward the end of your
workout. Choose six to eight exercises to perform on any given day. You can
split them up into circuits or do them separately, keeping your rest in between
sets around 60 seconds.
Sample
Muscle-building Exercises
As
mentioned above, stimulating muscle growth happens when muscles are pushed
beyond their comfort zones. Be sure to include some of these movements into
your workout to maximize your muscle hypertrophy.
Squat
Whether
you choose heavy dumbbells, a barbell or the squat rack, this exercise is great
for shaping and building muscle in your quads and glutes. Maintaining proper
form is key, so gradually add weight as you train
while maintaining good form. Ideally, when you look into the mirror, you should
pretend you are sitting in a chair at the bottom of your squat, with your heels
on the ground and hips back.
Shoulder
Press
There are
a number of shoulder-press variations, including the dumbbell press, Arnold
press and behind-the-neck press. These exercises are great for the shoulders,
traps and upper body. Don’t be afraid to add some weight, and be sure to have a
spotter if you are really pushing yourself.
Deadlift
Whether
you choose the single-leg or traditional deadlift, use dumbbells or barbells,
this versatile exercise engages the hamstrings, glutes, and back muscles. Form
is critical on this exercise, so be sure to keep a flat back and slight bend in
your knees. If you feel your back rounding, drop the weight and refocus on your
form.
Chest
Press
There are
a myriad ways to perform a chest press, including on an incline, decline, flat
bench or the floor, which will target the chest from multiple angles. Dumbbells
or a barbell can be used, and if you are really pushing your upper limit, be
sure to have a spotter.
Biceps
curls
Although a
smaller muscle group, the biceps can lift some weight when pushed. Incorporate
a few curl variations in to your program, such as barbell curls, dumbbell
seated curls, hammer curls or rope curls. Be sure not to rock for momentum and
if you feel your back starting to arch, it’s probably time to lower the weight.
Triceps Kickback
Show off
that “horse shoe” by sculpting those triceps. For this exercise, you will need
a pulley and an attachment such as a straight bar, rope or v-bar. Start with
your arms at 90 degrees and press down until your arms are perpendicular to the
floor. On the way up, stop at 90 degrees. Remember to keep momentum out of the
equation to truly isolate the triceps and shape those arms.
AUTHOR
Kelley Vargo
Kelley Vargo, MPH, MS, CSCS, ACE Health Coach is a recent graduate
of the Milken Institute School of Public Health at The George Washington
University where she received her MS in Exercise Science with a concentration
in Strength & Conditioning and her MPH in Communication & Marketing.
Ms. Vargo has contributed content to Discovery Health
as well as the ACE Fitness Journal. She is a member of the International
Society of Sports Nutrition, Delta Omega Public Health Honors Society, and a
Metabolic Effect Instructor. She enjoys sharing her passion and energy with
others, helping them create healthier and happier lives. Follow Kelley on
twitter @kelleyvargo or contact her at
kmvfitness@gmail.com or www.kelleyvargo.com.