Gym workouts for girls can be aimed at both losing weight and gaining muscle mass. But to a greater extent, nutrition plays a major role in obtaining results. Otherwise, women's training will have its own characteristics and differences from men's. How to correctly create a program at each stage of training: at the beginning of the journey, for weight loss and relief, or increasing muscle volume? Let’s take a closer look at the features of training for girls, what results and what loads can be expected from, and how to develop further.
Recommendations
- Any set of workouts in the gym for women should include leg exercises in every session. Firstly, this will allow you to spend more energy, because training the largest muscles requires more strength. Secondly, it contributes to the formation of the correct forms, relative to the female constitution, and the burning of fat in this area, since the female body tends to accumulate fat there.
- The duration of the workout should not be more than 1.5 hours, including cardio, cool-down and warm-up. Training for two hours will not give the best effect, but on the contrary, it will lead to overwork, and no results will be obtained from the training.
- Don't focus on the problem area, be it the stomach or thighs. Exhausting one muscle group with more than three exercises will not improve your fitness or speed up results. This is because fat is not burned locally, it is better to pay attention to all muscles, then the correct body proportions will be maintained and fat will be lost evenly.
- Do not perform full-body workouts two days in a row; large muscles will not have time to fully recover during the day, and constant stress on overworked muscles is stress for the body.
Principles of proper nutrition for women
The quality of products is still the first thing you should take care of to optimize nutrition. Firstly, proteins should be of animal origin, secondly, carbohydrates should be complex, and thirdly, fats should not be completely excluded from the diet. A girl should consume 1-1.5 grams of protein per kilogram of her own weight, since women have less muscle tissue, but girls have more fat tissue, so girls should also consume less carbohydrates. The optimal caloric intake range for girls ranges from 1200-1800 Kcal, but the calorie balance is a very individual indicator, so we will talk about it in more detail later. Fats in the diet should be 15-20%, but they should be unsaturated, preferably vegetable, or omega-3 type. To preserve the quality of products, they must be steamed, boiled or stewed; frying is strictly prohibited.
Diet is the second most important principle of proper nutrition, however, the regimen must be followed everywhere, so training for women in the gym is also constant. In this case, we are talking about the fact that you need to eat often and in small portions, you need to eat food at the same time every day. On average, it is advisable to eat 5-6 times a day, which will ensure a constant supply of nutrients in the body, and will also avoid an increase in blood sugar levels and the release of insulin. By the way, for this purpose it is also recommended to eat carbohydrates with a low glycemic index or low glycemic load, that is, either the glycemic index should be low or there should not be many carbohydrates in the product. It is important to eat carbohydrates in the first half of the day, and protein foods in the second, and in the late afternoon you should eat dairy products or casein protein, since this type of protein takes longer to digest.
Systematicity is not just an important principle, it is a principle without which all other principles of proper nutrition will not work at all. Moreover, we recommend using systematicity, as well as a regimen, in your training program for women in the gym. There are two ways to ensure systematic nutrition: complex and simple. The difficult part is to calculate daily, using a food composition table and a kitchen scale, how many food nutrients are contained in foods, and then optimize their value to what you need. The easy one is to once calculate how many protein foods you need to eat, and gradually adjust carbohydrates in accordance with your result.
In fact, the complex method also involves adjustments, but it simply allows you to change products daily, which is a plus. True, no one is stopping you, when you get tired of certain carbohydrates, count how many calories you ate, and then change the sources of carbohydrates. In practice , you have chosen a diet, let’s say you eat chicken breast and rice, you weigh 55 kg, and you want to lose weight. Accordingly, brisket contains 26.5g of protein for every 100g, you need to eat about 250g per day, and you eat 300g of rice per day. Moreover, the breast must be weighed when cooked, and the rice when raw; this rule is valid for all sources of protein and carbohydrates. Before you start eating like this, you weigh yourself, then eat these foods for a week, and after a week you weigh yourself again. Now, depending on the result, you need to increase the amount of rice, reduce it, or leave it at the same level. If you have lost 0.5-2 kg, then the amount of rice does not need to be changed; if you have lost more than 2 kg, then the amount of rice must be increased; if you have lost less than 0.5 kg, then the amount of rice must be increased.
Cyclicity - this principle is associated with ovulation, as a result of which it is necessary to use microperiodization , both in nutrition and in the training system for women. In general, women accumulate subcutaneous fat more easily, but also lose it more easily. This is due to the fact that a woman gives birth to a child, so she needs a supply of nutrients, at the same time, when there are few nutrients, then in order for the child not to receive any injuries, the reserves are spent very easily. And during ovulation, when the chance of getting pregnant is especially high, the body tries to store as many nutrients as possible. Therefore, during ovulation, the intensity of training and caloric intake decreases. As for the training program, this will be discussed below, and as for the calorie intake, it should be reduced by 20%, just eat 20% less carbohydrates.
Conclusion: you need to eat often and in small portions; the diet should consist only of high-quality products with a low glycemic index; Food must be steamed or boiled; sources of protein must be of animal origin, vegetable fats, or, as in the case of omega-3, they can be obtained from northern sea fish; carbohydrates must be complex; The diet should be followed permanently, every day there is the same amount of food nutrients, which is implemented using a table of food composition and weights in the case when you eat different foods, or due to the monotony of the diet; during ovulation, the intensity of training and calorie intake decrease; and further! drink more water, 2.5-3 liters per day, and water at room temperature; it is advisable to drink water evenly, stretching its intake into the body throughout the day; you should not drink during meals.
Diet menu for women
20 minutes before breakfast - a glass of water, to which you can add a little honey, or soluble vitamins Breakfast - 100g of oatmeal porridge with milk and a cup of green tea Second breakfast - 3 whites from boiled chicken eggs and a salad of non-starchy vegetables Lunch - 100g of boiled coarse rice varieties with seaweed or non-starchy vegetables and 100g salmon or pollock Afternoon snack – 100g brisket and non-starchy vegetables Dinner – 150g low-fat cottage cheese and kefir
The menu is average, but you can take it as a basis, gradually adjusting it to suit you. It is important to note that this is a menu for intense training, so during ovulation the amount of carbohydrates is 20% lower. In any case, if you follow such a diet, it will be many times more effective than 99% of all those diets that are replete with the Internet and women's magazines.
When will the result be visible?
As for beginners, the first thing that happens to their body is the strengthening of muscles and ligaments, that is, the body is prepared for full loads. Atonic muscles begin to thicken and get used to power work. This process takes approximately one to two months. At the same time, the muscles change shape, begin to tighten and decrease in volume, and not only due to fat burning, but due to the density of muscle fibers and lymphatic drainage, which removes excess water from the muscles.
During this period, with the help of strength training, you can lose from 3 to 5 kg, but everything will depend on the metabolic rate, weight, age and quality of training.
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How to continue training?
After one or two months of training, only the first results are visible - the muscles become elastic, excess weight disappears, the body gradually acquires distinct and beautiful female shapes. But you shouldn’t stop there, even if you are completely satisfied with the result. The effect will not persist if you stop exercising, and continuing training will either maintain the result or improve it if necessary.
Next, you need to change your training program. First you need to change the exercises, this will give new muscles a boost, and progress will be obvious. If the load is not increased over time, even if the training previously bore fruit, then after a while it stops working, since the body is accustomed to it. The same applies to increasing working weight. Muscles become stronger over time and they need corresponding load. This does not mean that such training will lead to an increase in huge muscle mass. No, the female body is not predisposed to this. On the contrary, they will constantly improve their feminine form through adequate strength training.
After mastering fullbadi training, you can switch to three-day split training, during which you will work not the whole body at the same time, but two or three muscle groups. For example:
- Day 1 : 4-5 exercises for legs, 2-3 for deltoids and 2 for abs.
- Day 2 : 2-3 exercises for the back, 2-3 exercises for the chest and 2 for the abs.
- Day 3 : 2-3 triceps exercises, 2-3 biceps exercises and 2 abdominal exercises.
You need to perform the exercises 15 repetitions in three approaches.
Read more about split training →
What should strength training be like?
Regardless of the program, every strength training begins with a warm-up. It must be done in the following order:
- Joint warm-up. Rotate the joints of your arms and legs 10 times in each direction, bend and turn your body and neck.
- 5-10 minutes of light cardio. Any suitable exercise machine will do: treadmill, stepper, ellipse, exercise bike. If everything is busy, jump rope.
In addition, before each exercise with a large weight, you need an additional warm-up with a small one. This will prepare the target muscles for work and protect you from injury. For example, if you are going to squat with a 50 kg barbell, do 5 reps with the bar, then 3 reps with 30 kg and 3 reps with 40 kg. Only then proceed to the main load.
Select the working weight so that the last repetitions of the approach are difficult, but without changing the technique: jerks, twisted back and unnecessary bends. If they appear, take lighter weights or reduce the number of repetitions.
Rest 60–90 seconds between sets and 1–2 minutes between exercises.
I strength training
Ab crunches
Filming location: Tabata Drive gym.
Works out the abdominal muscles.
Lie on your back, place your feet on the floor, put your hands behind your head. Raise your body so that your shoulder blades lift off the floor and your lower back remains pressed. Do not put pressure on your head with your hands, your fingers only touch the back of your head, the movement is made by tensing the abdominal muscles, not the neck.
Perform 3 sets of 15–20 reps.
Hyperextension
Pumps up the back extensors, buttocks and back of the thigh.
Place your feet on the hyperextension machine and place your hands behind your head. Keeping your back straight, lower your body and then lift it up. At the top, look at the wall in front of you. Avoid jerking and sudden movements, perform the exercise smoothly and under control.
Do 3 sets of 15 reps. In the future, you can increase the number of repetitions to 20–25.
Back Squats
Loads the hips, buttocks and core muscles.
Place your feet slightly wider than straightened shoulders, bring your shoulder blades together, turn your toes slightly to the sides. Move your pelvis back, bend slightly at the lower back and inhale into a squat. Keep your back straight and look forward.
Squat until your thighs are parallel to the floor. If your heels don't come off, your knees don't curl inward, and your back remains straight, try squatting lower. If your back is rounded, return to the previous position, that is, again make your thighs parallel to the floor.
Exhale as you come out of the squat.
Start with a 15 or 20 kg bar and gradually increase the load. Keep an eye on your equipment at all times.
Block pull to the chest
Pumps up the back muscles.
Sit on a bench with your feet flat on the floor. Grab the handle with a straight (back) or reverse (biceps) grip. You can change them every week. Squeeze your shoulder blades, lower your shoulders, straighten your back. As you exhale, pull the handle until it touches your chest. The body does not lean back, the shoulders are lowered, the shoulder blades are brought together.
Return the pen and repeat the exercise.
Hip raises with barbell
Good load on the buttocks.
Prepare the barbell, sit next to the bench and place the bar on your feet. Lean your back on the bench, bend your knees, place your feet on the floor. Supporting the barbell with your hands, place it on your pelvis. Lift it off the floor, distribute the weight between the fulcrum on the bench and your feet on the floor.
By tensing the gluteal muscles, push your pelvis up until the hip joint is completely straightened. Lower yourself and repeat.
Bench press
Pumps up the pectoral muscles and triceps.
Lie down on a bench press with your feet flat on the floor. Using a straight, shoulder-width grip, grab the barbell. Remove it from the racks, lower it until it touches your chest and squeeze it back out.
Standing Dumbbell Flyes
Strengthens the shoulders.
Stand straight, raise your arms with dumbbells to the sides to shoulder level and lower them back. Keep your elbows slightly bent so as not to overload the joint.
II strength training
Reverse crunches on a bench
Pump the rectus abdominis muscle with an emphasis on the lower part (lower abs).
Lie down on a bench and grab its edge with your hands. Raise your legs and bend your knees.
Raise your legs even higher and lift your pelvis off the bench. Return to the starting position.
Do 3 sets of 20 reps.
Hyperextension
Do 3 sets of 15 reps. The technique is described in the first strength training.
Lunges with dumbbells in hands
Pumps up the legs, buttocks and core muscles.
Hold the dumbbells at arm's length. Lunge forward, touching the floor with the knee of your back leg. Make sure your front knee does not extend beyond your toes.
Stand up and lunge with your other leg. You can do these exercises while moving or, if the gym is crowded, on the spot.
If you want to additionally target your core and shoulders, try another variation: overhead dumbbell lifts.
Do two sets on each arm.
Bent-over dumbbell row
Loads the back muscles.
Place your left hand and knee on a support, such as a bench or box. Straighten your back, lower your shoulders and arm with the dumbbell, bring your shoulder blades together.
Pull the dumbbell to your waist and lower it again. It is very important to pull towards the belt, and not to the chest, not to raise your shoulders or spread your shoulder blades. Otherwise, you will shift the emphasis from your arms to your back muscles.
Barbell deadlift
Pumps up the buttocks and back extensors.
Stand close to the barbell so that the bar is above the laces of your sneakers. Squat down, moving your pelvis back. Grasp the barbell with an overhand grip slightly wider than shoulder-width apart. Keep your back straight throughout the exercise.
Raise the barbell, fully extend your hip joint, then return to the starting position.
Lying dumbbell flyes
Pumps up the pectoral muscles and loads the shoulders.
Lie down on a bench, press your feet to the floor, raise the dumbbells in front of you so that your palms are facing each other. Raise the dumbbells out to the sides, keeping your elbows slightly bent to protect your joints. Turn your palms toward the ceiling at the lowest point.
Bring your arms together and repeat.
Reverse push-ups on the bench
Loads the triceps.
Find support: a box, a bench, a stack of steps. Turn your back to her, place your hands on her, straighten your knees. Do a reverse push-up until your shoulders are parallel to the floor, but not lower. Return to the starting position.
Do 3-5 sets of 10-15 reps.
III strength training
Ab crunches
Perform 3 sets of 15–20 reps. The technique is described in the first strength training.
Hyperextension
Do 3 sets of 15 reps. The technique is described in the first strength training.
Sumo squats with dumbbells
Loads the muscles of the legs and buttocks, pumps the inner thigh well.
Take one dumbbell or kettlebell in your hands. Place your feet so that they are twice as wide as your shoulders and your toes point to the sides. Move your pelvis back, bend slightly at the lower back.
Do a squat, spreading your knees out to the sides. Do not bend your back: it should be straight and tense throughout the entire exercise.
Bent-over barbell row
Pumps up the back muscles and biceps of the shoulder.
Take the barbell with an overhand grip slightly wider than shoulder width, tilt your body until it is parallel to the floor. Bend your arms, bring your shoulder blades together and bring the projectile to your waist, and then lower it. Do not straighten up until you finish the exercise: the body should be parallel to the floor or close to it.
Standing chest press
Works the chest, triceps and shoulders.
Raise the barbell to your chest, bring your elbows forward a little, lower your shoulders, bend your lower back slightly. From this position, squeeze the projectile upward and move it behind your head.
Look straight ahead at all times. When the barbell passes your face, do not lift your chin. Instead, pull it in.
Romanian deadlift
Pumps up the extensor muscles of the back, buttocks and back of the thigh.
The Romanian deadlift differs from the classic deadlift in that you bend your knees minimally and at the lowest point you do not place the barbell on the floor, but bring it to the middle of your shin. The back remains straight throughout the entire exercise.
Leg abduction in crossover
An effective exercise for pumping up the buttocks.
Turn your face to the exercise machine, put a special belt on your leg and attach it to the lower block. Take your leg back and return it back.
Women's training: myths
Women should avoid lifting heavy weights to avoid bulking up and becoming huge.
Typically, women are advised to limit weights and make do with light dumbbells, doing very high repetitions. But often this load is much lower than what is necessary to work the muscles.
To reap the full benefits of strength training, women must work to failure periodically. Most women are able to train longer and harder than previously thought—at an intensity high enough to cause adaptations in bones, muscles, and connective tissue.
Strength training can help you reduce body fat and increase muscle mass, allowing you to look slimmer despite your weight gain.
Only women with a genetic predisposition to rapid muscle growth, training very hard for years, eating in excess of calories, using anabolic steroids, become huge and so intimidating to beginners. A woman’s androgen level is so low that it is very difficult to accidentally “pump up”, and identifying oneself with professional bodybuilders is definitely unnecessary. They are like this - not because they work out “like men,” but because they artificially create a male hormonal background.
Construction of the training process
The purpose of the first stage was to create a certain foundation for further progress. It was carried out using mainly light loads. Now, we know that we need to work the whole body in a workout and we know that the program should contain many approaches and many repetitions. We will continue to work all muscle groups, in moderate volume, with a higher number of sets and repetitions, and with loads higher than the first stage. The duration of the second stage is 4 months. Change the training program - once a month.
We have already talked about how many times a week to train, how long the training should last and how much time to rest between approaches in the article for beginners mentioned in the introduction, and now let’s look directly at what your training program should look like. Don’t forget to also warm up on a cardio machine with a light load for about 5-7 minutes at the beginning of your workout, after which you can start strength training.
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Hormone levels
Physiology is where men and women differ catastrophically. Female physiology is incredibly complex.
Androgen hormones, which are released from the adrenal glands and ovaries, influence strength, although their exact influence is not entirely clear. The most important of these is testosterone. Although women have 10 times less testosterone (), levels vary greatly among women and affect strength more than in men.
Women with higher testosterone levels can be much stronger and build more muscle than those with lower testosterone levels.
Women also recover faster and are more resilient thanks to estrogens ().
Afterword
If you still can’t perform the specified number of repetitions in a particular exercise, it’s okay. Try to do as many repetitions as possible. It doesn’t work at full amplitude, do it short. For example, if you find it difficult to do push-ups on the floor with straight legs, try doing push-ups from your knees. If you can't go low enough during push-ups, go as low as you can.
In any case, don’t give up and don’t say “I can’t, I won’t do this.” Be persistent. Nothing is given right away. Try, try and everything will definitely work out.
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