A woman’s guide to weightlifting

Published: January 14, 2022

There’s an incredible number of people that still consider weightlifting to be a man’s discipline only. But we here at DubaiPT know that that’s far from the truth. Weightlifting is a discipline that can be of great interest to women, and females can decide to either try it out professionally or think of it as a source of entertainment and leisure. Truth be told, we are going to focus more on the second group, which is why we have composed a woman’s guide to weightlifting that’s going to provide you with the basic pieces of information.

Should you get into strength training as a woman?

The answer to this question is an incredibly easy one – yes! Every person of every gender and age should get into strength training as soon as possible. As a woman, you might not be able to build muscle as fast as men due to the lack of testosterone, but that doesn’t mean that you can’t get where you want to be with time. There are quite a few reasons why you should make strength training a part of your healthy lifestyle, and some of them are:

• Experiencing an easier life that comes with a strong body and a healthy mind.
• Being less prone to injury due to having strong muscles, bones, and ligaments.
• Fighting age-related muscle loss that could affect your appearance, as well as health.

Now that you have an incentive to get into strength training and weightlifting, you need to assess where you are at. Don’t worry if you think that you are a complete beginner who couldn’t lift anything heavier than five pounds. Nobody expects you to be a professional bodybuilder the first time you step foot in a gym. But if you patiently go through the following three phases, you might as well become one.

A woman’s guide to weightlifting through phases

Your approach to weightlifting is going to differ based on your current shape. Have you been going to the gym for quite some time now and has your main focus been on strength training? Whether you want to turn it up a notch or you have to start from scratch, here are the three phases that can get you where you need to be.

Phase 1 – Bodyweight exercises

Contrary to popular belief, bodyweight workouts can give significant results. There are many glutes, legs, and arm workouts for women that won’t require any equipment. If you are a complete beginner, bodyweight exercises will give you a chance to learn the proper form of the essential exercises that you will focus on later on. The proper form will minimize any chances for injuries, even though there is always that small chance that you will injure yourself during a workout.

The additional benefit of bodyweight exercises is that they can be done anytime and anywhere. Since you always have your body with you, you can set aside thirty minutes of your day and do a bodyweight circuit at home. Of course, if you want to approach your fitness journey with more passion and zest, you can always hire a personal fitness instructor in Dubai. They can help you master bodyweight exercises quickly, enabling you to move on to phase two.

Phase 2 – Dumbbell workouts

This is where things start to get interesting. With basic knowledge acquired, you are ready to progress to lifting actual weights. This is where a woman’s journey to weightlifting really takes off, as dumbbells will help you add some difficulty to your workouts without making you go into panic mode. Dumbbells are great for weight training as they can be found in every gym, and they don’t take up a lot of space. Thus, you can even purchase a set of dumbbells and use them for your home workouts.

When it comes to the exercises you can do with dumbbells, it’s safe to say that you have a variety of options at your disposal. From doing squats and lunges with a pair of dumbbells in your hands to doing a Russian twist, you just have to choose the muscle group you want to focus on. And the best part about dumbbells is the fact that they are scalable. Once you realize that a set of 10-pound dumbbells isn’t challenging enough, you can easily move on to a 15-pound set.

Phase 3 – Barbell workouts

Welcome to the world of barbell workouts – a place where you will become extra strong and powerful. Barbell training allows you to lift very heavy weights that will have an impact on every muscle in your body. Rest assured that personal boxing trainers in Dubai consider barbell workouts to be a staple of every strong man’s or woman’s fitness routine. Barbells, just like dumbbells, are easily scalable. You can start by lifting a 70-pound barbell and adding a new plate will turn up the intensity.

Be very careful – even an empty barbell can be extremely heavy, as it can weigh around 45 pounds. That’s why it’s imperative to master dumbbells before you jump into barbell training. Otherwise, you run the risk of hurting yourself and being forced to take a break from any physical activity. And if there’s just one thing that you decide to take away from our woman’s guide to weightlifting, let it be to always keep yourself safe while exercising.

How often should you lift weights?

Contrary to popular belief, working out seven days a week isn’t a good idea. Instead, aim to work out all major muscle groups two to three times per week. If you plan on going to the gym on Monday and on Tuesday, make sure that you don’t focus on exercises for the same muscle group. Doing a lower-body workout two days in a row will not provide you with quicker results – it will only prolong your journey. Consider our woman’s guide to weightlifting to be merely the first step in your fitness journey. Hiring a licensed personal trainer is always a good idea if you want to see better and more consistent results.