So from my understanding people..meaning Women are still afraid to lift weights of strength train. Let me tell you one proven fact I have learned in EVERY class I have taken at Western and all information I have ever been taught...-Women do not have the genetic make up to "bulk" up. If you max out and do short sets with heavy weight for years..you still won't bulk like a guy; ya you might a little more of a compact style of muscle maybe. But who trains like that unless they have special demands? SO what woman want and need is a healthy mix of strength training and cardio. I take one day a week and do all body weight and drill strengthening for legs...to really lean and elongate those muscles..I also include a lot of my dance technique and exercises I have learned in class. Then - I take one day a week for weight room legs. I use weights yes..however I now also include burst of sprints or jumping rope of body weight exercise in between exercises just to keep my body on full fatigue throughout the workout. I also do very high reps and always 3 whole sets. So its usually 3 sets of 20. Never less. Sometimes a few more. This leans me out and I see results every time I train this way. I do the same for arms and upper body...one day body weights exercise mixed with high intensity burst and sprinting intertwined and one day weight room arms. AND of course everyday I tie the best friend in....CARDIO. So the muscle helps you burn fat..but the cardio is going to supercharge this process when paired within your weekly routines. Abs are everyday for me and Sundays are the rest day. Read this info below to really spike your interest in strength training.
***Strength training or Lifting weights gives you a metabolic spike for an hour after a workout because your body is trying hard to help your muscles recover. That means you'll fry an additional 25 percent of the calories you just scorched during your strength session. So if you burned 200 calories lifting weights, it's really closer to 250 overall; And if you lift heavier weights or rest no more than 30 seconds between sets, you can annihilate even more.
And there's more good news when it comes to pumping iron's fat-blasting power. For every 3 pounds of muscle you build, you'll burn an extra 120 calories a day -- just vegging -- because muscle takes more energy to sustain. Over the course of a year, that's about 10 pounds of fat -- without even changing your diet. Yes, please!
