Even though fitness fads come and go, combining these tried-and-true routines will enable you to design some of the best workouts for women.
Here are a few of the best classic fitness exercises for women:
- Squats
- Pushups
- Pull-ups
- Lunges
- Deadlifts
And here are some quick tips on how to keep up your stamina. Remember, your body is a machine and needs fuel to perform at its best! Fuelling your workouts with carbs like pasta or potatoes will give you long-lasting energy. Eating protein will also help preserve and build lean muscle, which can help improve physique as well as performance.
- Make sure to eat a smaller meal an hour before your workout, then follow with a snack after.
- If you're training for longer than 45 minutes, snack every 30 minutes.
- Aim for 0.5 grams of carbs and 0.25 grams of protein per pound of bodyweight.
- Don't forget to drink plenty of water!
Some women believe that weight training is not for them, and prefer to stick to cardio workouts instead.
But there's one workout that will always be useful, no matter your fitness level or body type. And it's so simple that you can do it anywhere.
The plank.
We know what you're thinking: "Planks are boring!" "They give me a cramp in my upper back!" "I'd rather sit on the couch and watch TV." But hear us out: You're tired of crunches, lunges, and squats and ready to take your workouts to the next level. You're ready to sculpt stronger, sexier muscles.
If you're ready to step up your game, we've got the best fitness tips and expert advice on how to get it done with the plank. (Hint: It's a lot more than holding yourself up like a soldier at attention.) We'll make sure you do this move correctly, target the right areas for maximum results, and bust five common myths about what it takes to nail the perfect form.
And because we're addicted to planks, we've also included a plank challenge that will test all your strength, resilience, and endurance. And if you stick with it, you'll be rewarded with noticeably stronger arms, abs, and legs in just two weeks. Ready? Let's get started.
PLANKING 101 [ARTICLE END]
Title:
Myths about the plank.
1. You can only do a plank for a few seconds.
This is not true. If you are working your abs, it's important to make sure your lower back is in its natural position, and one of the best ways to do this is by holding yourself up on your elbows (try this exercise).
Step-ups are also a great way to improve your balance and proprioception. Proprioception is the body's ability to know and understand its movements through space. Your brain likes the information it receives while doing step-ups and responds by improving that neural pathway to help you take better control of your body during everyday tasks.
Think of this exercise as "booty boot camp." You'll achieve maximum burn in one powerful, challenging 15-minute workout.
Warm-Up: Do 15 total reps of these 2 exercises, then rest for 30 seconds.
Stand with one foot on a step bench and the other on the floor. Bend your knees, drop into a squat, and lower yourself down until your hands touch the floor or until your torso is parallel to the floor. Reverse direction but don't drop to a lower position. Step back up to the standing position as you straighten your knees, then repeat this step 10 times on each leg.
Squatting is one of the best ways to get your glutes and hamstrings working synergistically. It allows you to focus on each muscle group separately, so you can hit them in both strength and endurance workouts.
Warm-Up: Do 15 total reps of these 2 exercises, then rest for 30 seconds.
Stand with one foot on a step bench and the other on the floor. Bend your knees and lower yourself down until your hands touch the floor or until your torso is parallel to the floor. Reverse direction and return to a standing position as you straighten your knees as quickly as possible. Repeat steps 2-4 for a total of 10 reps on each side.
Step-ups are the most efficient way to work your glutes and hamstrings. Plus, because you balancing on one foot, the core muscles are challenged to remain stabilized through the entire movement. This is key when doing challenging three-dimensional exercises like these.
Why not incorporate elements of yoga into a workout for women given that the discipline has so many positive effects on the body and mind? The benefits of inversion poses include increased blood flow, relaxation, and a fresh viewpoint. The ideal exercise for ladies to include in their routine is this one, but you may also include additional chill inversions into other areas of your life. For instance, consider spending five minutes each night before bed with your legs up the wall.
This is one of my favorite poses; try it and you'll see why.
First, find a wall that you can put your back against. Once you are in the wall position, close your eyes and rest. If the floor is comfortable, place a small pillow or folded blanket under your head, if not then just relax with your face and head turned to one side so that your neck is supported. Stay in this pose for 5 minutes and focus on relaxing all of the muscles in your body. You can stay in the pose as long as you like.
Postures like this are excellent if you need to relax or take a break. Inversion can be helpful for stress, anxiety, and depression. Stress causes elevated heart rate and blood pressure; inversion postures help to bring down these things. Inversion also helps to relieve chronic pain and fatigue. It is known to aid in blood flow and boost energy levels, making it perfect for those who are looking for a way to relax after a workout!
Inversions are a great way to calm the nervous system. You don't have to jump up into an intense headstand or forearm stand — start simple with Downward Dog (Adho Mukha Svanasana) and work your way up from there. The key to performing inversion is to relax the entire body and focus on the present moment.
For a quick inversion that can be done anywhere, try Head Stand (Shashankasana). The first pose of Head Stand opens up the chest and back, loosens your neck and shoulders, and can help improve circulation by lowering blood pressure. One of my favorite poses is Head to Knee (Upavistha Konasana) because it also rotates your hips, improves balance, and stretches the groin.