This is a guest blog from Mel Carpenter, one of our EMD UK ambassadors. You can find out more and meet all our ambassadors here.
For a lot of women, as soon as we hear the words ‘weight training’, we conjure up terrifying images of female Arnold Schwarzenegger lookalikes… ARGH!
Let me help you dispel the greatest myth of all time when it comes to females weight training:
Myth: I’m going to get bulky!
Fact: You won’t get bulky! Why? Because we don’t produce enough testosterone!
Testosterone is the hormone that makes males develop muscle mass during puberty, as well as deeper voices and body hair. This article gives you more information specifically on this.
Weight training is the best possible way to burn fat – step away from thinking about it as weight loss for a moment; what we really want to do is lose fat! Combine weight training with cardio and good nutrition and you will be well on your way to achieving the lean, toned body that you want!
Now, don’t think for one second that you have to go to the weights section in the gym and start ‘Pumping Iron’, I know from experience that this can be extremely intimidating, especially if you haven’t so much as touched a dumbbell before!
I’m going to give you a simple workout that you can use at home and all you will need is a set of dumbbells (2 – 3kg will be fine) and about 20-30 minutes!
This workout is based on the assumption that you know what the exercises are, if you are unsure, I can fully recommend Fitness Blender on YouTube for examples!
As always, please check with your doctor before attempting any of these exercises at home and do not use weights if injured!
Warm Up (without Weights
Jogging on the spot – 1 minute
Squats – 1 minute
Jumping Jacks – 1 minute
Take a 20 second break in between
Upper Body
Bicep Curls – 3 sets of 12-15 reps (30 – 45 seconds rest in between each set)
Triceps Extension – 3 sets of 12-15 reps (30 – 45 seconds rest in between each set)
Lower Body
Weighted Lunges – 3 sets of 12-15 reps (30 – 45 seconds rest in between each set)
Weighted Squats – 3 sets of 12-15 reps (30 – 45 seconds rest in between each set)
Core
Russian Twists – 3 sets of 12-15 reps (30 – 45 seconds rest in between each set
Vertical Weighted Side Oblique Crunches – 3 sets of 12-15 reps (30 – 45 seconds rest in between each set)
Cool Down – Without weights
You want to make sure you hit every possible body part when you stretch, here’s a great cool down from fitness blender that I use quite a lot.
Weights are a fantastic addition to your workout schedule; you don’t need an expensive gym membership, just a pair of dumbbells and a bit of room to move!
Mel is a qualified Personal Trainer and Fitness Tutor. She blogs under the name The Mummy Trainer about all things Health, Fitness and parenthood! Find The Mummy Trainer here.
