Ever since the 1970s, women have been taking part in bodybuilding competitions all over the world. Throughout this time, women have been perfecting their routines to help serve the needs of the female form. Bodybuilding workouts for men do not always translate to an ideal bodybuilding workout for women. Over time, women have discovered which routines help craft the image that female bodybuilders are after: slim, toned and muscular. Below are the top five female bodybuilding workouts that have been proven effective by personal trainers and professional bodybuilders over the years.
Photo by : Scott Butner
Source by : flickr
The Best Routines for Women
The below types of workout routines are specifically helpful towards women of all fitness levels; whether or not they are striving to be a professional bodybuilder or fitness model.
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Cardio Routines
Men primarily produce testosterone, which assists in building muscle. Women primarily produce estrogen, which has other effects on the body. According to Adam Sparks, fitness enthusiast and writer for LiveStrong.com, one of these effects is the storing of fat. Sparks recommends that women seeking to form a muscular physique place a special emphasis on cardiovascular activities. A cardio routine is any type of activity that elevates the heart rate for an extended period of time. An elevated heart rate assists in burning fat, both while working out and while at rest for hours after the workout is complete.
Below are common examples of cardio routines:
- Running/Elliptical
- Swimming
- Dancing and Zumba
- Certain Types of Yoga
- Bicycling
Above are only a few examples of effective cardio routines. According to Sparks, perhaps the most important aspect of a cardio routine is finding one that you thoroughly enjoy; this ensures that you stick with your cardio routine.
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Squat Routines
Lara Winston, a physiotherapist and writer for LiveStrong.com, suggests that every female bodybuilder and fitness enthusiast regularly engages in squats. Winston states that squats tone and work out the gluteus and quads, muscles that professional fitness models strive to accentuate for competitions. For the amateur gym goer, they create strong legs and lower body. According to Winston, to perform a basic squat, assume a stance with your knees roughly shoulder width apart and slightly bent. If you would like, add a barbell with weights across your shoulder or hold free weights in your hands by your side. Simply bend your knees and lower your body towards the floor until your thighs are parallel with the floor. Then, simply straighten your legs and rise back up. Ensure that you maintain a flat back throughout the motion and ensure that your knees do not go past your big toes. Do multiple sets with a high number of reps during each session.
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Muscle Mass Workouts
If your goal is to add muscle mass quickly, it is advised to craft an intense workout that relies on low reps with a high amount of weight. These types of workouts help add size by breaking down the muscle during the workout, then allowing it to build back up during recover. Rest and recovery is crucial in these types of work outs, Sparks suggests allowing a full day of recovery after working a specific target zone. It is crucial to employ proper technique and form when embarking on a high weight, low rep routine.
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Failure Workouts
Bodybuilders use the term “failure” to denote the point when muscle simply cannot do another rep. Performing a specific workout until failure is one method professional bodybuilders employ to build muscle mass. By working out until failure, the muscle is fully exhausted and therefore able to optimally recover during rest times. Failure can be reached by starting with a comfortable weight and increasing it with each set. As the sets progress, you will reach a point that you will be unable to surpass. This is failure – once it is reached, your mission is accomplished!
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Muscle Confusion Workouts
Serious weight training aficionados are all too familiar with the dreaded plateau. According to Muscle and Strength, a publication dedicated to bodybuilding, plateaus are when your body stops to respond to your workouts. To combat this, muscle confusion workouts are ideal. A muscle confusion workout is a workout that is unlike your usual routine. According to Sparks, a common method that bodybuilders use to confuse their muscles is to do several types of exercises back-to-back, quickly moving from one to the other. This confuses the muscles, and also enhances endurance.
You Can Be In Great Shape!
By engaging in the above types of workouts, you can achieve a professional level physique. However, be warned that working out by itself will not achieve the results you are striving for. You must have an ideal diet consisting of plenty of fruits, vegetables and proteins. Many professionals also rely heavily on supplements. You can view a wide selection of professional caliber supplements at FemNutrition.com; having a regular workout plan and proper diet is required to truly enter the ranks of professional bodybuilding.
Max Henderson is a personal trainer and contributing writer who has been training women and men privately for over a decade.
