Weight Exercises for Women

Muscle tissues degenerate with age, working out these muscles frequently will improve their ability to work better. Weight exercises or strength exercises allow your muscles to apply a force against resistance. Twenty minutes of strength training exercises twice or thrice a week helps develop muscle strength. Weight training can also improve bone and ligament strength and blood circulation.

It is a myth that women will develop huge muscles if they weight train regularly. One important aspect of weight training is that all the muscles that you wish to work upon should be stretched well before each session.

Weight exercises

Side shoulder lift

• Arms should hang in front of thighs, elbows should be a little bent, and palms should face each other.
  
  
• Raise both dumbbells outward to shoulder height, the elbows should be bent.
  
  
• Lower dumbbells to the initial position.
  
  
• Repeat.

Front shoulder lift

• Arms should hang in front of thighs and palms should face the thighs.
  
  
• Hold one dumbbell in your hand and stretch your hand in the front, lift the dumbbell to shoulder height.
  
  
• Lower dumbbell to initial position and repeat using other arm.

Upright row

• Arms should hang in front of thighs and palms should face the thighs, and dumbbells should be held close.
  
  
• Keep palms close to the body and raise the dumbbells to the chin.
  
  
• Lower dumbbells to initial position and repeat.

Biceps curl

• Start the exercise with your arms hanging at sides.
  
  
• Your palms should face away from your body
  
  
• Keep your elbows close to your sides and lift the dumbbells up to the shoulders
  
  
• Lower dumbbells to the initial position and repeat

Leg exercise

• Begin with squats; load the bar with as much weight you can comfortably lift.
  
  
• Repeat for 15 times and complete 4 sets.
  
  
• If you feel uncomfortable between sets, stretch and rest for not more than a minute.

Upper body exercise

• Lie back on an inclined bench.
  
  
• Hold dumbbells in both your hands, hands should be positioned at the sides of your chest.
  
  
• Slowly lift the dumbbells upward and hold for some time as you touch the dumbbells together on top.
  
  
• Lower dumbbells to the initial position and repeat
  
  
• Repeat for 10 times and complete 4 sets (using the same weight).

Abdominal muscles - crunches

• Lie flat on your back; rest your lower legs on a bench.
  
  
• Hold your arms diagonally across your chest.
  
  
• Lift your shoulders away from the ground and move it towards your hips. Breathe forcefully as you do this.
  
  
• While doing this exercise, your abdominal muscles should contract fully.
  
  
• Repeat for 25 times and 4 sets.

Weight exercises for back

A well developed V-shaped back reflects all the hard work in the gym. Many of us tend to neglect the back muscles as we are unable to see them while exercising. If you do not train your back muscles as much as they need to be, you will develop muscle imbalance as your focus will remain only on the chest muscle. This imbalance can lead to postural problems apart from the injuries you are prone to develop.

Weight exercises for upper back

Basic row

• Lean forward to about 45 degrees.
  
  
• Hold the weights down.
  
  
• Contract the back and draw the elbows to upper body level.

Shrugs

• Stand straight as you hold the barbells.
  
  
• Your arms should be in an extended position.
  
  
• Lift shoulders as high as you can and then lower.

Weight exercises for middle back

Pullovers and Flies

Pullovers work the lats, the chest and the triceps. High row and reverse fly work the upper back, involving the shoulder blades as well as the back of the arms.

Lateral bar pulldown

• Your thighs have to be under support while you sit.
  
  
• Tilt a little backwards and bend the back inwards.
  
  
• Clasp bar and pull it towards the upper chest and then return.

Note that the entire body other than the arms should remain immobile while doing this exercise.

Bent-over rows

• Place your feet apart.
  
  
• Bend at the waist such that the upper body is parallel to the floor.
  
  
• Keep your knees bent.
  
  
• Hold barbell at arm's length and pull it towards the lower chest.
  
  
• Now lower the barbell until the arms are extended.

Note that you should keep your head up and your eyes should focus on a point on the wall in front of you. This will help in maintaining the alignment of your back.

Seated rows

• On a row machine, sit with your knees slightly bent.
  
  
• Your back should be straight.
  
  
• Clasp handles and pull back to reach just below the chest.
  
  
• Lower the weight.
  
  

Note that you should use your back muscles as you keep your torso erect. Ensure that your back is straight without leaning backwards.

Weight exercises for lower back

Basic extension

• Lie down on the floor.
  
  
• Hold hands behind the head.
  
  
• Lift the chest off the ground.
  
  
• To increase the intensity, you can lift the legs as well.

Lying back presses

• Use a mat on the floor and lie flat on your stomach.
  
  
• Hold your legs straight and pull your arms over your head, parallel to the floor.
  
  
• Bring both your hands upwards towards the ceiling as much as you can.
  
  
• Simultaneously lift your feet too, your body should take the shape of the letter 'U'.

Weight exercises for shoulders

Shoulders require special training and it is not very easy to train the shoulder muscles. Shoulders or deltoids consist of 3 parts - the front, side and rear delts. When you want to develop your shoulders, you should work all the three parts. There is no single exercise that can train the entire shoulder.

When any part of the body is being worked, the front deltoids also get to work a lot. However you should do specific exercises to train the side and rear delts. If you wish to improve the shoulder width, you should train the side deltoids. A few back exercises will work the rear deltoids but you should train them separately to achieve good results.

Front Deltoid Exercises

Two Arm Dumbbell raises

• Stand with your feet spread shoulder width.
  
  
• Grasp a dumbbell in each hand and suspend them at your sides.
  
  
• Lift each dumbbell over your head; keeping your elbows a little bent.
  
  
• Go back to the initial position and repeat.

Front cable raise with one arm

• Keep your back towards the pulley machine.
  
  
• Grasp a cable pulley handle with one hand.
  
  
• Raise your arm until it is parallel to the floor.
  
  
• All through the movement, your hands should be extended.
  
  
• Repeat for 8 - 12 counts, repeat with the opposite arm.

Front deltoid dumbbell raise with two arms

• Stand with feet spread shoulder width apart.
  
  
• Hold a dumbbell in each hand.
  
  
• Allow your arms to fall straight down.
  
  
• Let your thumbs face towards one another.
  
  
• Raise one dumbbell up so that your arm is parallel to the ground.
  
  
• Do this simultaneously with both the dumbbells.
  
  
• Hold for a second and go back to initial position.
  
  
• Repeat.

Middle Deltoid Exercises

Dumbbell press - twisting style

• Sit straight on a chair or bench.
  
  
• Hold a dumbbell in each hand.
  
  
• Hold them close to the front portion of your shoulders.
  
  
• Your palms should face your shoulders.
  
  
• Lift the dumbbells and press above your head.
  
  
• As you lift the dumbbells, twist your wrists towards each other.
  
  
• Hold for a moment and return to the start position.
  
  
• Repeat.

Dumbbell deltoid press in seated position

• Sit straight on a chair or bench.
  
  
• Hold a dumbbell in each hand.
  
  
• Hold the dumbbell on the outer portion of each shoulder.
  
  
• Your thumbs should point towards each other.
  
  
• Lift the dumbbells and press up over your head.
  
  
• Hold for a moment and return to the start position.
  
  
• Repeat.

Rear Deltoid Exercises

External rotations in lying position

• Lie on a flat bench on your left side.
  
  
• Hold a dumbbell in your right hand, palm facing downwards.
  
  
• Your right elbow should be folded firmly, keep it to your side at your waist level.
  
  
• Your forearm and the dumbbell should fall down diagonally to your waistline and close to your belly button.
  
  
• Lift the dumbbell towards the ceiling, your forearm should be parallel to the floor while you reach the top part of the movement.
  
  
• Hold for a second and then return to the initial position.
  
  
• Repeat with the other arm.

Cable rear lateral rises in seated position

• Position a flat bench in the center of a dual cable pulley machine.
  
  
• Bestride the bench and grab the low cable pulley attachments on each side.
  
  
• Use your left hand to reach under the bench and grasp the pulley attachment on the right side.
  
  
• You should also reach under the bench with your right hand to grab the pulley attachment on the left side.
  
  
• Once you have a good grip on both pulley handles, bend forward a little so that you practically touch your chest to the bench.
  
  
• Also raise the pulleys in each hand as though you are touching the ceiling with the back of your hands.
  
  
• When your arms are parallel to the floor, hold for a second.
  
  
• Return to the initial position.
  
  
• Repeat.

Incline dumbbell flyes - reverse

• Lie face downwards on an incline bench.
  
  
• Your entire body should be flat on the bench.
  
  
• Hold a dumbbell in each hand.
  
  
• Allow the dumbbells to suspend downwards; your elbows should be bent.
  
  
• Lift the dumbbells assuming that you have to touch the ceiling with your elbows.
  
  
• Your elbows should be parallel to the floor.
  
  
• Hold for a second and return to initial position.
  
  
• Repeat.

Weight exercises for chest

Chest muscles are among the largest groups of muscles on the upper body; hence you have to concentrate working out this muscle group. Increase the repetitions for chest exercises to effectively work them out. Exercising on a flat bench will work-out the mid-chest. Inclining the bench will work the upper chest while declining the bench will work the lower chest.

Lower chest exercise with weights

Decline dumbbell bench press

Similar to the decline barbell bench press exercise, you should use dumbbells instead of barbells. You should use a free standing decline bench instead of a regular decline bench press machine.

• Lie flat on a decline bench.
  
  
• Hold dumbbell in each hand and lift it upwards.
  
  
• Hold for a second.
  
  
• Lower the dumbbells slowly.
  
  
• Repeat.

Middle chest exercise

Dips

• Position yourself in the dip bars.
  
  
• Keep your knees bent and your lower legs should be crossed.
  
  
• Gradually lower your torso down; your chest should touch the front of the dip bar.
  
  
• Return to the initial position.
  
  
• Repeat.

Isometric chest presses

You can either stand or sit during this exercise.

• Clutch your hands together.
  
  
• Thrust them together as much as you can.
  
  
• Hold for 10-15 seconds, as you hold in this position, flex your pec muscles.
  
  
• Relax and repeat.

Upper chest exercises

Hammer grip incline dumbbell press

• Position yourself on a free standing incline bench.
  
  
• Hold dumbbells in each hand.
  
  
• Your palms should face inwards towards each another.
  
  
• Lift the dumbbells upwards and return to initial position slowly.
  
  
• Repeat.

Inclined pushups using exercise ball

• On an exercise ball, position your hands safely and securely.
  
  
• Your body should be in a pushup position.
  
  
• Slowly do a full pushup and bring your chest down towards the exercise ball, go back to the initial position.
  
  
• During the movement, you should retain the tension on your chest muscles.
  
  
• Relax and repeat.

Declined push ups

• Hold your feet across a flat bench and perform regular pushups.
  
  
• Your back should be straight/flat while doing this exercise.
  
  
• You can alter the hand width as you perform this exercise.