Training for girls at home can be called no less effective than in the gym, the main thing is to make the training as intense as possible. This is the main difference between men's training and women's, because for men, strength training should include a wide range of weights and various exercise equipment, which home training will not provide. Naturally, strength training at home involves the use of sports equipment and performing exercises with weights. But today, this is not a problem.
The benefits of strength exercises for women at home
At first glance, strength training is a purely male version of sports, however, this is not so. Strength training for women provides the following benefits:
- Increased muscle tone.
- Acceleration of metabolic processes.
- Weight loss. Promote long-term burning of fat tissue.
- The ability to make your figure more attractive.
- The most highly effective training, especially if you alternate strength exercises with aerobic exercises.
- Improves skin tone.
- Strengthens bones and ligaments.
Features of training for different people
Beginners, as well as girls starting training after a long break, should focus on cardio exercises in the first 2-3 weeks of training. This preparatory period is necessary to raise muscle tone and activate the work of internal organs and body systems. Next, when starting strength exercises, you need to use the method of gradually increasing the load: increase the weight, volume and intensity in each subsequent session by no more than 3%.
For people who are overweight, shorter (25-35 minutes) workouts should be used twice a day. This technique will allow you to avoid excessive stress on the heart while performing the required amount of exercise.
Athletes with an average level of training are recommended to use periodization: exercise in a strength mode for 2-3 weeks, giving up cardio exercises, and then switch to light aerobic exercise for the same amount of time. This technique will prevent the body from quickly adapting to training and slowing down the rate of fat burning.
Advanced people - those who regularly exercise at home for at least 6-8 months - are recommended to start exercising in the gym. The use of large scales, heavy equipment and a variety of exercise equipment will give a girl the opportunity not only to lose weight, but also to form a beautiful, athletic figure.
Could there be downsides to strength training for women?
Yes, if you ignore the warm-up and use a working weight to which the body has not yet had time to adapt.
Also, such activities contribute to the development of wider muscles, and many girls do not want this. This does not mean that the mass will increase significantly, no. The muscles will simply take on a more “fluffed” and rounded shape. If this is not desirable for you, it is better to pay attention to yoga, Pilates and dance styles.
How to make home workouts effective?
You can achieve good results without going to the gym. The main thing is to have a clear motivation and desire to gain harmony and a beautiful, sculpted body, depending on what ultimate goal you are pursuing, and also adhere to the following recommendations:
- never hold your breath, inhale through your nose while moving and weights and torso down, and exhale through your nose when going up;
- regularity of classes implies a frequency of two to four times a week, and on days free from training, spending time walking and playing outdoors;
- when planning a training schedule, you should take into account that food must be digested after a full meal, and the best time for training is considered to be the periods between 11.00-13.00 and 17.00-19.00;
- adhere to a rational, balanced diet;
- lack of results or weight gain is typical for the second half of the menstrual cycle, so at this time you should not worry about the results;
- girls should concentrate on training their hips, strength, abs, but not the shoulder girdle;
- All waist exercises should be performed without dumbbells, since weights stimulate the development of the lateral muscles.
Fat burning workout for weight loss at home, without additional equipment
Igor July 21, 2017
Main misconceptions
Before you start reading the detailed instructions for home strength training, I would like to immediately eliminate some fears and misconceptions about the effect of strength training.
- Firstly, as already mentioned, you should not be afraid of burdens. The load will contribute not only to muscle growth, which many imagine is somewhat exaggerated, but to the response of the muscles to the weight in the form of a beautiful, toned body and loss of excess weight. That is, if the load is too small, the muscles will not change, and the body weight will stand still.
- Secondly, do not be afraid to train the muscles of the torso and shoulder girdle. In no case should you pay attention only to “problem” areas or hone the shape of your buttocks without strengthening the muscles that support the spine or the core muscles. At a time when your legs require increased load, you have to increase the weight of the barbell or dumbbells, but your back and abs are not ready. This will lead to complications and pain in the spine, increase the risk of injury and even worsen posture, since stabilizer muscles were never included in the training process. Therefore, it is necessary to perform exercises for the back, chest, abdomen and arms.
Benefits of home workouts
The popularization of training at home is due to a number of positive aspects. Classes conducted in your own room or in any other room with enough free space provide several important advantages:
- No restrictions on your daily schedule. The training can be scheduled at absolutely any convenient time, and does not have to be adjusted to the work schedule of the fitness center.
- No need to waste time on the road. The nearest complex is not always located in close proximity to the place of work, residence, or study. Most often, you need to get to training not on foot, but by personal or public transport. This takes a decent amount of time, especially for residents of big cities.
- Saving money. A membership to a good gym has a fairly high cost, which involves paying for both actual and missed visits to the gym. This is a significant disadvantage for people whose plans can change dramatically, as well as for beginners who are not completely confident that they will actually be able to regularly attend training.
- No prying eyes. People who have not done any physical exercise before may find it difficult to relax and start exercising if there are a lot of people around. Most worry about the imperfections of their own figure, the wrong choice of sportswear, awkward movements, and an emaciated appearance. These psychological barriers completely disappear if you train in your room.
- Unlimited choice. A huge number of modern aids allow you to diversify your home workouts and never lose motivation. If the complex is easy, you can always complicate the exercises performed or start practicing a completely different program. It's even more fun to train while listening to your favorite music.
- Personal hygiene. Sports equipment and exercise equipment in fitness centers are used all day by different people, so they are not clean. Locker rooms equipped with high-quality showers are rare. At home, you don’t have to worry about hygiene, you can calmly take a shower and even lie in a hot bath to relax your muscles.
These advantages are the main reason why some girls, choosing between training in the gym and at home, prefer the latter.
Where to start strength training at home for girls
Strength training should begin with a minimal load, performing exercises with the lightest weight or no weight at all, such as squats, lunges and push-ups.
Introduction to the training process can also begin with aerobic exercise. In this case, various exercises that can be performed at home will be relevant, for example, burpees, jumping jacks or jumping rope. A good option would be running. Subsequently, the amount of aerobic exercise can be reduced, but each workout should begin with a good and thorough warm-up.
An example of a warm-up before each workout:
- Elements of joint gymnastics (rotation of wrists, elbows, shoulders, ankles and knees).
- Body rotation.
- Tilts.
- Stretching the legs and core muscles.
Workout program for weight loss
The training can be based on the following principle:
- Jogging at a slow pace - 15 minutes / jumping rope 5-10 minutes / active swings of arms and legs to the sides - 20 times (the choice depends on the opportunity to go outside and the space in the apartment).
- Turn the body, tilt the body to the right and left - 20 times.
- Push-ups from the floor (from the knees or straight legs), a supporting surface (the edge of a table or bed, a ball) or a wall - 2 sets of 15 times.
- Sumo squats (deep squats with legs wide apart) – 2-3 sets of 15 reps;
- Leg lunges back alternately - 2 sets of 15 times.
- Classic and lateral abdominal crunches – 2 sets of 15 reps.
- Legs “bicycle”, “scissors” horizontal and vertical from a supine position – 2 sets of 15-20 times.
- Stretching: bending towards the legs, twisting the body while sitting and standing, “baby pose” until breathing is restored.
To enhance fat burning, before warming up, jump rope 50-100 times, for 5 to 10 minutes, either run in place or hula hoop.
General recommendations
Home workouts for weight loss will bring maximum effect if you adhere to the following recommendations:
- An hour and a half or 60 minutes before training, you should eat a portion of protein in the form of chicken, fish or cottage cheese, or a vegetable salad. You should not eat starchy vegetables, cereals, bread, or fruits. These foods are rich in carbohydrates.
- Immediately after training, you can eat exclusively pure protein with a volume of 100 grams, and after half an hour you can snack on fruit or porridge. It is recommended to eat carbohydrates in the afternoon, best after 14.00.
- During training, you should drink clean water without any additives or impurities, and also monitor your heart rate. If the number of beats per minute is more than 120, the intensity is reduced.
- The optimal duration of all approaches should vary between 30-60 minutes. Pauses between sets range from 30 to 45 seconds.
It is recommended to do cardio in good sports underwear, equipped with wide straps that provide excellent support for the chest.
LEGS and BUTTOCKS will BURN! Exercises at home!
How to train further: recommendations
There are many options for training at home. There are a lot of exercises and load combination options.
- Use a variety of exercises and approaches.
- You should also gradually increase your working weight.
In the future, training should be completely revised and worked on three or two muscle groups, increasing the number of exercises for each of them. For example:
- first day – pectoral muscles and triceps;
- the second - legs and shoulders;
- the third is the back and biceps.
Read more about split training →
Ski Jumps
The exercise is performed by jumping from side to side, reminiscent of the movement of a skier. The exercise is aimed at increasing heart rate, intensity and working the leg muscles. You can perform 3-4 sets of 30-45 seconds with a 20-30 second rest between sets.
We hope that this designer will help you organize a workout at home, because almost every girl dreams of a beautiful figure, and these exercises will help you be in great shape!
Create your own workout: exercise designer for men
How long after training will the girls see results?
If you follow the training regimen and eat right, you can see the results within a month. Of course, the result will depend on many factors, for example, hormonal levels. What results can be expected is an increase in muscle volume, strength, muscle endurance, or the creation of relief and reduction of excess weight. Each of these effects is achieved over a different period of time. Most quickly, female athletes can feel a surge of strength, vigor and good mood. How fast? Literally from the first training sessions.
For motivation
After four weeks, the muscles will adapt to the load and become stronger; this will be visually noticeable by a decrease in body volume, as excess fluid and a small amount of fat are lost in the first month. Further, the result will only improve if you increase the load and change the program.
What do you need for home workouts?
You don't have to turn your home into a gym. Various improvised objects, for example, a chair, bed or cabinet, can act as a supporting platform and bench. Weights for arms and legs are also not a mandatory attribute.
A minimum set of sports equipment will, of course, help a girl increase the effectiveness of her workout:
- Dumbbells. Solid or collapsible models are chosen weighing 1-5 kg. It all depends on your own level of physical fitness.
- “Health disc”, rollers for abdominal training, hoops. These are excellent tools that allow you to find a thin waist and make your stomach flat.
- Expander. Increases the effectiveness of stretching the pectoral and back muscles, as well as the arms.
- Gymnastic ball. Increases the complexity of the exercises performed and makes the workout more varied.
- Mat for fitness and yoga. Warms the floor surface and increases sound insulation, increasing the comfort of the kneeling stand.
If home workouts are planned to be carried out regularly, the size of the apartment and the budget allow, you can also purchase exercise equipment - a bicycle, elliptical or treadmill.
Get the figure you want without leaving home
People often believe that home workouts are only for beginners, but this is not true. Or, on the contrary, many people argue that self-study without a professional instructor will not be able to bring the desired result, which is also not an axiom.
Here are workout plans that require nothing more than an expander, a set of dumbbells, and sometimes a bar, and you can get by with your own body weight without any exercise equipment. They can be completed in 30 minutes, and with a responsible approach to exercise, the first results can be seen after 2 weeks of training.
Because motivation can wane when you're at home surfing the Internet or watching TV, it's important to have a schedule. Set yourself a routine - preferably at the same time every day or week - to develop a habit. Once you pass the three-week point, you won't even think about skipping classes.
Also remember to add variety to your workouts by varying exercises or rep schemes. A limited list of equipment may mean fewer exercise choices, but that doesn't mean you have to do the same workouts every day.
Don't fall into the trap of monotony, instead focus on introducing expanders, dumbbells and split training into your program. Try an upper or lower body plan for a few weeks until you feel comfortable moving on to full body exercises to tone your muscles and get a toned body. The more variety you can include to make progress, the better.
Do a light warm-up before each workout and finish with several types of stretches. Don't jump over them. What you do today will help increase your flexibility, which will help you perform better in your workout tomorrow!
The influence of the menstrual cycle on training
The quality of the training process is affected by the menstrual cycle. In the first two weeks after menstruation, the body is on a strength rise; these days you need to train with greater intensity. In the next two weeks, a period of decline and energy saving begins. This is a time of light exercise and low-calorie nutrition.
Many girls experience various ailments on the first day of the menstrual cycle, so training on this day should be postponed.
If you have gynecological diseases, you should not train, but it is better to coordinate the training loads with your doctor. During menstruation, the body is in a state of dehydration; during these days it is important to drink plenty of drinking water and eat foods rich in vitamins.
Aerobics
Open the Internet, enter “aerobics video course” and carefully repeat what is happening on the screen.
Why aerobics is good:
- You are positive, making rhythmic movements to the music
- You are sweating and your heart rate is 120–130 beats per minute.
- You lose weight and become slimmer with every workout!
Aerobics is great for burning fat at home. It lasts about an hour, during which time up to 400 calories are consumed. Don’t be too lazy to get to the pool - water aerobics burns up to 700 or more calories during the same time. Almost 2 times more.
For more variety, buy a fitness hoop and spin it around your belt. You can also take a step platform. Then you can do step aerobics.
Use what you already have
Start a home workout using what you probably already have on hand. You just need to show a little imagination, and a simple chair will turn into an effective exercise machine!
- Chair – A regular wooden chair will be the best piece of exercise equipment in your home gym. Reverse push-ups, Bulgarian split squats, one-legged squats, incline push-ups - all of these exercises can be performed using just a chair. You can even place a mop on two chairs and do inverted stretches. You won't believe how many different ways you can use this household item! The main advantage of the chair is that it can be found anywhere, even in a hotel room.
- Stairs – If you've never used stairs as a cardio workout, you're missing out! As you climb the stairs, your heart rate increases, and on top of that, you also strengthen your legs and tone your glutes. You can run up the stairs, you can use the steps to squat (putting one foot on a step higher than the other), perform calf raises, stretch, do reverse push-ups, and much more. Essentially, with the help of a ladder, you can do exercises that work every part of your body!
- Bodyweight – Bodyweight can be used for a challenging workout that strengthens your stabilizer muscles, which you may not have focused enough on when lifting heavy equipment. Such workouts using your own weight increase your heart rate even better than special machines.
- A backpack filled with books works the same way as a weighted vest. Put a few hefty books in your backpack that you probably have on your shelf, and do various squats, lunges, and basically anything else that comes to your mind.
- Wall – Wall squats are a great way to work and strengthen your leg muscles and improve their stabilization. These squats can help correct uneven muscle development and improve posture. A wall can also be used to make some basic exercises, such as the inverted mountain climber or plank, a little more challenging by simply throwing your feet up on the wall.
- Old tea towels or paper plates – Using old towels (or paper plates if you're working out on a carpet) can not only have fun, but also strengthen muscles throughout your body. These items can be used to perform a variety of core and abdominal exercises.
Full body for girls
Fullbody – training for all muscle groups, i.e. The whole body is worked out in one training session. Fullbody training is ideal for those who have just started exercising or have not exercised for a long time. When done correctly, prepares the body for advanced levels of training. The complex is suitable for home and gym.
An approximate set of exercises:
- Squats with a barbell (dumbbells) with wide legs or a body bar;
- Bench press or chest row;
- Barbell deadlift;
- Bodyweight lunges;
- Wide grip barbell row;
- Raising dumbbells to the sides with both hands;
- Push-ups from the knees or from the floor.
15 repetitions are done in one approach, the number of approaches is 3 per exercise. Training time – 50 min.