Mom’s are lifting all the time, from sleeping kids, hurt kids or even kids having a tantrum. But there’s one lifting that a lot of women are scare of, strength training or weight lifting!
Many of us miss out on the benefits of strength training out of fear of developing bulging muscles.
This is a misconception!
According to the Women’s Heart Foundation, high levels of estrogen make it very difficult for women to become overly muscular. When women lift weights, the changes to their muscles are generally related to tone, strength, and endurance rather than size. The resulting look is firm, feminine toning, not bulky masculine muscles.
There are so many other health benefits as well, such as:
Preserves muscle mass. Since muscle mass diminishes with age.
Controls weight- A regular strength training program helps you increase lean body mass and burn calories more efficiently, which can result in healthy weight loss.
Reduces risk of osteoporosis.
You can even use your body weight to get lean toned muscles so don’t be afraid of strength training!
Check out these simple exercises to get you started!
Strength Training Series
Start with be wide legs and straight arms. As you go down make sure you engage your core to protect your back.
Straight arms when lifting the weight and when you twist lift you heel.
Laid down flat on your mat or floor, place two weights on your hips, lifting your glutes and heels at the same time and then glutes down.
Start with straight arms then bend from your elbows moving the weights to both side of your head.
Feet under your hips, straight back, and core tight. Elbows should be on each side of your body.
Start with wide legs and as you squat make sure that core is tight and back straight. Elbows in front of you, weights over your shoulder.
Same here back straight, core tight.
Lunch back making sure your legs front and back are in a 90 degrees position. What you do on one side do it on the other as well.
Combine back lunches with a hammer curls, and as you stand keep elbows steady on both side of your body.
Lay down on your back, arms should be on each side of your head heels are lifted. Then hips and arms lift at the same time.
Butterfly starting with bend knees, both arms in front of you engaging your core to protect your back. Lift both arms to your side and down.
Side lunches and butterfly combined.
Inch worm move forward until in plank position and back. Hands under shoulders chin in and eyes looking forward at least 10 inches from finger tips.
