People often associate strength training or bodybuilding with large bulging muscles which can look great on a man but not so good on a woman! Obviously, building muscles is part of this type of exercise programme but there are other benefits which can help both men and women.
Stronger muscles can reduce the risk of injury to your back especially by developing your stomach muscles which support the spine. Also, your metabolism increases when you use weights to exercise which helps you to maintain a healthy weight and decreases your bodies fat percentage.
Bodybuilding for big, bulky muscles usually involves long workouts with extremely heavy weights. If you perform bodybuilding exercises three times per week for 30 minutes then you should see a big improvement in your body shape without the huge muscles - just a long, lean body with increased strength.
The equipment you use can also determine the size of muscles you build. If you just want a moderate workout then you can simply add ankle or wrist weights or both to your existing workout programme. Adding a few extra pounds forces your heart and muscles to work harder thus increasing the benefits of your current exercise routine. Weight vests are also an option if you want to add definition to your upper body. It's important not to put too much stress on your muscles which could lead to injury, so test out different weight amounts to see which one suits your body best, giving you results without the stress.
Professional bodybuilders usually focus on one muscle group during each workout. You can choose which order to do this but abdominals can usually be worked on a daily basis. Bodybuilding equipment that includes a platform for abdominal exercises can be helpful as can benches which allow you to perform crunches, sit-ups and bench presses but you can just as easily perform these exercises in your own home. Push ups are perfect for any kind of exercise programme and you can buy pushup stands if necessary to provide more support for your wrists. A chin-up bar can be bought for peanuts and fits in any doorway of your home providing an excellent challenge - always do 10 chin-ups before entering or leaving by that doorway! Dip stands can be used for exercises that work the arms and abdominals and a bit of creative thinking can easily design you other upper and lower body exercises as well.
So, don't just assume that bodybuilding is for the Charles Atlas' of this world, moderate strength training is a quick way to a strong, healthy body for both men and women.
Maxine Fraser is the webmaster at www.ImprovingMyself.com and also publishes a blog at http://www.muscledbody.blogspot.com where you can find more information about bodybuilding.
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