Strength training for women at home is more than something that you do to be fit and healthy. It is a journey that we go on to discover what we can take, and who we indeed are. It is not easy, it is not always fun, but at the end of the day, it is worth it.
A workout routine that is on point can turn your life around. There is a long, long list of benefits that come from working out often.
Combined with a healthy diet, you will be setting yourself up for success.
Note: Make sure to read our Strength Training for Women and Strength Training for Beginners Guides next!
Gym? Home? A 3rd Option?
As you are on this journey, you will find that getting to the gym is not always workable or the best use of time. For a lot of people, going to the gym is one of the main reasons they stop going to the gym.
The hassle of packing a gym bag, getting dressed, braving the weather and traffic is too much.
Not only that.
You also need to factor in commute time. Plus, the time spent waiting to use machines. Before long, the trip to the gym is more difficult than the workout itself!
Working out at home is not always seen as a workable option either.
Many people get bogged down in the equipment and machines that they think they need to own. With this kind of thinking, it does not take long for that price tag to start to grow out of control.
The amount of space required by the equipment may not be worth it. Unless of course, you have a ton of extra square footage in your home.
So, if working out at the gym becomes too much of a hassle. If working out at home becomes too expensive or too crowded, then what is the answer?
The answer is bodyweight strength training.
If you know how to use it, your body has everything you need to get a killer workout for your entire body right at home.
Strength Training for Women at Home Workouts Built for You
If you look online, most bodyweight strength training routines are for guys. And this is a problem because men and women are very different in more ways than one.
The way women’s bodies work is different from men. The female body requires a set approach to maximize results and avoid injury.
Today, we are going to share how to use what God gave you to get the best total body workout without lifting weights!
Why Strength Training?
Depending on your fitness goals, you might have overlooked strength training. After all, isn’t that only for people who want to be on the cover of a bodybuilding magazine?
The answer is no!
Strength training is for everybody. It has so many benefits that it deserves a spot in your fitness regime.
Let’s hit a few of the remarkable benefits of bodyweight strength training.
Boost Your Energy Levels
Strength training has the excellent benefit of boosting your energy levels. And no matter who you ask, nobody is going to tell you that they don’t want more energy!
Strengthen Your Bones
Strength training for women at home puts the right amount of strain on your bones and joints.
As you move, flex, and put pressure on yourself, your body realizes the need to strengthen those body parts.
With the right approach, your body will start getting stronger in more than muscle mass.
Fight Aging
Reverse mitochondrial gene expression. It may not sound like something to get excited about, it is! Your body’s cells begin to act in a younger, more efficient way. And since you consist of cells, this has ripple effects throughout your body.
Note: Read our Boomer Fitness Tips for Strength Training Guide for more information on how to fight the aging process.
Improve Balance and Posture
By now, most of us have heard how important it is to have adequate balance and posture. For a lot of people who work on their computers or at a desk, few things can overcome 8 to 10 hours per day with bad position. But, one of your best defenses is by building and toning your musculature. And one of the best ways to do that is through bodyweight strength training.
As you work your body, you will gain strength to maintain excellent posture and balance.
Manipulating Your Bodyweight
The list of health and wellness benefits of total body strength training could go on and on. But beyond those, using your body weight to increase strength has many other benefits as well.
Strength Training for Women at Home: Start Right – Warm Up!
Always warm your muscles up before working out. This process does not have to be long, but it does need to happen.
There are a couple of reasons why warming up is so important.
First, it gets your blood flowing. A light to moderate tempo puts a higher demand on your heart muscle. Forcing it to pump a bit harder, to deliver more blood throughout your body.
Second, a warm-up will help you avoid injuries. Once your muscles get warmed up, you reduce the risk of pulling or straining anything.
And third, warming up can help reduce your recovery time after a workout.
If you can, a short 5-minute jog outside is an excellent option for a warm up. If the weather is not conducive to a light run, running in place is a perfect alternative. Alternate between high knees and normal running position. Other options include jump rope, jumping jacks, or even a good brisk walk.
Whatever warm up you choose, make sure that your entire body is in on it. Move your arms and legs, not one or the other.
Unfortunately, people often skip the warm-up to get to the “real workout” faster and save a little time.
Don’t fall for this false time-saver though.
Warming up will make your workouts more effective and help you maintain consistency.
Why?
You will not have to be as concerned about injuries that could throw off your workout schedule!
Start Slow – Perfect Your Form
If bodyweight strength training is new to you, remember that it is always smart to start slow and work your way up. Your body may not be used to these movements and the new requirements you are putting on it. It will take you some time to adjust.
A lot of people have the feeling that they need to come out swinging and go 110% hardcore right from the start. Mindsets of this nature are a recipe for failure because you are running the risk of burning out and injuring yourself. Either one will put you out of commission and make you lose all your momentum.
Start slow. Work your way up over time. Listen to your body.
It is better to have a few exercises with perfect form than it is to have a lot of them with improper form. Your body moves in certain ways and not in others. Irregular form during exercises can cause severe problems in the long run. Even if you do not notice any consequences right off the bat.
If the form is something that you are not sure, it is a good idea to check out some workout videos.
Make sure you watch something from certified personal trainers though. Better yet, hire a personal trainer who can give you the coaching and training that you need.
You will thank yourself later!
List of Strength Training Exercises – Body
There are all kinds of different workouts that you can find.
It can be more challenging to find one that challenges your entire body.
That is why an excellent total body workout consists of several different exercises. When performed together, hit all the major muscle groups in your body.
There are some exercises that, all by themselves, do a remarkable job of hitting your entire body. The star of that show is the burpee; it will get your heart rate up in no time at all.
Begin standing with your feet shoulder width apart and your shoulder blades square. Bend your knees and move into a squat position. Put your palms facing forward, planting them on the ground in front of you. Kick your feet back behind you. At this point, you are in a standard push-up position.
Next, bend at the elbows, keeping your back straight, and lower your chest until it touches the ground.
Push yourself back up to the standard push-up position. With a jumping motion, bring your knees forward toward your chest. At the same time planting your feet under you.
Launch yourself out of that squatted position into an upward jump. While raising your hands above your head, reaching for the ceiling.
If you are low on time, 3 or 4 sets of as many burpees you can do will have you feeling pumped and exhausted (in a good way!). Burpees get all your leg muscles in the first squat and next jump. They also hit your chest and arms when you move your feet backward and during the push-up. And as if that wasn’t enough, they also get your core muscles too!
Another killer total body bodyweight exercise is the single leg-lift push-up. This one is a bit simpler than the burpee. Start in the standard push-up position and do a regular push-up – down and up. Once you are up, lift your left leg as high as you can behind you. Then do another push-up and lift the right leg once you are in the up position.
This one also covers all your major muscle groups – arms, chest, legs, and core. This exercise does need a fair bit of coordination and balance. Start slow and focus on your form.
One final total body exercise is the plank push-up to the mountain climber. This one gets your entire body engaged while doing a great job of making your core do its part.
Begin in a regular plank position. Rock to one side while at the same time lowering your body on the other side to your elbow. Repeat this motion on the other side. Now you should be in an elbow plank position. Next, move your knee out and forward toward your chest. Return to both legs parallel then repeat the motion with your other leg. Now walk yourself back up to the normal plank position, one arm at a time.
That’s one rep. It will not take many reps before you start to feel it everywhere. Your arms get both the up and down workout while also getting a forward and back exercise as you move your legs.
Speaking of legs, balancing on one leg while you move the other one forward works both legs.
And let’s not forget your core. But I’m guessing before you have done too many reps, you won’t be able to forget it at all!
Strength Training Exercises – Individual Muscle Groups
It takes getting a bit creative to make sure that every part of your body is getting the workout that it needs. For this reason, the above exercises are fantastic; however, you will probably want some more variety in your routine (if for no other reason than preventing boredom!).
The following strength training for women at home exercises will help you target specific muscle groups. The remarkable thing is you can mix and match them into whatever combination you like.
Pick a couple of arm exercises, a couple of upper body exercises. Add a couple of core exercises, and you will have an instant total body strength training workout.
Get creative and have fun with it!
Upper Body Exercises
When people think of building a strong upper body, they think of bench presses. Your body gives you everything you need to strengthen your upper body though. Plus tone your arms, chest, and upper back.
Note: Check out our Increasing Bench Press Strength Guide if you’re determined to master the exercise. We have you covered. 🙂
The most straightforward strength training for women at home exercise is the basic push-up. Hands flat on the ground, a little more than shoulder-width apart. Legs straight behind you. Back straight, core tight. Lower your chest to the ground and then press again up to starting position. For women, doing push-ups on your knees is a great place to start.
But, challenge yourself with the traditional push-up position!
So that’s the normal, no frills push-up.
There are also pike push-ups, sumo push-ups, staggered hand push-ups, supine push-ups, side push-ups, hover push-ups, and many more.
You can also adjust the incline and decline of your push-up for even more variety.
When you get tired of push-ups, other great options include variations on dips. Try using a couple of chairs or boxes, a coffee table, or even a step on the stairs.
Concentrate on isolating the muscle group you are targeting. Limiting movement or flex in the other areas of your body. The goal is to keep your core tight and help you maintain proper form.
One of the best upper body strength training for women at home exercises is the pull-up or chin-up. For women, this one is a challenge. Start slow and work your way up. If you can’t do a dead hang pull-up or chin-up, don’t worry! Use a box or chair to step up with so that your legs take on some of the weight while you perform the exercise. Over time, lessen the amount that you put on your leg and increase the amount you put on your arms.
Lower Body Exercises
The traditional lower body exercise is the basic bodyweight squat. Again, there are a ton of variations that you can do here that will allow you to challenge yourself. Squats are great because they get pretty much all your major muscle groups in your lower body (see also ‘How To Use A Squat Rack‘).
For beginners, try alternating lunges, jump squats, and the ever-dreaded hover squat.
Later, try single leg squats, step-ups, jumping lunges, plie squats, or tuck jumps.
Standing calf raises are also an excellent way to target that specific muscle group.
Strength Training for Women at Home Core Exercises
Many of the strength training for women at home exercises mentioned above do an excellent job of also getting your core engaged.
But it is a good idea to target this muscle group as a separate one.
There is an unlimited number of exercises that will get your abs burning in no time.
The most basic and essential bodyweight exercise here is the sit-up. The key to form on this one is to make sure that you isolate your core muscles. Don’t throw your arms forward or jerk your head around as you do it. Remember – good form over speed!
Try modifying it into all kinds of different variations such as Crunches, V-ups, Scissor Crunches, Windshield Wipers, Bicycle Crunches, and Russian twists.
Planks and plank variations are also great for your core.
Note: One topic we did not cover in this guide is the food you need to eat to give yourself the energy to pull all of this off. We recommend you check out 19 Practical Ways to Control Hunger Cravings Now, Paleo Diet Guidelines for Beginners, 111 Paleo Diet Recipes, and Intermittent Fasting Benefits for Fitness while you’re on our site.
Summary
Maintaining a fit, healthy body is about more than looking good. It is about living an empowered, fulfilling life. One in which you are free to do what you want to do, go where you want to do, and enjoy it all.
For many people, going to the gym is not always a great option.
Whether it is a general hassle, the commute, the crowd, or the expense, the gym is not workable for everybody.
Even though the gym won’t work well for you doesn’t mean that you can go without a good workout routine.
Remember to start slow. If this is new territory for you, it will take you some time to adjust to your new routine. Listen to your body and play it smart.
Your body is all that you need to get in a killer workout and push yourself to the next level.
Good luck, and happy exercising!
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