Corny is the new cool.
Many women are fearful of weight training. They don’t want to look bulky or manly.
I lift weights 3-4 times each week and this is what I look like:
This is what I do not (and will never) look like:
Source: isabelleturellblog.blogspot.com
DON’T BE SCARED!!
Without steroids or a crazy amount of weight gains/supplements, there is no way you will ever look like picture #2. Women just don’t have enough testosterone in their bodies.
Today’s workout is one that I do once a week. It’s the one that I largely credit for gains in strength and definition. Note: Every 3-4 weeks I switch it up and do this workout or P90X DVD to avoid a plateau.
As always, do at least do 5-10 mins of light cardio to warm up. This is especially important if you workout first thing in the morning before your muscles have a chance to loosen up. It will go a long way in injury prevention! It can be anything from a jog to jumping jacks.
During nearly any workout, concentrate on keeping your core tight, as if you are bracing to be punched in the stomach. This way you are protecting your back and getting bonus core work!
**Printable version you can take to the gym at the end of this post**
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The Workout: Biceps and Back
1. Dumbbell Power Rows
Source: Women’s Health
Holding a dumbbell in your left hand, bend your hips and lower your torso until it’s almost parallel to the floor. Your knees should be slightly bent – don’t lock them out! Let the dumbbell hang with your palm facing in.
In one motion, explosively pull the dumbbell toward your body and turn your working-side shoulder up at the top of the rep so the dumbbell travels past your chest. Pause, then lower the weight back to start. That’s one rep. Complete all reps, then repeat on the other side. If needed, you can use a bench or chair for stability.
Perform 2 sets of 8 reps with a heavier weight. Rest 30 secs between sets.
2. Barbell Bent-Over Rows
Source: Healthline
Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart and your knees slightly bent. Keep your core tight, and a slight arch in your back as you lean forward at the hips. Your torso should be close to parallel to the floor. Grab the barbell off the floor with an overhand grip with arms shoulder width apart. Retract the shoulder blades and pull the bar up to the lower part of your chest. Pause at the top, with your chest sticking out toward the bar. Slowly return to the starting position to complete 1 rep.
Try to keep your torso in the same position throughout the movement. Concentrate on using your back muscles, avoiding using momentum and making rocking or swinging motions.
Note: This can also be done with dumbbells if you don’t have a barbell.
Perform 2 sets of 8 reps with a heavier weight. Rest 60 secs between sets.
3. Pulldowns
Grab the pulldown bar with an overhand grip. Your hands should be just outside of the bend in the bar for a wide-grip. Pull down to your upper chest level. As you pull down, think about pinching something between your shoulder blades and stick your chest out. This will ensure your back is fully engaged.
Return to the starting position, extending your elbows, but allowing your whole shoulder to rise with the weight.
Note: These are a great substitute for pull-ups.
Perform 3 sets of 6-8 reps with a heavier weight.
***Superset with***
4. Straight Arm Lat Pulldowns
Source: Healthline
Stand in front of a lat pull-down or other overhead cable machine. Grip a bar with both hands at slightly wider than shoulder-width, and lock the elbows. Keep your body upright and your core tight. Pull the weight down to your thighs, squeezing the lats hard. Be sure not to bending your arms. Slowly allow the bar to return to the starting position and repeat.
Perform 3 sets of 20 reps. Rest 60 secs between supersets.
5. Reverse Curls
Use with either bar or two dumbbells.
With the bar: Use an overhand, shoulder-width grip on a barbell or curled bar, with the bar resting on the thighs.
With dumbbells: Holding a dumbbell in each hand, with arms hanging straight down and palms facing down.
Inhale and curl the barbell or dumbbells up toward your chest until your elbows are completely bent. Pause for 1-2 seconds, then exhale and lower the barbell or dumbbells back down to the starting position.
Perform 2 sets of 6-8 reps with a heavier weight. Rest 30 secs between sets.
6. Incline Dumbbell Curls
- Source: Charleschi.com
Grab a pair of dumbbells and lie on your back on a bench set to about a 45-degree angle. Let the dumbbells hang straight down from your shoulders. Turn your arms so that your palms face forward. Without moving your upper arms, bend your elbows and curl the dumbbells as close to your shoulders as you can. Pause, then lower the weights.
Note: Be sure to return to the start position for a full-extension. This will help develop long, lean “pretty” muscles.
Perform 3 sets of 20 reps.
***Superset with***
7. Decline Dumbbell Curls
- Source: Bodybuilding.com
Grab a dumbbell in each hand. Lie on an incline bench set to about 60 degrees. Your shoulders should be near top of the incline, and your legs can be straddled to either side. Fully extend your arms, allowing them to hang in front of you so that they are perpendicular to the floor. Face your palms forward with your elbows in by your side.
Raise the dumbbells, contracting your biceps until your arms are fully flexed. Take care that only your forearms move. The upper arms should remain stationary at all times. Lower the dumbbells until your arms are fully extended to complete 1 rep.
Note: You can perform using an e-z bar, a barbell or alternating arms.
Perform 3 sets of 25 reps. Rest 30 secs between supersets.
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Printable version you can take to the gym:
Don’t forget your 20g of post-workout protein to aid in recovery and muscle building!
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My Disclaimer. I am not a trainer. I am not a certified anything. Don’t sue me if you hurt yourself, don’t like the workout, or fail to magically have sexy Cameron Diaz after doing this.
Have you ever been hesitated to lift weights for fear of looking “bulky?”
Do you prefer weights or alternate forms of strength training (TRX, body weight, etc)? Or none at all?
hahaha. your opening sentence made me laugh so hard. and i LOVE lat pulldowns
Haha – I was wonderind if people would laugh think I am an idiot. 🙂
Glad you made the “gun show” reference 🙂
I do like to lift weights and don’t really fear getting HUGE. I would really like to have better developed arms (much like yours).
I will have to start printing out your workouts so I can work towards that goal.
This one will definitely get you there! Just before sure you are pushing yourself (reasonably) with the weight you use. Let me know if you have any questions!
It’s crazy how intimidated I was of strength training. I really thought I would end up looking like Popeye or something! I think the best way to introduce your body to it is to start slow and add different exercises every week. And don’t be upset if you can’t lift heavy (I used to be)…every little bit counts!
I’m so glad you commented because I knew that’s something you struggled with. Great points about starting slow and every little bit counting!
Ooh, I might do this workout at lunch today. I think I will.
I’m not afraid of getting bulky. I have a very hard time building muscle in general, so the thought of becoming too muscular is pretty laughable!
Did you do it?! I’d love to hear your thoughts!
I did do it! I didn’t do them as supersets though. Does that make a difference? Good workout. I know I’m going to feel it tomorrow!
Haha love this. I’m a guy and even I don’t want to get bulky!
Awww… I wanted to see you morph into the incredible Hulk. 😉
I am a big fan of body weight exercises and weight lifting incorporation classes like Body Pump etc. I am not afraid of the bulk but I have trouble getting noticeable arm muscles 🙁 great workout. thanks!
p.s. hot arms!
Good for you! Body Pump is a lot of fun. Thank you! 🙂
“Corny is the new cool” I must remember to tell my kids that, after all, their mom is super cool ;-). Thanks for sharing your weight training tips complete with graphics and illustrations.
Tee hee! You must tell me if they agree with us. 🙂
I prefer TRX, simply because it’s at home, portable for road trips, and takes away my excuses to skip workouts. I used to love the gym, but simplicity is the key for me right now!
Nice workout. I’ve discovered recently that I really do enjoy strength training. Hate cardio.
Same here… I wish I could lift weights all day long. Funny – I used to be the opposite.
Great post! Lots of time women don’t understand we aren’t built to get bulky and it would take ALOT of work to get that way. Strength training is so important for injury and disease prevention and aging.
Love that you made the point about injury/disease prevention and aging. It’s almost MORE important for women to lift.
Amazing post 🙂 Clearly I love it 🙂 You amaze me girl
Incline curls are soooo hard haha
They are sooooo effective though. 🙂
Thank you! XO
I use to be all about the weights and never did cardio. Now all I do is cardio. Its terrible! I do go to my body works class but that is only once a week. I really need to get back on the weights wagon! I know all the toning happens in the weights room!
This.is.awesome. Bookmarked!
Bookmarked this as well! I never used to weight train because I thought cardio was the secret to magical weight loss – funnily enough it was only when I started lifting weights and doing body pump that the numbers began to shift.
I’m definitely looking to up both strength and weight training again so this will be super helpful!
That’s a good point though – if you have “fat” to lose, you do have to do the cardio to burn it so you aren’t just building muscle under fat. That said, muscle helps burn fat as well. The best idea is to incorporate both!
There are some great tips here 😀
Though picture 2 freaks me out… Not even men look like that!
Cheers
Choc Chip Uru
Not gonna lie, weights scare me – not because I’m afraid I’ll get bulky, but because I’ve never really learned how to use them. So I guess I’m more intimidated than anything. Thank you for this!! Definitely printing it out. 🙂 You da best!
Did this help make it more approachable? I have a few more posted under the fitness tab. Let me know if you have any questions!
I used to want Cameron Diaz’s arms but now I want yours. And I mean that in a totally un-creepy way.
Awwww… you make me smile. Not creeped out in the slightest. 🙂
Ow ow! I got my tickets to the gun show! AWESOME biceps, girl- AND quads!
I am all about muscle. Not crazy manly icky steroid muscle, but I think that women with some definition and meat look beautiful! I have big thick muscular legs and I love them (I can say this because there are few parts of my body that I DON’T want to change!)
I am not so good about making myself lift weights, and do all of my strength training from Bodypump (3-4 times a week) and Spinning pretty much takes care of my legs. I love seeing women’s bodies change in Bodypump and the muscles start to pop- I just think it’s so cool!
Muscular legs ROCK! I’m forever trying to build mine up – I have chicken legs.
Body Pump is a great option. I love the extra push you get from group environments.
Nice moves…I can’t do spin because my legs do get to bulky… I just bought TRX and am super excited because doing tri ext on that on a decline is killer those are amazing. Congrats on your Fitterati nom too….I got one as well (crazy shocking) – Fun!
xoxo from Trinidad
TRX is great! Heather @ Better With Veggies digs her bands too.
Congrats to you too!!!
This post was exactly what I needed – you know I’m paralyzed by the thought of weights, not because I’m afraid of getting man muscles, but because I have no idea what I’m doing!
I think a lot of people feel the same way. Let me know if there’s anything I can do to help. It’s not bad once you get a few basics down. 🙂
Andddd blog title of the year goes to you :)! After years of thinking cardio reined supreme, I have fallen in love with weight training- even after Body For Life is over, weight training is going to remain an integral component of my workouts !
LOL! Thank you very much. 🙂
I am so intrigued by Body for Life. I can’t wait to see how it pays off for you!
Rawwww, you’re a beast! (a sexy beast – not a man-eating beast like that other pic)
Thanks for the workout. Incline dumbbell curls get me every time. Ugh!
Rawr back at you. 😉
Incline curls are a beast, but they get such great results!
I have always loved weight training, and hearing women say they don’t do it because they don’t want to bulk up makes me roll my eyes. Sure I love a great sweaty cardio workout that makes me feel like puking my lungs out, but a good weights session makes me feel so strong and powerful. It’s good for our bones too.
The photo of that female bodybuilder is just… I don’t even know what. To each their own I guess. I’d much rather strive to look like you!
Your arms look AWESOME! I want those! I’ve always struggled with my arms. I’ve had 5 reconstructive surgeries on my left arm and its been totally rewired, nerves and muscles all in places they shouldn’t be…so its made me a little scared to go too hard with my arms. Recently though the instructors at my spinning class have started doing this ‘fusion’ course on Tuesday where if you want, you can stay for an extra 5 minutes after the class and work with these elastic band thingies. I’m already loving them 🙂 Thanks for the tips, I’ll have to remember that bit about keeping your core engaged!
That sounds rough! Do they feel ok now?
Very cool that your spinning class is offering a little upper body work. That sounds like fun!
They’re certainly better. The struggle is that my right arm can do so much more than my left…sometimes I feel like its really holding me back in terms of development
That’s tough because you want to stay balanced. 🙁
Haha, if you looked like photo 2 at your height, you’d be a square. 😉
I never was scared to lift very much, and I certainly haven’t bulked up, just defined. I like weights, and haven’t done alternatives, so I can’t judge very well.
LOL! I think the women in that pic is a square!
I am (currently) seriously unfit. However, when I’ve been fitter I have loved lifting and build muscle easily. I’ve *never* been bulky (from muscle… just cellulite) and I really do not understand how this “women will get bulky” myth is still around. Great workout routine.
That’s awesome you build muscle easily! I find my body responds pretty well too, as long as I get that protein in.
Thank you for sharing all these tips Laura! You’re in great shape I say! Totally envy you. LOL.
LOVEEEEEEEEEEE this post!! I totally agree!!! I also post about how strength training is so beneficial to women especially!
STRONG is the new skinny!!
Thank you! Cheers to STRONG!
Ok my friend…the title of this post is never one that I ever thought I would see on your site. “Get Your Tickets to the Gun Show”…I mean I half expected to see you sporting a shotgun or something.
Also, I don’t understand why you wouldn’t want bigger guns than the type man.
Haha – just load me up and drop me at the range. 😛