Is there such a thing as exercises or techniques designed especially for women?

What should be done differently during workout to ensure the right results for the female body?

Ladies want to have different body parts accentuated and shaped than men. A round buttocks make a lady even more feminine, therefore the primary goal is the strengthening and shaping of the glutes. Shapely thighs and calves are also of interest, however, the goal is no to make them bigger. Women like to have a flat and tight belly and arms, but they don’t want to have a whole lot of muscles on their shoulders and back. Although tight, tonic muscles look great just about anywhere. You are to pay attention to the choice of weights and the number of reps. You should be able to do 12-15 or more reps with the given weight. There are plenty of exercises where you use your own body weight, without any need of extra load since they are tiresome enough this way, yet they have an extremely good shaper effect. Ladies should include aerobic training every day or every other day, because they are more prone to store fat due to their hormonal system. You can get rid of the excess weight and fat by following the right diet, doing strengthening workout with the right number of repetitions and aerobic training.

Don’t forget about warming up and stretching

We often see women and men in the gym who start their workout without any warming up. This is a huge mistake that can be the reason for serious joint and muscle problems if not in months’, but in a few years’ time. A proper warm up does not only prepare the muscles and joints, but also the nervous system for the upcoming stress and load. It provides a basic lubrication for the joints, it improves coordination and the efficiency of your workout. During warm-up you should thorough move your joints, do about 10 minutes cardio where your heart rate goes up to at least 70% intensity.

You can calculate your ideal heart with this very simple equation:
(220-age) x 0.7.
It is important that your warm-up includes dynamic stretching elements and other ones that burden the cardiovascular system, i.e. increase your heart rate.

If you skip the warm-up, you can get injured more easily which could result in several weeks of forced rest. So, don’t risk it!

Stretching at the end of a workout is something people tend to skip, however, it is just as important as the workout itself. This part winds down the workout, you relax the burdened muscles and restore the original movement range in order to eliminate muscle shortening that would happen without the cooling down phase. Just think about it, where does it lead if a muscle is continually shortened because you keep using it, without any stretching. The opposite muscle will overextend to compensate for this and it will become weak, unable to fulfil its function. Another muscle takes over its task which will become overburdened and damaged, but even your joints could be forced to a movement range that will result in arthrosis, inflammation and pain. Stretching – like the warming-up – should be at least 15 minutes long.

The most effective exercises for women

Plank

It is excellent for strengthening the core muscles, it creates a tight belly and it also strengthens a number of other muscle groups. It is important to keep your hip straight, so bend your pelvis backwards. Your body should form one straight line from head to heel. 30 seconds to 1 minute is ideal when you are leaning on the lower arms, but you should repeat the exercise at least four times.

Squats

Doing squats is the most effective exercise that shapes all the muscles of the legs and even the core muscles in a complex manner, but it is very easy to perform it badly and become injured as a result. It is important to do it first in the right way without any load. Stand with feet apart wider than your shoulders and move your hips backwards and downwards. Try to lean forward as little as possible. Keep your head straight as an extension of your spine. Your knees should be parallel to your feet, but they should not protrude ahead of your toes. Repeat 30 times without weights in 4 sets.

Jumping jack

You can do it as a warm-up exercise if there are no cardio machines available. Stand with legs closed and jump to shoulder’s width while you clap above your head and return to the starting position. Repeat up to 50-100 times and keep a record of the time.

Walking to plank combined with push-ups

A great and difficult exercise that works the whole body, this is why it’s not so popular, but we, trainers tend not to care too much such complaints. Bend forward slowly with your legs shoulder’s width apart and put your hands down. By putting weight on your palm walk out into push-up position where perform the push-up. [G1] Repeat 10-15 times in a row and do 4 sets of the exercise.

Hip pushing on the back

Lie on your back and pull up your legs so your feet are at shoulder’s width, right beneath your hips. Pull a rubber band tightly up to your knees, it will keep your legs together. This way your glutes are active at all times as you keep your legs at shoulder’s width. Fold your arms around your body so you cannot use your elbows for stabilising and make the exercise easier. Lift your hips by stretching your glutes. Keep it for a few seconds in the top position then let it back, while stopping an inch above the ground then repeat the exercise. Repeat 30 times in 4 sets.

Mountain climber

Just like Jumping Jack this exercise will work your cardiovascular system and increase your heart rate. Lean on your hands and pull up your knees to your chest with a jump, alternating your legs. You should not have two feet on the ground at the same time. Move and pull your legs as fast as possible. 20-30 seconds are already enough to increase you heart rate.

Lunges – Walking lunges

If you have enough space for it, do walking lunges. If you don’t simply do lunges backwards, in one place. When you do walking lunges, make a huge step forward so you would let your body straight down, without bending forward. This is applicable also to your knee in the front, it should not overpass the line of your toes. Keep your head straight and look ahead. Make yourself long, with the shoulders in the right place. Do 30 lunges and repeat 4 times.

Regeneration of the back

A proper posture is very important also for ladies. It doesn’t only make you look confident, but it also helps the proper functioning of your internal organs, it improves oxygen transport, blood circulation and the functioning of the gastrointestinal system. Bad posture can result in pain in the head, neck or lower back. You have to strengthen your back muscles in order to avoid this. Paddling moves are excellent for that, but you can also do back regenerating exercises with weights no heavier than 1-2 kg.

Lie on your stomach, pull up your arms at shoulder’s height with your palms facing down. Keep your head straight, as an extension of your spine by looking down throughout the entire exercise. Lift your arms a few inches off the ground, pull them to your ears and touch them without putting your arms on the ground, then move them down to the hips. Touch your hips with your little fingers. Pull your arms back to shoulder’s height and place them back on the ground. Repeat the exercise 10-15 times.

These exercises will move your entire body, they include intensive, heart rate increasing as well as strengthening and shaping exercises, too. You don’t really need a tool for them, so you may perform them even at home or during holiday. Pay attention and do the moves correctly, as described above. Do a thorough warm-up and adjust the number of sets and repetitions to your stamina, strength, exercise history or eventual injuries. If you experience any discomfort or pain that is obviously harmful, stop that exercise immediately. If you cannot assess your capabilities as a beginner seek the advice of a doctor or personal trainer.

Repeat the exercises 2-3 times a week and in addition to that do 30-40 minutes of aerobic training 2-3 times per week.

Summary:

The exercises described in this article make all your muscles work, move your entire body with special regard to shaping the glutes, which is particularly important for ladies. Don’t forget that exercise is just one of the preconditions for shaping and toning your body. If you want to achieve a remarkable change you should also pay special attention to your meals, the appropriate protein intake, to eat 5 times a day and drink the amount required for your body weight.

You should also make sure to choose the number of repetitions and sets that are suitable to your level and strength. Avoid overburdening yourself, because it can easily result in injuries or sore muscles that will kill your motivation to persevere in your training. My recommendation is that you use an SMR foam roller both for warm-up and cool-down that will prepare and relax your muscles before and after your workout.

Dóra Nagy

Trainer and nutrition expert