Effects of strength training
In the past few years, some myths of strength training have become popular and are being spread again and again. On the one hand, it is claimed that strength training makes the muscles firmer. We don’t really know much about the muscle in living people, but we know for sure that it cannot become tighter.
Surrounding connective tissue and skin is able to appear firmer through targeted strength training and the effects on the muscle. As already mentioned in the previous chapter, strength training has a positive effect on fat burning. Training on machines increases the percentage of muscle mass and thus leads to an increased basal metabolic rate.
See next chapter. One of the most important, if not the most important aspect of strength training for women is the aspect of health. More and more women, especially young women, suffer from complaints in the area of the spine.
Especially in the lumbar spine area, more and more women are complaining of increasing pain.Causes of pain in this area, as with men, are predominantly sitting and incorrect posture, incorrect and too little movement and disproportionate ratio of body weight to body fat. Targeted training of the straight abdominal muscles and back muscles can spare young women a visit to the doctor! In many sports there is one-sided strain, which can lead to muscular imbalances. Adequate strength training can also help here.
Strength training at home
For strength training it is not absolutely necessary to leave your own four walls and pay expensive membership fees in sports studios. Many effective exercises can also be done at home with just a few tools. Not in vain many woman magazines recruit with simple exercise programs for the new desire figure.
Of course it is important to pay attention to the basics of strength training at home as well. For example, a certain intensity and continuity of training is necessary to burn more calories and to stimulate the muscles to grow. So the training plan for home should also include increases and variety.
For training at home, there are sports equipment specially designed for this purpose, such as steppers or home trainer bikes. Such an investment can certainly pay for itself in comparison to the monthly contribution to the gym. For advanced female athletes, free weight training at home is also possible.
Most sports stores carry practical dumbbell sets. However, even training entirely without sports equipment can be effective in strength training. Here are some exercises for beginners:
- Door pulling: Only a towel and a stable, wide open door are needed.
The towel is placed around the handles on both sides so that both ends can be easily grasped. The feet are under the door handle. At the beginning the exercise is performed in a straight position (later also in a bent kneeling position).
Lean backwards until the arms and also the back are straight. Then the upper body is pulled forward towards the hands, thereby drawing the shoulder blades together. Afterwards one leans back again.
The exercise trains the back and biceps and can also be performed with one arm.
- Squats: The movement of this exercise should be familiar. Beginners start with a greater distance between the feet. For advanced students, an increase in difficulty with arms above the head or one-legged knee bends is suitable.
Here the muscles on the buttocks, thighs, calves and back are used. Knee bends are also excellent for pomuscle training
- Push-ups
- Hip stretches: This exercise is performed on the floor in a supine position. The legs are angled, the feet are firmly on the floor, the arms are next to the upper body.
Then the buttocks are moved upwards until thighs and upper body form a straight line. The middle of the body is tensed. If necessary, to increase the difficulty, one can remain in the stretched position for one or two seconds or place the feet on a raised object in advance. Then the buttocks are lowered again. During this exercise, the legs, buttocks, back and upper body become particularly active.