Many women are concerned with how their bodies look. Dieting and weight obsession are very real parts of life for many women. Bodybuilding and women really fit together well when you think about it. Focusing on healthy weight gain and muscle fitness makes a woman look and feel a lot better.
Bodybuilding is a lot more than just dieting and lifting weights. Much of the advice given in previous chapters can apply to both men and women. But women do need to change a few things when it comes to a workout plan that will work.
Some women have never considered bodybuilding as a sport because they are afraid that they will get big, bulky, and become masculine looking. Nothing could be further from the truth. A trim, solid body on a woman is extremely sexy and very healthy.
Women cannot naturally produce the amount of testosterone that men do, so it is impossible for women to increase their muscle size in the same ways that men do just by picking up a weight or two. Without artificial substances, women won’t be able to get the same bulk as men do.
However, many of the same workout advice that we give to men apply to women as well: eat 5-6 small meals per day, drink plenty of water, and get lots of rest. The workouts are the same as well although some women may want to limit their reps initially until their strength is built up.
Many women struggle with excess fat and flabby muscle tone on their thighs and in their buttocks. Because women are naturally curvier than men, working these areas makes for a very flattering figure.
To work these areas, you will want to do a lot of dumbbell squats, leg curls, standing calf raises, and leg presses. Add some lunges as well as dumbbell squat dead lifts as well for maximum effectiveness. You may want to invest in an exercise ball so that you can work your abs and make them tight and defined.
Change your workout every time you perform it and focus on one or two body parts each day you train. By doing this, you are not over-exerting muscles without giving them time to heal. Recovery is very important to the body’s muscles, so give them the time they need to heal and grow.
Many women live their lives by the numbers that they read on a scale. When you are bodybuilding for fitness, this is a mistake. Don’t concentrate on what the scale says you weigh, focus on your size and tone.
This can be calculated in the form of inches or body fat percentage. You will probably not see a huge weight loss on the scale, but you should see an improvement in your overall body’s look after a period of time.
Here are some areas that women should really focus on in their bodybuilding routine:
Upper Back
Use pull-ups to build the muscles in your upper back which will accentuate your shoulders and make your waist look smaller.
Side Deltoids
Side laterals and overhead laterals will help tone these muscles making your shoulders more defined and, again, your waist look smaller.
Hips and Waist
These areas are mostly chiseled through diet by teaching the body to re-distribute body fat. It is the finishing signature to the rest of your body and will make your overall appearance look much more pleasant.
Quads
The front muscles in your upper thighs need to be worked so that they are toned and defined. Doing lots of squats will help in this area and will complete your overall look. After all, what woman doesn’t want to have some killer legs!
Women are used to dieting and depriving themselves of food. When you are bodybuilding, however, the reality is that you need to actually eat more. The key lies in the foods that you eat. Eat the right foods, and they will work for you instead of against you!
As a woman, you need to remember that you will not be able to build your muscle like men do; however, your approach toward bodybuilding will be much the same. The results will be different, but you will still look incredible and be able to be proud of how you look.
]]>Muscle adaptation and growth often occurs at night. During the suspended state of animation you are in, your body is doing exactly what you have been asking it to do during your workouts – build muscle.
Lack of sleep can have an intoxicating effect on your body. According to the Journal of Applied Sports Science, being awake for 24 hours has the same physical effect as a blood alcohol content of 0.096, which is above the legal driving limit in most states.
Working out in this state has its obvious downside. For starters, your lack of muscular coordination places you at a much higher risk for injury. Just as you’d never head to the gym after drinking a few beers at your local tavern, you should never work out after not sleeping the night before. You’re better off waiting until the next day when your body has been given proper rest.
What are the best practices when it comes to getting enough sleep? Here are some pointers:
While your body is sleeping, your body’s synthesis of protein increases. This is what makes you grow. Your body can recover and repair any damage you did during the day while you are at rest.
A majority of growth hormones are also released when the body is in the sleep state. Growth hormones are very important in increasing muscle mass. During a workout, growth hormones are also released, but the majority of this happens while the body is at rest.
Just as sleep will give you more energy, it is also vital in helping your body recover and ultimately grow like you want it to.
]]>To start, take an informal audit of your health to see if there are any obvious habits that you should adjust. For example, if you are a smoker or drink beyond moderation, then you will probably have to quit in order to get the results that you want. Further, general habits that improve your overall health, including getting sufficient sleep each night, as well as eating a well-balanced diet are a necessary condition for gaining sustainable muscle growth.
Many people assume that protein is the only dietary component to focus on, but athletes should also work to ensure their diet is replete with proper vitamins and minerals, as well as heart healthy essential fats (from lean protein such as fish and supplements such as flax.) While having protein shakes can provide your body with the amino acids that it needs in order to improve overall strength, ensuring that you have enough fruit and vegetables in your diet is equally important.
One adjustment that you’ll want to make is to shift your eating habits from several larger meals to smaller meals throughout the day – this will keep your metabolism up, as well as providing important energy and protein to keep building muscle mass. Always meet with a trainer and nutritionist to create a sustainable plan to gain muscle as you improve your overall health.
]]>Yoshinobu Miyake
One of the top Japanese weight lifters of all time, Miyake is considered among the top Olympic champions in history. He won a silver medal at his first Olympic Games in 1960, and then followed that appearance with a gold medal in both 1964 and 1968. The holder of over 2 dozen world records, Miyake is considered a catalyst for the growth of the sports in his native Japan and helped to innovate a number of leading techniques in the sport.
Naim Suleymanoglu
Hailing from Bulgaria, Naim began competing in weight lifting as a teenager, and emigrated to Turkey (his parents were of Turkish descent) to participate in the 1988 Olympic Games. At those Games, he won the gold medal in his division, setting a world record for his weight class. He broke his own record with golds in 1992 and 1996. Known as “Pocket Hercules”, Naim retired from competition in 2001 and was awarded a medal of honor from the International Olympic Committee.
Dexter Jackson
Known as “The Blade”, Jackson won the 2008 Mr. Olympia competition after beginning his professional career in 1999 at the Arnold Classic. A competitive lifter for nearly 2 decades, Jackson turned pro just this decade and rose steadily to become a world-class athlete. At his first professional content, Jackson placed in the top 10 and won an upset over Jay Cutler to win last year’s Mr. Olympia.
Ronnie Coleman
One of the all-time greats in modern bodybuilding, Ronnie Coleman won seven straight Mr. Olympia competitions from 1998 to 2005. Outside of the competition, Coleman has 19 professional wins and is known for his tremendous work ethic. An accountant by training, Coleman worked as a police officer after playing football at Grambling State. He retired in 2005 after a 15 year career that begin with a Mr. Texas title and ended with his final Olympia title.
Jay Cutler
Working in construction and criminal justice, Cutler began to take professional bodybuilding seriously in 2000, and won the IFBB Night of Champions competition. During his school years, Cutler won the 1993 NPC Iron Body Invitational, and returned to competitions after beginning his career. After placing 1st at the Arnold Classic in 2002, Cutler retired in 2007 after winning Mr. Olympia.