Body Building for Women
February 1, 2010
Now more than ever, you see women trade in the skinny look for a more toned, fit and muscular appearance. And why shouldn’t they? If a woman finds the right muscle- building program, she can benefit from a beautiful body that is well defined, toned and strong. Women can build off their natural curves and add muscle and definition for an overall sexier and healthier appearance.
If you are a woman who is interested in getting started with bodybuilding, the first thing you need to do is stop comparing yourself to your male counterparts. Anything a man can do, a woman can do. There is no difference in muscle building techniques for the different sexes. Women’s bodies are just like men’s when it comes to muscle and bone. The only difference is that women typically have to work with a smaller stature.
One difference that is common between men and women in general are the hormones that each produces. Men produce a higher level of testosterone, which in turns makes it easier for them to build muscle. Women produce more estrogen, which tends to store fat easily. However, do not let your estrogen production stop you from building muscle mass. You can do it! It just takes a specially designed plan to work with your body.
Some women are under the misconception that unused muscle becomes fat and this causes them to hesitate beginning a muscle- building program. They are afraid that if they ever decide to stop working out, then the muscle that they did build will turn into fat. This is far from the truth. This is not possible because muscle and fat comprise of completely different components and are unable to morph into one another. Now, if you stop working out, you may become more susceptible to gaining fat, but this is because your metabolism has slowed down and your muscles are not being stimulated.
Now that you know it is possible for a woman to gain muscle and that nothing should hold you back, it is time to take the steps to creating a better you! So how do you do it?
1. You will need to evaluate your diet and most likely make changes to it. Your new diet plan needs to include more protein to energize and grow your muscles, besides increasing your metabolic rate. Achieve this by eating several small meals a day
2. Design a workout routine that involves compound exercises. These exercises work multiple muscle groups at the same time. Examples are squats and bench presses.
3. Amid all of the eating and exercising, you need to allow your body to rest and recover in between workout sessions. It is important to get 8 hours of good sleep. Your muscles grow and repair while you are asleep.
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