Fitness Training Goals for Women
Women can reach fitness training goals with a balanced program that addresses each of our specific needs. Not only can you tone your body, but you can attack problem areas by choosing focused weight training exercises and controlling calorie intake.
Targeted exercises allow you to strengthen and tone specific areas that you want to develop, but fat is reduced by achieving an overall deficit of calories through diet and exercise. See
Weight Control
Do not buy into the myth that you can achieve your fitness training goals by spot reducing fat only in specific areas. Wherever fat has deposited, that's where it will diminish when you reduce calories and increase activity. You cannot lose fat in one targeted area just by exercising the muscles in that area.
How to Target Common Fitness Goals
Toning. Toning workout routines are general
strength fitness
workouts. Muscle tone is built by gaining strength and size. Strength gains produce greater tension in muscles and tendons, improve joint integrity and stability, and shape the body.
As you tone, it is equally as important to control your diet. Increasing activity while decreasing calorie intake will yield more visible results more quickly. When setting goals, consider fitness activities as well as energy expenditure.
Free weight exercises offer certain advantages for toning the body and improving your figure.
In comparision to performing exercises restricted by some machines,
free weight
training movements require you to maintain control of the weights. This recruits more of your body's supporting muscles and mechanisms, resulting in greater overall muscle tone and energy expenditure.
For example, performing full back squats requires more energy than performing seated exercises that work one muscle group at a time.
If you are not able to lift free weights comfortably and correctly on some exercises, you can substitute alternative exercises without weights or use
weight machines
--whatever works for your level of fitness.
Losing Stomach Fat. Exercising the abdominal muscles will tone and shape them. Be sure to include a variety of core exercises that work all three ranges of motion.
Remember that stomach fat does not turn to muscle. Abdominal muscles can become stronger and slightly larger, but stomach fat is lost by increasing total exergy expenditure and decreasing calories.
Core exercises coupled with flexibility exercises can help correct a misaligned the pelvic tilt, which can reduce the appearance of stomach fat. A physical therapist or related health professional can suggest specific exercises for you.
Shaping the Hips and Thighs. Increasing strength in the hips and thighs while reducing body fat will lead to a more shapely lower body. You can meet your fitness training goals more quickly by including exercises such as full
squats
or lunges that work the hip joint through a 90-degree range while supporting the weight of the body. Moving through shorter ranges of motion limits results.
Increase weight loads and lower the number of repetitions after conditioning. Lifting heavier weights will stimulate better results. If safety is an issue with squats, substitute a seated leg press.
Recommended Fitness Programs that Target Women's Goals
Fat Loss Over 40 Workouts--a very well-designed program by Shawna Kaminski, a woman with academic credentials and real world success as a trainer.
Fighter Workouts for Fat Loss for Women--a different program that combines endurance, strength, and cardio with skills for unique workouts. Eliminates the boredom so you tend to stick with it.
Rebound Workout--a well-rounded, sound program by Marci Lall, who bases her training success on facts and effective practices.
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