More women are strength training now than ever before, and this can only be seen as a good thing! More and more women are now wising up to the fact that to get a sexy and lean body, lifting weights is the way forward!
Gone are the days of ladies thinking that lifting weights means they will get big, bulky, and masculine figures and so it is now a common occurrence to see women in the free weights section, lifting to lose weight and get healthy!
Women picking up weights is a great thing but just as with men, there can sometimes be a lack of knowledge on what exercises are best for what area, and how to best achieve the goals you are looking for.
7 exercises that will sculpt and define a strong, athletic, lean and ultimately attractive female body.
1. The Squat
The squat is the big daddy (or mommy) of compound lifting movements and works pretty much every muscle in the lower body, especially the glutes, hamstrings and quadriceps. This move strips away fat from the legs, builds lean muscle and yes, gives you that peachy pert bum that many strive to attain.
The barbell front squat is a great exercise for overall strength training and can easily be modified depending on your current strength level, as well as giving you a great progress measure as you gradually increase the weight to beat your 1 rep max of the barbell squat.
A must do exercise if you’re looking to build a lean and attractive female body, introduce the squat and see the results for yourself!
2. Push-ups
Another fantastic staple exercise of any workout regime, the push-up is a good all-around exercise for working the upper body focusing on the chest, shoulders, and triceps. This gives you that overall lean look as well as working the abdominals and giving you a sexy flat stomach.
Again, this exercise has many variations depending on your current fitness level or strength level so for an extra push, try Archer push-ups to further strip away the fat and banish the bingo wings!
3. The Plank
Want a washboard stomach and rippling abs? The plank is a must do exercise for stripping away abdominal fat, as well as building a strong core which can help protect the spine and reduce the risk of injury.
The best thing about the plank? It requires no equipment and can be built up over time to increase your time holding the plank as a measure of your fitness.
Can you only hold the plank for 30 seconds? Next time try 35 or 40 seconds. It is easily measurable regarding success and progression, and the perfect exercise to get a lean and attractive body.
4. Dumbbell Shoulder Press
This move is perfect for sculpting strong, sexy and toned arms and requires only a set of dumbbells to complete. Working predominantly the shoulders, as well as the triceps if you’re looking for strong, lean and sexy the shoulder press is definitely a move to incorporate into your workout regime.
As your strength increases, increase the weight of the dumbbells to strip extra fat and give yourself measurable progression.
Looking to cut stubborn fat and define your figure? Check out our list of top fat burners for women!
5. Pull-ups
Not only does a pull-up look pretty cool to do, but it is also a great exercise to do for working the lats, biceps and middle back, requiring only your body weight to complete.
The pull up also engages your core muscles giving your abs a workout and stripping fat from the belly, so this move is perfect for those looking to lose some weight and tone up their upper body!
As you progress try increasing the number of reps, or if you’re feeling brave, try weighted pull-ups instead!
6. Dips
The good old triceps burner! This move is a killer with high repetitions and strips fat away from the triceps as well as working the chest and shoulders. If you’re looking to build lean muscle and increase your overall strength or stamina, dips are a great compound exercise to include in your workout! Increasing the reps and pushing yourself each time gives you a great benchmark of success that is easily measurable.
7. Bent-over Barbell Row
Perfect for working the middle back, as well as the biceps, lats and shoulders, this exercise is fantastic for burning fat and building lean muscle. This leads to the muscular and athletic physique many women aspire towards as well as developing fantastic functional strength!
A Word on Intensity
Simply put, training with heavy weights and the right exercises is the best way to get aesthetic results and develop an attractive female body. Big compound movements require a lot of muscle mass to lift and so should be the basis of your workout.
Push yourself to the point where you feel you could have done only one more rep which will stimulate muscle growth and drive you into the fat burning zone. Gone are the days of lifting light weights in the hope of toning and increasing muscle.
It’s not time to lift big or go home! Build it up, know your limits and push for that enviable and attractive female physique, hitting all the major muscle groups with good form and correct weight. Good luck!
Luke is a fitness junkie, personal trainer, and blogger. He’s passionate about living a healthy lifestyle and maintaining a strong and well-rounded physique. Health and fitness has been a life long passion for Luke and he hopes to continue to help better other peoples lives through his writing. Check out more of his work at StrengthAuthority.com or find him on Facebook & Twitter
