Working out should be an essential part of life for all people, regardless of their age or gender. There can be many different motivations behind our exercise routine. Some of us just want to be super healthy, while others like to have everything tight and right when bikini season starts. No matter what your motivation maybe it is clear that a lot of effort must be put in, in order to maintain a certain level of shape. Many women have the desire to get toned and to slim down. However, many females have no clue how to make that happen. No worries! We are here to help. Here are some of our favorite toning exercises for women that will hit your fitness spot.
What do you mean you want to get toned? What does that even mean?
No doubt you have heard this expression so many times from your girlfriends, coworkers, family members and many other ladies in your surroundings. Almost without exception, all females are concerned that they will get the bulky look if they hit the weights too hard. This is a misconception that women have had for years. Yes, you can get the bulky look, but only if you are overeating and lifting weights at the same time. With a balanced diet and regular exercise, you will get the desired results. In other words, you will get the toned look. In more simple language, you will replace your excess fat with pure, lean muscle. No matter if you are targeting weight loss or just getting healthy, these exercises for women will be a great addition to your current fitness program.
Do both genders react the same to the same exercises?
There is a common misconception going around. Many tend to think that there are certain exercises that should be performed by women and also some exercises that should be performed only by men. Nevertheless, squads and bench press do not discriminate! The effect of the exercise is absolutely the same on men and women. However, women usually target different muscle groups in comparison to men. Consequently, non-professionals come to the conclusion that some exercises should be solely for women, when in fact that is not entirely true. For instance, boxing isn’t just for men. Many women enjoy boxing lessons. It gives them a great workout while improving their self-confidence.
Best toning exercises for women
The best thing about our top exercises for women is that you can do them from the home gym that you have set up, from the community gym or even the park. In other words, no excuses are allowed! So, let us get down to business.
Squats
There are many weight accessories that you can use while squatting. You can use a kettlebell, dumbbells, barbell or you can do bodyweight squats with no extra weight. It all depends on your current physical readiness. Either way, you will target many lower body muscles. The great thing about squatting is that there are many different variations of these exercises and they are all great for building lean muscle and burning those extra calories. Thus, choose your favorite squat variation and get your backside on point. If you want a backside like J.Lo’s this should be your number one exercise.
Deadlifts
Just like squats, deadlifts are a great lower body exercise that burns calories like nobodies business. Not only will you target your hamstrings and gluts, but you will also engage your core, arms, and back. Deadlifts are a full-body workout exercise. In addition, to regular deadlifts, this exercise can be combined with other dynamic exercises. For example, a deadlift can go directly into a hand clean. However, you must be careful. In case you are a gym rookie, you shouldn’t be doing these exercises on your own. A professional trainer must teach you proper form and they must regulate your weights.
Pullups
Now that we covered the lower body with squats and deadlifts it is time to target your upper body. Pullups are a great calorie burner. The best option is to do unassisted pullups. Yet, that is very difficult to do. Don’t get discouraged! You can use an assistance band or an assistance machine to help you while you are advancing towards your goal of doing pushups without any help. Therefore, the most important thing is progress. When you reach your goal, you will feel a great sense of accomplishment.
Pushups
Out of all our exercises for women, this is the one that ladies tend to skip the most often. In case you are a beginner, you might not be able to do a regular pushup from the jump. Start on the wall and work your way down to a bench. Once you do that work your way down to the floor. Very soon you will be doing pushups like a champ. Not only will exercises like pushups give you a great look and better health, but they will also make you feel energized and reduce a sense of fatigue.
Lunges
This exercise can be done in dozens of ways. Whichever variation you choose, you will be targeting your lower body. Still, the muscles that are being targeted do depend on the variation of lunges that you are doing. Walking lung is a great exercise that is a bit more advanced. It demands not only strength but also steadiness and balance. Moreover, your abdominal muscles will not be spared.
In the end, there are many exercises for women that can help you get in shape and build lean muscle. Let’s not underestimate the importance of your diet. Certainly, you can never burn as many calories as you can consume. Therefore, having a balancer and a high protein diet is a key to getting toned and health. Since many of us aren’t expert nutritionists and personal trainers it is always great to ask for professional help, at least until you get the hang on things. So, what are you waiting for? Get that gym membership extended and start your new and healthy lifestyle by incorporating our toning exercises for women into your daily gym routine.