Bodybuilding workouts can be an effective way to improve your strength, as well as your balance, coordination, movement and overall health. Because women's bodies respond differently to bodybuilding than men's, it's best to develop a routine tailored to your body and your goals. There are a number of good strength training exercises for women. It is important that these exercises are done safely. Always warm up thoroughly before beginning, use proper form, and stay in control of the weights and your body at all times.
Upper Body
Upper body workouts focus on the biceps, triceps, chest, shoulders and back muscles. Exercises that target more than one area include push-ups and pull-ups, which work the arms, back and chest. Many women want strong upper body muscles for sports, competition and everyday life, and there are a number of basic exercises that target specific areas:
Biceps: Curls, which can be done with a barbell, dumbbells or a cable curls machine.
Triceps: Dips done on a bench, rope pull-downs and one- or two-arm tricep overhead extensions.
Chest: Bench press, dumbbell flies and cable crossovers on a pulley machine.
Shoulders: Curl and press with dumbbells or a barbell, front and side dumbbell raise.
Back: Barbell shrugs, bent-over rows, deadlifts, lat pull-downs and cable rows.
Abdominals
Abdominal exercises target the muscles in and around your stomach, hips and lower back. Aside from the basic sit-up, there are a number of exercises that target, tone and strengthen a woman's middle body. Some of the more effective exercises include:
Planks: These are a good way to strengthen all abdominal muscles, as well as upper body.
Abdominal: Leg pull-ins (leg tucks).
Crunches
Hanging leg raises
Side bends
Lower Body
Lower body muscles include the gluteus maximus, quadriceps, hamstrings, calves, as well as many smaller, supporting muscles. Many women want toned, shapely legs that are lean and strong. Bodybuilding exercises for this area usually work more than one muscle group at a time. Some of the basic lower body exercises include squats, lunges, calf raises, leg press, leg extensions and seated leg curls.
Upper Body
Upper body workouts focus on the biceps, triceps, chest, shoulders and back muscles. Exercises that target more than one area include push-ups and pull-ups, which work the arms, back and chest. Many women want strong upper body muscles for sports, competition and everyday life, and there are a number of basic exercises that target specific areas:
Biceps: Curls, which can be done with a barbell, dumbbells or a cable curls machine.
Triceps: Dips done on a bench, rope pull-downs and one- or two-arm tricep overhead extensions.
Chest: Bench press, dumbbell flies and cable crossovers on a pulley machine.
Shoulders: Curl and press with dumbbells or a barbell, front and side dumbbell raise.
Back: Barbell shrugs, bent-over rows, deadlifts, lat pull-downs and cable rows.
Abdominals
Abdominal exercises target the muscles in and around your stomach, hips and lower back. Aside from the basic sit-up, there are a number of exercises that target, tone and strengthen a woman's middle body. Some of the more effective exercises include:
Planks: These are a good way to strengthen all abdominal muscles, as well as upper body.
Abdominal: Leg pull-ins (leg tucks).
Crunches
Hanging leg raises
Side bends
Lower Body
Lower body muscles include the gluteus maximus, quadriceps, hamstrings, calves, as well as many smaller, supporting muscles. Many women want toned, shapely legs that are lean and strong. Bodybuilding exercises for this area usually work more than one muscle group at a time. Some of the basic lower body exercises include squats, lunges, calf raises, leg press, leg extensions and seated leg curls.
