Workout Routines for Women

Workout routines for women are different than those for men because women are built differently. I’m sure it is not shocking news to anyone that a woman's body is different than her male counterparts and some of the fitness differences are obvious, but we don’t always think about the way our bodies work in terms of fitness.

Workout Routines for Women: Things to Consider

Beside the fact that women have breasts and have a lower center of gravity than men, we tend to put weight on first on different places due to hormones. Because of high estrogen levels, our hips are more padded and weight generally goes to our lower bodies rather than our middles. Of course, the rule does not apply to every female as individual hormones and genetic physicality do vary.

Ways Fitness is the Same for Men and Women

• Cardiovascular fitness is just as important as it is for men. In fact, heart disease is the leading cause of death in women.
• Exercise affects mood in both men and women. Doctors and mental health professionals recommend cardiovascular exercise to help heal mental issues like depression and anxiety.
• Though there are differences in how it works, muscle gain does burn calories and support the skeletal system.

There are female body builders who develop physiques in a similar way to men. However, typical women’s fitness is not about gaining that large amount of muscle mass, so we are less likely to work out on the big machines and lift heavy weights on a regular basis. Free weights and weight machines that work to firm up and sculpt are usually the rule for building muscle. Typical female goals are to firm up and ultimately hold up the areas that are distinctly, well... female.

The areas of top concern tend to be:

• Pectorals – firmer pectorals keep the breasts lifted.
• Waist – a smaller waist creates a more hourglass figure
• Lower abdominals - weight gain and muscle weakness from pregnancy and estrogen are of common concern
• Hips- sometimes feminine nature feels a bit too generous
• Buttocks- I don’t care who you are, you DO want to look good in or out of your jeans.
• Thighs – Again, a common place for weight gain in women and also where women naturally build the most muscle

It isn’t fair, but women put on fat faster and take it off slower than men. Our metabolism is slower for a couple of different reasons. We have more estrogen and less muscle mass. The more muscle a person has, the more calories are burned and testosterone itself builds muscle and brings the metabolism higher naturally. You may have seen the commercial depicting the cartoon of a man and woman and she is complaining about his 10 pound weight loss and her 1 pound weight loss from doing the same program. I’m not sure it is THAT wide a gap, but there is a gap, all the same.

Because our metabolism is slower and we put fat on faster, our focus should be on fat-burning aerobic workouts that tone the muscles. Cardio interval workouts are especially useful for weight loss. In fact, women tend to do very well when working out in intervals that include cardio and free weights or cardio and calisthenics. Tae Bo and similar workouts are for everyone, but are especially good workouts for women because they are all-inclusive. That is, those types of workouts not only burn calories, but tone and sculpt, too. Men who want to build a physique must add weight training. In this way, we women are lucky!

Another popular workout routine for women claims that short bursts of cardio with more strength training exercise is the answer to fast weight loss. The three day a week Turbulence Training for Fat Loss workout is available through Clickbank as a download. One of the draws of this program is the ability to use your own body weight rather than be tied to machines. 

The best workout routines for women are comprehensive and long in duration. There is nothing wrong with doing straight cardio and working the muscles on days in between, but the fact remains that five days of the right cardio interval training will burn more fat AND sculpt the body.

My favorite workout happens to be stepping. It was most popular in the 90’s, but it was popular for a reason: it works! It is possible to sculpt from a standing position. The simple act of stepping up and down works the buttocks, thighs and calves, but a good step workout also incorporates movements that challenge the muscles even more. By raising the knees and crossing the body while holding in the abdominals, the stomach muscles are challenged. By using free weights while stepping, we can tone our upper bodies WHILE toning our lower bodies and burning calories all at the same time!

Other comprehensive workouts include:

• Kickboxing
• Power Yoga
• Hip Hop workouts

For women who want to concentrate on one or two areas for toning rather than work every muscle, a full-out cardio routine plus a targeted calisthenics routine will do just fine. For example, you could take a brisk one hour walk and then do some abdominal exercises or go for a jog, and then work out your upper body with free weights.

Still not sure of the right workout for you? See Dance Workouts for Women for more creative ways to get and stay fit.

Lifting heavy weights to build up muscle mass increases metabolism and strengthens the bones. It does not take off weight quickly or increase cardiovascular fitness. If you want more more bulk and definition, work out with heavy weights two or three times a week, but don't neglect the cardio!

Some so-called "fitness supplements" are danger in a bottle, but there are natural supplements that can help to increase energy and sustain a healthy system. B vitamins are widely known as the energy vitamins. Calcium builds bone and iron supports the cardiovascular system. Because many vitamins are water-soluble, increasing the intake of these can be a good idea when working out on a frequent basis. Talk to your doctor and/or nutritionist about taking supplements tailored to your specific needs.

Bodybuilding professionals swear by protein shakes to help build and carve out muscle. However, it is typical to gain weight when drinking protein shakes for weight training. If used in conjunction with a weight training program with weight gain as a goal, protein shakes will help you put on muscle rather than fat.