Many women don’t realize this, but strength training is just as important for them as it is for men. This article will delve into 3 specific strength training techniques women should incorporate into their fitness routine if they want to tone their muscles and also burn fat.

If you’re a woman and you’re into physical fitness, you’ve probably wondered if you should lift weights or not. If you already have weight lifting incorporated into your routine you may be wondering "How heavy should I lift?" or "How intense should my weight lifting routine be?" Well the answers to your questions have arrived! The three following techniques can be safely integrated into any routine, and are sure to tighten and tone your muscles while at the same time burning fat!

Technique #1: Compound Exercises

A compound exercise is any exercise that requires the movement of two or more joints in order to complete. Examples of these exercises are squats, deadlifts, bench press and many others. The opposite of compound exercises are isolation exercises. Isolation exercises are those movements that only require the movement of one join to complete. Examples of isolation exercises include bicep curls, leg extension, and hamstring curls. If you want to start adding weight training into your current routine, your best bet is to focus on compound exercises. The reasoning behind this is simple: Compound exercises require the use of more muscle groups, therefore they are going to burn more calories. Besides that, because more body parts are getting worked out at the same time, your workout will be completed much faster.

Technique #2: Supersets

A superset is a weight lifting strategy that involves performing 2 or more exercises back-to-back. In order for supersets to be effective, they should involve exercises that workout opposing muscle groups (i.e. bench press for chest, followed by bent-over rows for back.) The great thing about supersets, is that the intensity required to perform multiple exercises without a break causes your body to burn a lot of calories, while also saving you time.

Technique #3: Lift Heavier Weights

Most women don’t want to hear this, but it’s true. Lifting heavier weights is beneficial because it burns more calories to lift heavy than it does to lift lighter weights. Also, contrary to popular belief, heavy weight lifting is not going to make women bulky. Their bodies simply do not produce enough testosterone to add as much muscle as men. Ideally, you should be lifting a weight that allows you to complete 8-10 repetitions of any given exercise before reaching failure. However, make sure you are using proper form. If you need to use a little momentum to get the weight up, then it’s probably too heavy and you should use a lighter weight.

There you have it. If you’re a woman you no longer have any excuses not to incorporate weight lifting into your exercise routine. With these three techniques now in your arsenal, you’re well on your way to a tight and toned body, in addition to fantastic health!