Ladies, ever find yourself wanting to get into shape or gain strength and being dead set on it? I think we've all partook in such desires and goals. But to no avail, the usual turn of events normally pans out as follows. You'll get into a steady routine and do great, sticking to your cardio and weight regiments. Progress is made and you're reaping the benefits, as weight is lost and strength is slowly increasing. And all is going well until you start to hurt and get those pains.

Adding more minutes to workouts, upping the weight and prolonging your overall workout has proved to be painful. This though, is not good. Pain during a workout is never supposed to happen. And when pain pops up, it is clearly caused by what you're doing, or what you're, more poignantly, doing wrong. Here though, ladies, are some tips to gain strength without causing aches and pains during exercise.

The Key Is Increasing, Gradually:

Up Your Weight

If you're lifting weights and you barely feel any resistance, you're not working out those muscles the correct way. The key to effectively gain strength is to challenge your body, which can simply be done by increasing the weight of whichever exercise you're doing.

With increased weight comes a heavier level of responsibility. You must maintain correct form and not exceed your physical capabilities. Performing exercises with poor form or too much weight can be extremely detrimental to your body and can easily cause injury.

Further Repetitions and Sets

Keep to a set range of 8-12 repetitions per set. If you perform below 8 or exceed 12 reps you're not gaining anything out of your exercise. Stick between the suggested repetition amount and aim for 2-3 sets, with gradual weight increase until the third.

Intensify Your Workouts

Both in terms of frequency and intensity, it is suggested that you don't sit back on your workouts. Up your weekly visits to the gym. Start off small, visiting twice per week. Then, work your way up to 4 or 5 days. This is a gradual process, don't push into it too fast.

Once you have gained your 5 day status, stick to what you've been doing at the gym, but intensify your routine. Now, this doesn't necessarily mean you have to up your weight even more. Rather, focus on the types of sets you perform. You can opt to do super sets or compound sets. Super sets include exercising two separate muscle groups, back to back. For example, doing an upright bench press then immediately going to a seated row for your back. Compound sets though, are back to back exercises for the same muscle group, such as performing an upright bench press then immediately hitting the floor for push ups. Both types of sets will assuredly amplify your workout regiment.

The above tips are only conducive to gaining womanly strength if you are cautious and focused. Through time, ladies, heightened strength will come if you increase your weight, further reps and sets and intensify your workouts overall. The trick through all this is to push yourself within reason. Once pain is caused, you're doing too much or something incorrectly. Despite the old saying of 'no pain no gain,' the gain can be attained, minus the pain.