Fit at any age
3 strength exercises that women really need
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Proper strength training is essential for women – especially as they get older. We reveal which three strength exercises women really need.
Not only men need muscles
Of course, not every woman has to run around like a muscle pack if she doesn’t want to – but weight training is essential for women of all ages. Studies show that proper strength training not only strengthens heart health and can prevent age-related weight gain, it also breaks down stress hormones like cortisol, which makes us more relaxed and reduces the risk of various diseases.
3 great strength exercises for women
The good thing: There are simple strength exercises that women can use to train specific parts of the body and thus ensure that their muscles remain strong all around and that excessive fat deposits have no chance. These 3 are particularly effective:
1. Goblet Squat
The Goblet Squat not only trains the abdominal muscles, but also the arms and buttocks. This exercise is particularly suitable for women as it reduces the risk of quadriceps dominance, which women are prone to. This is how the Goblet Squat works:
- Stand up straight, feet hip-width apart, with toes pointing diagonally to the sides. The back stays straight.
- Take a kettlebell or small dumbbell and hold it in front of your chest with your arms bent and your elbows pointing down.
- Now go into the knee bend, the buttocks go backwards and downwards in parallel. You hold the selected weight further up on your chest.
- Squat down as low as possible so that your hips are lower than your knees – if that doesn’t work, go as low as is still comfortable for you.
- Hold this position for about two seconds, then press your heels firmly into the ground and push yourself up – if possible, a little faster than you went down.
Repeat the exercise 20 to 30 times.
2. Lat pulldown
For strong muscles in the upper body, women should generally do three times more exercises that involve pulling than exercises that involve pushing (for example, push-ups). The lat pulldown is particularly suitable because it strengthens the sides and middle back in particular. This is how the exercise is carried out:
- Secure a resistance band (for example made of latex) slightly above the head (for example on a screwed hook on a closet).
- Then kneel on the floor facing the band and position your outstretched arms straight up so that you hold the band a little taut in both hands. Your arms should be at approximately a 45-degree angle to the floor.
- Then pull the upper back muscles and shoulder blades together, bend your arms and pull the band towards the upper chest area until the hands are on the left and right of your body.
- Hold this position for about two seconds and then slowly come back to the starting position.
Repeat this exercise ten to 20 times if possible.
3. Chest Fly
The Chest Fly is ideal for a strong upper body and better balance especially good. If done correctly, it defines the muscles of the upper body without making women look pumped up. And this is how the exercise works:
- Lie on your back and stand your feet up with your legs bent.
- Take one weight at a time and extend your arms straight toward the ceiling until the weights touch. Make sure your shoulders stay on the floor and your elbows don’t touch.
- Open your arms and slowly and in a controlled manner lower them to the side until they are level with your shoulders, but do not put them down.
- Hold the position for two seconds, then activate your chest muscles to slowly raise your arms back up and bring the weights together. The pace should be a bit faster than when descending.
You should repeat the chest fly between ten and 20 times for the best possible success.