Strength Training

Strong and Feminine-A Monthly Q and A for Women with Strength and Conditioning Coach, Rachel Cosgrove.

Q: I have read a lot about weight training, but nothing really specificly geared towards women. What types of things should I consider when putting together my program? I mean, I don't want to end up looking like a man, big and bulky.

A: It is extremely difficult for a female to become "big and bulky." It usually takes a great deal of chemical assistance and years and years of training. I wouldn't worry too much about becoming "big and bulky", it doesn't happen that easy... Just ask any man (who already has the hormones) how easy it is to build "bulk."

When designing your program it is important to address your imbalances and train to correct them. The biggest mistake most females make is that they don't lift heavy enough. The only way you will gain any muscle, which is the reason you weight train, is if you push your body beyond what you have already adapted to do. This means you should be lifting more weight every workout as long as you are using proper form. Remember, the more muscle you have the more calories your body will burn! You must lift heavy!

For females, I recommend performing primarily compound exercises such as lunges, bench press, squats and rows. These exercises will burn the most calories because they use more then one muscle. Don't worry about isolating each muscle instead work the bigger muscles and the small ones will get worked in the process. Beginners will benefit from training their whole body two to three days a week instead of isolating each body part, and females in general often need a higher frequency of training per bodypart. This way you train your legs, which are the biggest calorie burners, more then once a week. You also must change your training program every three to four weeks, because your body adapts.

Q: Okay, once and for all is there anyway to spot reduce? Like most women I can't seem to get my thighs to get lean. I do plenty of aerobics, some weight training, and watch what I eat. I really get frustrated because this area doesn't seem to want to change. What can I do?

The thighs seem to be a problem spot for most women. Unfortunatley there is no way to spot reduce, I wish it were that easy! And no, the inner thigh machine doesn't do much! There is hope though! First of all I would stop doing aerobics and start doing some interval training. Doing too much aerobics will actually cause you to store more body fat in your lower body. Your body adapts to the aerobics by becoming more efficient, which means storing more fat in your lower body to use for aerobics. Basically - if you are doing 'fat burning' activity using the lower body - the body will store more fat where it needs it most !!! Cut it back to 15-20 minutes of hard interval training. Increase your weight training and do a lot of lunges, squats and step ups. EMG studies have repeatedly shown a greater activation of the inner thigh with movements like step ups, squats and split squats as opposed to the inner thigh machine. Focus your energy on the compound exercises and you'll see greater results.

Q: Most of the time I am really good about my diet and I have seen some great progress, but I have one problem. During my period I just can't seem to control my cravings. I feel like I go backwards, but I don't know what to do to prevent this, any ideas?

At this time of the month your body craves carbohydrates, it has to do with hormone levels. The best thing you can do is cut your carbohydrates out the week before so they are out of your system when your hormones start to change, this should help with your cravings. Also make sure you are eating enough calories and eat every 2-3 hours so your blood sugar levels never drop during this time. If you keep your carbohydrates low during this time you can actually get leaner, due to your hormone levels. Basically during your period progesterone increases - this is actually a potent fat burner - but to counteract this - the body (which always wants to remain in the same condition) - craves carbs - to spike insulin (insulin and progesterone can't coexist). So during your period you can actually lose a lot of fat!!! Keep that in mind when you feel like cheating. Keeping your carbs low should help with mood swings too. You can also actually get fatter then you normally would if you are eating the wrong foods, so you probably are going backwards. You know you have a tendency to cheat during this time, be aware of it and take control at this time of the month! You'll feel so much better!

 
I've recently heard the birth control pill can prevent fat loss. What can you tell me about this?

The birth control pill has the hormone estrogen in it. Estrogen is a fat storing hormone. It is that lovely hormone that gives us lucky women our baby bearing hips. So yes, the pill will be working against your efforts to get lean. But, You can still get lean on the pill if your willing to work hard. I competed in fitness at about 10-11% bodyfat on the pill. Try using a pill that has a low amount of estrogen such as lo-estro. I have had my best results using orthotricyclen. Ask your doctor to switch pills if you are having a hard time losing bodyfat.

I've been getting ready for a fitness competition for about four months. I've made great progress, but I have seemed to plateau in losing bodyfat. I'm around 16% and know I have to get lower. I'm trying to do it naturally. What can you suggest?

Have you been doing the same training program or staying on the same diet for more then 4 weeks? If so, your body has probably adapted to the training program or the diet. Our bodies are extremely smart and they do not want to change. Our bodies would rather be lazy and stay at the same bodyfat they have always been at. You have to trick your body in order to make it change. I would suggest changing your repitition range on your training program and make sure you push your self a little more each workout. If you are doing 15-20 reps drop down to 6-8 reps with more weight or vice versa. You may also want to add some high intensity interval training into your week. If you are doing a lot of aerobic zone cardiovascular work, cut back and do more interval training. Push yourself. With your diet I would recommend zig zagging your calories, have one day of higher calories and another day of extremely low calories. Keep your body guessing. Also have one meal completely off your diet, I call it a Spike Meal because it will spike your metabolism. Eat whatever you want and as much as you want in one sitting. Then get right back on your diet the next day strict. You may want to add a spike meal in once every three weeks to spike your metabolism. You will never eat enough in one meal to gain any fat but it will get your metabolism cranking so you will burn fat the next day. You don't ever want your body to figure out what you are doing. You may also try cutting your carbs and add more Omega 3 and Omega 6 oils in. Also make sure you are eating enough calories for your activity level. If you cut your calories too much your metabolism will slow down.

 

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