Weight training exercise is done to make the skeletal muscles strong and also to enhance the size of these muscles. Here the muscles are subjected to stress with the help of dumbbells, barbells, stacks and weight machines, which make them stronger. As you undergo this training course, the muscles fibers are broken down at first, which gradually get repaired as you go ahead with the training course. This helps the muscles to become stronger.
Weight training has lots of benefits like overall well being, improved bone density, lesser injuries, better body shape, improved metabolism, increased muscle strength and power, and reduction of other health risks.
Best Weight Training Exercises for Women at Home:
Alternating Shoulder Press:
Image credits: womenshealthmag
You can do this exercise either in sitting position or standing position. Take a weight in each hand and hold it at the shoulder level with the palms pointing outwards. Ensure that your abs and core are tight. Press one of the weights upwards by strengthening your arm. Repeat with the other arm also. You can also do the exercise with both of your arms at the same time. Do this exercise at least 10 to 15 times with each arm.
Biceps Curls:
Image credits: wikimedia
This exercise helps in making your biceps muscles strong. Stand with your feet apart and the knees slightly bent. Hold a dumbbell in each of your hands. Keep the palms facing upward. Slowly curl the weigh by bending your elbows and keeping the elbows tight to your body. Now lower the weight to the starting position. As you do this exercise, you will feel the tightness in the front of your upper arm.
Bent-over Row:
Image credits: Wikimedia
This exercise makes the muscles at the back of your shoulder strong. Keep one knee over the weight bench and lean forward with your hands supporting your body. Now hold a dumbbell in the other hand, which makes your hand hang straight below your shoulder. Raise the weight in a slow motion and let the elbow line up just below the shoulder. You will feel a tightness of the muscles at the back of your shoulder. Repeat with the other hand. You can also do this without weight bench. Then you have to stand with your feet apart, bend your knees and lean forward at the hips.
Standing Calf Raise:
This exercise is done to make the calf muscles at the back of your legs strong. Here you have to stand with your feet slightly apart. As you do this, you must keep your abdominal muscles tight and the back straight. Rise on your toes. Pause for a while and then get back to the original position. Repeat this exercise 10 to 15 times. You can also hold dumbbells at your sides, keeping the palms facing the body, as you rise up and down on your toes.
Chest Press:
You use dumbbells to do this exercise. This exercise helps in making the pectoral muscles in front of the chest strong. Lie on your back with your knees bent and a dumbbell in each of your hand. Your upper arm should be perpendicular to your body and the forearm perpendicular to the floor. Now press the weight upwards slowly, so that your elbows are almost straight but not locked in a straight position. This causes a tension across your upper chest and you can feel it. Get back to the original position. Take care that you do not drop your elbows below the surface of the bench. You can do this exercise lying on a weight bench or on the floor.
Hamstring Curl:
Doing this exercise makes the hamstring muscles at the back of your thighs strong. Lie on a bench with your face down. The pad must be positioned just above your ankles. Now you have to bend your knees slowly by pulling your feet towards your buttocks. Go as far as you can, but without moving your spine or pelvis. Get back to the original position slowly and then repeat it. As you do this exercise, make sure that most of the work done is by your leg muscles. Do not pull your arms, arch your neck or lower your back. The hand grip is only for support.
Knee Extension:
This exercise focuses on your quadriceps muscle in the front of your thighs. Sit on a chair with an ankle weight tied on your ankle. Keep the feet dangling, in a relaxed position? Next you have to straighten your knees slowly. Pause and then get back to the starting position. Repeat the process. Do not lap or lock your knee into extension.
Overhead Triceps Extension:
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To do this exercise you have to stand with your feet shoulder width apart, knees slightly bent and the core tight. Hold the weight directly above your head. The elbows must be near your ears. Now you have to lower the weight slowly behind your head. You must not move your elbows throughout the session. Keep your abs tight and as you lift the weight upward, you have to exhale deeply. Repeat this exercise 10 to 15 times.
Squats:
This is to strengthen your quadriceps and the hamstring muscles. Stand with your feet a bit wider than the shoulder width apart. Hold a weight in each hand. Keep your core tight and the knees slightly bent. Slowly descend and bend your hips, knees and the ankles. Squat on the floor and let your thighs be parallel to the floor. Now exhale and get back to the original position. Do this 10 to 15 times.
Triceps Extension:
This is to strengthen your triceps muscles. Hold a dumbbell in each hand and lie on your back on a weight bench. You upper arm should be pointed to the ceiling and the elbows bent at an angle of 90 degrees. Move the weight upwards slowly by straightening your elbows. This gives you a feeling of tension in the back muscles of your upper arm. Lower the weight and get back to the starting position. Start again.
