Do you use free weights in the gym

Do you use free weights in the gym

There is a stigma in the gym when it comes to women suing free weights, but toning your muscles and increasing muscle mass is beneficial to your overall fitness.

With the help of easyGym we’re here to break down the barriers that keep most women away from the free weight area of their local gyms.

The ‘Bench Yourself Beautiful’ workout, which launched this week, aims to teach women all of the benefits of strength training and squash the fear they will ‘bulk up’.

“On the very rare occasion that I see a female on the plate loaded kit my head turns – and I have never seen a woman deadlift, clean & press.   So this feels like a proper women’s liberation,” says Alaine Swis from easyGym.

The ‘Bench yourself Beautiful’ workout offers something for all levels of ability, with a good path of progression as your ability develops. The exercises replicate the movements and requirements of everyday life activities. For example, the plate loaded equipment is isolateral so left and right sides of the body are trained equally, increasing your balance and posture (helping women who carry heavy handbags on one side).

 Swis carries on:  “You don’t need to be a ballet dancer to enjoy the benefits of free weights.  They’re great, for example, for correcting postures unbalanced by heaving around a heavy handbag all day.

“Women and weights do mix so we are doing everything we can to signal that our floor is a place that men and women can enjoy equally.

“What using weights will do is help women burn fat, get toned and increase strength for everyday chores.” 

The Bench yourself Beautiful Workout

For each exercise:

1 set of each – aim for 15 reps.

If too hard then do 1 set of 10 reps.

If not challenging enough increase to 2 sets.

 

PLATE LOADED

BARBELLS

DUMBBELLS

 

CHEST

Chest Press

Olympic bench press

Chest press flyes (bench)

 

SHOULDERS

Shoulder Press

Military press (stood up)

Lat raise/front raise alternates (stood up)

 

BACK

Pulldown row

Deadlift (on platform)

Double arm bent over row (bench) 

 

LEGS

Hackslide

Squat rack

Lunge – hold dumbells by sides

 

CORE

Woodchop (cable)

Clean & Press (on platform)

Russian Twists (bench)

 

by for www.femalefirst.co.uk
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