12 Week Strength Training Workout for Women

12 Week Strength Training Workout for Women
After months and months of asking, I have finally decided to post on a weightlifting routine that you can do in the gym. Now, most of you know that since having my son, I stopped going to a gym altogether, but I instead workout from home. A common questions that I get is, “Can you get the same results working out at home than from a gym?” Sure, you can! It just takes a little more time when you are working out at home only. However, I am not stupid and I know that most moms just do not have that extra time to make it to the gym everyday-this is why I created my very own and affordable 12 week home workout program that uses barely ANY equipment! Instead, the program uses your bodyweight and one pair of dumbbells. It is absolutely perfect for busy mommies who want to workout when baby is asleep, for when it is super cold or super hot ouside, or just want to workout in the comfort of their own home. For the ladies out there who want a nice gym routine, this post is for you! Before having my son, I went to the gym 5 days per week and I used a simple 12 week style lifting program from www.simplyshredded.com. In addition to my gym workouts, I would do the home workouts listed in my bundle that I mentioned above. I had never been so ripped or fit in my life-the hard work totally paid off! The site has a ton of cool workouts and interviews, but the workout itself had been a staple in my routine for the longest time-prior to pregnancy. Before we begin, I want you to know that lifting weights will not make you “manly” or “bulky.” In fact, you will probably love your body even more! If you are wanting to burn more fat, you need to try lifting a weight or two. “What?? Weights burn fat?? Isn’t that what cardio is for??” Yes, cardio is optimal for fat loss, but you cannot acheive that sexy, lean look without strength training either by lifting weights or using your own body weight. Cardio + weights work hand in hand people and I do not recommend doing one without the other! Before I began lifting, I was stuck on a low calorie diet and I was basically a cardio bunny. I was slender, yet had to definiton or tone to my look. It wasn’t until weightlifting that I built strong, lean curves and began to love my body and how strong I was getting. One of the reasons why I love this specific routine so much is that is it easy for beginners. It does not have you doing a thousand reps and burning you out! Instead, you might notice the reps being a little lower than what you are probably used to and that is because the goal is to gain muscle-not worrying about endurance much. Also, you train 4 days per week-that screams “DO-ABLE” to me! You have two designated days where you work your upper body and the same goes for lower body. There are some things on here that you can do from home if you own the equipment, such as I do, but there are some things you cannot do without going to a gym… because who really owns a Leg press in their home? That is why there are alternatives to almost ANY exercises such as using resistance bands instead of cables for the cable curls, etc. Tweak the program to best suit your needs! I would suggest doing 20-30 minutes of cardio prior to each weight training session to get your heart rate up. On your rest days, relax, stretch, or do yoga if you cannot sit still! ****Note: If you want to take a peek inside my own personal home gym to see what I use and how you can build your own gym too, click here*** Weeks 1-4 Weeks 5-8 Weeks 9-12 I hope you enjoy the routine as much as I did! You are guaranteed to be sore if you are not used to lifting weights. The soreness or “DOMS” (delayed onset muscle soreness) will happen periodically. This is why I recommend using BCAAs, protein powder, and other supplements to support your muscle growth and recovery. For a complete list of supplements that I take, click here. Be sure to use the 40% off discount I included in the post for your own supplements to try as my gift to you! For a 4 week clean eating meal plan complete with recipes and grocery lists of the meals I eat on a daily basis, click here. (NOTE: This is also included in my 12 week workout bundle pack that I mentioned in the beginning of this post). I also have a yummy healthy cookbook as well! You can find my current training routine here since having a baby. Also, be sure to check out my YouYube channel and to subscribe for NEW weekly workouts. Also, be sure to follow me on Instagram for free recipes, diet tips, workout videos, and motivation. Original article and pictures take http://diaryofafitmommy.com/12-week-strength-training-workout-for-women/ site