Thursday, April 3, 2008

Some Advice for Women

Everything you are about to read is going to fly in the face of everything you have heard about what women should do in the gym. Take it or leave it, but it is true. Women that are already training hard can disregard this, you know who I'm talking to.

1: The gym is not a fashion runway
The only requirement for your gym attire is that it is comfortable and allows a full range of motion. Makeup should streak off due to sweat if you are wearing it so do not take the effort.

2: Weight control starts at the table
Cut out the sugar and ease up on the beer, this will do more for your body than what you have been doing in the gym.

3: Weight is your friend
Those 5 lb dumbbells are not doing anything for you. If the weight does not feel hard until rep 43 it is TOO LIGHT.

4: Sweat is good
It means you have actually worked! Work produces results.

5: Run faster
You are not running fast enough, you will be healthier and burn more fat from running faster. I don't care it you have to cut the distance, your intensity needs to increase.

6: Do pullups
Every person on earth should be able to do pullups, women are not different. A woman that can do pullups is a strong woman and strong women are a rare, wonderful type of woman.

7: Become friends with the barbell
It is the best tool your gym has.

8: SQUAT
If you really want a firm, shapely butt your best friend is the squat with the barbell on your back. An added bonus is that it will make your whole body strong.

9: Deadlift
Being able to pick up heavy things is about the most practical physical skill to have, plus it really hits the butt and hamstrings.

10: Osteoperosis sucks:
Weak bones really suck and the absolute best way to build strong bones is external resistance. We go back to the Deadlift and the Squat and how healthy they are for you.

11: Lifting will not make you huge
Size, like I said before, starts in the kitchen. Now, if you do lift your body composition will change to meet the needs of what you are doing but bodyweight is directly related to what you eat and how much.

12: Work hard
That's the only way you will achieve your goals (you should write some down).

2 comments:

Patrick D. said...

"Women are not a special population. They are half the population."

- Rippetoe & Kilgore, "Starting Strength"

theresa said...

Excellent advice! Other women rarely understand my obsessions with eating right, barbells, and pull ups. It's nice to know there are men who appreciate us!