Hands up, who is guilty of smashing the cardio but then shying away from getting stuck into a strength training routine? This used to be me in a big way! I was a complete cardio addict because I thought it was the best way to control my weight and make the best use of my time in the gym to torch calories. Now I love to lift!
Here are some great reasons to weight train:
- Increase lean muscle in your body- this is what gives you a toned look!
- Not only strengthen your muscles but also your joints and tendons.
- Increase your metabolism by increasing lean muscle mass (those muscles will burn calories even when you aren’t training).
- Increase your bone density.
- There is something incredibly satisfying about lifting heavy stuff above your head!
Ladies, you will NOT bulk up! Women don’t have the right balance of hormones in the body to build big bulging muscles. Trust me- I would be massive if this was possible!
My favourite way to weight train is to do BodyPUMP but sometimes I want to do a workout and I’m not scheduled to teach so this is my go-to workout when I want a quick full body workout.
For a warm-up I walk from home to the gym at a quick pace (almost 10 min).
For the workout- to maximise my time, I don’t take a break between each ‘pair’ of exercises and only take a quick sip of water before moving on to the next ‘pair’. I repeat each exercise 12 times to complete 1 set, then repeat to complete either 2 or 3 sets.
- Squat (body weight or barbell) + dumbbell chest press
- Barbell row + tricep dip (body weight)
- Alternating dumbbell bicep curl + shoulder press
- Walking lunge (just walk around the gym until your legs go wobbly- don’t count reps on this one)
Quick little stretch and I’m out! Its like a MiniPump!
Smart, Fit, and Healthy 