Weight Training for Women - Your 1st Dumbbell Workout Plan

Weight training for women could be an empowering and invigorating part of your lifestyle. It can both tone and tighten your body while building your self-confidence.

"How do I start?" You may be asking.

To help, below we have for you a guide to creating your first dumbbell workout and also advice on how to keep your workouts fun and effective.

---

Weight Training for Women - How to Keep Your Workouts Fresh & Effective

Can you relate to this scenario? You start a new workout routine - it works and feels wonderful. However, after a few weeks the workout doesn't seem to work anymore.

What happened?

The Answer- The law of diminished returns.

In weight training for women, or any other type of exercise, your body in time will adapt, and the exercise routine will become less effective.

To keep your body from getting "bored" simply change your resistance exercises every month.

For example-
month 1- do triceps kickbacks

month 2- do overhead triceps extensions

month 3- do lying triceps extensions etc.

For cardio, alternating the length of time for each session works very well.

For example-
Monday- 20min

Wednesday- 25min

Friday- 20min

Weight Training for Women -Your 1st Dumbbell Workout

What you will need:

• A set of 10Ib (or adjustable resistance) dumbbells
• Exercise ball (55cm)
• Weight training bench

Muscles You Will Exercise:

• Chest
• Back
• Thighs
• Shoulders
• Calves (back of the lower legs)
• Biceps (front of the upper arms)
• Triceps (back of the upper arms)
• Abs

Let's Begin!

Weight Training for Women Exercises

Dumbbell Bench Press (for chest)

Starting Position:

1. Grab hold of your dumbbells.

2. Lay flat on an exercise bench or exercise ball, bring the dumbbells to a straight-arm position directly over your shoulders (palms facing your lower body).

Performing the Exercise:

1. Keeping your arms out to your sides at a right angle with your torso, slowly bend your arms and lower the dumbbells downward and a bit to the side.

2. Once they have reached their lowest position, press them back up along the same arc to the starting position.

3. Repeat this movement 14-16 times.

One-Arm Dumbbell Bent Rows (for back)

Starting Position:

1. Place a dumbbell near an exercise bench or couch.

2. Place your right hand on the bench (or arm rest) and grab the dumbbell with your left arm (feet shoulder width apart).

3. Keeping your chin up, move your body to a parallel position to the floor.

Performing the Exercise:

1. Keeping your elbow close to your side, pull the dumbbell to the side of your torso.

2. Slowly lower it down to a straight-arm position.

3. Repeat 14-16 times. 4. Repeat exercise for your right arm.

Dumbbell Squats (for thighs)

Starting Position:

1. Stand near a wall with your exercise ball.

2. Having your feet shoulder width apart, place your dumbbells on either side of your feet.

3. Facing away from the wall, pick up your exercise ball and place it between your middle back and the wall.

4. Using the exercise ball as a guide, bending your legs, reach down and pick up your dumbbells.

Performing the Exercise:

1. Using the exercise ball as a guide, slowly bend your knees and go down into a squatting position until the back of your lower legs (calves) touch the back of your upper legs (hamstrings).
Weight Training for Women Tip- experiment to find your body's comfort level with how low you go.

2. Once you've reach the bottom, pause, then using your legs press yourself back into the starting position.

3. Repeat 14-16 times.

Dumbbell Presses (for shoulders)

Starting Position:

1. Sitting on the end of an exercise bench or stiff chair, place your dumbbells at your feet.

2. Grab hold of your dumbbells and bring them to a position slightly above your shoulders with palms facing forward and your elbows under your hands.

Performing the Exercise:

1. Press the dumbbells directly overhead, then near to each other at the top of the movement, so they touch directly over your head.

2. Slowly lower them down, following the same arc, until they reach the starting position.

3. Repeat 14-16 times.

Dumbbell Calf Raises (for calves)

Starting Position:

1. Hold a dumbbell in your right hand.

2. Place your left hand against a wall, counter, etc. to stabilize your body.

3. Stand on your right leg and put your left ankle behind your right ankle.

Performing the Exercise:

1. Raise up your right foot to your toes.

Weight Training for Women Tip- placing a book or another object under the ball of your foot will allow you to do a greater range of movement.

2. Repeat 14-16 times.

3. Repeat exercise for your left calves.

Standing Dumbbell Curls (for biceps)

Starting Position:

1. Standing, grasp your dumbbells, and allow your arms to hang straight at your sides (palms facing your legs).

2. Press your elbows against your sides and keep them there throughout the exercise.

Performing the Exercise:

1. Curl both dumbbells simultaneously forward and upward in a semicircle to your shoulders.

2. At the half point, rotate the dumbbells so your palms are facing upwards.

3. Once you've reach the top of the movement, slowly lower it back down again following the same arc.

4. At the half way point rotate the dumbbells so that your palms are facing one another when you reach the starting position of the exercise.

5. Repeat 14-16 times.

Lying Triceps Extensions (for triceps)

Starting Position:

1. Sitting on the end of your workout bench, grab hold of your dumbbells and ly flat on the bench.

2. Hold the dumbbells - with your arms straight - directly over your shoulders.

Performing the Exercise:

1. Keeping your elbow and upper arm stationary, slowly bend your arm until it reaches a 90 degree angle.

2. Once it reaches 90 degrees, follow the same arc and bring the dumbbell back to the starting position.

3. Repeat 14-16 times.

Exercise Ball Crunches (for abs)

Starting Position:

1.Grab hold of your dumbbells and lay on your exercise ball with your body resting on your middle to upper back.

2. Bring the dumbbells to a straight-arm position directly over your shoulders (palms facing toward your lower body).

Performing the Exercise:

1. While keeping your dumbbells in a straight-arm position, allow your upper body to relax and lower until it touches the exercise ball.

Weight Training for Women Tip- at first, do this exercise slowly to find out what your bodies comfortable with.

2. When you have reached the bottom, exhale while using your abdominal muscles to raise your body to a position above parallel to your hips.

Weight Training for Women Tip- when exhaling, focus on pulling in your belly button.

3. Repeat 14-16 times

Do 2 sets of each exercise.

First, do 1 set of each exercise and then go back and do the 2nd set for each exercise.

For the best results, do each exercise one after each other without any rest.

---

Return from Weight Training for Women - Your 1st Dumbbell Workout to Tips for Beginners

Return from Weight Training for Women - Your 1st Dumbbell Workout to Home page