Resistance training, also known as strength training or weight lifting continues to rise in popularity. Not only are resistance training workouts easy to do from home, they also offer incredible health benefits, such as building muscle strength and tone, improving stamina and enhanced brain function. With the right fitness tools and workout tutorials, you’ll reap all the amazing benefits resistance training has to offer. Check out 6 awesome resistance training workouts for women, plus the essentials you should invest in.
What is Resistance Training?
Resistance training is a form of exercise that’s designed to improve muscle strength and endurance. It’s any exercise that causes your muscles to contract against an external weight or force. Resistance can be provided by moving your body against gravity, like when you do a push up or plank, and can also be achieved by using training tools. Resistance training includes using dumbbells, weight machines, resistance bands, and medicine balls, along with your own body weight.
What Are the Benefits of Resistance Training?
- Improved muscle strength and tone
- Better ability to control bodily movements
- Protects your joints from injury
- Reduced visceral fat (belly fat) and weight management
- Enhanced brain function and reduced cognitive decline in older people
- Better stamina
- Improved flexibility and balance
- Improved posture
- Better sleep and less chance of insomnia
- Increased self-esteem
- Prevention or control of chronic diseases such as type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease, arthritis, back pain, depression and obesity
4 Resistance Training Essentials to Invest In
1. Dumbbells
Strength training tools like dumbbells are essential resistance training equipment. Dumbbells allow you to do a variety of strength exercises, from compound exercises to single lifts. From triceps kickbacks to shoulder presses, lunges and more, dumbbells help you challenge your ranges of motion, which is key to a great resistance workout.
2. Resistance Bands
Resistance bands provide resistance when stretched. They’re easily portable so can be brought with you on vacation, and can be adapted to most workouts. You can opt for resistance bands with or without handles depending on your workout. They’re great for tightening and toning small and large muscle groups, and you can use them to do exercises like glute bridges, bicep curls, high plank leg lifts and donkey kicks.
3. Medicine Ball
Medicine balls are weighted balls that are used to enhance strength, muscle power, coordination, agility, balance and speed. They provide versatile, full body workouts, forcing your core muscles to engage no matter what primary muscle is being targeted.
4. Thick Yoga Mat
If you’re doing home workouts, you’ll want to have a yoga mat on hand. Resistance training exercises typically move to the ground at certain parts of the workout and you don’t want your knees or back to have to come in direct contact with the hard ground. A thick yoga mat will provide support for your knees, elbows, back and other sensitive joints when you’re doing high impact exercises or anything on the floor.
6 Full-Body Resistance Training Workouts for Women
30-Minute Full-Body Strength Training Workout with Weights | POPSUGAR Fitness
Led by a NIKE Global Master Trainer, this resistance training workout includes circuits to work every muscle in your body. You’ll need a pair of dumbbells to do exercises including tempo squats, single-leg deadlifts and skaters. Get ready to feel strong and sculpted after this 30-minute workout!
Intense Full Body Strength Workout | Heather Robertson
If you’re looking for an intense strength workout, this one’s for you! You’ll complete each strength exercise 4 times before moving to the next and will work through moves like goblet squats, toe touches, reverse lunges and lateral raises. The multiple sets will help you build lean muscle and strength, which will help you burn fat faster!
Full Body Resistance Band Home Workout | 20 Minute Real Time Circuit | Abbey Yung
This is a low impact, muscle-toning workout that requires the use of a resistance band with handles. It targets and sculpts major muscle groups including the glutes, shoulders, back, core and chest. It’s a beginner-friendly workout so you can do it no matter your skill level!
15 Minute Medicine Ball HIIT Workout (For All Fitness Levels) | Juice & Toya
With this video, you get a high-intensity, full body workout using a medicine ball. They include beginner and advanced variations, so you can do the workout no matter your fitness level. You’ll do exercises such as ball slams, squat tosses, single arm push ups and jack knifes. Get ready to feel the burn!
10 Min Barbell Complex Workout | With Dumbbell Alternative | Caroline Girvan
Looking for a quick but effective workout? This 10 minute barbell routine consists of 4 compound movements, allowing you to hit more muscles in a short timeframe. Be sure to warm up before beginning the workout so you don’t injure yourself. The exercises include squat to press, alt rear lunges, bent over row and Romanian deadlifts.
20 Min Full Body Burn Workout At Home (Tone & Sculpting Fat Burn) | MadFit
This 20 minute no jumping workout is a full body burn that can be done right from your backyard or living room. You’ll need a pair of dumbbells to do exercises like squats with hammer curls, lunge rows and glute bridge presses. This workout is designed to tone, sculpt and get your heart rate up, so get ready to work!
Ready to get your resistance training on? These essentials and workouts will help you get fit and stay healthy!
