One of the main concerns for women embarking on a weight training journey is muscle growth.
Many people who do weight training have the sweet illusion that gaining lean muscle mass is a simple, short-term process…
The truth is that this is a lengthy process that depends on many variables, such as diet, exercise intensity, proper rest, and even the use of supplements if necessary.
If you have already started exercising and are concerned about muscle growth for women, read this article about shortcuts to women’s weight training to achieve muscle growth.
Muscle growth for women: what is it and how does it affect weight loss?
Muscle hypertrophy is characterized by an increase in muscle size. This is the body’s natural response to exercise and can be completely reversed.
A woman’s body is very different from a man’s, so the process of muscle growth is unique for women. This may be the goal of high-performance athletes, or it may be the goal of those who simply want more defined muscles.
An increase in lean body mass (that is, muscle) is good for the body, but it can lead to overall weight gain.
After all, if you lose fat but gain muscle, your weight may not change at all, even though your body looks very different aesthetically.
In other words, the goal is to improve your body composition… by replacing fat with lean muscle mass! And muscle weighs much more than fat!!!
Shortcuts to women’s weight training
Testosterone is one of the hormones that cause muscle growth. It is present at different concentrations in men and women, and the concentration in men can be up to 50 times higher than in women.
Knowing this, it is easy to understand why men are more likely to develop muscle hypertrophy than women.
Do an intense workout
The path to muscle growth requires a lot of discipline and training, and there are no shortcuts. So, focus on training intensely at the gym.
Try to understand the weight limit your body can handle and complete the number of sets prescribed in your program!
And, of course, don’t forget to value your rest days, which are essential for muscle recovery!
Focus on your diet
Your diet needs to be rich in protein, carbohydrates, fiber, vitamins, and minerals to gradually build your muscles.
You need to make some sacrifices—sweets and ultra-processed foods should be excluded from your daily routine—but it’s important to find a diet that’s easy to follow. Let sweets and fried foods be the exception, never the rule, okay!
Let sweets and fried foods be the exception, never the rule, okay!
Stay hydrated
Did you know that keeping your body hydrated is just as important as eating a healthy diet?
The human body is made up of about 60% water. Staying well hydrated increases the body’s hormonal response after physical activity.
Keep in mind that the less hydrated your body is, the more hormones (cortisol, aldosterone) it will secrete to retain fluid in your body, giving you a puffy appearance, which is actually swelling caused by water retention.
Proper hydration plays a fundamental role in hormonal function and the muscle recovery process.
Additionally, during very intense exercise or exercise performed outdoors in very hot weather, it may be a good idea to drink sports drinks to more quickly replenish the minerals lost during physical activity.
Increase the weights regularly
The weight used in an exercise should be increased gradually under your trainer’s guidance to prevent your muscles from plateauing.
Here’s the thing about progressive overload: some days are just different… a bad night’s sleep can affect your workout and make you use less weight… but that doesn’t mean you won’t have an intense workout, training to failure… yes… there is no set number of reps… that’s just a guideline… if the target is eight reps, plan to do seven… eight… reps… reaching failure on the eighth, for example, and if you can do more, adjust the weight!
Organize your workout well
It’s important to let your muscles rest so that the desired muscle growth can be achieved. So, if today’s workout focuses on the upper body, it’s recommended that the next day’s workout focus on the lower body, allowing your muscles to recover and helping prevent injuries and overtraining.
Conclusion
Muscle growth can be achieved through a good weight training program at the gym! But you need routine and consistency! Shortcuts to weight training can help you achieve this faster.
Every workout, when properly prescribed, aims to build lean muscle mass and lose fat! Your diet is what will enhance these results—or not! There is no well-designed workout, of course, that will “reduce” your lean muscle mass… believe it!
Before starting a new workout routine, consult a professional. They will be able to determine whether weightlifting is safe for you.
What did you think of this content? Do you have any other tips for shortcuts to women’s weight training? Leave them in the comments and #JOINTHETRAINING.
