Last Updated on November 17, 2023 by Emma White
When women start their fat loss journey, they generally imagine that they just need to lose a few pounds to find the perfect form they’re looking for. The reality, however, is that a good physique isn’t at all about the number on the scale – it’s about proportions and body composition. That’s why, after the initial months spent losing weight, most women come to the conclusion that they need to do more than just burn calories – they also have to lose fat and gain muscle.
We’ve all heard of the term “skinny fat” – that’s a body type that’s skinny but that lacks the muscle tone and thus doesn’t look as toned as maybe most women imagine it would. That’s when many start to look into body recompositioning and actually adding weightlifting as part of their exercise programs. In this short article, we’re going to take a look at some of the very best gym exercises with women – as well as what their benefits are and what makes them stand out from the rest.
So, if you want to learn more, then keep on reading.
5 Must-Do Exercises for Women’s Fat Loss
Many women are tempted to go all in when they first start lifting – from doing it six days a week with no rest to buying all kinds of equipment, from pull-up straps to lifting belts and then a few more supplements to make their progress happen faster. Our advice is not to do all that from the get-go – instead, give yourself time to progress slowly. Consistency is what matters here – you don’t need to be doing seven million movements every single day to get the desired results. In fact, by only sticking to the vital basics that we’re going to introduce you to below, you will get the exact muscle tone that you desire.
Back Squat
The back squat is a must-do, key movement that gets you to use several muscle groups at once and is incredible for building overall strength and muscle. It’s crucial that you learn the proper form before you start to add on weight, and it’s a good idea to record yourself as you perform the exercise. That way, you will be able to correct yourself where it’s needed, resulting in better muscle engagement and reduced chances of injury.
Lunges
Lunges have many variations, and all of them are extremely beneficial for building lower body strength and improving balance. Along with that, if you have any muscular imbalances – one leg more developed than the other, lunges will help fix that as they engage each leg separately. Because of the extra pressure lunges put on your knees, it’s vital that you remember to do them with the correct form – your knee should be bent at 90 degrees with your ankle directly under it.
Lat Pulldown
Most women who are just starting their fitness journeys are unable to do a pull-up immediately. That’s because the upper body in females is generally less developed compared to men. The lat pulldown is a way to recruit those same muscle groups and gradually build strength in the back. It’s an easy-to-master movement that’s extremely beneficial, and that allows you to progress with your upper body strength without risking any injuries.
Overhead Press
Another upper body exercise with the key difference is that this one engages the muscles in your shoulders and arms. It’s a movement that can be done with both barbells and dumbbells, but our recommendation is to go with the second option as that way, you will have to push with each arm separately, and thus, you won’t develop any muscle imbalances. Here, it’s key to remember to keep your core engaged throughout the entire movement, as otherwise, you will find it much more difficult to add more weight.
Hip Thrust
For a lot of women, building their glutes is a key part of their dream physique, and the best way to achieve that is by incorporating the hip thrust in all your lower body days. Additionally, apart from targeting the glutes, the hip thrust also engages the hamstrings and the quads, which make it an incredible exercise for the entire lower body. A tip here is always to use a barbell pad when doing this movement, as it will protect your hips from bruising.
Conclusion
Hopefully, this article helped you learn more about the most important exercises for women’s weight loss. Our goal was also to show you that the key to the dream physique is not only in learning how to lose fat but also how to gain muscle. By lifting weights and increasing their muscle mass, women can improve their body composition, increase their metabolism, and achieve the dream physique they desire.
