Many of the female members of our personal training center in Singapore often ask me what the best methods and techniques of exercise are. Here are 3 of the most common questions I get asked and how I answer them to help my female personal training clients get the most of their nutrition and exercise plans.
#1 What sort of strength-training exercises do you recommend for women?
If a female has no past injury history and is healthy, I suggest exercises that use their entire body. These exercises include squats, dead-lifts, lunges, push-ups, assisted (if necessary) chin-ups and interval training. These exercises keep your muscles firm and also help you perform real life tasks like carrying groceries, climbing stairs and holding your kids with ease.
#2 Please explain why strength-training is better for losing weight?
Resistance training is not used because it is better for losing weight. It is better for losing FAT. This is because the best way to lose weight is to eat healthy, nutritious food like nuts, vegetables, meat, and eggs in reasonable amounts.
However when weight is lost, we want it to be fat and not our lean, toned, firm muscle. This is exactly what strength training does. It helps you maintain muscle so that all the weight you lose is that unwanted, unsightly fat!
The opposite is also true, excessive cardiovascular training such as triathlons and marathons are bad for you. They do not burn fat well, they cause you to lose muscle and they also cause you to have unnecessary, frustrating and painful injuries to your ankles, feet, hips and back.
#3 How do I Choose A Good Gym Or Training Program?
A proper gym and training system will have customized packages for different goals. There are different needs for ladies who are trying to achieve fat loss, fitness or sports performance goals. The instructors and programs should reflect these differences. You might be shocked to know that most gyms have the same program for EVERYONE! Bad news. Your results won't be good at all.
A gym that you choose must give you a guarantee on results - or your money back. The key is that a good gym or training program is committed to every client's success and leave no stone unturned when helping you achieve your goals and maximizing your health. This would include testing to ensure that you have good levels of essential minerals, that you have good ability to digest and absorb nutrients, and that you are in good hormonal balance. And having the knowledge to fix any problems.
There we go, 3 simple answers to 3 questions that female personal training clients ask me!