Good Workout Routines for Women

Ladies, I'm sure I don't need to stress on the importance of being in shape and looking good. After all, you gals know it much better than I do! So for those of you who have flab issues, thanks to which, you have trouble fitting into that sexy little black dress, or that hot pair of hipsters that you could once ease into, it's time to work out and get back in shape! And to help you kick-start your 'Mission: Sexy again' campaign, here is some useful information.

What is a Good Workout Routine?
Now that's a good question. What can be termed as a good, effective workout routine for the females? Well, for starters, it should target the entire body, rather than focus on one specific part or area of the body, i.e. spot reduction (something which a lot of ladies are misled or fooled into doing). Secondly, it should achieve a combined goal of both, fat loss as well as muscle building, and not either of the two. Contrary to what many women believe, muscle building is very important from the perspective of having a strong, fit body. Generally, it is ignorance or false belief that keeps women away from the aspect of muscle building (don't worry, it won't make you look like a female version of Schwarzenegger!). Regarding fat loss, need I waste time explaining about its importance? (especially to female readers, that is).

Now, without wasting any more time, let us have a detailed understanding of the various routines for workout that women can take account of, in order to get that robust body back.

Routine #1
First warm-up with 3 minutes of spot jogging, followed by 60 step-ups (30 for each leg), and some light stretching exercises. Then head to the treadmill. Adjust the difficulty level to a speed which ensures a brisk walk. After a 5-minute brisk walk, increase the speed and do a 5 minute jog. Then reduce it back to a 5-minute brisk walk and finally, cool down with one minute of slow walking. Once you're done with the treadmill, you can opt for some skipping. Use a good quality skipping rope for the same. You can start off by setting an initial target of 200-300 skips or jumps. If you can perform different variations (with respect to skips), then that's even better. Over a period of time, you should be aiming at increasing the target to 500-600 skips (800-1000 for sportswomen). Next, move on to the elliptical machine for a 15-20 minute session. After that, it's time for some weight training. In this routine, we will focus on the upper body. Use a pair of dumbbells (select a comfortable weight) and perform 2 sets (10 reps each) of the following exercises:

• Bicep curls
• Tricep curls
• Dumbbell shrugs
• Incline fly

Finish your weight training session with two sets (10 reps each) of seated machine chest press. Finally, get down on the floor and perform two sets (12 reps each) of side abs (two sets for each side, four in all). Finish your workout by lying in the yoga pose of Shavasana (corpse pose) for 10-15 minutes.

Routine #2
After your warm-up, head to the exercise bike. Set the speed to a moderate level of difficulty and pedal away for 15-20 minutes. During those 15-20 minutes you should test both, your stamina and your speed by alternating between different cycling speeds. For example, keep it around 30 kmph for the first 5 minutes. Then try and touch 35 kmph and maintain it for one whole minute. Get back down to 30 kmph for the next 5 minutes. Once again take it up to 35 kmph for a minute, followed 5 more minutes at 30 kmph. Finally, put in all your effort, try to touch 40 kmph, and maintain it for one whole minute. After that, cool down for a minute with some slow pedaling and then stop. After your strenuous cycling session, head to the weight training section. This time, focus on your lower body. Do 2 sets (10 reps each) of leg presses on the leg press machine, followed by 2 sets (10 reps each) of calf raises. Next, using a pair of dumbbells, perform 2 sets (15 reps each) of standard squats. Once you're done with the squats, use the same pair of dumbbells and perform 2 sets (10 reps each) of standard forward lunges. Finally, get down on the floor mat and perform 2 sets (15 reps each) of standard ab crunches. Finish your workout by lying down in Shavasana for 10-15 minutes.

Routine #3
This workout routine is a little different from the aforementioned ones. You can split it into 2 separate workout routines. In the first part, you can have a 30-40 minute swim workout. Aim at swimming a minimum distance of 400-500 meters. Alternate between different swim strokes to ensure a nice full body workout. In the second part, you can have a 30-minute aerobic exercise session. Put on some fast peppy music and I bet you'll enjoy performing all those energetic aerobic workout routines. Finally, finish off by lying down in Shavasana for 10-15 minutes.

Well, these were a few sample options regarding women's workout routines to be strictly followed. You know, for once, these workouts may look easier to perform. However, the difficult part is the resolve that is required to maintain a healthy lifestyle. While cheating on your health is easy, maintaining a routine is difficult, as not everyone can do it. All the best!