Female Weight Lifting Routine For
Maximum Muscle Toning

This weight lifting routine is specifically for those who don't have much interest in losing weight but would rather focus on what you can do to gain a few pounds of lean muscle and add more shape to your figure.

Getting on a good, muscle building, weight lifting program is one of the smartest things you can do since as you begin building more lean muscle you'll increase your metabolic rate which helps you stay leaner in the long term, you'll make everyday tasks easier to perform since you're stronger, and you'll totally change the way your entire body looks and feels.

Those women who are building more lean muscle mass very often are far more confident after a few weeks of working out and others notice the difference too. Your body will be firmer, more defined, and you'll fit most types of clothes that much better as well.

Here are a few things to remember about the following weight lifting routine for muscle building.

Weight Lifting Routine Tip #1
Lift A Challenging Amount Of Weight

The very first thing that's a 'must-do' if you are going to see good results from your muscle building program is make sure that you're pushing yourself with the weights.

Far too many women think they can get great results by hoisting those little five pounders in the gym – but beware, they will not produce the results you think they will.

If you just push yourself a little more you may just find you're a great deal stronger than you thought, so don't be afraid to pick up the 12-15 pound dumbbells and give it a try. You may just find yourself graduating to 20 pound dumbbells sooner than you ever thought possible.

Remember, you don't have the level of hormones in your body to get really big and bulky, so that should never be a concern for you.

Weight Lifting Routine Tip #2
Maintain Longer Rest Periods

The second thing to know for this muscle building program is that unlike your fat loss program, you don't need to worry about keeping the rest periods shorter while making sure the workout is fast paced.

In fact, because you will be lifting a heavier amount of weight with the muscle building program, you're going to want to keep the rest periods longer so the body has a good chance to recover fully. Since your primary goal here is to lift a heavy enough amount of weight, if you aren't taking this time, you won't accomplish that task.

Typically for most compound, multi-joint lifts you're going to want to be in the 2-3 minute mark for your rest periods while for the isolated movements you'll want to use the 1-2 minute rest period instead.

Weight Lifting Routine Tip #3
Focus Mostly On Compound Lifts

With the actual exercise selection itself with your workout, you must be sure that you're choosing compound lifts whenever possible. This will include the major lifts of bench press, squats, bent over rows, deadlifts, as well as the shoulder press.

You will work so many muscle groups at once while doing the exercises and this is what really bumps up your overall results.

You can add in a few isolated exercises if there's one particular area of the body you really want to target, but just note that these shouldn't be the focus of your workout session. Isolated lifts are great for helping bring out muscle tone and definition however they won't do much for increasing your strength and helping fill out your body.

Weight Lifting Routine Tip #4
Be Sure You're Eating Enough Calories

Finally, the last thing that you must remember as you go about this female weight lifting program for building muscle mass is that you need to be eating enough calories. Since you are actively trying to add more lean muscle mass to your frame, if you're not providing your body with the raw nutrients it's going to need to do this, you aren't going to be successful.

When you eat a few hundred calories above your maintenance calorie intake the body will begin taking those calories and generating this new lean muscle mass with since you've already provided the overloading stimulus that was necessary through the workouts you've been doing.

So be sure that you keep all of these points in mind as you progress through the workout below. You'll notice that you are working out four times a week with this routine, which provides a nice level of frequency for each muscle group.

Aim to keep cardio on the lower side while doing this program since too much cardio can interfere with the muscle building process and will just cause you to burn off calories that you could have used to generate the new muscle with.

Finally, keep in mind that some of the exercises called for in this program are slightly more advanced, so make sure that you are taking the time to learn them all properly first before you go off adding any weight.

So there you have all the information you need to know to get started with your female weight lifting program to build muscle mass. If you stick with it and are sure to push your body hard with each workout you do, you will see results very quickly.

Exercise Descriptions

Below you'll find the exercise descriptions for each exercise listed in this program.

Horizontal Chest Press

Sit in a horizontal chest press machine and while exhaling, slowly press the weight directly in front of you until elbows are extended but not locked. Pause for a brief moment and then slowly return to the starting position.

Single Leg Split Squat

To get into this position, place one foot back up behind you on a bench while you remain balanced on the standing leg holding a dumbbell in each hand. From there, bend the standing leg down until the knee is at about 90 degrees while back leg is bending simultaneously as you lower down to the ground.

Pause at the bottom of the moment for a brief second and then press back up to the start once again to complete the rep. Be sure to switch sides and repeat.

Step Ups

Holding a set of dumbbells, one in each hand, slowly step one foot up onto a bench while you bring the other up to meet it. Remain in a straight position with the body at all times. Once both feet are at the top of the bench, move back down again to complete the movement.

Shoulder Press

For the shoulder press, standing upright with the legs about shoulder width apart, bring the dumbbells up until they are at shoulder level. From there, press directly overhead until elbows are straightened but not locked. Once finished, lower back down to the shoulders to complete the rep. Be sure at all times the back stays straight in this movement to prevent lower back pain from developing.

Horizontal Row

For the horizontal row, sit directly facing the chest pad in the horizontal row machine. Slowly reach forward and grab the handles and then while thinking of pulling the shoulder blades together, bend at the elbows and bring the hands into the body. Pause for a second when you're hands are just about at the underarms and then return to the starting position once again.

Lunges

Walking lunges are a simple exercise to perform and will really work the lower body. With a dumbbell in each hand, take one step forward and slowly bend the leg in front as you move into the lunge position. Take a brief pause at the bottom of the movement and then bring the back leg up in front as you take your next step forward. Continue this walking pattern until all reps have been completed.

Bicep Curl

The bicep curl is one of the most commonly recognized exercises and is performed by standing in an upright position with a dumbbell in each hand, arms directly by the sides. From there, slowly bend at the elbows while keeping them locked into place at the side of the body and then curl the weight up to the shoulders.

Pause at the top and then lower the weight back down until arms are stretched full out once again.

Overhead Tricep Extension

For the overhead tricep extension, get into a standing position where you bring a dumbbell up over the head holding it with both hands. From there, lower it down directly behind the head until the elbows are fully bent. From there, press the weight back upwards again to straighten the arms and complete the rep.

Dumbbell Chest Press

The dumbbell chest press is much like the horizontal chest press only you're lying on a flat bench holding dumbbells. Get into position with the dumbbells at the shoulders and elbows bend and tucked into the body. From there, press directly upwards with the weight until the elbows are extended. Pause and then lower back down to complete the rep. Be sure at all times that you're also keeping the back pressed flat against the pad so as to not experience lower back pain.

Incline Chest Press

Sit in an incline press bench and bring the dumbbells up to your shoulder level. From there, press directly outwards from the body, moving the dumbbells along the diagonal plane of movement. Once the elbows are extended but not locked, lower back down again to complete the rep.

Leg Press

For the leg press, get into the machine and place the feet about hip width apart. From there press through the thighs until legs are fully extended. While doing so be sure the back is flat against the pad as well throughout this exercise.

Note that the deeper you can take this exercise (the closer to the body you place the feet), the more you will recruit the glute muscles, making this exercise even more effective.

Lat Pull-down

To work the back with the lat-pull-down, sit in the machine and reach up until your hands are on the lat-pull-down bar a little wider than shoulder width apart. From there, slowly begin to pull the bar down towards the sternum while leaning back ever so slightly.

Once you're at the bottom of the movement, move the bar back up again to complete the rep.

Rope Press-Down

The rope press down is another excellent variation for the triceps muscle and should be performed using a cable pulley system. To begin, grasp the handles of the rope attachment. Next, pull the handles downwards splitting when they near the body until the elbows are fully extended. From that position you want to maintain the connection between the elbows and the side of the body while letting the handles move up and down to complete the extension movement.

Once all reps have been completed you can then let the rope move back up to the top of the cable pulley once again.

Prone Ball Roll-Outs

For the prone ball roll outs, place the feet up on top of the exercise floor while your body is stomach down and hands are on the floor beneath you for balance. From there, begin to bend at the knees and as you do so bring the knees in to meet the chest. Pause once you're in this position and then straighten the body out again.

Standing Dumbell Calf Raises

Holding a dumbbell in one hand while placing the other hand on an object for balance, slowly rise up onto your toes, hold for a moment at the top while thinking of really squeezing the calf muscle, and then lower back down again to complete the rep.

T`s

For this exercise, hold one dumbbell in each hand with the arms straight down by your sides. From there, slowly lift them out to the sides of the body until they are parallel to the shoulders. Pause for a moment and then bring them directly across the horizontal plane until the hands are directly in front of the body.

Pause once again and then lower back down to complete the rep. Reverse the direction you move through for the next rep and continue on in this fashion until all reps have been completed.

In Conclusion:

You don't need to pay a lot of money for a good weight lifting routine. Follow this weight lifting routine and you will build muscle tone and see the results you have been wanting.

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Routine For Muscle Tone