Train Like a Guy

Alright, ladies, it’s time that you throw away the myth that weight-training will make you bulky. Strength-training helps make you stronger (and leaner)! You are entitled to be a powerhouse. Here are five tricks that you can borrow from the boys.

1. Hit the squat rack. Many women immediately think free weights, when it’s time to strength-train. Dumbbells are great to have in your arsenal, but it’s a good idea to challenge your body in new ways. Using a squat rack, you’ll have to balance the bar, which engages muscles in your core, glutes and legs.
2. A barbell, bench and plate weights are your best friends. I love using them for chest presses. Change the position of your hands to work different parts of your chest, or change the incline of the bench to add more variety. Muscle definition translates into cleavage—that’s a good thing!
3. Take two! Instead of doing total-body circuit training, train only two muscles a day. Do four or five exercises to target each muscle group. That way you’ll really break down the muscle tissue and rebuild it to be tighter and stronger. You’ll also see hot, toned lines faster.
4. Do deadlifts. Maybe you’re turned off because the “manimal” boys grunt and turn red as they do this exercise. But deadlifts sculpt a firm, round butt and sexy hamstrings. Convinced? Thought so! Start lightly with a barbell and barbell weights. As you get stronger, go heavier in 10-pound increments.
5. Tough it out! Don’t be afraid to push your muscles to infinity. The boys exhort more energy and burn more calories when they struggle through the last few reps. Find a friend to help motivate you, so you can both release your inner Amazons.