Should Women Lift the Same Weights as Men

Women are not the same as men when it comes to arm strength. They have smaller triceps, less shoulder muscles and biceps which are the weaker side of the arm. They also have smaller forearm muscles, even though the triceps and biceps are very pronounced. When you are trying to find out how much weight you should lift to tone your arms, keep in mind that women have different arm structure and hormonal makeup that affect muscle development. The arms are made up of four main muscles, the deltoids, the shoulder, the biceps, and the forearms.

Calisthenics

So, now we know how much weight should I lift to tone my arms a female must focus on developing the strongest biceps and triceps. The quickest way to develop strength is to use heavier weights, and do more reps. Women should focus on exercises like chin ups, squats, bench presses, overhead press, and even pull ups. Women also have smaller shoulder muscles so they need to target this area using heavy weights and low rep exercises. Exercises that work the shoulders include dumbbell flyes, chest presses, and bench flies.

Different Upper Body Strength

Women have smaller upper body than males. Women have smaller shoulder muscles than men. Women have a more difficult time building upper body strength than men because of hormonal makeup, bone density, and fat distribution in the body. The arms are a female’s most developed body part because it has the most responsibility for defending the body. It also has the most movement in relation to other parts of the body.

Working Out the Biceps

The bicep is the largest muscle in the human body and is responsible for a great deal of motion in the arm. Biceps perform most of the work when it comes to producing movement in the arm. A female can do bicep curls and triceps extensions. Both of these workouts are advanced forms of the triceps extension exercise and should only be done after a significant fitness level has been attained and before large muscle groups are trained.

Working Out the Triceps

A female who wants to strengthen her triceps needs to perform standing deltoid extensions over a bar. These exercises should not be done over a flat bench, because the weight will strain the arms. The bar should be kept at arms’ length. These extensions will work the biceps, forearms, back, and triceps.

Doing Barbell Curls

Standing barbell curls are another advanced form of how much weight should I lift to tone my arms. The distance from the elbow to the opposite elbow is ten inches. This will help develop balance and strengthen the triceps. When completing the curl, keep the arm bent and raise the weight overhead for three seconds. Repeat twenty times.

Doing Cable Crossovers

Another good way to train how much weight should I lift to tone my arms is with cable crossovers. This exercise works the lateral and medial heads of the triceps. The cable crossover is performed by bringing the arms together and placing them behind your head. Curl your arms as you extend each arm forward and then bend the elbow back toward your head. Repeat twenty times.

Plan Your Reps Beforehand

A female who wants to build big muscles in her arms will need to know how much weight should I lift to tone my arms. This will depend on which arm type she is hoping to develop. For example, a female with a short bicep should try to increase her bicep size rather than toning up her arms. A female who has medium sized arms should consider increasing her biceps size in order to enhance her facial structure and give her better looking shoulders. The arms are important for a female to build strong and thick muscles, but they should not be the primary focus of a fitness program.