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Exercises for Women Using Hand Weights | Hand Weights For Women



Hand weights for women are a great way to get a good weight workout. Women can develop osteoporosis or bone loss as they age. Fortunately, resistance training or strength training can help prevent osteoporosis. It is not necessary to lift heavy weights to keep the bones and joints strong. Exercises with hand weights for women will result in stronger bones and muscles.

Hand Weights For Women

Exercises for Women Using Hand Weights

Hand Weights For Women

Women who are just starting their strength training program can exercise with light hand weights or dumbbells weighing between 2 to 5 pounds. As your strength develops, you can gradually increase the weight to between 5 and 20 pounds. When working with lighter hand weights, women can do 10 to 15 repetitions. As you increase the poundage, you can do 8 to 12 reps. This will help prevent injury while you build your muscles and bones.

Proper Form

Women who are exercising with hand weights should always maintain proper form and technique. This is true regardless of the poundage. Your back should be straight and the stomach should be pulled in. When standing, remember not to lock your knees. Work with hand weights that are appropriate for you. If you have to swing your body for momentum when lifting the weight, it means your weights are too heavy.

Exercises with Hand Weights for Women

Women can do exercises with small hand weights to improve muscle tone and built stronger bones and joints. Here are some workout routines using small hand weights for women.

Walking Lunge

Women can do the walking lunge to tone and develop the hamstrings, quads and glutes. This exercise also tones the inner thighs and legs.

Stand with your feet hip-width apart and arms straight down holding the weights. Step your right foot forward and bend both knees. Keep your upper body straight and point your left knee down. Keep your arms and weights at your sides. Straighten your legs and return to the starting position. Repeat the exercise with the other leg.

Overhead Tricep Extension

This exercise is done while holding a dumbbell between both hands. The exercise may be done while standing or sitting down. With elbows bent, hold a dumbbell vertically behind your head. Keep your elbows squeezed toward your head. Slowly lift the dumbbell over your head without moving your elbows forward. Lower the dumbbell to the starting position. Repeat.

Biceps Curl

The biceps curl requires hand weights and allows women to exercise the upper arms or biceps. The exercise can be done while standing or sitting. Hold a hand weight or dumbbell in each hand and let your arms hang straight down at your sides. While keeping your elbows close to your side, lift the dumbbell up to your shoulder. Slowly lower the hand weight back to the starting position. Repeat.

There are many other exercises with hand weights for women, such as fly, hammer curl, shoulder lift, preacher curl, and many more. Don’t forget to do some stretching before and after strength training exercises using your hand weights for women to reduce the risk of injury.


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Weight Loss Exercise

Does Lifting Weights Burn Fat?



I always get asked does lifting weights burn fat? People who want to drop extra pounds often turn to cardiovascular exercise in order to burn fat. Many trainers recommend aerobic exercises to burn calories, saying that strength training is only good for building muscles.

Does Lifting Weights Burn Fat?

Does Lifting Weights Burn Fat?

Does Lifting Weights Burn Fat?

However, more and more people these days are becoming aware of the importance of muscle development for long-term fat loss. That is why people are beginning to ask, “Does lifting weights burn fat?”

Combine Cardio and Weight Training

Not too long ago, people who wanted to lose weight performed intense aerobic workouts such as running, jogging, swimming, or exercising on an elliptical trainer. Cardiovascular exercise elevates the metabolism during workout and for a short time after the workout session.

Weight training, on the other hand, develops muscle mass and increases the body’s metabolism long after the exercise session is over. The reason is that muscles require more calories to maintain than fat does. Thus, lifting weights actually burns fat faster.

Does Lifting Weights Burn Fat – Higher Metabolism

Strength training builds more muscles in the body. Because muscles use up more calories, your body turns into a fat-burning furnace. With more lean muscle in your body, your metabolism will increase. Lifting weights actually helps you burn fat even while you rest. After your weight lifting session, your body will continue burning more calories for a longer period than you would after an aerobic session.

Build More Muscles

Many people think that bigger muscles are developed during strength training. Lifting weights actually tears down the muscles. Muscle development and repair take place during the rest period following the weight lifting session. It is while you rest and recuperate that your muscles grow bigger and stronger.

Burn Fat Faster

Cardiovascular exercise provides a calorie-burning workout that melts fat from all over your body. However, if you want to keep the fat off it’s necessary to combine weight lifting with your cardio workout. This will increase your metabolism so your body burns more calories even while you are resting or sleeping. Strength training using resistance methods or by lifting weights helps you burn fat and keep it from coming back. For every 3 pounds of muscles gained, you burn about 120 calories more per day.

Avoid Quick Weight-Loss Diets

You may be tempted to go on a miracle or starvation diet when trying to lose weight quickly. This is bad because it will cause the loss of muscle mass. Any weight lost will be quickly regained. It is best, instead, to work towards a gradual fat loss by combining weight lifting and cardio activities. This will allow you to build up muscle mass and increase your metabolism. Although it may take longer to attain your ideal weight, the results will last longer.

So, does lifting weights burn fat? You know now that it does.


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Weight Loss Exercise

Causes of Insomnia



Although we all have trouble drifting off to sleep from time to time, it can cause more stress for some than others. Insomnia occurs when you regularly have a problem either getting to sleep, or staying asleep long enough to feel refreshed when you wake up in the morning.

Causes of Insomnia

Causes of Insomnia

Although you might assume insomnia is just an unlucky condition in itself, it’s usually a symptom of something else. This is why it’s vital you understand the causes of insomnia and visit a doctor to rule out something more serious.

Causes of Insomnia

Stress -We’ve all probably experienced short term stress-related insomnia at some point in our lives. You just can’t get to sleep as you have a thousand thoughts and worries running through your mind. For some, however, the insomnia stays even when the stress has gone. Some people learn to associate their bed or trying to get to sleep with being stressed or feeling “awake”.

Anxiety Disorders – Anxiety disorders will often leave people staying awake at night, either due to physical or mental symptoms. Other causes of insomnia include depression, bipolar disorder, schizophrenia and others. Treatment of the underlying condition will often help with the insomnia.

Medication – Believe it or not, even sleep medication can be one of the causes of insomnia once we become dependent on using it. However, there are a whole range of other prescription medications that can make a difference – from antidepressants to hormone treatments and high blood pressure medication. It’s always a good idea to discuss any medication with your doctor to make sure it’s not the cause of your sleepless nights.

Underlying Conditions – There are a whole host of physical conditions known to be causes of insomnia. This is why you shouldn’t just assume it’s in your head and that you can treat yourself. It could be a sign of something more serious, so take the time out to visit your doctor to rule other problems out.

Drugs and Stimulants – We all know that stimulants such as caffeine can keep us awake. But you may not realize that alcohol also negatively effects sleep, despite the fact that we initially feel sleepy and relaxed when we drink it. You should try to avoid these drinks before bedtime if you want to have the best sleep possible.

Remember, although you may recognize one of these causes of insomnia instantly, it’s still vital that you talk to your doctor before diagnosing yourself.


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