Cutting back on weight lifting

I’ve always liked lifting weights.

I appreciate the challenge of lifting a heavy free weight, dumbbell or kettlebell.

It provides me satisfaction seeing and feeling my muscles work and then noticing the results. I can get carried away with strength training sessions. As a woman, I would prefer not to build big, bulky muscles. For me, I would rather achieve superior toning. I want to stay strong and fit. Because of this, I’ve had to be careful with the type of workouts I do. I don’t let myself lift weights every workout. I switch up strength training with tons of cardio, lunges, squats, mountain climbers, and a series of abdominal crunches. I am careful to devote sufficient time to stretching and balance training. I’ve l started using lighter weights and going higher repetitions. I’ve also incorporated a variety of methods of strength training. Rather than always grabbing a weighted piece of equipment, I use my own body weight. I complete static holds for a set time amount. I’ve seen that holding the plank position can be challenging as beneficial. I sometimes stand with one lifted positioned parallel to the floor and maintain the position for at least a minute. I’ve gotten inventive with resistance bands and some weighted jump ropes. By changing things up, I have seen way better results. I’m able to target the whole body rather than just concentrating on biceps or triceps. I noticed that by including arms, legs, shoulders, back, core and my numerous joints, I experience less soreness and avoid injury. I’ve increased stamina and formed a better shape of muscle. I still would love to stick with basic weight lifting, but I don’t allow myself to do it too often.

Personal Fitness Trainer