Resistance Training for Women: How to Start, Where to Start, and Why It Matters
Resistance training (RT) is one of the most powerful tools for women looking to enhance strength, muscle tone, and overall well-being. Whether you're new to the gym or a seasoned athlete, understanding the right approach can maximize your gains. In this evidence-based guide, we’ll explore how to start resistance training, where to begin, and why it’s essential—while drawing from the latest research to optimize your strength and hypertrophy results.
Why Resistance Training?
For women, resistance training offers a host of benefits. It not only improves muscle strength and tone but also enhances bone density, supports joint health, and boosts metabolism. Additionally, it plays a significant role in long-term health, helping to reduce the risk of chronic conditions like osteoporosis, heart disease, and diabetes.
Starting a resistance training regimen can feel daunting, but with the right approach, it can be a rewarding journey toward improved strength, health, and confidence. If you're interested in a personalized fitness and wellness plan, working with a naturopathic doctor or chiropractic doctor in Burnaby can provide a holistic approach to your training and health.
How to Start Resistance Training
If you're new to resistance training, it's essential to begin gradually to avoid injury and build a strong foundation. Here are the steps to get started:
Consult a Professional: Before beginning any exercise program, it’s a good idea to consult a fitness professional or a healthcare provider, like a naturopathic doctor, to ensure your plan is tailored to your specific needs.
Begin with Bodyweight Exercises: Starting with bodyweight exercises allows you to build strength and perfect your form before adding weights. Try exercises like squats, lunges, push-ups, and planks.
Progress to Free Weights or Machines: Once you're comfortable with bodyweight movements, begin incorporating free weights like dumbbells, kettlebells, or resistance bands. Machines can also provide a controlled environment to target specific muscles.
Learn Proper Form: Proper technique is key to avoiding injury and maximizing gains. If you're unsure about your form, consider working with a trainer or using online resources for guidance.
Optimal Resistance Training for Women: The Science
To achieve maximum muscle strength and hypertrophy (muscle growth) in women, research highlights the importance of focusing on specific training variables such as load, sets, frequency, and exercise selection. Let’s dive into the science-backed protocols that can help you reach your goals.
1. Load and Frequency
For women looking to maximize muscle strength, higher-load training is essential. Studies show that training with loads greater than 80% of your one-repetition maximum (1RM) leads to significant strength gains (Currier et al., 2023). If your goal is to increase strength, aim for a lower rep range with heavier weights.
For hypertrophy, or muscle growth, multiple sets (two or more) performed twice weekly are most effective, regardless of the load (Mcleod et al., 2023; Currier et al., 2023). This means that whether you're lifting heavier weights for fewer reps or lighter weights for more reps, the volume (total sets and reps) is what matters most for muscle growth.
2. Exercise Selection
Choosing the right exercises is crucial for optimizing both strength and hypertrophy. Multi-joint (MJ) exercises, such as squats, deadlifts, and bench presses, engage more muscle groups and are more effective for building strength and size compared to single-joint (SJ) exercises like bicep curls or leg extensions (Barbalho et al., 2021).
That said, a combination of MJ and SJ exercises can be beneficial, particularly for targeting specific movements and muscle imbalances. For example, while squats are great for overall lower body strength, SJ exercises like hamstring curls can help optimize strength in specific movements such as knee flexion (Barbalho et al., 2021).
3. Training Techniques
In addition to exercise selection, training techniques play a significant role in muscle growth. One of the key elements is repetition tempo, or the speed at which you perform each repetition. Research suggests that employing a repetition tempo of 2-8 seconds per rep can enhance hypertrophy (Korakakis et al., 2023). This means controlling both the lowering (eccentric) and lifting (concentric) phases of the movement to maximize time under tension.
Additionally, emphasizing a full range of motion in each exercise is critical for engaging the entire muscle and promoting growth. For example, ensuring you squat to at least parallel or lower can improve results for your glutes and thighs.
Personalizing Your Resistance Training
While these guidelines provide a strong foundation, individual responses to resistance training can vary. Factors such as age, fitness level, hormonal balance, and injury history all influence how your body adapts to exercise. This is why it's essential to adopt a personalized approach to resistance training.
At our clinic, we recommend working with a healthcare provider or a naturopathic doctor to design a resistance training plan that suits your body’s unique needs. Whether your goal is strength, hypertrophy, or overall fitness, personalized care ensures that your program is aligned with your health goals.
Where to Start
If you're wondering where to start with resistance training, here’s a simple workout to help you get going. This beginner-friendly routine focuses on building strength and muscle across the major muscle groups.
Beginner Full-Body Routine:
Squats (Multi-joint): 3 sets of 8-10 reps
Push-ups (Multi-joint): 3 sets of 8-10 reps (modify as needed)
Bent-over Rows (Multi-joint): 3 sets of 8-10 reps
Glute Bridges (Single-joint): 3 sets of 10-12 reps
Plank (Core): Hold for 30-60 seconds, 3 times
This workout targets the upper body, lower body, and core using both multi-joint and single-joint exercises. As you progress, you can add weights, increase reps, or try more advanced movements.
Final Thoughts
Resistance training offers women an empowering way to build strength, enhance muscle tone, and improve overall health. Whether your goal is to increase muscle mass, improve bone density, or boost confidence, the right combination of load, sets, frequency, and exercise selection can lead to significant results.
If you’re looking for personalized guidance in your fitness journey, consulting a naturopath or naturopathic doctor in Burnaby can offer a holistic approach, combining resistance training with nutrition, lifestyle changes, and overall wellness.
Ready to start your resistance training journey? Contact us at Oak Integrative Health to learn how you can create a personalized, science-backed plan to achieve your fitness and health goals.
By Madison Isenor, BSc, ND Candidate 2025