Best Strength Training for Women

Ahhhhh, strength training.  That blissful 20 minutes10 minutes time at the gym where I get to sit on an exercise ball, bouncing around and looking at Instagram reading the NY Times on my phone.  Sometimes, I like to alternate between sitting on an exercise ball and lying on a squishy “nap mat”, depending on how I feel.  

What do you mean “that’s not how you do strength training”?  

 

Okay, okay, I know that’s not how you do strength training.  And I know strength training for women is important. But the PROBLEM is that strength training is BORING.  I would rather be bouncing on an exercise ball and inventing clever, hilarious emoji expression combinations to use in witty texting banter.  

 

However, in the interest of trying to look amazing presentable in a bathing suit in a few short weeks, I am attempting to redefine my relationship with squats, kettleballs and TRX training equipment. 

 

(Sidenote: My current relationship with TRX training equipment consists of me looking at it across the room from my post as queen as the girls-bouncing-on-exercise-balls, but it looks amazing, like something really fit people use.  See below.)

 

 

 

Recently I found myself deep in thought during a “strength training session” at my hotel in Amsterdam.  (Related: Always use the fitness room when you stay in a hotel.  You need to work out after your hotel buffet breakfast) 

 

I realized the thing that makes strength training most boring is all the counting.  The only gym math I want to do is to figure out how many calories worth of wine and cheese healthy low-calorie, high-protein granola I can consume after.  Counting is serious and boring.  I do not go to the gym for serious and boring.  I do not go ANYWHERE for serious and boring. 

 

Here is how to NOT count during strength training for a totally good-enough workout: 

 

 

5 Steps to Excellent and Enjoyable Strength Training for Women

1) Download a fun workout playlist with about 20 songs (some ideas from Fitness magazine here) 

2) Figure out roughly how many sit-ups, push-ups, lunges, etc, you do during a 1-minute interval.

3) Get all the equipment you need to do a “circuit” of 5-10 exercises (weights for arms, a mat or exercise ball for sit-ups, a kettleball to hold for squats, a bosu ball for lunges.  Yes, seriously.  Do it.)

4) Play your playlist as you go through your exercises.  Stop each song after a minute and switch exercises. 

5) Done.  Congratulations, you just spend 20 minutes working out! How many of each exercise did you complete?  Who cares?! More than you would have if you were sitting on your couch! 

Go eat a banana.   

Stay fabulous!    Post your favorite workout tips below. And if you want to read more about my exercise pursuits, check out my article on mountaineering in Ecuador. And thanks to Scott Webb for the banner photo. Check out his work on Unsplash