5 Tips to Determining the Right Workout For You!

Posted on October 10, 2015 by Fit Muslim Girl

There are so many different styles of workouts, from yoga, to kickboxing, to rowing, to spinning, to running, and so on. It can be hard, and quite overwhelming, to determine what you should be doing in order to reach your goals. So, with hundreds of different ways to exercise, how do you know what is best for YOU? Here are 5 tips to help you determine which workouts are right for you!

1. Determine your fitness goal.

Determining your fitness goal is essential in coming up with a workout routine. Is weight loss your main priority? Then you might want workouts consisting of a mix between strength training and cardio. Do you want to build up a significant amount of muscle? Heavy weight lifting is probably the way to go. Do you have a dream of running a marathon? Cardio and endurance-based workouts are in store for you. Determining your fitness goal is the most important step in determining your perfect fitness regimen.

2. Decide how much time you can invest.

The amount of time per week you are willing and able to invest is also a critical factor. If you are able to dedicate 10-12 hours per week to exercise then it’s possible to mix up your routine with different workouts, such as mixing strength training and cardio. If you are only able to hit the gym 3 days a week for short workouts, you might find that HIIT (High Intensity Interval Training) will work best for you and your schedule. This type of training should not be done more than 3 days per week, and is an extremely efficient way of burning fat as these workouts can be as short as 10 minutes and probably no longer then 30 minutes. You may also fall somewhere in the middle. You may have a few days where you’re able to stay 1-2 hours at the gym, but other days may be so busy that you can only get a quick 20 minute workout in. This is perfectly acceptable as well.

You should always take your schedule into consideration and take the time to plan your workouts according to your schedule. You need to be realistic with yourself. I know we all want to be able to get a workout in 5 days a week but many times this is simply not possible. It is important to be sure you don’t overwhelm yourself with too much otherwise your workout plan will fail in the end. If three days a week is all you can manage you are not shorting yourself in any way; you can get a great work done with a 3 day-per-week workout schedule so long as your workouts are smart. It is recommended to try and get a workout in at least three times per week, no less than twice per week.

3. Figure out what kind of atmosphere you like.

The atmosphere you workout in is more important than you may think. Are you the type of person who enjoys solitude and likes to workout alone without anyone around? Maybe home-based workouts are best suited for you. Do you enjoy the atmosphere of a gym? Would you prefer working out alone at the gym or do you enjoy the camaraderie of a fitness class? Or maybe you are someone who loves being out in nature. If so maybe trail running or hiking would be good for you. Figuring out what type of atmosphere you like being in can really help you to narrow down your exercise options.

4. Do you need accountability?

Some people need accountability or they won’t get it done on their own. Maybe you need to pay for a gym membership to force you to get to the gym. Many gyms have signup slots for their classes. Maybe putting your name down and taking up a slot will help you wake up for the 6 am spin class! Sometimes getting a workout buddy can be a great motivation so long as they are as determined as you, if not they can actually hold you back. Hiring a personal trainer might be another way to hold you accountable for working out. If you enjoy fitness classes or yoga you might find a studio that you love. These studios usually sell class cards that often times have to be used in a certain time frame. There are countless ways to hold yourself accountable for working out, you just have to figure out which way is best for you.

5. Always, always, always, do what you love.

Of course, this is the most important. If there are certain types of workouts that you love, then always do that. There truly is no bad workout. If you love yoga, do yoga. If you love running, run. If you love biking, bike. No matter what your goal, you will never reach it if you are forcing yourself to engage in workouts that you don’t enjoy. Doing what you love comes above anything else. If you’re new to the game and you have no idea which type of workout you like, I recommend trying out a few different styles and eventually you will find something you enjoy.

Bosu Ball Stability Workout

Posted on October 7, 2015 by Fit Muslim Girl

Today our workout is going to focus on strength, stability and balance. The only piece of equipment you will need is a Bosu Ball, as that is what we will use for each of our exercises today. Although this is a full-body workout, you will really be targeting the core in order to stabilize and balance the ball during this workout. Note that any of these exercises can be modified by performing them without the bosu ball. This workout can be done in home, at the gym, or outside at your favorite spot in nature.

As with many of the other workouts we have done, this is a circuit workout. You will perform each exercise down the list once, back-to-back, with little to no rest in between. Once you finish the entire circuit you will rest between 30-60 seconds, and will repeat the same routine again for a total of 3 times! If you are a beginner, start by doing the circuit only once and work your way up to three sets. Remember that these routines can be done and modified by anyone, regardless of fitness level. As always, I will post descriptions of each exercise below. I will also paste some links to YouTube videos showing each exercise (note that these are not my personal videos). Here we go:

30 Second Bosu Mountain Climbers

10 Bosu Push-ups

8 Bosu Burpees

10 Bosu Balancing Squats

15 Bosu Bridges

1 Minute Bosu Plank Hold

Bosu Mountain Climbers – Start in a full (straight-arm) plank with the round side of the bosu ball down on the ground and yours hands on tops of the flat side. With the shoulders staying directly over the hands, begin by bringing one knee in towards the chest, then switch legs. Continue doing this at a fast pace for 30 seconds. Use your abs to stabilize the ball.

Bosu Push-ups – Again you will begin with the round side of the ball down and your hands up on the flat part. With shoulders directly above the hands, perform a push-up just as if you were performing one on the ground. Really squeeze and tighten those abs to keep the ball steady. You may drop down to your knees if this is too challenging. Perform 10 repetitions.

Bosu Burpees – These are just like regular burpees (or should I say death!) only you will be holding the bosu ball the whole way through. Start in a standing position holding the flat side of the bosu ball overhead. Lower it to the floor by putting the round side down. Continuing to grip the flat side, jump your legs straight out behind you into a plank position, then back in and come back to a standing position bringing to bosu ball overheard once again. Complete 8 of these.

Bosu Balancing Squats – Begin with the bosu ball on the ground, round side down. Step your feet onto the flat side of the ball (you may need a wall to help you get onto the ball). Once you find your balance, begin squatting by keeping the weight in your heels and dropping down as if you were sitting in a chair. Go down as far as possible. Note that the ball will shake, this is OK and normal. Tighten your core the entire time for balance and stability. Continue on doing this 10 times.

Bosu Bridges – This time we are going to have the flat side of the ball down on the ground (yayy!)…don’t get too excited yet =). Lay down on your back with your feet on top of the bosu ball, legs bent. Use the heels of your feet to lift your hips up off the ground, squeexing the glutes at the top, then slowely and steadily lower back down. Repeat this 15 times.

Bosu Plank Hold – As if we haven’t worked our abs enough during this workout, we are going to end with a 1 minute plank hold. Perform a full plank with the round side of the ball down and your hands on the flat part and hold for 1 minute.

YouTube Videos (in order by exercise)

The Truth About Dieting

Posted on October 3, 2015 by Fit Muslim Girl

Often times, the first thing that comes to a person’s mind when considering weight-loss is a workout routine. While exercise is extremely advantages both mentally and physically, it is not the top propriety of a well-constructed training program. The most essential and critical part of any fitness regimen is nutrition. This is true for any type of fitness goal, from losing weight to gaining muscle to building endurance and strength, to simply maintaining health. Nutrition is not only going to give you the energy you need to perform well in your workouts, but it will help with optimal recovery as well as aid in better body composition.

Nutrition is likely the biggest reason why people fail to reach, or give up on, their goals. There are so many different opinions out there, all seeming to come from ‘experts’ themselves. Eat clean. Go vegan. Paleo is the way to go. Cut carbs. Avoid fats. Eat this, this, and this, but don’t have this, this, this and that. Catch my drift? People have many different ideas based on what they believe to be the best type of diet. In reality, no one should be forced into someone else’s beliefs. There is a general guideline to proper nutrition and it is up to that person to choose which foods they would like to add into that guideline and which foods they want to avoid. I, for example, don’t eat pork as my religion forbids it. However, if I am training a client who doesn’t hold the same belief as me I would not tell them that pork is off limits. The same goes for vegetarianism. Just because I generally get my protein intake form animal sources does not mean I would tell a vegetarian they should do the same, just as a vegetarian should never prohibit meat to others just because they don’t eat it themselves.

The first step to learning about proper nutrition is to rid your mind of these ‘fad’ diets. If you want to eat organic, go for it. If you want to consume a strictly plant based diet, be my guest. If you want to limit your food sources to what the cave men ate thousands of years ago, that is up to you. None of these diets are wrong, nor are they right for every person as each individual differs in beliefs, tastes, cultural dishes, etc.

Proper nutrition is simple; it is made up of five types of macronutrients (macros), which are nutrients that our bodies need in large amounts, as opposed to micronutrients which are nutrients that our bodies need in small amounts such as vitamins and minerals. When we think of nutrition, we really only need to consider our macronutrients because if we are eating those properly then we will typically get all of the micronutrients we need. So, what are macros?

There are five types of macronutrients which can be divided into two categories. The first category of macronutrients contains carbohydrates, proteins and fats, and these are the macronutrients that provide us with a lot of energy and the bulk of substance we use to build up our tissues. The second category is made up of fiber and water, which provide us with little to no energy but are nonetheless good for our health. Every day we should be consuming a certain amount of protein, carbs, fats, fiber and water. Pretty simple right? You are so close to becoming an expert in proper nutrition! All that’s left to learn is how each of these macronutrients works in the body and how we can appropriately balance them in our diets.

Carbohydrates

Carbohydrates are the preferred energy source for the body and brain. Although they have received a bad rep with all of the ‘low-carb’ diets out there, the truth is your body needs them to run and perform they way you want it to. Cabohydrates are made up of foods such as rice, wheat, oats, barley, beans, potatoes, fruits and vegetables. The majority of your carb intake should come from wholesome carbs such as whole grains, brown rice, sweet potato, ect. The exact amount each person needs will vary based on individual differences and goals, but in general, 45-65 percent of your total diet should be comprised of carbohydrates.

Protein

Proteins are essential for growing and building tissues within the body such as muscles, blood, bones, organs, hair, skin and nails. Protein aids in building and maintaining muscle, satiation, and helps to burn calories due to its thermogenic properties. All foods from meat and poultry, seafood, eggs, dairy products beans soy products, and nuts are considered proteins. It is a good idea to select a different variety of proteins to improve the health benefits. Healthier proteins are those which are lean and lower in fat such as chicken or turkey breast, leaner cuts of beef, white fish, and low-fat yogurt/milk. As with carbohydrates, the amount of protein one should eat will vary by person based on their age, height, weight, etc, but in general, 10-35 perfect of your total daily calories should come from protein-rich foods.

Fats

Lipids, or fats, provide the most energy out of all the macronutrients. The overall diet should consist of approximately 20-35 percent of fats. The majority of your fat sources should come from the ‘healthy’ fats, also known as unsaturated fats. These come from foods like salmon, olive oil, nuts, seeds and avocados.

Fiber and Water

Fiber does provide us with a small amount of energy, but not much. It is, however, good for intestinal health and it influences some metabolic reactions within the body. Women should be eating about 25 grams of fiber per day while men should consume around 35 grams per day. Fiber comes from nutrient-rich plant foods such as whole grains, beans, nuts, fruits and vegetables.

Water is an essential means of survival. There are a lot of different opinions in the diet world about how much water one should drink. The truth is, there is no single rule for everybody; some people need more water than others and some people need less. A general rule of thumb is to drink whatever is comfortable for you, making sure that you are keeping hydrated and are not feeling thirsty. An approximate amount of fluids to drink per day is between seven and eight glasses, but again it will differ based on the individual.

Now you know everything you need to know in order to eat healthy, balanced, and according to your preferences. The world of fitness likes to make everything complicated by using personal beliefs about nutrition or foods and trying to apply these beliefs to everyone. All you really need is this general guideline of macronutrients and you can tailor food choices to your needs. I hope this has inspired you to stop limiting yourself to unnecessary diets and eat the foods you love with balance and control!

Lower Body Blast

Posted on September 23, 2015 by Fit Muslim Girl

Today’s workout is a Lower Body Blast! Strengthening of the legs is very important as they are among the largest muscles in the body. Strong legs can translate into increased metabolism and improved cardiovascular health. Let’s start off this #workoutwednesday with a lower body HIIT routine, and next week we will follow up with an upper body workout.

As always, be sure you are familiar with each exercise and the correct form before engaging in this workout. An explanation of some of these exercises is provided below.

The Routine:

30 Jumping Jacks

45 Second Wall Sit

30 Mountain Climbers

45 Second Squat Pulse

30 Knee Highs

45 Second Jump Split Lunges

30 Squats

45 Second Burpees

30 Calf Raises

30 Supermans

60 Second Plank

RPEAT 2X

*It is a good idea to have a set of dumbbells handy as you may want to use them for squats and/or calf raises.

Wall Sit: With your back supported against a wall, feet slightly in front of you and hip distance apart, lower yourself into a squat position and hold for 45 seconds. Your feet should be in front of you enough so that the knees do not go over the toes while in the squat.

Squat Pulse: Stand with feet hips-width apart. Perform a squat and hold at the bottom with arms out in front for balance and perform small pulses up and down (without coming fully up out of the squat) for 45 seconds.

Jump Spilt Lunge: Start in a split stance with a long stride, keeping the front knee directly over the foot and not over the toe. Lower down into a lung keeping the weight in the back leg, then jump up to alternate legs. Continue alternating for 45 seconds.

Supermans: Lie down on the stomach with arms raised straight overhead and keep the gaze towards the ground. Simultaneously lift both of the arms and legs while squeezing the lower back. Hold for a few seconds then lower back down. Keep repeating this lifting and lowering motion 30 times.

Confidence: What Every Woman Needs

Posted on September 18, 2015 by Fit Muslim Girl

Have you ever wondered why it is so hard to reach your goals? Why it seems impossible to become the healthier person you’ve always wanted to be? Confidence might be the key to finding that motivation you need to reach your fitness goals, and unfortunately this quality is generally low in women. I recently finished reading a very interesting book called “The Confidence Code” by Katty Kay and Claire Shipman, in which these two journalists sought out highly professional women in order to determine what gives them the confidence that most other women are lacking. They interviewed women with leading roles in sports, politics, the military and arts; women who seem to have it all put together. Sure enough, they found that even these powerful, highly educated and determined women are lower in confidence than their male counterparts. Although this can come as a surprise, we realize that when it comes to success women are under the microscope. There is much more pressure to prove themselves worthy and there is a great deal of doubt surrounding their success.

This got me to thinking about the success of women when it comes to their fitness goals. Countless women struggle everyday with their weight, their bodies, their ability to stick to a consistent routine or a healthy eating regimen. We are often quick to blame this on laziness. “You just need to motivate yourself,” we will say, “just get up and do it!” There is no argument that motivation and determination play a significant, in fact crucial role in developing a healthy lifestyle. But what if there’s more to the story than that? What if confidence, this critical quality that many women lack, is the key to developing our success both in the work field and in our fitness life?

I truly believe that in order acquire the motivation and determination needed to reach fitness goals one must be able to see a finished product at the end of the road. I think the problem is that most women don’t actually believe they can obtain these goals and therefore aren’t able to imagine themselves the way they want to be. This absence of confidence creates barriers; if they don’t believe that they can achieve the goal they want, how can they constitute the motivation they need to go out and work hard for those goals. We can dream about the person we want to be, but if we don’t actually believe we can become her then we probably never will.

It sounds completely hopeless, I know, but I have some good news. In their journey to find out where confidence comes from, Katy Kay and Claire Shipman found that confidence is fickle. Although it is partly influenced by genetics, it can be built if it is lacking. It can be built by first making the choice to be confident. It can be built by choosing to please yourself instead of pleasing others. It can be built by stepping out of your comfort zone and taking risks. It can be built by accepting failure and learning from it.

If your struggling with getting to the gym or becoming the healthy person that you’ve always wanted to be, I encourage you to perform a self-check. What are the underlying reasons that you are not fighting for your goals? Are you afraid that you can’t accomplish what you want? You can truly do anything you set your mind to. Start working on building up that confidence. Set an image in your mind of the person you want to be and KNOW that you can get there. It’s going to take a lot of work and a lot of positive self-assurance but I promise you can get there. Every woman deserves to be healthy and happy!

1 Minute Hard, 2 Minutes Easy

Posted on September 16, 2015 by Fit Muslim Girl

Today’s workout will focus on running intervals. Interval training or HIIT (High Intensity Interval Training) is a type of training technique accompanied by very intense intervals, or big bursts of energy like sprinting or jumping, followed by moderate to lower intensity intervals, followed again by high intensity intervals then back to lower intensity intervals and so on. During the intense intervals a person will typically give 100% of their effort and go all out, and the lower intensity interval is usually refereed to as an active rest. Because these big bursts of energy and shorter recovery periods are keeping the heart rate high, this type of workout burns much more fat in less time than compared with steady-state cardio. These workouts can take as little as 10 minutes and generally don’t last beyond 40 minutes.

HIIT training is great for the body as well as for cardiovascular and metabolic health. However, is it recommended that you limit HIIT training to between 1-4 times per week in order to give your body the proper recovery time.

The Routine (1 Minute Hard, 2 Minutes Easy): Running for 1 minute at a fast pace (close to sprinting pace) then jog or power walk for 2 minutes. Repeat between 5-10 times.

Although it seems simple this workout will have you working up a sweat! These drills are a great way to build up speed and cardiovascular endurance. It is effective for anyone from sprinters to distance runners to people just looking for a quick and effective way to burn fat and build endurance! So Throw on your favorite Nashata running outfit and head on down to the track. Happy #workoutwednesday!

Exercise Ball Ab Routine

Posted on September 9, 2015 by Fit Muslim Girl

Strong abs are about more than just a six-pack. Building a foundation of strength in the core is essential for improving posture and balance. It’s also important in supporting the back to prevent injury or even to help with current back pain. Today, we are going to be working on strengthening the abdominals. Be sure to learn how to perform these exercises and learn the proper technique in order to protect the neck and get the most out of your ab workout. I’ve provided a description of each exercise below. YouTube is also a great tool to use.

This routine consists of four abdominal exercises and will all be done using an exercise ball.

*Perform each exercise back to back, then take a 30 second rest and repeat 2 more times.

Exercise Ball Crunches (20)

Exercise Ball Oblique Crunches (10 each side)

Crunches with Feet Elevated on Exercise Ball (20)

Exercise Ball V-Pass (10)

Exercise Descriptions:

1. Lie on the exercise ball with the curvature of your back resting on the spherical part of the ball. Perform crunches with arms either by your side or crossed over the chest. Keep the motion slow and controlled, rather than bouncing on the ball. On the way down the torso should curve over the edge of the ball, keeping the head in line with the spine at all times.

2. This time, you will rest with your back straight on the ball, rather than curving over it (you still want to curvature of your back on the spherical part of the ball, just don’t fall over the edge of the ball). You will keep your hands behind your head, and on the way up for your crunch you will twist to one side, then slowly lower back down to the middle. One the next rep you will twist to the other side, and keep alternating sides each time.

3. Lie on the ground and rest the feet on top of the exercise ball. From here you will perform 20 regular crunches.

4. Lie on your back on the floor holding the exercise ball in your hands with arms straight out overhead and legs extended straight on the floor. In one motion, tighten the core and lift your legs and arms off of the ground to meet in the middle. Pass the ball by placing it in between your lower legs. Squeeze the ball with your legs and lower the legs and arms back down, then bring them both up again and pass the ball back to your hands.

This is a great way to add a little spice to your ab routine. Keep in mind that this routine is between intermediate and advanced. If it is too hard for you, all of these exercises can be down on the ground with no ball.

Fitness Beyond Looks; Hijab Beyond the Scarf

Posted on September 6, 2015 by Fit Muslim Girl

Up until the hijab went on, my world of fitness wasn’t what it is now. I preached that a healthy body meant more than appearances, but the words never resonated in my heart. I expressed to others the importance of focusing on how they felt, rather than the number on the scale. But here I was stepping on the scale every day to check if the number went down, making myself miserable by following restricting diets, and beating myself up if I didn’t feel like my workouts were ‘good enough.’ I was missing out on the number one piece of advice I was giving everyone else: having fun!

Once I started wearing hijab, not only did my life change, but fitness took on a whole new meaning. When you embrace hijab, you embrace it for reasons far beyond the concept of a hair covering. It becomes your identity, your protection, your safe place. It’s not about hiding behind the loose clothes and long sleeves, rather it’s about letting your personality, intellect and true self shine through. Exercise and nutrition have always been a big part of my life, and hijab has allowed me to grasp its due importance.

I won’t say that looks hold no significance when it comes to a healthy lifestyle. Of course, we all want to feel good about ourselves; to look in the mirror and like what we see, and there is no shame in that. But this is just a small part of the fitness equation. First and foremost we need to learn to enjoy the ride. Fitness is truly a lifestyle, so let’s make it a lifestyle that we love! Since I began wearing hijab, which was almost 1 year ago, I’ve stepped on the scale maybe 2 or 3 times. I’ve lost interest in how much I weigh. I focus on how I feel, I focus on doing workouts I love, and I focus on keeping my inner body healthy for the sake of pleasing Allah.

Most importantly, I can truly say that I love my body. It’s the same body that I had before I covered, it has the same flaws it has always had, but I’ve somehow managed to appreciate even those. I love it because it’s no longer subjected to society’s harsh beauty standards. I no longer allow my body to be seen, thus judged, by anyone other than myself. I no longer base my workouts on how many calories I can burn. I no longer avoid the foods I love in order to look like the women on magazine covers. People can no longer call me too thin, too muscular, or too much of whatever they see. For once, I am my only judge.

I fell in love with Nashata sportswear because their products allow for modesty, but show sportiness at the same time. I feel beautiful and liberated when I put on my modest workout clothes. Many people think covering up makes for more obstacles, or that it forces one to give upon certain aspects of life, like working out. But in fact I’ve found it is quite the opposite. Hijab has renewed the passion within me, the passion to inspire women through my experiences with health and fitness. It has allowed me to dig into my inner self and develop a complete and balanced sense of fitness. I’ve found a spiritual nature to my workouts and I am able to interconnect a healthy lifestyle with my faith. Hijab has allowed me to attach fitness to something higher than myself. I now keep my body healthy for myself and for the sake of Allah, and no one else.

30:30:60 At-Home Workout

Posted on September 2, 2015 by Fit Muslim Girl

I’ve come across many women who truly want to begin working out but simply don’t know how or where to begin. It might seem as simple as ‘just hopping on a treadmill,’ but in reality when it comes to building the perfect routine, many different factors are at play. First and foremost, it comes down to personal preference. If you enjoy the treadmill, by all means use it. But for many people it’s a boring routine that in the long run doesn’t hold sustainable because the average person generally doesn’t enjoy it, but rather forces themselves to do it. So the most important part of any workout routine is figuring out what types of workouts you like. For a more in-depth discussion on this topic please read my article Do What You Love. Another thing that needs to be taken into consideration is the workout atmosphere. Do you feel more comfortable exercising in your own home? Are you a member at a gym or fitness studio? Or do you enjoy outdoor workouts?

Taking the first step into your fitness journey can seem like an impossible feat. But, with a little encouragement and the right routine, it’s as easy as slipping on your favorite color of your Amin Hijab and getting to work! In order to help make the process easier, I will provide a simple and easy workout routine each Wednesday, inshallah, in lieu of #workoutwednesday. It is my hope that you can benefit from learning how to make fitness a part of your daily routine. I will be providing different types of workouts each week, from at-home workouts with no equipment, to circuit-style workouts and plyometrics, to kickboxing and even some yoga. I would love to hear what types of workout routines you are interested in seeing so please feel free to email me at fitmuslimgirl@gmail.com with what you would like to see each Wednesday!

This week I will provide a fun and simple full body workout routine that can be done right in the comfort of your own home, and the best part is you don’t need ANY equipment! The exercises are pretty simple but if you’re not sure how to perform an exercise you should be able to find everything on YouTube ;).

The Routine:

EXERCISE	TIME
JUMPING JACKS	30 SECONDS
PUSH UPS	30 SECONDS
PLANK HOLD	60 SECONDS
After completing these three exercises back to back, take a 30-60 second rest then repeat 2 more times. After you’ve gone through each exercise three times total, move on the next set below.
SQUAT JUMPS	30 SECONDS
ALTERNATING FRONT LUNGES	30 SECONDS
CRUNCHES	60 SECONDS
After completing these three exercises back to back, take a 30-60 second rest then repeat 2 more times. After you’ve gone through each exercise three times total, move on the next set below.
REVERSE SNOW ANGELS (lay down on stomach with forhead on the ground. Extend arms straight out to sides with palms facing down and hands off of the ground. With elbows straight, bring arms up towards the ears then back down towards the hips. Keep your gaze towards the floor and the neck straight in line with the spine)	30 SECONDS
SUPERMANS (lay straight and face down with hands straight overhead and palms facing towards the floor. Simultaneously raise the arms, chest, and legs off of the ground, squeezing the glutes. Then, lower the arms, chest and legs back down to touch the floor and repeat lifting and lowering keeping your gaze to the floor the entire time and lining the head with the spine)	30 SECONDS
PLANK JACKS (full plank with straight arms; jump feet in and out). *If that’s too hard you can do a plank on your elbows and alternate knees into sides (like a side crunch).	60 seconds
After completing these three exercises back to back, take a 30-60 second rest then repeat 2 more times. After you’ve gone through each exercise three times total, grab some water and towel off!

Women and Weights Part 4: Putting It All Together

Posted on August 17, 2015 by Fit Muslim Girl

So far we have examined the myths of weight lifting for women, the benefits of weight lifting on the mind and body, and how weight lifting can aid in athletic performance. To close out this series I would like to discuss how to put it all together and actually incorporate strength training into your weekly routine. Here is everything you need to put together the optimal weight training program!

Goals

In order to successfully create a weight training routine you need to first assess your goals. What is the main objective you want to achieve? Of course, this can vary greatly depending on the individual. For this reason we can combine goals into two categories: looks and performance. People who fall under the category of looks have some type of goal pertaining to the way their body looks; building muscle, losing fat, getting a six-pack, toning up their arms, etc. People who fall under the category of performance have some type of goal pertaining to the way their body performs; improving running speed, jumping higher, building strength, etc. Your training routine will be based upon your individual goal.

Muscle Groups

It’s important to have a general and basic understanding of the major muscle groups in the body when training with weights. This knowledge will help you to understand which exercises work which muscle group, as well as how many times per week each muscle group should be worked…which we will be getting to next. The major muscle groups to consider while resistance training are the shoulders, back, chest, biceps, triceps, abdominals, and legs (including calves). Now let’s take a look at how many times we should work each of these muscles per week.

Training Frequency

Training frequency is the amount of times each muscle group is worked each week. There are three types of training frequencies. A once per week training frequency is when each muscle gro

up is worked once per week.This is ideal for people who want to maintain their current fitness level, without any goals of

build muscle, strength, or changing their appearance. A twice per week training frequency is when each muscle group is worked twice per week. This is ideal for intermediate and advanced trainees with any type of goal. A three times per week training frequency is when each muscle group is worked three times per week and is ideal for beginners with any type of goal.

Types of Resistance Training

There are three different types of resistance training exercises one may engage in: free weight exercises, body weight exercises, and machine exercises. Free weight and bodyweight exercises both allow you to engage in completely natural movements, as well as works the abdominals, other muscles, and is ideal for gym and home use. Machine exercises on the other hand, are known as isolation exercises, as they target the specific muscle being worked. They are not, however, a functional type of exercise so other muscles aren’t engaged, nor are the movement patterns natural. So, how do you know which type of exercise is right for you?

If your goal is performance related (e.g., building strength, improving speed, etc.) then your routine should consist mostly of free weight and body weight exercise, with machines kept to a very minimum and possibly none. If your goal is looks related (e.g., improve body composition, get ‘toned,’ lose fat, etc.) all three types of exercises work, but again, the best bet is to use free weights and body weights as the majority of the workout, but machines are a completely fine alternative.

Now, with all of this information in front of you, you’re ready to go out and train those muscles. I hope, through this series, that I was able to inspire some of you to add strength training into your routine in order to experience the amazing benefits it will bring you, inshallah.

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