Live to Win: A Beginners Workout Routine for the Petite Woman

For women who are petite, workout regimens and exercise are often given less recognition than they deserve. Although it may seem pointless to establish an efficient workout routine if you have little fat to burn and no desire to lose weight, the truth is that exercise is not only healthy for your body and your heart, but for those who may have trouble gaining weight, gaining muscle should be the core focus of any exercise regimen. This can be tricky, as you will need to focus on gaining muscle in the right areas while being cautious not to overdo it and gain too much muscle. Fortunately, there are exercise routines available for petite women.

In my own experience, the desire to gain weight has long been unmet by any dietary changes and yes, I admit I am one of those people who can down an entire pound cake without gaining any myself. While there are many people who find this enviable, for anyone who has had similar experiences with their weight, you likely already know that just as it can be stressful being overweight, the same is no less true for those of us who are underweight. The following workout routine is perfect for petite women who wish to gain weight in the form of muscle and will aid in your journey to tone, sculpt and improve the overall health of your body.

A common misconception is that those who are petite are also full of energy and in great shape, however, if your body is unaccustomed to a workout routine or strenuous exercise, you will quickly find that the opposite is true. For this reason, it is important that you start with something simple when establishing your workout regimen. Since your objective is to gain weight rather than lose weight, cardio exercises are not necessary. In fact, you will see greater changes and benefits by focusing instead on resistance training. In the beginning you will only be using your body weight but as your training goes on and your body grows accustomed to the exercise you can then begin to add weight training to your workout.

Begin first by warming yourself up with stretches, a brisk walk or a few minutes of yoga to help loosen your limbs and prevent any muscle cramps or injuries.

Do 3 sets of 15 pushups to begin your workout, resting and taking deep breaths for one minute after each set. The pushups themselves will help to improve toning in your arms, back and chest while improving your upper body strength.

Squats are an excellent exercise for petite women and can go far in sculpting thighs and buns while adding strength to your lower body. To perform this exercise stand with your legs spread and your feet parallel with your shoulders. Bend into a squat, or sitting position, and hold for 5 seconds before standing. Be sure that your knees do not extend past your toes when you squat and if needed you can brace your back against a wall for added balance and support. Once again, perform three sets of 15 taking a brief period for rest and breathing between each set.

Focusing now on the core of your body, position your body on all fours with your feet together, body parallel to but off of the floor and your hands shoulder length apart. Contract your abdominal muscles inwards and rise upwards onto your heels keeping your hands positioned flat on the floor. Hold this position for ten seconds and then release back down to your starting position. Again, three sets of 15 is sufficient for a beginner's workout routine for petite women.

Repeat these exercises every other day, adding an additional set of 15 to each exercise group after one week. By continuing this exercise routine and increasing your limits each week until the desired results are achieved, you will soon find that it is possible for you to gain both muscle and weight while successfully flattering your figure.