Weightlifting Rules for Women

Three key weightlifting rules for women include eating enough protein to build needed muscle mass, completing three sets of each exercise, and working out with weights at least three times a week. Otherwise, you are not providing your body with the energy it needs to perform, reduce fat, and firm up.

Three Workouts a Week

• Weightlifting should be a three times per week experience. This is because muscles exercised through weight training need at least one day of rest between each exercise workout. These muscles must have time to recuperate before being challenged again in this way. According to Women's Health Magazine, working several different groups of muscles in a total body workout--three times a week--will help you burn the most calories, too, in addition to getting in good overall shape.

Three Sets Per Exercise

• Firm up your body better by doing three sets of six to eight exercises. Each of the three sets you do need to contain the same number of repetitions. Each set of 10 to 12 repetitions for your exercise also needs to be at a weight that pushes you enough to adequately work that muscle group (this will vary for the muscles you are working), but isn't more than you can handle with 10 to 12 reps per set.

  Doing leg exercise for only two sets of 12 reps, but being unable to do more than eight reps on the last set, indicates you are using too high of a weight amount. Likewise, if you easily push out three sets of 12 reps without breaking a sweat, it is time to increase the weight you are using for that particular exercise. The general rule of thumb is that you start off using less weight and completing more reps. You can go as high as 15 reps (to firm up more) or as low as eight reps (with higher weights), depending upon how much weight you are using and if you desire to firm up or increase muscle size for an area of the body.

Three Servings of Protein

• Build muscle tissue and lose weight more effectively by getting enough protein in your daily diet. Protein aids in building muscle tissue mass. If you are trying to lose weight, you might be surprised to learn that the greater your muscle tissue mass to fat ratio, the faster you will lose weight. This is due to a process known as your metabolic rate.

  Your metabolic rate is arrived at by how much body mass you have. Eat one gram of protein for every pound of muscle on your body. Deduct the weight you carry due to body fat from this calculation. Therefore, if you weigh 140 pounds and 25 percent of your weight is due to body fat, you need to consume a minimum of 105 grams of protein per day. Three well-balanced meals and a protein snack or shake each day should provide that amount.