Maintaining a fit physiquegoes beyond aesthetics.

(Filling out your jeans in all the right places is just an added bonus!

Resistance training can truly be considered “medicine,” andresearchsays so.

woman doing dumbbell squats, concept of strength exercises for women

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Chakoian shares five of the absolute best strength exercises for women to start doing ASAP.

Come up to the balls of your feet.

Bend your elbows so you can lower your chest toward the ground.

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Then, press yourself back up to a high plank where you started.

Chakoian recommends performing two to three sets of 15 to 20 reps to build up your bodyweight strength.

To perform squats, position your feet shoulder-width apart on the floor.

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Push against the floor so that come back up to standing.

Lunges not only are a full leg workout, but they also add a component of cardiovascular increase.

For lunges, assume a split squat stance with one leg ahead of you and one behind you.

woman doing dumbbell lunges, strength exercises for women

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Place your hands on your hips, or hold a dumbbell in each hand at your sides.

Then, bend your knees to descend into a lunge.

Press through your feet so that rise back up.

women doing jumping jacks in fitness class, strength exercises for women

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“This allows for the metabolic rate to increase and ‘shock’ the body,” she explains.

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Jumping jacks start with your arms extended at your sides and your feet shoulder-width apart.

Jump up as you raise your arms overhead and press your feet out wider.

fit woman doing planks, strength exercises for women

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Then, jump back to the start position, bringing your arms down.

you might perform forearm planks or high planks with your hands planted on the floor below your shoulders.