There are many misconceptions on the internet about training for women. On one hand we have people who say that women should train completely different form men and just do cardio and play around with those pink dumbbells and on the other hand we have people who think women should train exactly the same as men and do Starting Strength 3x a week along with a gallon of milk a day.
On top of that some women are afraid that lifting weights will magically turn them into a mass monster. This creates a lot of confusion in the minds of women who are new to fitness due to which, there have been many posts on this subreddit lately by women regarding training programs.
Even though men and women aren't that different and there should not be much difference in the training between men and women, but still there are some factors that we have to consider while making a program tailored for women. For example,
[MUST READ] : Sex Differences In Training And Metabolism and Strength Training for Women by Greg Nuckols (Stronger by Science)
It is a 3x a week full body program structured as follows :
MONDAY
WEDNESDAY
FRIDAY
Exercise pair 1
Squat Progression (4-5 sets x 6-12 reps) + Horizontal pull progression (4-5 sets x 8-12 reps)
Vertical pull progression (4-5 sets x 5-8 reps) + Vertical Push progression (4-5 sets x 8-12 reps)
Hip Extension Progression (4-5 sets x 6-12 reps) + Horizontal push progression (4-5 sets x 5-8 reps)
Exercise pair 2
Hip Thrusts (3-4 sets 15-20 reps) + tricep extension (3-4 sets x 8-12 reps)
Nordic Curl Progression (3-4 sets x 5-8 reps) + side laterals (3-4 sets x 15-20 reps)
Lunges (3-4 sets x 15-20 reps) + bicep curls (3-4 sets x 8-12 reps)
Exercise pair 3
Chest flies + calf raises (2-3 sets x 15-20 reps)
Dead hangs (2-3 sets x failure) + calf raises (2-3 sets x 15-20 reps)
Rear delt exercise like face pull + calf raises (2-3 sets x 15-20 reps)
Start with the lower end of the sets and rep range and gradually increase them over time. Once you can comfortably do the upper range of the prescribed sets and reps, add weight or move on to the next progression. Also, it is not necessary to increase sets. You can keep the sets same and add weight when you hit the prescribed number of reps. For various possible progressions, check out the table below :
EXERCISE
PROGRESSION SCHEME
Squat Progression
Any weighted squats of choice (high bar back squat, low bar back squat, front squat etc.) or pistol squat progressions or shrimp squat progressions or sissy squat progressions or step ups
Nordic Curl Progression
watch this or swap them for bodyweight hamstring curls for 8-12 reps
Hip Extension Progression
Deadlifts, Romanian deadlifts, single leg deadlifts etc. You will have to add weight to these after some time.
Vertical pull progression
This
Vertical push progression
pike pushup progressions or overhead press with weights
Horizontal push progression
Learn how to do pushups first, then build up to dips and then either take the Pseudo Planche Pushups (PPPU) route or Ring dips route. For PPPU, increase the lean or do planche pushup progressions (tuck, straddle etc) or take the exercise to rings . For ring dips, increase ROM, RTO dips , Bulgarian dips or archer dips
Horizontal pull progression
This
Hip Thrusts
Watch this
Lunges
watch this
Bicep curls
bodyweight curls or pelican curls or regular bicep curls with weights, cables, bands or whatever
Tricep extensions
watch this or regular tricep extensions with weights, cables, bands or whatever
Side laterals
watch this
Chest flies
ring chest flies or regular chest flies with weights, cables, bands or whatever
Dead hangs
build up to one arm hangs
Calf raises
standing calf raises, seated calf raises, one leg calf raises etc.
Rear delt exercise
Face pulls or reverse flies or use weights
On top of that some women are afraid that lifting weights will magically turn them into a mass monster. This creates a lot of confusion in the minds of women who are new to fitness due to which, there have been many posts on this subreddit lately by women regarding training programs.
Even though men and women aren't that different and there should not be much difference in the training between men and women, but still there are some factors that we have to consider while making a program tailored for women. For example,
- Women tend to have more endurance than men. [1]
- Women have the potential to make greater relative strength gains than men. [1]
- Women have better recovery capacity and can manage fatigue better than men. [1] [2] [3] [4]
- Women can handle more training volume than men. [1]
- Some physiological differences like different hormonal profile, men and women tend to have small differences in muscle fibre distribution and where they usually store fat etc. [1] [2] [3] [4] [5] [6]
- Women have different aesthetic goals than men. Most women do not want big bulging biceps and broad shoulders. They want a big round butt and thicker thighs.
[MUST READ] : Sex Differences In Training And Metabolism and Strength Training for Women by Greg Nuckols (Stronger by Science)
THE PROGRAM
It is a 3x a week full body program structured as follows :
- Warmup (10-15 minutes) - RR Warmup
- Skill work (10-15 minutes) - practice whatever skills you want to work on. Just make sure skill work is submaximal and it should not affect your main workout. You should not feel tired after doing that.
- Main workout
- Core work (optional but recommended) - RR core triplet
MONDAY
WEDNESDAY
FRIDAY
Exercise pair 1
Squat Progression (4-5 sets x 6-12 reps) + Horizontal pull progression (4-5 sets x 8-12 reps)
Vertical pull progression (4-5 sets x 5-8 reps) + Vertical Push progression (4-5 sets x 8-12 reps)
Hip Extension Progression (4-5 sets x 6-12 reps) + Horizontal push progression (4-5 sets x 5-8 reps)
Exercise pair 2
Hip Thrusts (3-4 sets 15-20 reps) + tricep extension (3-4 sets x 8-12 reps)
Nordic Curl Progression (3-4 sets x 5-8 reps) + side laterals (3-4 sets x 15-20 reps)
Lunges (3-4 sets x 15-20 reps) + bicep curls (3-4 sets x 8-12 reps)
Exercise pair 3
Chest flies + calf raises (2-3 sets x 15-20 reps)
Dead hangs (2-3 sets x failure) + calf raises (2-3 sets x 15-20 reps)
Rear delt exercise like face pull + calf raises (2-3 sets x 15-20 reps)
- Rest 90-120 seconds between each exercise in pair 1, 60-90 seconds in pair 2 and 30-60 seconds in pair 3. You can rest longer or shorter too if you want but keep the rest times consistent session to session.
- For leg work, barbells are recommended but you can use bodyweight exercises too.
- On off days, you can do some cardio. It is optional but recommended.
How to progress?
Start with the lower end of the sets and rep range and gradually increase them over time. Once you can comfortably do the upper range of the prescribed sets and reps, add weight or move on to the next progression. Also, it is not necessary to increase sets. You can keep the sets same and add weight when you hit the prescribed number of reps. For various possible progressions, check out the table below :
EXERCISE
PROGRESSION SCHEME
Squat Progression
Any weighted squats of choice (high bar back squat, low bar back squat, front squat etc.) or pistol squat progressions or shrimp squat progressions or sissy squat progressions or step ups
Nordic Curl Progression
watch this or swap them for bodyweight hamstring curls for 8-12 reps
Hip Extension Progression
Deadlifts, Romanian deadlifts, single leg deadlifts etc. You will have to add weight to these after some time.
Vertical pull progression
This
Vertical push progression
pike pushup progressions or overhead press with weights
Horizontal push progression
Learn how to do pushups first, then build up to dips and then either take the Pseudo Planche Pushups (PPPU) route or Ring dips route. For PPPU, increase the lean or do planche pushup progressions (tuck, straddle etc) or take the exercise to rings . For ring dips, increase ROM, RTO dips , Bulgarian dips or archer dips
Horizontal pull progression
This
Hip Thrusts
Watch this
Lunges
watch this
Bicep curls
bodyweight curls or pelican curls or regular bicep curls with weights, cables, bands or whatever
Tricep extensions
watch this or regular tricep extensions with weights, cables, bands or whatever
Side laterals
watch this
Chest flies
ring chest flies or regular chest flies with weights, cables, bands or whatever
Dead hangs
build up to one arm hangs
Calf raises
standing calf raises, seated calf raises, one leg calf raises etc.
Rear delt exercise
Face pulls or reverse flies or use weights