Women's Fitness Weight Lifting Workout
If you're female then you probably know that muscle comes from testosterone and as a female your daily testosterone production is only a small fraction of what a male's is. This simply means that you will not get muscles that are as big as a males, it does NOT mean you can't shape, tone and improve your health with weight training.
The 4-week program listed below is designed to improve strength, muscle size, and your general conditioning simultaneously. The first 2 weeks you need to use extremely light weights, as your technique improves so should your weights. You should select a weight that you will reach failure on the last rep.
1. Warm-Up
Warm-ups are vitally important because it activates your muscles; it prepares your CNS (central nervous system) for the coming workout, increasing blood flow to all your muscles. You'll learn as you go, but warm-up options range from foam rolling before a workout to rolling the quads, IT bands, and piriformis, and using form to roll your shoulders, your chest, triceps, and your biceps before you start.
2. Activation Movement
You'll be doing one activation movement for 20 reps every workout. You don't need to complete all 20 reps in just one set. Select a rep scheme that works for you then a set scheme that'll get you to complete all 20 reps, but without reaching failure.
3. Compound Movement For Muscle Strength
Every workout will have a compound movement where you'll be doing 5 sets of 5 reps each. You'll be resting 1 to 2 minutes between each set; this means you need to select a weight that will challenge you.
4. Isolated Movement For Muscle Shape
Every workout will also include am isolation movement. You'll be doing sets and reps on each workout with 8 to 12 reps, pushing reasonably heavy weights, you'll reduce some weight.
5. Conditioning for cardiovascular health and fat loss.
You'll be doing 20 minutes of very high-intensity interval training. Select a weight that's challenging, but not completely impossible. You'll be doing 30 seconds of all-out effort; followed by one minute recovery time is usually a good start. For one day every week, you'll only do 30-45 minutes low-intensity cardio. On these low cardio days you'll do your favorite cardio exercise and mix it up with some weight training for some extra fat-burning.
Weeks 1-4 Day 1:
Front Box Jumps 1 X 20 reps
One Leg Barbell Squats 5 X 5 reps
Barbell Hip Thrusts 3 X 8-12 reps
Calf Press 3 X 8-12 reps
Jogging-Treadmill (cardio) 20 minutes
Weeks 1-4: Day 2:
Chest Pass with Medicine Ball 20 reps
Push-ups 5 X 5 reps
Dips (Chest Version) 3 X 8-12 reps
Cable Flyes (Flat bench) 3 X 8-12 reps
Lying Dumbbell Triceps Extensions 3 X 8-12 reps
Jogging-Treadmill (Cardio) 20 minutes
Weeks 1-4: Day 3:
Jogging-Treadmill (Cardio) 35-40 minutes
Weeks 1-4: Day 4:
Kettlebell Swings (One-arm) 20 reps
Romanian Deadlift 5 X 5 reps
Wide-Grip Lat Pull-downs 3 X 8-12 reps
Bent-over Barbell Rowing 3 X 8-12 reps
Incline D/B Curls 3 X 8-12 reps
Jogging-Treadmill (Cardio) 20 minutes
Weeks 1-4: Day 5:
Medicine Ball (Rotational Throws) 20 reps
Standing D/B Press 5 X 5 reps
Face Pulls 3 X 8-12 reps
Plank 3 X 20 seconds
Bottoms Up 3 X 8-12 reps
Jogging-Treadmill (Cardio) 20 minutes
Weeks 1-4: Day 6 & 7: Rest
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