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| Meta Title | 12 Week Beginner Workout Plan For Women [By A Certified PT] |
| Meta Description | As a certified personal trainer for over 2 decades Iâve used this beginner workout plan for women with dozens of clients. The reason this works is... |
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| Boilerpipe Text | If youâre looking for a beginner workout plan for women, youâve come to the right place.Â
My name is Steve Hoyles and Iâm a personal trainer and weightlifting coach with over 20 years experience.
In my time I have taught thousands of women how to work out safely and effectively.
In this article, Iâm going to provide you with a beginner workout plan, designed with women in mind. Iâm going to include over 20 years of coaching experience in the program, which will help you learn the basics of
strength training
.
By the end of the article, youâll know exactly how to start your exercise journeyâŚ
Table Of Contents
Beginner workout plan for women: Overview of the workout plan
Beginner workout plan for women: The workouts
Workout 1
Workout 2
Equipment needed for the beginner workout plan for womenÂ
Example workout scheduleÂ
What weight should you lift?
Warm up
Beginner workout plan for womenÂ
Workout 1
Workout 2
Beginner Workout Plan for Women: 5 bonus tips for success
1. Seek progress every workoutÂ
2. Think frequency, not duration
3. Keep your form good
4. Donât be afraid to push yourself
5. Cardio is optional â so donât go crazy!
Some additional information on the beginner workout plan for womenâŚ
Benefit 1: With these exercises, youâll learn to exercise properly
Benefit 2: The workouts are designed to be minimum time, maximum results focussedâŚ
Benefit 3: The exercises burn calories and strengthen muscles at the same time
Beginner workout plan for women: The bottom line
Beginner workout plan for women: Overview of the workout plan
Everyone jumps on the bandwagon about the
benefits of exercise
.
But in my experience, most women go about it all wrong.
So Iâve got a confession to makeâŚ
When it comes to training women, Iâve turned my back on decades of fitness industry messaging.
You know the typeâŚ
Pink dumbbells.
Tiny kettlebells that arenât heavy enough to hold a door open.
Patronizing workouts with bean tins for weights to âtone your armsâ.
Ladies-only sections in the gym, full of pink machines.Â
I donât use them. I donât like them.Â
My female clients?Â
They lift weights.
They donât train in a ladies-only section. They get sweaty. They donât use pink dumbbells. They work hard. They get results.Â
This is the kind of thing they doâŚ
And Iâm telling you this to give you confidence. Weight training is hands down the best thing you can do for your health.
If you donât know about it yet you really should check out the
benefits of strength training
here.
Even if youâre terrified, this article will break down the process, and help you to understand what you need to do and how.Â
Each exercise will be explained with a video and coaching points. Theyâll be beginner
and
home-gym friendly.Â
Trust me. Iâm a professional! đ
Beginner workout plan for women: The workouts
In this program, youâll be performing four workouts per week, with an optional cardio element. (You can tweak this to 2 or 3 workouts a week If time is tight- but please do try to find 40 minutes 4 times a week if possible, your future body will thank you).
There are two different workouts that youâll perform twice each per week (thatâs where we get the four workouts per week from).
Each workout will consist of only 6 exercises, one of which will be an ab exercise. The warm-up will be the same each time.Â
Each workout will last a MAXIMUM of 40 minutes, so it wonât eat into your day.
I promise.
Workout 1
Exercise
Sets
Reps
Start Weight*
End Weight*
Barbell Squat (Negatives)
3
12
65
110
Push Up
3
10
Bodyweight (on knees & negatives see regressions in
push up benefits
)
Bodyweight
Dumbbell Row
3
10
22**
35**
Shoulder Press
3
10
30
50
Hip Thrust
3
10Â
45
90
Plank
2
30 seconds
Bodyweight (on knees)
Bodyweight
*Example starting weight (it could be more or less) with the weight you will lift when you finish the 90 days (in lbs)
**Weight of the dumbbell in each hand (lbs).
Workout time required
40 minutes max
Workout focus
In this workout, you should be focussing on maximizing the contraction of your muscles with each and every lift. Itâs a chance to really understand and âfeelâ your muscles contract as they perform the movements.
Workout 2
Exercise
Sets
Reps
Start Weight*
End Weight*
Deadlifts
3
8
80
120
Inverted Rows
3
8
Bodyweight (higher bar)
Bodyweight
Bench Press
3Â
8
45
60
Lunges
3
12
50
70
Lateral Raises
2
12
10**
15**
Side Plank
2
30 Seconds Per Side
Bodyweight
Bodyweight
Workout time required
40 minutes max
Workout focus
This is a workout that involves the biggest, heaviest lift in the program. The deadlift is your chance to maximize the strength gains, so push yourself here, but stay focussed on form to ensure safety.
In this workout I really want you to push your strength limits â harder work means better results!
Equipment needed for the beginner workout plan for womenÂ
As a website dedicated to helping people to work out effectively at home, we only write programs that are home gym friendly. Hereâs a list of all the equipment you need to carry out these workout programs.
Barbell
Weight platesÂ
Dumbbells
Weight bench
Squat rack
Barbell pad
(optional â you could use a towel or cushion)
Rogue Ohio Cerakote Bar
This is the bar that we recommend for âmost peopleâ.
We have spent over 120 hours of research and tested over 100 barbells.
It is affordable but comes with some high specs. The Rogue Work Hardening and 190k PSI tensile strength mean the bar will last a lifetime in a home gym.
It is a multi-purpose bar with a 28.5mm diameter shaft and composite bushings in the sleeves. This means itâs balanced for heavy slow bench presses but you can also perform snatches and fast overhead lifts.
If you havenât got some of these, follow the links to reviews, guides, and buying options. Itâs also our goal to educate you when it comes to home gym equipment. Weâll help make your dollars go further, and give you the best value for money.Â
Example workout scheduleÂ
For a beginner, Iâd like you to think about the frequency of your workout, rather than the duration. Shorter workouts obviously take less time to perform, but they also take less time to recover from.Â
With the plan below, youâll train for two consecutive days then rest. If you follow it as described, youâll enjoy a midweek rest and a weekend rest.Â
You could change this to suit your schedule, but Iâd urge you to not do more than 3 days in a row. Give your body time to rest and recover between workouts.Â
Weekday
Mon
Tue
Wed
Thu
Fri
Sat
Sun
Day
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
Workout
1
2
Rest
1
2
Rest
Rest
Each workout should take no more than 40 minutes. So your entire workout time for the week is less than three hours!
When you think a week is 168 hours, itâs not that much of a time commitment for you!
What weight should you lift?
To figure out what you should be lifting, perform your first set of an exercise with a weight you know will be very easy. Then build up the weight on subsequent sets until youâre lifting a suitable weight.
In practice, it looks like thisâŚ
Example:
Your workout needs you to squat 3 sets of 5, but youâve never done a squat before so donât know what weight to lift.
Perform a warm-up set with an empty barbell (44lbs is a menâs Olympic barbell).
Add a little weight (around 5lbs) to the bar and complete 5 reps.
Repeat this until you reach a point where you canât
manage a set of 5 reps with good form.
Make a note of the last weight you could perform the full reps with good form.
This is your âworking weightâ and will be the basis of your training going forward. Hereâs an example of what a beginner client achieved in their session to work out their starting weightâŚ
Repeat this process for each of the exercises you do in a workout. That will give you the information you need.Â
Always start easy, lift with good form, and donât over-exert yourself in the beginning. This is a process, not a rush to the end.Â
Warm up
The warm up is the same for both workouts.
5 Minutes of cardio of your choice â that can be an air bike, a run, jump rope, rowing machine etc.Â
You then move on to the workout, but the warm up continues throughout.Â
Before you start a new exercise, perform a set with a very light (empty barbell or light dumbbell).Â
You donât count this in your sets by the way. So, if the workout says â3 sets of 12 squatsâ, youâre actually going to do 4 â but the first one doesnât count because itâs a light warm up set.Â
Performing a warm up like this helps to practice the movement pattern and gets you used to the exercise. It also helps to reduce injury risk, because youâre competent with the movement before you increase the load.
One final tip â NEVER static stretch before your training â do this afterwards, when the muscles are warm and pliable. Stretching a cold muscle increases the chances of soft tissue injury.
Workout 1
Exercise
Sets
Reps
Rest
Barbell Squat (Negatives)
3
12
1 min
Push Up
3
10
1 min
Dumbbell Row
3
10
1 min
Shoulder Press
3
10
1 min
Hip Thrust
3
10Â
1 min
Plank
2
30 seconds
30 secs
*Example starting weight (it could be more or less) with the weight you will lift when you finish the 90 days (in lbs)
**Weight of the dumbbell in each hand (lbs).
1. Barbell squat (negatives)
Why negatives? Simple â theyâre slower, so they allow you more control. As a beginner, this improves safety and movement practice. It also makes a given exercise harder at a lower weight. Lower yourself for a count of 3-5 seconds, then explode up.
Equipment needed for barbell squats:
Barbell
Weight platesÂ
Squat rack
There are so many
benefits of squats
that I wonât list them all here but you should check out the article linked to see why they are so important.
Rogue Fleck Bumper Plates
Bumper plates are ideal for a home gym.
They can last a lifetime and allow you to do additional lifts which require you to drop the bar.
Our team has compared over 100 types and the Rogue Fleck plates came out on top.
They are great value, use color allowing you to quickly see how much youâre lifting and the pattern will give your home gym a unique look.
2. Push ups
Ideally do the full push ups if you can. If you canât, follow the progressions in
this video
. Itâs actually very good⌠The aim should be full push ups as soon as possible.
Equipment needed for push ups:Â
None!
Again check out the
benefits of push ups
. There are so many itâs another vital exercise.
Pro tip:
You may find a
push up board
quite useful if you want to include more push ups in your routine.
3. Dumbbell rows
Iâve put dumbbell rows in here because theyâre unilateral, which means they train both sides independently. This means you correct any strength imbalances between your stronger and weaker side.
Equipment needed for dumbbell rows:
Dumbbells
SMRFT NĂźobell 80LB Adjustable Dumbbells
These are the dumbbells we recommend for âmost peopleâ.
We have spent over 50 hours of research and compared over 100 dumbbells. Adjustable dumbbells make sense for most home gyms as they save space.
The NĂźobell dumbbells go all the way to 80lbs per hand. This means they are much more versatile than most 50lbs adjustable dumbbells. You can use these for heavy shrugs, squats and bench press etc.
The main reason they are the top pick is because of their shape. They actually feel like real dumbbells and are not awkward to lift like some others.
4. Shoulder press
This is an important exercise for beginners to learn. As well as strengthening the arms and shoulders, it also helps to brace the core and train the general upper body. This one exercise benefits strength all over.Â
Equipment needed for shoulder press:
Barbell
Weight platesÂ
Squat rack
5. Hip thrust
The hip thrust is one of the most underrated exercises in the gym. Itâs become much more popular in recent years, especially for womenâs workout routines.
Itâs one of the best exercises for the glutes but itâs a great core and lower back workout too. Â
Equipment needed for step ups:
Barbell
and
plates
Weight bench
Barbell pad
REP AB-3000 Bench
This is the weight bench we recommend for âmost peopleâ.
We compared over 70 benches against 12 criteria. This is our highest-ranked flat, incline & decline (FID) bench.
Some adjustable benches can be a bit wobbly when on the incline. But the AB-3000 is very sturdy.
With a height 18mm itâs comparable to benches that cost twice as much.
6. Plank
The plank is a good exercise for engaging the entire core and torso in one movement. Itâs a simple exercise to learn and easy to progress. If you canât manage 30 seconds at first, do as long as you can.
Then rest for 5 seconds, and go back up. Keep going until you reach 30 seconds.Â
Equipment needed for plank:
None!
Workout 2
Exercise
Sets
Reps
Rest
Deadlifts
3
8
1 min
Inverted Rows
3
8
1 min
Bench Press
3Â
8
1 min
Lunges
3
12 (per side)
1 min
Lateral Raises
2
12
1 min
Side Plank
2
30 Seconds Per Side
30 secs
1. Deadlifts
Often referred to as the king of exercises, the deadlift is likely to be the exercise where you can lift the most weight. Itâs a movement that takes time to learn, so take your time, study the form video and practice.
When you get the exercise right, really work hard to increase your weights every week.
Equipment needed for deadlifts:
Barbell
Weight platesÂ
2. Inverted rows
The inverted row is a challenging exercise, but itâs a great way to train the upper and mid back, and the arms. Whilst the technique isnât difficult, lifting your body weight is hard for many beginners.
The good news is itâll build a lot of strength!
Equipment needed for inverted rows:
Barbell
Squat rack
REP PR-4000 Power Rack
Looking for an affordable yet high quality power rack?
Look no further!
After comparing over 100 types of squat racks the PR-4000 came out on top.
You can add any attachment to it (including cables, dip bars and plate holders). You can even add additional uprights to back to make it even more of a beast!
The 1 inch westside hole spacing means you can position the spotter arms to the ideal height when you bench press. So you can safely drop the bar and have a full range of motion when you lift.
And the 3Ă3âł 11 gauge steel make this the best value rack we could find.
3. Bench press
The bench press is probably the most popular upper body exercise of them all. Itâs an effective way to train the chest, shoulders and triceps.
Itâs a simple exercise to learn, and itâs a way to build a lot of upper body pressing strength.Â
Equipment needed for bench press:
Barbell
Weight plates
4. Lunges
This is another unilateral leg exercise, so it forces both legs to work hard. I also like this exercise because it trains the glutes hard, so it gives you a lot of benefit from a single movement.
Just make sure you do the full number of reps per leg.Â
Equipment needed for EXERCISE:
Barbell
Weight plates
5. Lateral raises
The lateral raise is a great way to help build the shoulders, providing you with a defined upper arm. Theyâre a very simple exercise, carrying little risk of injury.
Even though theyâre pretty basic, they are still a challenge for the shoulders!
Equipment needed for lateral raises:
Dumbbells
6. Side plank
The side plank is a slightly more challenging version of the standard plank, because youâre supporting your body weight on one arm, rather than two.
Itâs also more weight down a single side of the body, activating the sides of the torso.Â
Equipment needed for side planks:
None!
Beginner Workout Plan for Women: 5 bonus tips for success
1. Seek progress every workoutÂ
The way to build strength and fitness is to add weight or reps with each workout. The rate of strength improvement varies from person to person, but a good rule of thumb is to look to progress at around 5% per week.
This means if your starting weight of an exercise is 80lbs, then youâd be adding around 4lbs per week to what youâre able to lift.Â
If youâre progressing faster, donât hold yourself back. Likewise if your progress isnât that fast, it doesnât always mean youâre doing things wrong. Thatâs a good figure to aim for though.
As you get stronger over time, that rate of progression will naturally slow down. Donât beat yourself up if after 10 weeks or so youâre not progressing as you did at the start!
You might not manage to lift more weight, but perform an extra rep. Thatâs progress too, so donât be down on yourself if your strength isnât jumping, but your rep capabilities are.
2. Think frequency, not duration
Iâm a proponent of frequency over duration in most cases. Iâd rather see you work out four times per week for around 40 minutes than two or three workouts of 90 minutes each.
I prefer this approach for a couple of reasonsâŚ
It builds an exercise habit. You build habits by repeating behaviors.
Shorter workouts allow you more recovery time. They also donât take as much out of you, so theyâre less likely to put you off training!
Thereâs also the argument that more frequent training is more frequent stimulation for your muscles, more frequent spikes in calorie burn and more frequent doses of those feel-good chemicals from movement!
The last point is particularly poignant. When it comes to mental health in particular we know that frequency of exercise is important.
In a 2023 study conducted by Shannon et al titled
Frequency, intensity and duration of muscle strengthening activity and associations with mental health
, the conclusions drawn wereâŚ
Higher frequency and intensity of MS activities may protect against anxiety and depression symptoms.Â
Good mental health underpins motivation, desire to exercise, enjoyment of exercise, and the like.
3. Keep your form good
When you exercise with good form, you make the exercises more effective. You engage the target muscles properly, you increase the time under tension of the movements, and you build strength more quickly.
Most importantly, you perform the exercises more safely.
When youâre learning to exercise and following something like this beginner workout plan for women, never sacrifice form for weight.
Iâd much rather you focus on perfecting the movements than chasing more and more weight on the bar.
I realize Iâve encouraged you to add more weight (and I stand by that advice), but only when you feel youâve nailed the movement.
If youâve got an exercise that youâre struggling with, you donât need to keep adding weight.Â
A great tip for when youâre training on your own, in a home gym is to record yourself on your phone, then watch the footage back.
Youâll see what youâre doing well and how you can improve. You might find the same spot is where you struggle to maintain form, so you can work on your specific weaknesses.Â
4. Donât be afraid to push yourself
One of the observations Iâve made over the last 20 years when training women, is how some are reluctant to really push themselves in the gym.
Some women are worried that by lifting heavy, or lifting frequently theyâre going to become big and bulky.
Itâs just
not going to happen
.
Even more men (who have a far more favorable hormonal profile for muscle building) would have to train at a sufficiently high intensity for a very long time to grow a lot of muscle.Â
Women simply donât have the required hormonal profile to get âbig and bulkyâ easily. It would take years of dedicated training and eating to pack on a lot of muscle, so please donât worry about it.
Instead, focus on pushing yourself â youâll be fitter, stronger, and healthier â both physically and mentally.Â
5. Cardio is optional â so donât go crazy!
Combined with a calorie controlled diet, these workouts are perfectly capable of helping you lose weight. If you want some nutritional help, our
in-depth guide on how to lose fat
is the best place to find itâŚ
But despite this, many of you might want to do some cardio. Thatâs fine, I get it.Â
If you do want to add some cardio, here are my suggestions of what to do, and how to stop it from impacting your progress:
Donât do it on the days when youâre weight training
â you donât want to compromise your energy for your workouts, or your ability to recover afterwards.
Keep the intensity low
â Iâm thinking gentle jogs, perhaps some hill walking, maybe some cycling or swimming. Donât go pounding the roads for hours, running miles and miles. Itâll impact energy and recovery.
Do something you enjoy
â you donât want to suffer through your exercise, otherwise, youâll give up. Pick an activity you enjoy and do that!
If you donât want to do any cardio, thatâs absolutely fine too. Just follow a calorie-controlled diet and youâll still lose fat if you want to! Just make sure youâre working out hard enough!
If you want to put some cardio in for additional benefits, follow my advice here.Â
Some additional information on the beginner workout plan for womenâŚ
At
Strong Home Gym
, we believe in not just teaching you the âwhatâ and the âhowâ, but also the âwhyâ.
By learning why a program is put together the way it is, youâll learn more about exercise and how it improves your health overall.
Itâll also help you to trust the advice that you get from our site, because itâs not just churned-out content built for clicks.
So, here are three benefits of the program, which will help you understand the reasoning behind what weâve done, and whyâŚ
Benefit 1: With these exercises, youâll learn to exercise
properly
Your body wasnât designed to move in a stiff, structured way as it would on a typical gym machine.Â
Sure, it may be âeasierâ to use machines, but youâll benefit more from free weights.
Whilst the results between the two are basically the same (with a couple of notable exceptions weâll discuss in a moment), youâll learn proper exercise technique with free weights.Â
This is key for your long term fitness and skill development.Â
In 2023, a study titled
Effect of free-weight vs. machine-based strength training on maximal strength, hypertrophy and jump performance â a systematic review and meta-analysis
was performed by Haugen et al. One of their findings was thatâŚ
âThe meta-analyses on strength found maximal strength in free-weight exercise tests to increase significantly more in the free-weight group than in the machine group.â
This is important because strength underpins a lot of important elements of fitness.
Obviously, it makes you stronger, but it also increases your lifting capacity, strengthens your bones and strengthens your connective tissues.
Being strong also reduces your injury resistance.
Benefit 2: The workouts are designed to be minimum time, maximum results focussedâŚ
An important point with regards to beginner workout plans is the length of time they take. When youâre new to exercise, you simply donât have the capacity to train for a long time. You havenât developed the required fitness yet.Â
The workouts in the beginner workout plan for women are all resistance training based, and theyâll only take around 40 minutes from start to finish. That time will even include a warm up. Our aim here is effective efficiency.Â
By focussing the workout plan around resistance training, we ensure that we make the most from the available training time.Â
In a piece titled
Resistance training is medicine: effects of strength training on health
published in Current Sports Medicine Reports, the following evidence in support of resistance training was presentedâŚ
Ten weeks of resistance training may increase lean weight by 1.4 kg, increase resting metabolic rate by 7%, and reduce fat weight by 1.8 kg.
Benefits of resistance training include improved physical performance, movement control, walking speed, functional independence, cognitive abilities, and self-esteem.
Resistance training may enhance cardiovascular health, by reducing resting blood pressure, decreasing low-density lipoprotein cholesterol and triglycerides, and increasing high-density lipoprotein cholesterol.
Resistance training may promote bone development, with studies showing 1% to 3% increase in bone mineral density.
Resistance training may be effective for reducing low back pain and easing discomfort associated with arthritis and fibromyalgia and has been shown to reverse specific aging factors in skeletal muscle.
In terms of health benefits, no other form of exercise can boast the same breadth and depth of improvement in health markers. Especially in such a short period of time.
Benefit 3: The exercises burn calories and strengthen muscles at the same time
Weâve already seen some of the wide variety of benefits to strength training, letâs get granular. Why are we biasing weight training for beginners in particular?
As a personal trainer, I know that most (as in, over 95%) beginners have weight loss as one of their primary goals.
Resistance training is a very effective way to achieve weight loss, allowing you to both lose weight and build muscle at the same time.Â
In 2022, Lopez et al performed a study titled
Resistance training effectiveness on body composition and body weight outcomes in individuals with overweight and obesity across the lifespan: A systematic review and metaâanalysis
.Â
The study analyzed the conclusions of 116 research papers, leading them to concludeâŚ
In conclusion, this study provides evidence that resistanceâbased exercise programs are effective and should be considered within any multicomponent therapy program when caloric restriction is utilized in individuals with overweight or obesity.
Iâm making an assumption that weight loss and strength improvements are goals of yours.
To be honest, even if you donât want to lose weight, resistance training is still a very effective way of training.Â
These three benefits will help you to understand why the beginner workout plan for women is resistance-based, and not just hours of running.
Beginner workout plan for women: The bottom line
This program has been written to help women build strength, fitness, and confidence in their home gym.
More importantly, it is designed in a way to make this process safe and effective, without eating into too much of your week.
I suggest you re-read the article, take note of the form videos, and get yourself into the gym! Print the workouts (or look at them on your phone) and get busy!
Within 12 weeks youâll be a different woman!
Once youâre finished with this workout check out this
12 week beginner weightlifting workout
.
Want to improve your home gym?
Use the hours of research, testing and experience inside the ultimate guide to build a home gym. Find outâŚ
The 4 items of kit every gym needs
What you should avoid
Where to find bargains and discounts
Click here to learn more about
how to build a home gym
. |
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# Beginner Workout Plan for Women- From Nervous to New You
By [Steve Hoyles](https://stronghomegym.com/author/steve-hoyles/)
Last Update
April 11, 2024
If youâre looking for a beginner workout plan for women, youâve come to the right place.
My name is Steve Hoyles and Iâm a personal trainer and weightlifting coach with over 20 years experience.
In my time I have taught thousands of women how to work out safely and effectively.
In this article, Iâm going to provide you with a beginner workout plan, designed with women in mind. Iâm going to include over 20 years of coaching experience in the program, which will help you learn the basics of [strength training](https://stronghomegym.com/strength-training-for-beginners/).
By the end of the article, youâll know exactly how to start your exercise journeyâŚ
Table Of Contents
1. [Beginner workout plan for women: Overview of the workout plan](https://stronghomegym.com/beginner-workout-plan-for-women/#beginner-workout-plan-for-women-overview-of-the-workout-plan)
2. [Beginner workout plan for women: The workouts](https://stronghomegym.com/beginner-workout-plan-for-women/#beginner-workout-plan-for-women-the-workouts)
- [Workout 1](https://stronghomegym.com/beginner-workout-plan-for-women/#workout-1)
- [Workout 2](https://stronghomegym.com/beginner-workout-plan-for-women/#workout-2)
- [Equipment needed for the beginner workout plan for women](https://stronghomegym.com/beginner-workout-plan-for-women/#equipment-needed-for-the-beginner-workout-plan-for-women)
- [Example workout schedule](https://stronghomegym.com/beginner-workout-plan-for-women/#example-workout-schedule)
- [What weight should you lift?](https://stronghomegym.com/beginner-workout-plan-for-women/#what-weight-should-you-lift)
- [Warm up](https://stronghomegym.com/beginner-workout-plan-for-women/#warm-up)
3. [Beginner workout plan for women](https://stronghomegym.com/beginner-workout-plan-for-women/#beginner-workout-plan-for-women)
- [Workout 1](https://stronghomegym.com/beginner-workout-plan-for-women/#workout-1)
- [Workout 2](https://stronghomegym.com/beginner-workout-plan-for-women/#workout-2)
4. [Beginner Workout Plan for Women: 5 bonus tips for success](https://stronghomegym.com/beginner-workout-plan-for-women/#beginner-workout-plan-for-women-5-bonus-tips-for-success)
- [1\. Seek progress every workout](https://stronghomegym.com/beginner-workout-plan-for-women/#1-seek-progress-every-workout)
- [2\. Think frequency, not duration](https://stronghomegym.com/beginner-workout-plan-for-women/#2-think-frequency-not-duration)
- [3\. Keep your form good](https://stronghomegym.com/beginner-workout-plan-for-women/#3-keep-your-form-good)
- [4\. Donât be afraid to push yourself](https://stronghomegym.com/beginner-workout-plan-for-women/#4-dont-be-afraid-to-push-yourself)
- [5\. Cardio is optional â so donât go crazy\!](https://stronghomegym.com/beginner-workout-plan-for-women/#5-cardio-is-optional-so-dont-go-crazy)
5. [Some additional information on the beginner workout plan for womenâŚ](https://stronghomegym.com/beginner-workout-plan-for-women/#some-additional-information-on-the-beginner-workout-plan-for-women)
- [Benefit 1: With these exercises, youâll learn to exercise properly](https://stronghomegym.com/beginner-workout-plan-for-women/#benefit-1-with-these-exercises-youll-learn-to-exercise-properly)
- [Benefit 2: The workouts are designed to be minimum time, maximum results focussedâŚ](https://stronghomegym.com/beginner-workout-plan-for-women/#benefit-2-the-workouts-are-designed-to-be-minimum-time-maximum-results-focussed)
- [Benefit 3: The exercises burn calories and strengthen muscles at the same time](https://stronghomegym.com/beginner-workout-plan-for-women/#benefit-3-the-exercises-burn-calories-and-strengthen-muscles-at-the-same-time)
6. [Beginner workout plan for women: The bottom line](https://stronghomegym.com/beginner-workout-plan-for-women/#beginner-workout-plan-for-women-the-bottom-line)
***
## Beginner workout plan for women: Overview of the workout plan
Everyone jumps on the bandwagon about the [benefits of exercise](https://stronghomegym.com/benefits-of-exercise/).
But in my experience, most women go about it all wrong.
So Iâve got a confession to makeâŚ
When it comes to training women, Iâve turned my back on decades of fitness industry messaging.
You know the typeâŚ
- Pink dumbbells.
- Tiny kettlebells that arenât heavy enough to hold a door open.
- Patronizing workouts with bean tins for weights to âtone your armsâ.
- Ladies-only sections in the gym, full of pink machines.
I donât use them. I donât like them.
My female clients?
They lift weights.
They donât train in a ladies-only section. They get sweaty. They donât use pink dumbbells. They work hard. They get results.
This is the kind of thing they doâŚ
And Iâm telling you this to give you confidence. Weight training is hands down the best thing you can do for your health.
If you donât know about it yet you really should check out the [benefits of strength training](https://stronghomegym.com/benefits-of-strength-training/) here.
Even if youâre terrified, this article will break down the process, and help you to understand what you need to do and how.
Each exercise will be explained with a video and coaching points. Theyâll be beginner *and* home-gym friendly.
Trust me. Iâm a professional! đ
***
## Beginner workout plan for women: The workouts
In this program, youâll be performing four workouts per week, with an optional cardio element. (You can tweak this to 2 or 3 workouts a week If time is tight- but please do try to find 40 minutes 4 times a week if possible, your future body will thank you).
There are two different workouts that youâll perform twice each per week (thatâs where we get the four workouts per week from).
Each workout will consist of only 6 exercises, one of which will be an ab exercise. The warm-up will be the same each time.
Each workout will last a MAXIMUM of 40 minutes, so it wonât eat into your day.
I promise.
### Workout 1
| | | | | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| **Exercise** | **Sets** | **Reps** | **Start Weight\*** | **End Weight\*** |
| Barbell Squat (Negatives) | 3 | 12 | 65 | 110 |
| Push Up | 3 | 10 | Bodyweight (on knees & negatives see regressions in [push up benefits](https://stronghomegym.com/push-up-benefits/#push-up-regressions)) | Bodyweight |
| Dumbbell Row | 3 | 10 | 22\*\* | 35\*\* |
| Shoulder Press | 3 | 10 | 30 | 50 |
| Hip Thrust | 3 | 10 | 45 | 90 |
| Plank | 2 | 30 seconds | Bodyweight (on knees) | Bodyweight |
*\*Example starting weight (it could be more or less) with the weight you will lift when you finish the 90 days (in lbs)*
*\*\*Weight of the dumbbell in each hand (lbs).*
#### Workout time required
40 minutes max
#### Workout focus
In this workout, you should be focussing on maximizing the contraction of your muscles with each and every lift. Itâs a chance to really understand and âfeelâ your muscles contract as they perform the movements.
### Workout 2
| | | | | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| **Exercise** | **Sets** | **Reps** | **Start Weight\*** | **End Weight\*** |
| Deadlifts | 3 | 8 | 80 | 120 |
| Inverted Rows | 3 | 8 | Bodyweight (higher bar) | Bodyweight |
| Bench Press | 3 | 8 | 45 | 60 |
| Lunges | 3 | 12 | 50 | 70 |
| Lateral Raises | 2 | 12 | 10\*\* | 15\*\* |
| Side Plank | 2 | 30 Seconds Per Side | Bodyweight | Bodyweight |
#### Workout time required
40 minutes max
#### Workout focus
This is a workout that involves the biggest, heaviest lift in the program. The deadlift is your chance to maximize the strength gains, so push yourself here, but stay focussed on form to ensure safety.
In this workout I really want you to push your strength limits â harder work means better results\!
***
### Equipment needed for the beginner workout plan for women
As a website dedicated to helping people to work out effectively at home, we only write programs that are home gym friendly. Hereâs a list of all the equipment you need to carry out these workout programs.
- [Barbell](https://stronghomegym.com/best-olympic-barbell/)
- [Weight plates](https://stronghomegym.com/best-bumper-plates/)
- [Dumbbells](https://stronghomegym.com/best-adjustable-dumbbells/)
- [Weight bench](https://stronghomegym.com/best-weight-bench/)
- [Squat rack](https://stronghomegym.com/best-squat-rack/)
- [Barbell pad](https://www.amazon.com/dp/B09XFNCLJ4?tag=shgstronghomegym-20) (optional â you could use a towel or cushion)
[Rogue Ohio Cerakote Bar](https://stronghomegym.com/recommends/rogue-ohio-bar-box/)
Read our [best Olympic barbell](https://stronghomegym.com/best-olympic-barbell/) guide here
This is the bar that we recommend for âmost peopleâ.
We have spent over 120 hours of research and tested over 100 barbells.
It is affordable but comes with some high specs. The Rogue Work Hardening and 190k PSI tensile strength mean the bar will last a lifetime in a home gym.
It is a multi-purpose bar with a 28.5mm diameter shaft and composite bushings in the sleeves. This means itâs balanced for heavy slow bench presses but you can also perform snatches and fast overhead lifts.
[Check the price here](https://stronghomegym.com/recommends/rogue-ohio-bar-box/)
If you havenât got some of these, follow the links to reviews, guides, and buying options. Itâs also our goal to educate you when it comes to home gym equipment. Weâll help make your dollars go further, and give you the best value for money.
### Example workout schedule
For a beginner, Iâd like you to think about the frequency of your workout, rather than the duration. Shorter workouts obviously take less time to perform, but they also take less time to recover from.
With the plan below, youâll train for two consecutive days then rest. If you follow it as described, youâll enjoy a midweek rest and a weekend rest.
You could change this to suit your schedule, but Iâd urge you to not do more than 3 days in a row. Give your body time to rest and recover between workouts.
| | | | | | | | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| **Weekday** | **Mon** | **Tue** | **Wed** | **Thu** | **Fri** | **Sat** | **Sun** |
| **Day** | **1** | **2** | **3** | **4** | **5** | **6** | **7** |
| **Workout** | 1 | 2 | Rest | 1 | 2 | Rest | Rest |
Each workout should take no more than 40 minutes. So your entire workout time for the week is less than three hours\!
When you think a week is 168 hours, itâs not that much of a time commitment for you\!
### What weight should you lift?
To figure out what you should be lifting, perform your first set of an exercise with a weight you know will be very easy. Then build up the weight on subsequent sets until youâre lifting a suitable weight.
In practice, it looks like thisâŚ
**Example:** Your workout needs you to squat 3 sets of 5, but youâve never done a squat before so donât know what weight to lift.
1. Perform a warm-up set with an empty barbell (44lbs is a menâs Olympic barbell).
2. Add a little weight (around 5lbs) to the bar and complete 5 reps.
3. Repeat this until you reach a point where you canâtmanage a set of 5 reps with good form.
4. Make a note of the last weight you could perform the full reps with good form.
This is your âworking weightâ and will be the basis of your training going forward. Hereâs an example of what a beginner client achieved in their session to work out their starting weightâŚ
Repeat this process for each of the exercises you do in a workout. That will give you the information you need.
Always start easy, lift with good form, and donât over-exert yourself in the beginning. This is a process, not a rush to the end.
### Warm up
The warm up is the same for both workouts.
5 Minutes of cardio of your choice â that can be an air bike, a run, jump rope, rowing machine etc.
You then move on to the workout, but the warm up continues throughout.
**Before you start a new exercise, perform a set with a very light (empty barbell or light dumbbell).**
You donât count this in your sets by the way. So, if the workout says â3 sets of 12 squatsâ, youâre actually going to do 4 â but the first one doesnât count because itâs a light warm up set.
Performing a warm up like this helps to practice the movement pattern and gets you used to the exercise. It also helps to reduce injury risk, because youâre competent with the movement before you increase the load.
One final tip â NEVER static stretch before your training â do this afterwards, when the muscles are warm and pliable. Stretching a cold muscle increases the chances of soft tissue injury.
***
## Beginner workout plan for women
### Workout 1
| | | | |
|---|---|---|---|
| **Exercise** | **Sets** | **Reps** | **Rest** |
| Barbell Squat (Negatives) | 3 | 12 | 1 min |
| Push Up | 3 | 10 | 1 min |
| Dumbbell Row | 3 | 10 | 1 min |
| Shoulder Press | 3 | 10 | 1 min |
| Hip Thrust | 3 | 10 | 1 min |
| Plank | 2 | 30 seconds | 30 secs |
*\*Example starting weight (it could be more or less) with the weight you will lift when you finish the 90 days (in lbs)*
*\*\*Weight of the dumbbell in each hand (lbs).*
***
#### 1\. Barbell squat (negatives)
Why negatives? Simple â theyâre slower, so they allow you more control. As a beginner, this improves safety and movement practice. It also makes a given exercise harder at a lower weight. Lower yourself for a count of 3-5 seconds, then explode up.
Equipment needed for barbell squats:
- [Barbell](https://stronghomegym.com/best-olympic-barbell/)
- [Weight plates](https://stronghomegym.com/best-bumper-plates/)
- [Squat rack](https://stronghomegym.com/best-squat-rack/)
There are so many [benefits of squats](https://stronghomegym.com/benefits-of-squats/) that I wonât list them all here but you should check out the article linked to see why they are so important.
[Rogue Fleck Bumper Plates](https://stronghomegym.com/recommends/rogue-fleck-plates-box/)
Read our [best bumper plates](https://stronghomegym.com/best-bumper-plates/) guide here
Bumper plates are ideal for a home gym.
They can last a lifetime and allow you to do additional lifts which require you to drop the bar.
Our team has compared over 100 types and the Rogue Fleck plates came out on top.
They are great value, use color allowing you to quickly see how much youâre lifting and the pattern will give your home gym a unique look.
[Check the price here](https://stronghomegym.com/recommends/rogue-fleck-plates-box/)
***
#### 2\. Push ups
Ideally do the full push ups if you can. If you canât, follow the progressions in [this video](https://youtube.com/shorts/SQ1gO1wNVks?si=lRe-1fmP6KPrWSM3). Itâs actually very good⌠The aim should be full push ups as soon as possible.
Equipment needed for push ups:
- None\!
Again check out the [benefits of push ups](https://stronghomegym.com/push-up-benefits/). There are so many itâs another vital exercise.
**Pro tip:** You may find a [push up board](https://stronghomegym.com/best-push-up-board/) quite useful if you want to include more push ups in your routine.
***
#### 3\. Dumbbell rows
Iâve put dumbbell rows in here because theyâre unilateral, which means they train both sides independently. This means you correct any strength imbalances between your stronger and weaker side.
Equipment needed for dumbbell rows:
- [Dumbbells](https://stronghomegym.com/best-adjustable-dumbbells/)
[SMRFT NĂźobell 80LB Adjustable Dumbbells](https://stronghomegym.com/recommends/nuobell-dumbbell/)
Read our [best adjustable dumbbell](https://stronghomegym.com/best-adjustable-dumbbells/) guide here
These are the dumbbells we recommend for âmost peopleâ.
We have spent over 50 hours of research and compared over 100 dumbbells. Adjustable dumbbells make sense for most home gyms as they save space.
The NĂźobell dumbbells go all the way to 80lbs per hand. This means they are much more versatile than most 50lbs adjustable dumbbells. You can use these for heavy shrugs, squats and bench press etc.
The main reason they are the top pick is because of their shape. They actually feel like real dumbbells and are not awkward to lift like some others.
[Check the price here](https://stronghomegym.com/recommends/nuobell-dumbbells-box/)
***
#### 4\. Shoulder press
This is an important exercise for beginners to learn. As well as strengthening the arms and shoulders, it also helps to brace the core and train the general upper body. This one exercise benefits strength all over.
Equipment needed for shoulder press:
- [Barbell](https://stronghomegym.com/best-olympic-barbell/)
- [Weight plates](https://stronghomegym.com/best-bumper-plates/)
- [Squat rack](https://stronghomegym.com/best-squat-rack/)
***
#### 5\. Hip thrust
The hip thrust is one of the most underrated exercises in the gym. Itâs become much more popular in recent years, especially for womenâs workout routines.
Itâs one of the best exercises for the glutes but itâs a great core and lower back workout too.
Equipment needed for step ups:
- [Barbell](https://stronghomegym.com/best-olympic-barbell/) and [plates](https://stronghomegym.com/best-bumper-plates/)
- [Weight bench](https://stronghomegym.com/best-weight-bench/)
- [Barbell pad](https://www.amazon.com/dp/B09XFNCLJ4?tag=shgstronghomegym-20)
[REP AB-3000 Bench](https://stronghomegym.com/recommends/rep-ab-3000-box/)
Read our [best weight bench](https://stronghomegym.com/best-weight-bench/) guide here
This is the weight bench we recommend for âmost peopleâ.
We compared over 70 benches against 12 criteria. This is our highest-ranked flat, incline & decline (FID) bench.
Some adjustable benches can be a bit wobbly when on the incline. But the AB-3000 is very sturdy.
With a height 18mm itâs comparable to benches that cost twice as much.
[Check the price here](https://stronghomegym.com/recommends/rep-ab-3000-box/)
***
#### 6\. Plank
The plank is a good exercise for engaging the entire core and torso in one movement. Itâs a simple exercise to learn and easy to progress. If you canât manage 30 seconds at first, do as long as you can.
Then rest for 5 seconds, and go back up. Keep going until you reach 30 seconds.
Equipment needed for plank:
- None\!
***
### Workout 2
| | | | |
|---|---|---|---|
| **Exercise** | **Sets** | **Reps** | **Rest** |
| Deadlifts | 3 | 8 | 1 min |
| Inverted Rows | 3 | 8 | 1 min |
| Bench Press | 3 | 8 | 1 min |
| Lunges | 3 | 12 (per side) | 1 min |
| Lateral Raises | 2 | 12 | 1 min |
| Side Plank | 2 | 30 Seconds Per Side | 30 secs |
***
#### 1\. Deadlifts
Often referred to as the king of exercises, the deadlift is likely to be the exercise where you can lift the most weight. Itâs a movement that takes time to learn, so take your time, study the form video and practice.
When you get the exercise right, really work hard to increase your weights every week.
Equipment needed for deadlifts:
- [Barbell](https://stronghomegym.com/best-olympic-barbell/)
- [Weight plates](https://stronghomegym.com/best-bumper-plates/)
***
#### 2\. Inverted rows
The inverted row is a challenging exercise, but itâs a great way to train the upper and mid back, and the arms. Whilst the technique isnât difficult, lifting your body weight is hard for many beginners.
The good news is itâll build a lot of strength\!
Equipment needed for inverted rows:
- [Barbell](https://stronghomegym.com/best-olympic-barbell/)
- [Squat rack](https://stronghomegym.com/best-squat-rack/)
[REP PR-4000 Power Rack](https://stronghomegym.com/recommends/rep-pr-4000-box/)
Read our [best squat rack](https://stronghomegym.com/best-squat-rack/) guide here
Looking for an affordable yet high quality power rack?
Look no further\!
After comparing over 100 types of squat racks the PR-4000 came out on top.
You can add any attachment to it (including cables, dip bars and plate holders). You can even add additional uprights to back to make it even more of a beast\!
The 1 inch westside hole spacing means you can position the spotter arms to the ideal height when you bench press. So you can safely drop the bar and have a full range of motion when you lift.
And the 3Ă3âł 11 gauge steel make this the best value rack we could find.
[Check the price here](https://stronghomegym.com/recommends/rep-pr-4000-box/)
***
#### 3\. Bench press
The bench press is probably the most popular upper body exercise of them all. Itâs an effective way to train the chest, shoulders and triceps.
Itâs a simple exercise to learn, and itâs a way to build a lot of upper body pressing strength.
Equipment needed for bench press:
- [Barbell](https://stronghomegym.com/best-olympic-barbell/)
- [Weight plates](https://stronghomegym.com/best-bumper-plates/)
***
#### 4\. Lunges
This is another unilateral leg exercise, so it forces both legs to work hard. I also like this exercise because it trains the glutes hard, so it gives you a lot of benefit from a single movement.
Just make sure you do the full number of reps per leg.
Equipment needed for EXERCISE:
- [Barbell](https://stronghomegym.com/best-olympic-barbell/)
- [Weight plates](https://stronghomegym.com/best-bumper-plates/)
***
#### 5\. Lateral raises
The lateral raise is a great way to help build the shoulders, providing you with a defined upper arm. Theyâre a very simple exercise, carrying little risk of injury.
Even though theyâre pretty basic, they are still a challenge for the shoulders\!
Equipment needed for lateral raises:
- [Dumbbells](https://stronghomegym.com/best-adjustable-dumbbells/)
***
#### 6\. Side plank
The side plank is a slightly more challenging version of the standard plank, because youâre supporting your body weight on one arm, rather than two.
Itâs also more weight down a single side of the body, activating the sides of the torso.
Equipment needed for side planks:
- None\!
***
## Beginner Workout Plan for Women: 5 bonus tips for success
### 1\. Seek progress every workout
The way to build strength and fitness is to add weight or reps with each workout. The rate of strength improvement varies from person to person, but a good rule of thumb is to look to progress at around 5% per week.
This means if your starting weight of an exercise is 80lbs, then youâd be adding around 4lbs per week to what youâre able to lift.
If youâre progressing faster, donât hold yourself back. Likewise if your progress isnât that fast, it doesnât always mean youâre doing things wrong. Thatâs a good figure to aim for though.
As you get stronger over time, that rate of progression will naturally slow down. Donât beat yourself up if after 10 weeks or so youâre not progressing as you did at the start\!
You might not manage to lift more weight, but perform an extra rep. Thatâs progress too, so donât be down on yourself if your strength isnât jumping, but your rep capabilities are.
### 2\. Think frequency, not duration
Iâm a proponent of frequency over duration in most cases. Iâd rather see you work out four times per week for around 40 minutes than two or three workouts of 90 minutes each.
I prefer this approach for a couple of reasonsâŚ
1. It builds an exercise habit. You build habits by repeating behaviors.
2. Shorter workouts allow you more recovery time. They also donât take as much out of you, so theyâre less likely to put you off training\!
Thereâs also the argument that more frequent training is more frequent stimulation for your muscles, more frequent spikes in calorie burn and more frequent doses of those feel-good chemicals from movement\!
The last point is particularly poignant. When it comes to mental health in particular we know that frequency of exercise is important.
In a 2023 study conducted by Shannon et al titled [Frequency, intensity and duration of muscle strengthening activity and associations with mental health](https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0165032722014239), the conclusions drawn wereâŚ
*Higher frequency and intensity of MS activities may protect against anxiety and depression symptoms.*
Good mental health underpins motivation, desire to exercise, enjoyment of exercise, and the like.
### 3\. Keep your form good
When you exercise with good form, you make the exercises more effective. You engage the target muscles properly, you increase the time under tension of the movements, and you build strength more quickly.
Most importantly, you perform the exercises more safely.
When youâre learning to exercise and following something like this beginner workout plan for women, never sacrifice form for weight.
Iâd much rather you focus on perfecting the movements than chasing more and more weight on the bar.
I realize Iâve encouraged you to add more weight (and I stand by that advice), but only when you feel youâve nailed the movement.
If youâve got an exercise that youâre struggling with, you donât need to keep adding weight.
A great tip for when youâre training on your own, in a home gym is to record yourself on your phone, then watch the footage back.
Youâll see what youâre doing well and how you can improve. You might find the same spot is where you struggle to maintain form, so you can work on your specific weaknesses.
### 4\. Donât be afraid to push yourself
One of the observations Iâve made over the last 20 years when training women, is how some are reluctant to really push themselves in the gym.
Some women are worried that by lifting heavy, or lifting frequently theyâre going to become big and bulky.
Itâs just **not going to happen**.
Even more men (who have a far more favorable hormonal profile for muscle building) would have to train at a sufficiently high intensity for a very long time to grow a lot of muscle.
Women simply donât have the required hormonal profile to get âbig and bulkyâ easily. It would take years of dedicated training and eating to pack on a lot of muscle, so please donât worry about it.
Instead, focus on pushing yourself â youâll be fitter, stronger, and healthier â both physically and mentally.
### 5\. Cardio is optional â so donât go crazy\!
Combined with a calorie controlled diet, these workouts are perfectly capable of helping you lose weight. If you want some nutritional help, our [in-depth guide on how to lose fat](https://stronghomegym.com/how-to-lose-fat/) is the best place to find itâŚ
But despite this, many of you might want to do some cardio. Thatâs fine, I get it.
If you do want to add some cardio, here are my suggestions of what to do, and how to stop it from impacting your progress:
1. **Donât do it on the days when youâre weight training** â you donât want to compromise your energy for your workouts, or your ability to recover afterwards.
2. **Keep the intensity low** â Iâm thinking gentle jogs, perhaps some hill walking, maybe some cycling or swimming. Donât go pounding the roads for hours, running miles and miles. Itâll impact energy and recovery.
3. **Do something you enjoy** â you donât want to suffer through your exercise, otherwise, youâll give up. Pick an activity you enjoy and do that\!
If you donât want to do any cardio, thatâs absolutely fine too. Just follow a calorie-controlled diet and youâll still lose fat if you want to! Just make sure youâre working out hard enough\!
If you want to put some cardio in for additional benefits, follow my advice here.
***
## Some additional information on the beginner workout plan for womenâŚ
At **Strong Home Gym**, we believe in not just teaching you the âwhatâ and the âhowâ, but also the âwhyâ.
By learning why a program is put together the way it is, youâll learn more about exercise and how it improves your health overall.
Itâll also help you to trust the advice that you get from our site, because itâs not just churned-out content built for clicks.
So, here are three benefits of the program, which will help you understand the reasoning behind what weâve done, and whyâŚ
### Benefit 1: With these exercises, youâll learn to exercise *properly*
Your body wasnât designed to move in a stiff, structured way as it would on a typical gym machine.
Sure, it may be âeasierâ to use machines, but youâll benefit more from free weights.
Whilst the results between the two are basically the same (with a couple of notable exceptions weâll discuss in a moment), youâll learn proper exercise technique with free weights.
This is key for your long term fitness and skill development.
In 2023, a study titled [Effect of free-weight vs. machine-based strength training on maximal strength, hypertrophy and jump performance â a systematic review and meta-analysis](https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC10426227/#:~:text=Strength%20in%20free-weight%20tests,0.600%2C%20p%20%3D%200.064\).) was performed by Haugen et al. One of their findings was thatâŚ
*âThe meta-analyses on strength found maximal strength in free-weight exercise tests to increase significantly more in the free-weight group than in the machine group.â*
This is important because strength underpins a lot of important elements of fitness.
Obviously, it makes you stronger, but it also increases your lifting capacity, strengthens your bones and strengthens your connective tissues.
Being strong also reduces your injury resistance.
### Benefit 2: The workouts are designed to be minimum time, maximum results focussedâŚ
An important point with regards to beginner workout plans is the length of time they take. When youâre new to exercise, you simply donât have the capacity to train for a long time. You havenât developed the required fitness yet.
The workouts in the beginner workout plan for women are all resistance training based, and theyâll only take around 40 minutes from start to finish. That time will even include a warm up. Our aim here is effective efficiency.
By focussing the workout plan around resistance training, we ensure that we make the most from the available training time.
In a piece titled [Resistance training is medicine: effects of strength training on health](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/22777332/) published in Current Sports Medicine Reports, the following evidence in support of resistance training was presentedâŚ
> *Ten weeks of resistance training may increase lean weight by 1.4 kg, increase resting metabolic rate by 7%, and reduce fat weight by 1.8 kg.*
>
> *Benefits of resistance training include improved physical performance, movement control, walking speed, functional independence, cognitive abilities, and self-esteem.*
>
> *Resistance training may enhance cardiovascular health, by reducing resting blood pressure, decreasing low-density lipoprotein cholesterol and triglycerides, and increasing high-density lipoprotein cholesterol.*
>
> *Resistance training may promote bone development, with studies showing 1% to 3% increase in bone mineral density.*
>
> *Resistance training may be effective for reducing low back pain and easing discomfort associated with arthritis and fibromyalgia and has been shown to reverse specific aging factors in skeletal muscle.*
In terms of health benefits, no other form of exercise can boast the same breadth and depth of improvement in health markers. Especially in such a short period of time.
### Benefit 3: The exercises burn calories and strengthen muscles at the same time
Weâve already seen some of the wide variety of benefits to strength training, letâs get granular. Why are we biasing weight training for beginners in particular?
As a personal trainer, I know that most (as in, over 95%) beginners have weight loss as one of their primary goals.
Resistance training is a very effective way to achieve weight loss, allowing you to both lose weight and build muscle at the same time.
In 2022, Lopez et al performed a study titled [Resistance training effectiveness on body composition and body weight outcomes in individuals with overweight and obesity across the lifespan: A systematic review and metaâanalysis](https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC9285060/).
The study analyzed the conclusions of 116 research papers, leading them to concludeâŚ
> *In conclusion, this study provides evidence that resistanceâbased exercise programs are effective and should be considered within any multicomponent therapy program when caloric restriction is utilized in individuals with overweight or obesity.*
Iâm making an assumption that weight loss and strength improvements are goals of yours.
To be honest, even if you donât want to lose weight, resistance training is still a very effective way of training.
These three benefits will help you to understand why the beginner workout plan for women is resistance-based, and not just hours of running.
***
## Beginner workout plan for women: The bottom line
This program has been written to help women build strength, fitness, and confidence in their home gym.
More importantly, it is designed in a way to make this process safe and effective, without eating into too much of your week.
I suggest you re-read the article, take note of the form videos, and get yourself into the gym! Print the workouts (or look at them on your phone) and get busy\!
Within 12 weeks youâll be a different woman\!
Once youâre finished with this workout check out this [12 week beginner weightlifting workout](https://stronghomegym.com/beginner-weight-lifting-routine/).
**Want to improve your home gym?**
Use the hours of research, testing and experience inside the ultimate guide to build a home gym. Find outâŚ
- The 4 items of kit every gym needs
- What you should avoid
- Where to find bargains and discounts
Click here to learn more about [how to build a home gym](https://stronghomegym.com/how-to-build-a-home-gym/).
[Steve Hoyles](https://stronghomegym.com/author/steve-hoyles/)
Steve Hoyles is a certified personal trainer and gym owner. Since graduating with his Sports Science degree in 2004 he's worked in the fitness industry, helping thousands of people reach their health and fitness goals. His writing has been read by millions of people in over 170 countries as he inspires to help as many people as possible live a healthy lifestyle.
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## Connect |
| Readable Markdown | If youâre looking for a beginner workout plan for women, youâve come to the right place.
My name is Steve Hoyles and Iâm a personal trainer and weightlifting coach with over 20 years experience.
In my time I have taught thousands of women how to work out safely and effectively.
In this article, Iâm going to provide you with a beginner workout plan, designed with women in mind. Iâm going to include over 20 years of coaching experience in the program, which will help you learn the basics of [strength training](https://stronghomegym.com/strength-training-for-beginners/).
By the end of the article, youâll know exactly how to start your exercise journeyâŚ
Table Of Contents
1. [Beginner workout plan for women: Overview of the workout plan](https://stronghomegym.com/beginner-workout-plan-for-women/#beginner-workout-plan-for-women-overview-of-the-workout-plan)
2. [Beginner workout plan for women: The workouts](https://stronghomegym.com/beginner-workout-plan-for-women/#beginner-workout-plan-for-women-the-workouts)
- [Workout 1](https://stronghomegym.com/beginner-workout-plan-for-women/#workout-1)
- [Workout 2](https://stronghomegym.com/beginner-workout-plan-for-women/#workout-2)
- [Equipment needed for the beginner workout plan for women](https://stronghomegym.com/beginner-workout-plan-for-women/#equipment-needed-for-the-beginner-workout-plan-for-women)
- [Example workout schedule](https://stronghomegym.com/beginner-workout-plan-for-women/#example-workout-schedule)
- [What weight should you lift?](https://stronghomegym.com/beginner-workout-plan-for-women/#what-weight-should-you-lift)
- [Warm up](https://stronghomegym.com/beginner-workout-plan-for-women/#warm-up)
3. [Beginner workout plan for women](https://stronghomegym.com/beginner-workout-plan-for-women/#beginner-workout-plan-for-women)
- [Workout 1](https://stronghomegym.com/beginner-workout-plan-for-women/#workout-1)
- [Workout 2](https://stronghomegym.com/beginner-workout-plan-for-women/#workout-2)
4. [Beginner Workout Plan for Women: 5 bonus tips for success](https://stronghomegym.com/beginner-workout-plan-for-women/#beginner-workout-plan-for-women-5-bonus-tips-for-success)
- [1\. Seek progress every workout](https://stronghomegym.com/beginner-workout-plan-for-women/#1-seek-progress-every-workout)
- [2\. Think frequency, not duration](https://stronghomegym.com/beginner-workout-plan-for-women/#2-think-frequency-not-duration)
- [3\. Keep your form good](https://stronghomegym.com/beginner-workout-plan-for-women/#3-keep-your-form-good)
- [4\. Donât be afraid to push yourself](https://stronghomegym.com/beginner-workout-plan-for-women/#4-dont-be-afraid-to-push-yourself)
- [5\. Cardio is optional â so donât go crazy\!](https://stronghomegym.com/beginner-workout-plan-for-women/#5-cardio-is-optional-so-dont-go-crazy)
5. [Some additional information on the beginner workout plan for womenâŚ](https://stronghomegym.com/beginner-workout-plan-for-women/#some-additional-information-on-the-beginner-workout-plan-for-women)
- [Benefit 1: With these exercises, youâll learn to exercise properly](https://stronghomegym.com/beginner-workout-plan-for-women/#benefit-1-with-these-exercises-youll-learn-to-exercise-properly)
- [Benefit 2: The workouts are designed to be minimum time, maximum results focussedâŚ](https://stronghomegym.com/beginner-workout-plan-for-women/#benefit-2-the-workouts-are-designed-to-be-minimum-time-maximum-results-focussed)
- [Benefit 3: The exercises burn calories and strengthen muscles at the same time](https://stronghomegym.com/beginner-workout-plan-for-women/#benefit-3-the-exercises-burn-calories-and-strengthen-muscles-at-the-same-time)
6. [Beginner workout plan for women: The bottom line](https://stronghomegym.com/beginner-workout-plan-for-women/#beginner-workout-plan-for-women-the-bottom-line)
***
## Beginner workout plan for women: Overview of the workout plan
Everyone jumps on the bandwagon about the [benefits of exercise](https://stronghomegym.com/benefits-of-exercise/).
But in my experience, most women go about it all wrong.
So Iâve got a confession to makeâŚ
When it comes to training women, Iâve turned my back on decades of fitness industry messaging.
You know the typeâŚ
- Pink dumbbells.
- Tiny kettlebells that arenât heavy enough to hold a door open.
- Patronizing workouts with bean tins for weights to âtone your armsâ.
- Ladies-only sections in the gym, full of pink machines.
I donât use them. I donât like them.
My female clients?
They lift weights.
They donât train in a ladies-only section. They get sweaty. They donât use pink dumbbells. They work hard. They get results.
This is the kind of thing they doâŚ
And Iâm telling you this to give you confidence. Weight training is hands down the best thing you can do for your health.
If you donât know about it yet you really should check out the [benefits of strength training](https://stronghomegym.com/benefits-of-strength-training/) here.
Even if youâre terrified, this article will break down the process, and help you to understand what you need to do and how.
Each exercise will be explained with a video and coaching points. Theyâll be beginner *and* home-gym friendly.
Trust me. Iâm a professional! đ
***
## Beginner workout plan for women: The workouts
In this program, youâll be performing four workouts per week, with an optional cardio element. (You can tweak this to 2 or 3 workouts a week If time is tight- but please do try to find 40 minutes 4 times a week if possible, your future body will thank you).
There are two different workouts that youâll perform twice each per week (thatâs where we get the four workouts per week from).
Each workout will consist of only 6 exercises, one of which will be an ab exercise. The warm-up will be the same each time.
Each workout will last a MAXIMUM of 40 minutes, so it wonât eat into your day.
I promise.
### Workout 1
| | | | | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| **Exercise** | **Sets** | **Reps** | **Start Weight\*** | **End Weight\*** |
| Barbell Squat (Negatives) | 3 | 12 | 65 | 110 |
| Push Up | 3 | 10 | Bodyweight (on knees & negatives see regressions in [push up benefits](https://stronghomegym.com/push-up-benefits/#push-up-regressions)) | Bodyweight |
| Dumbbell Row | 3 | 10 | 22\*\* | 35\*\* |
| Shoulder Press | 3 | 10 | 30 | 50 |
| Hip Thrust | 3 | 10 | 45 | 90 |
| Plank | 2 | 30 seconds | Bodyweight (on knees) | Bodyweight |
*\*Example starting weight (it could be more or less) with the weight you will lift when you finish the 90 days (in lbs)*
*\*\*Weight of the dumbbell in each hand (lbs).*
#### Workout time required
40 minutes max
#### Workout focus
In this workout, you should be focussing on maximizing the contraction of your muscles with each and every lift. Itâs a chance to really understand and âfeelâ your muscles contract as they perform the movements.
### Workout 2
| | | | | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| **Exercise** | **Sets** | **Reps** | **Start Weight\*** | **End Weight\*** |
| Deadlifts | 3 | 8 | 80 | 120 |
| Inverted Rows | 3 | 8 | Bodyweight (higher bar) | Bodyweight |
| Bench Press | 3 | 8 | 45 | 60 |
| Lunges | 3 | 12 | 50 | 70 |
| Lateral Raises | 2 | 12 | 10\*\* | 15\*\* |
| Side Plank | 2 | 30 Seconds Per Side | Bodyweight | Bodyweight |
#### Workout time required
40 minutes max
#### Workout focus
This is a workout that involves the biggest, heaviest lift in the program. The deadlift is your chance to maximize the strength gains, so push yourself here, but stay focussed on form to ensure safety.
In this workout I really want you to push your strength limits â harder work means better results\!
***
### Equipment needed for the beginner workout plan for women
As a website dedicated to helping people to work out effectively at home, we only write programs that are home gym friendly. Hereâs a list of all the equipment you need to carry out these workout programs.
- [Barbell](https://stronghomegym.com/best-olympic-barbell/)
- [Weight plates](https://stronghomegym.com/best-bumper-plates/)
- [Dumbbells](https://stronghomegym.com/best-adjustable-dumbbells/)
- [Weight bench](https://stronghomegym.com/best-weight-bench/)
- [Squat rack](https://stronghomegym.com/best-squat-rack/)
- [Barbell pad](https://www.amazon.com/dp/B09XFNCLJ4?tag=shgstronghomegym-20) (optional â you could use a towel or cushion)
[Rogue Ohio Cerakote Bar](https://stronghomegym.com/recommends/rogue-ohio-bar-box/)
This is the bar that we recommend for âmost peopleâ.
We have spent over 120 hours of research and tested over 100 barbells.
It is affordable but comes with some high specs. The Rogue Work Hardening and 190k PSI tensile strength mean the bar will last a lifetime in a home gym.
It is a multi-purpose bar with a 28.5mm diameter shaft and composite bushings in the sleeves. This means itâs balanced for heavy slow bench presses but you can also perform snatches and fast overhead lifts.
If you havenât got some of these, follow the links to reviews, guides, and buying options. Itâs also our goal to educate you when it comes to home gym equipment. Weâll help make your dollars go further, and give you the best value for money.
### Example workout schedule
For a beginner, Iâd like you to think about the frequency of your workout, rather than the duration. Shorter workouts obviously take less time to perform, but they also take less time to recover from.
With the plan below, youâll train for two consecutive days then rest. If you follow it as described, youâll enjoy a midweek rest and a weekend rest.
You could change this to suit your schedule, but Iâd urge you to not do more than 3 days in a row. Give your body time to rest and recover between workouts.
| | | | | | | | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| **Weekday** | **Mon** | **Tue** | **Wed** | **Thu** | **Fri** | **Sat** | **Sun** |
| **Day** | **1** | **2** | **3** | **4** | **5** | **6** | **7** |
| **Workout** | 1 | 2 | Rest | 1 | 2 | Rest | Rest |
Each workout should take no more than 40 minutes. So your entire workout time for the week is less than three hours\!
When you think a week is 168 hours, itâs not that much of a time commitment for you\!
### What weight should you lift?
To figure out what you should be lifting, perform your first set of an exercise with a weight you know will be very easy. Then build up the weight on subsequent sets until youâre lifting a suitable weight.
In practice, it looks like thisâŚ
**Example:** Your workout needs you to squat 3 sets of 5, but youâve never done a squat before so donât know what weight to lift.
1. Perform a warm-up set with an empty barbell (44lbs is a menâs Olympic barbell).
2. Add a little weight (around 5lbs) to the bar and complete 5 reps.
3. Repeat this until you reach a point where you canâtmanage a set of 5 reps with good form.
4. Make a note of the last weight you could perform the full reps with good form.
This is your âworking weightâ and will be the basis of your training going forward. Hereâs an example of what a beginner client achieved in their session to work out their starting weightâŚ
Repeat this process for each of the exercises you do in a workout. That will give you the information you need.
Always start easy, lift with good form, and donât over-exert yourself in the beginning. This is a process, not a rush to the end.
### Warm up
The warm up is the same for both workouts.
5 Minutes of cardio of your choice â that can be an air bike, a run, jump rope, rowing machine etc.
You then move on to the workout, but the warm up continues throughout.
**Before you start a new exercise, perform a set with a very light (empty barbell or light dumbbell).**
You donât count this in your sets by the way. So, if the workout says â3 sets of 12 squatsâ, youâre actually going to do 4 â but the first one doesnât count because itâs a light warm up set.
Performing a warm up like this helps to practice the movement pattern and gets you used to the exercise. It also helps to reduce injury risk, because youâre competent with the movement before you increase the load.
One final tip â NEVER static stretch before your training â do this afterwards, when the muscles are warm and pliable. Stretching a cold muscle increases the chances of soft tissue injury.
***
### Workout 1
| | | | |
|---|---|---|---|
| **Exercise** | **Sets** | **Reps** | **Rest** |
| Barbell Squat (Negatives) | 3 | 12 | 1 min |
| Push Up | 3 | 10 | 1 min |
| Dumbbell Row | 3 | 10 | 1 min |
| Shoulder Press | 3 | 10 | 1 min |
| Hip Thrust | 3 | 10 | 1 min |
| Plank | 2 | 30 seconds | 30 secs |
*\*Example starting weight (it could be more or less) with the weight you will lift when you finish the 90 days (in lbs)*
*\*\*Weight of the dumbbell in each hand (lbs).*
***
#### 1\. Barbell squat (negatives)
Why negatives? Simple â theyâre slower, so they allow you more control. As a beginner, this improves safety and movement practice. It also makes a given exercise harder at a lower weight. Lower yourself for a count of 3-5 seconds, then explode up.
Equipment needed for barbell squats:
- [Barbell](https://stronghomegym.com/best-olympic-barbell/)
- [Weight plates](https://stronghomegym.com/best-bumper-plates/)
- [Squat rack](https://stronghomegym.com/best-squat-rack/)
There are so many [benefits of squats](https://stronghomegym.com/benefits-of-squats/) that I wonât list them all here but you should check out the article linked to see why they are so important.
[Rogue Fleck Bumper Plates](https://stronghomegym.com/recommends/rogue-fleck-plates-box/)
Bumper plates are ideal for a home gym.
They can last a lifetime and allow you to do additional lifts which require you to drop the bar.
Our team has compared over 100 types and the Rogue Fleck plates came out on top.
They are great value, use color allowing you to quickly see how much youâre lifting and the pattern will give your home gym a unique look.
***
#### 2\. Push ups
Ideally do the full push ups if you can. If you canât, follow the progressions in [this video](https://youtube.com/shorts/SQ1gO1wNVks?si=lRe-1fmP6KPrWSM3). Itâs actually very good⌠The aim should be full push ups as soon as possible.
Equipment needed for push ups:
- None\!
Again check out the [benefits of push ups](https://stronghomegym.com/push-up-benefits/). There are so many itâs another vital exercise.
**Pro tip:** You may find a [push up board](https://stronghomegym.com/best-push-up-board/) quite useful if you want to include more push ups in your routine.
***
#### 3\. Dumbbell rows
Iâve put dumbbell rows in here because theyâre unilateral, which means they train both sides independently. This means you correct any strength imbalances between your stronger and weaker side.
Equipment needed for dumbbell rows:
- [Dumbbells](https://stronghomegym.com/best-adjustable-dumbbells/)
[SMRFT NĂźobell 80LB Adjustable Dumbbells](https://stronghomegym.com/recommends/nuobell-dumbbell/)
These are the dumbbells we recommend for âmost peopleâ.
We have spent over 50 hours of research and compared over 100 dumbbells. Adjustable dumbbells make sense for most home gyms as they save space.
The NĂźobell dumbbells go all the way to 80lbs per hand. This means they are much more versatile than most 50lbs adjustable dumbbells. You can use these for heavy shrugs, squats and bench press etc.
The main reason they are the top pick is because of their shape. They actually feel like real dumbbells and are not awkward to lift like some others.
***
#### 4\. Shoulder press
This is an important exercise for beginners to learn. As well as strengthening the arms and shoulders, it also helps to brace the core and train the general upper body. This one exercise benefits strength all over.
Equipment needed for shoulder press:
- [Barbell](https://stronghomegym.com/best-olympic-barbell/)
- [Weight plates](https://stronghomegym.com/best-bumper-plates/)
- [Squat rack](https://stronghomegym.com/best-squat-rack/)
***
#### 5\. Hip thrust
The hip thrust is one of the most underrated exercises in the gym. Itâs become much more popular in recent years, especially for womenâs workout routines.
Itâs one of the best exercises for the glutes but itâs a great core and lower back workout too.
Equipment needed for step ups:
- [Barbell](https://stronghomegym.com/best-olympic-barbell/) and [plates](https://stronghomegym.com/best-bumper-plates/)
- [Weight bench](https://stronghomegym.com/best-weight-bench/)
- [Barbell pad](https://www.amazon.com/dp/B09XFNCLJ4?tag=shgstronghomegym-20)
[REP AB-3000 Bench](https://stronghomegym.com/recommends/rep-ab-3000-box/)
This is the weight bench we recommend for âmost peopleâ.
We compared over 70 benches against 12 criteria. This is our highest-ranked flat, incline & decline (FID) bench.
Some adjustable benches can be a bit wobbly when on the incline. But the AB-3000 is very sturdy.
With a height 18mm itâs comparable to benches that cost twice as much.
***
#### 6\. Plank
The plank is a good exercise for engaging the entire core and torso in one movement. Itâs a simple exercise to learn and easy to progress. If you canât manage 30 seconds at first, do as long as you can.
Then rest for 5 seconds, and go back up. Keep going until you reach 30 seconds.
Equipment needed for plank:
- None\!
***
### Workout 2
| | | | |
|---|---|---|---|
| **Exercise** | **Sets** | **Reps** | **Rest** |
| Deadlifts | 3 | 8 | 1 min |
| Inverted Rows | 3 | 8 | 1 min |
| Bench Press | 3 | 8 | 1 min |
| Lunges | 3 | 12 (per side) | 1 min |
| Lateral Raises | 2 | 12 | 1 min |
| Side Plank | 2 | 30 Seconds Per Side | 30 secs |
***
#### 1\. Deadlifts
Often referred to as the king of exercises, the deadlift is likely to be the exercise where you can lift the most weight. Itâs a movement that takes time to learn, so take your time, study the form video and practice.
When you get the exercise right, really work hard to increase your weights every week.
Equipment needed for deadlifts:
- [Barbell](https://stronghomegym.com/best-olympic-barbell/)
- [Weight plates](https://stronghomegym.com/best-bumper-plates/)
***
#### 2\. Inverted rows
The inverted row is a challenging exercise, but itâs a great way to train the upper and mid back, and the arms. Whilst the technique isnât difficult, lifting your body weight is hard for many beginners.
The good news is itâll build a lot of strength\!
Equipment needed for inverted rows:
- [Barbell](https://stronghomegym.com/best-olympic-barbell/)
- [Squat rack](https://stronghomegym.com/best-squat-rack/)
[REP PR-4000 Power Rack](https://stronghomegym.com/recommends/rep-pr-4000-box/)
Looking for an affordable yet high quality power rack?
Look no further\!
After comparing over 100 types of squat racks the PR-4000 came out on top.
You can add any attachment to it (including cables, dip bars and plate holders). You can even add additional uprights to back to make it even more of a beast\!
The 1 inch westside hole spacing means you can position the spotter arms to the ideal height when you bench press. So you can safely drop the bar and have a full range of motion when you lift.
And the 3Ă3âł 11 gauge steel make this the best value rack we could find.
***
#### 3\. Bench press
The bench press is probably the most popular upper body exercise of them all. Itâs an effective way to train the chest, shoulders and triceps.
Itâs a simple exercise to learn, and itâs a way to build a lot of upper body pressing strength.
Equipment needed for bench press:
- [Barbell](https://stronghomegym.com/best-olympic-barbell/)
- [Weight plates](https://stronghomegym.com/best-bumper-plates/)
***
#### 4\. Lunges
This is another unilateral leg exercise, so it forces both legs to work hard. I also like this exercise because it trains the glutes hard, so it gives you a lot of benefit from a single movement.
Just make sure you do the full number of reps per leg.
Equipment needed for EXERCISE:
- [Barbell](https://stronghomegym.com/best-olympic-barbell/)
- [Weight plates](https://stronghomegym.com/best-bumper-plates/)
***
#### 5\. Lateral raises
The lateral raise is a great way to help build the shoulders, providing you with a defined upper arm. Theyâre a very simple exercise, carrying little risk of injury.
Even though theyâre pretty basic, they are still a challenge for the shoulders\!
Equipment needed for lateral raises:
- [Dumbbells](https://stronghomegym.com/best-adjustable-dumbbells/)
***
#### 6\. Side plank
The side plank is a slightly more challenging version of the standard plank, because youâre supporting your body weight on one arm, rather than two.
Itâs also more weight down a single side of the body, activating the sides of the torso.
Equipment needed for side planks:
- None\!
***
## Beginner Workout Plan for Women: 5 bonus tips for success
### 1\. Seek progress every workout
The way to build strength and fitness is to add weight or reps with each workout. The rate of strength improvement varies from person to person, but a good rule of thumb is to look to progress at around 5% per week.
This means if your starting weight of an exercise is 80lbs, then youâd be adding around 4lbs per week to what youâre able to lift.
If youâre progressing faster, donât hold yourself back. Likewise if your progress isnât that fast, it doesnât always mean youâre doing things wrong. Thatâs a good figure to aim for though.
As you get stronger over time, that rate of progression will naturally slow down. Donât beat yourself up if after 10 weeks or so youâre not progressing as you did at the start\!
You might not manage to lift more weight, but perform an extra rep. Thatâs progress too, so donât be down on yourself if your strength isnât jumping, but your rep capabilities are.
### 2\. Think frequency, not duration
Iâm a proponent of frequency over duration in most cases. Iâd rather see you work out four times per week for around 40 minutes than two or three workouts of 90 minutes each.
I prefer this approach for a couple of reasonsâŚ
1. It builds an exercise habit. You build habits by repeating behaviors.
2. Shorter workouts allow you more recovery time. They also donât take as much out of you, so theyâre less likely to put you off training\!
Thereâs also the argument that more frequent training is more frequent stimulation for your muscles, more frequent spikes in calorie burn and more frequent doses of those feel-good chemicals from movement\!
The last point is particularly poignant. When it comes to mental health in particular we know that frequency of exercise is important.
In a 2023 study conducted by Shannon et al titled [Frequency, intensity and duration of muscle strengthening activity and associations with mental health](https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0165032722014239), the conclusions drawn wereâŚ
*Higher frequency and intensity of MS activities may protect against anxiety and depression symptoms.*
Good mental health underpins motivation, desire to exercise, enjoyment of exercise, and the like.
### 3\. Keep your form good
When you exercise with good form, you make the exercises more effective. You engage the target muscles properly, you increase the time under tension of the movements, and you build strength more quickly.
Most importantly, you perform the exercises more safely.
When youâre learning to exercise and following something like this beginner workout plan for women, never sacrifice form for weight.
Iâd much rather you focus on perfecting the movements than chasing more and more weight on the bar.
I realize Iâve encouraged you to add more weight (and I stand by that advice), but only when you feel youâve nailed the movement.
If youâve got an exercise that youâre struggling with, you donât need to keep adding weight.
A great tip for when youâre training on your own, in a home gym is to record yourself on your phone, then watch the footage back.
Youâll see what youâre doing well and how you can improve. You might find the same spot is where you struggle to maintain form, so you can work on your specific weaknesses.
### 4\. Donât be afraid to push yourself
One of the observations Iâve made over the last 20 years when training women, is how some are reluctant to really push themselves in the gym.
Some women are worried that by lifting heavy, or lifting frequently theyâre going to become big and bulky.
Itâs just **not going to happen**.
Even more men (who have a far more favorable hormonal profile for muscle building) would have to train at a sufficiently high intensity for a very long time to grow a lot of muscle.
Women simply donât have the required hormonal profile to get âbig and bulkyâ easily. It would take years of dedicated training and eating to pack on a lot of muscle, so please donât worry about it.
Instead, focus on pushing yourself â youâll be fitter, stronger, and healthier â both physically and mentally.
### 5\. Cardio is optional â so donât go crazy\!
Combined with a calorie controlled diet, these workouts are perfectly capable of helping you lose weight. If you want some nutritional help, our [in-depth guide on how to lose fat](https://stronghomegym.com/how-to-lose-fat/) is the best place to find itâŚ
But despite this, many of you might want to do some cardio. Thatâs fine, I get it.
If you do want to add some cardio, here are my suggestions of what to do, and how to stop it from impacting your progress:
1. **Donât do it on the days when youâre weight training** â you donât want to compromise your energy for your workouts, or your ability to recover afterwards.
2. **Keep the intensity low** â Iâm thinking gentle jogs, perhaps some hill walking, maybe some cycling or swimming. Donât go pounding the roads for hours, running miles and miles. Itâll impact energy and recovery.
3. **Do something you enjoy** â you donât want to suffer through your exercise, otherwise, youâll give up. Pick an activity you enjoy and do that\!
If you donât want to do any cardio, thatâs absolutely fine too. Just follow a calorie-controlled diet and youâll still lose fat if you want to! Just make sure youâre working out hard enough\!
If you want to put some cardio in for additional benefits, follow my advice here.
***
## Some additional information on the beginner workout plan for womenâŚ
At **Strong Home Gym**, we believe in not just teaching you the âwhatâ and the âhowâ, but also the âwhyâ.
By learning why a program is put together the way it is, youâll learn more about exercise and how it improves your health overall.
Itâll also help you to trust the advice that you get from our site, because itâs not just churned-out content built for clicks.
So, here are three benefits of the program, which will help you understand the reasoning behind what weâve done, and whyâŚ
### Benefit 1: With these exercises, youâll learn to exercise *properly*
Your body wasnât designed to move in a stiff, structured way as it would on a typical gym machine.
Sure, it may be âeasierâ to use machines, but youâll benefit more from free weights.
Whilst the results between the two are basically the same (with a couple of notable exceptions weâll discuss in a moment), youâll learn proper exercise technique with free weights.
This is key for your long term fitness and skill development.
In 2023, a study titled [Effect of free-weight vs. machine-based strength training on maximal strength, hypertrophy and jump performance â a systematic review and meta-analysis](https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC10426227/#:~:text=Strength%20in%20free-weight%20tests,0.600%2C%20p%20%3D%200.064\).) was performed by Haugen et al. One of their findings was thatâŚ
*âThe meta-analyses on strength found maximal strength in free-weight exercise tests to increase significantly more in the free-weight group than in the machine group.â*
This is important because strength underpins a lot of important elements of fitness.
Obviously, it makes you stronger, but it also increases your lifting capacity, strengthens your bones and strengthens your connective tissues.
Being strong also reduces your injury resistance.
### Benefit 2: The workouts are designed to be minimum time, maximum results focussedâŚ
An important point with regards to beginner workout plans is the length of time they take. When youâre new to exercise, you simply donât have the capacity to train for a long time. You havenât developed the required fitness yet.
The workouts in the beginner workout plan for women are all resistance training based, and theyâll only take around 40 minutes from start to finish. That time will even include a warm up. Our aim here is effective efficiency.
By focussing the workout plan around resistance training, we ensure that we make the most from the available training time.
In a piece titled [Resistance training is medicine: effects of strength training on health](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/22777332/) published in Current Sports Medicine Reports, the following evidence in support of resistance training was presentedâŚ
> *Ten weeks of resistance training may increase lean weight by 1.4 kg, increase resting metabolic rate by 7%, and reduce fat weight by 1.8 kg.*
>
> *Benefits of resistance training include improved physical performance, movement control, walking speed, functional independence, cognitive abilities, and self-esteem.*
>
> *Resistance training may enhance cardiovascular health, by reducing resting blood pressure, decreasing low-density lipoprotein cholesterol and triglycerides, and increasing high-density lipoprotein cholesterol.*
>
> *Resistance training may promote bone development, with studies showing 1% to 3% increase in bone mineral density.*
>
> *Resistance training may be effective for reducing low back pain and easing discomfort associated with arthritis and fibromyalgia and has been shown to reverse specific aging factors in skeletal muscle.*
In terms of health benefits, no other form of exercise can boast the same breadth and depth of improvement in health markers. Especially in such a short period of time.
### Benefit 3: The exercises burn calories and strengthen muscles at the same time
Weâve already seen some of the wide variety of benefits to strength training, letâs get granular. Why are we biasing weight training for beginners in particular?
As a personal trainer, I know that most (as in, over 95%) beginners have weight loss as one of their primary goals.
Resistance training is a very effective way to achieve weight loss, allowing you to both lose weight and build muscle at the same time.
In 2022, Lopez et al performed a study titled [Resistance training effectiveness on body composition and body weight outcomes in individuals with overweight and obesity across the lifespan: A systematic review and metaâanalysis](https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC9285060/).
The study analyzed the conclusions of 116 research papers, leading them to concludeâŚ
> *In conclusion, this study provides evidence that resistanceâbased exercise programs are effective and should be considered within any multicomponent therapy program when caloric restriction is utilized in individuals with overweight or obesity.*
Iâm making an assumption that weight loss and strength improvements are goals of yours.
To be honest, even if you donât want to lose weight, resistance training is still a very effective way of training.
These three benefits will help you to understand why the beginner workout plan for women is resistance-based, and not just hours of running.
***
## Beginner workout plan for women: The bottom line
This program has been written to help women build strength, fitness, and confidence in their home gym.
More importantly, it is designed in a way to make this process safe and effective, without eating into too much of your week.
I suggest you re-read the article, take note of the form videos, and get yourself into the gym! Print the workouts (or look at them on your phone) and get busy\!
Within 12 weeks youâll be a different woman\!
Once youâre finished with this workout check out this [12 week beginner weightlifting workout](https://stronghomegym.com/beginner-weight-lifting-routine/).
**Want to improve your home gym?**
Use the hours of research, testing and experience inside the ultimate guide to build a home gym. Find outâŚ
- The 4 items of kit every gym needs
- What you should avoid
- Where to find bargains and discounts
Click here to learn more about [how to build a home gym](https://stronghomegym.com/how-to-build-a-home-gym/). |
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