Written by Garett Reid | NSCA, CSCS, CISSN, M.S.E.S.S
Fact checked by Sam Coleman, Co-Founder
FACT CHECKED
Women! We have you covered if you're looking for a simple yet effective training program! We're laying out a four-day workout plan designed specifically for women! It's designed to provide proper training that provides real results while touching on what women like to see in their training. In other words, it’s not your run-of-the-mill, colored dumbbell workout. This is the real deal to build a strong yet feminine body!
Why Women Need To Lift Weights
Fortunately, lifting weights has become more accepted by women over the years For far too long, the industry has pushed subpar training based on outdated beliefs. Well, times are a-changin'!
We now know that there's no real difference in the optimal training of a man and a woman. Major differences do exist between men and women, but when looking at how our bodies behave to external stimuli, you'll find more in common than differences.
In reality, the main differences found in training have more to do with personal goals or outcomes, such as wanting to build curves rather than increase bench press. With all that in mind, here are some reasons women need to lift weights!
Lifting Weights Build Curves!
You do not build curves by losing weight, which so many women have been trying to do for so long. Following programs that have them performing;
- Aerobic exercise
- Cardio
- Lift light weights
Now, all of those can be good and do have a purpose, especially cardio. However, none of them build muscle! They can help burn some fat and lose weight, but that doesn't mean you'll have curves underneath.
On the contrary, lifting weights can build the muscle and your body. Therefore, when you lose fat, you’ll have nice, healthy muscles underneath!
Lifting Weights Can "Tone" Your Body
Another issue with only using cardio is that it can create the infamous "skinny fat" look. People are so focused on losing weight that when they do, they notice they will lose weight, but they still look soft. Again, this is due to what we just spoke about above - you need muscle!
Now, the word "toned" is a bit of a sticky point for some people as technically, "toning" a muscle isn't really a thing – you can't lift weights in a certain manner to "tone" them. Rather, "toned" refers to the appearance of a slimmer body that's hard; in reality, this just means there's low body fat with minimal muscle growth. However, the key is "some" muscle growth.
This is especially true for the upper body. Women don't need a ton of muscle in their upper body to capture that toned look, which will be reflected in the 4-day training program. With that in mind, you don't need a lot of muscle mass for a toned look, but you do need some.
Strengthen Bones & Improve Joint Health
Lifting weights not only builds and strengthens muscles but also strengthens bones and improves joint health. Bones can actually increase in density and strength in a very similar manner as muscles, stressing the muscle over and over with slightly heavier loads.
For this to occur, you must partake in load-bearing activity such as the squat1. The load of a squat places greater force directly down into the bone, which can cause it to bend slightly. This causes little micro holes, which are then filled in and give you stronger bones!
Mitigate Breast Cancer Risk
It's estimated that 1 out of every 8 women will develop breast cancer at some point in their life2. Thankfully, there has been a lot of research over the years, which has greatly mitigated the risk as well as the severity of the outcome.
However, you have 100% control over one major factor: physical activity. Recent research has shown that women who engage in more physical activities tend to be at a lesser risk of developing breast cancer3. Now, this does seem to include physical activity in general, not just resistance training.
However, resistance training does play a role. Researchers have used a progressive resistance training program and found that it can improve recovery after cancer treatment!
Your 4-Day Workout
So now let's get into your workout program. We’re going to first briefly go over the general layout and then give you the program.
Lower Body, Core & Conditioning Focused
This program will utilize a full-body workout, working every muscle. However, it will emphasize the lower body, core and overall conditioning.
Generally speaking, women tend to be more concerned with their lower body and core. When it comes to the upper body, women tend to prefer a "toned" look (we know "toned" isn't really a thing on the physiological level,, so we're using it for descriptive purposes). Therefore, upper body training will primarily focus on the basics. However, this doesn't mean it's going to be easy!
Upper/Lower Split
Considering what we just said, you'll be using an upper/lower split. If you’re thinking that this would make a 50/50 split, we will combine cardio and core with your upper body training.
Upper Training
Your upper body training will consist of 4 exercises each day using 2 supersets. Each superset will pair a back exercise with a pushing exercise (chest, shoulders). When you perform them, you'll rest for 45 seconds in between each exercise, such as:
- Exercise 1
- Rest 45 seconds
- Exercise 2
- Rest 45 seconds
- Exercise 1
- And so on….
You’ll also run one circuit of 3 smaller exercises. For this, you’ll rest 20-30 seconds between each exercise.
This will minimize the time spent on training the upper body while also providing an awesome and effective workout. Further, this will provide more time to be spent on conditioning and core.
Lower Training
On your lower body training days, you'll follow a bit more of a traditional training program using standard rep schemes focusing on compound leg exercises. With that said, there will be an emphasis on the posterior.
Session 1
| Exercise | Sets and Reps |
|---|---|
| Barbell Deadlift | 4 X 6 |
| Bulgarian Split Squat | 3 X 8-10 |
| Hip Thrust | 3 X 10-12 |
| Goblet Squat w/ Band | 3 X 12-15 |
| Step-Ups | 50 |
| Cable Kickback x Cable Hip Adduction | 3 X 8-10 |
Session 2
| Exercise | Sets and Reps |
|---|---|
| Bench Press x Bent Over Row | 4 X 6-8 |
| Lat-Pulldown x Dumbbell Shoulder Press | 3 X 8-10 |
| Face Pull x Lateral Raise x Tri Kickback | 3 X 8-12 |
| Back Extension x Reverse Decline Sit-Up | 3 X 10-12 |
| Cable Woodchop | 3 X 8-12/Each Side |
| Stairclimber | 5:00 (Climb as high as possible) |
Session 3
| Exercise | Sets and Reps |
|---|---|
| Back Squat | 4 X 6 |
| Hip Thrust | 4 X 6-8 |
| Sumo Deadlift | 3 X 8-10 |
| Leg Press | 4 X 8-12 (2 sets wide/2 sets narrow) |
| 4-Way Lunge | 10 X 1/leg* |
| Cable Kickback x Cable Hip Adduction | 3 X 8-10 (both) |
*: One "set" contains 4 reps (forward, reverse, side, curtsy). Alternate legs for every set and do 10 sets per leg. This means each leg will do 40 reps.
Session 4
| Exercise | Sets and Reps |
|---|---|
| Chin-Up x Incline Dumbbell Press | 4 X 6-8 (Both) |
| Seated Cable Row x Shoulder Press | 3 X 8-10 (Both) |
| Rope Upright Row x Cable OH Ext. x Hammer Curl | 3 X 8-13 (All) |
| Hanging Knee Raise or Captain's Chair x Pallof Press | 3 X Failure + 5/side |
| Barbell Rollout | 5 X Fail |
| Assault Bike Intervals | :40/:20 X 5 |
Additional Conditioning
We’re going to also provide some additional conditioning that you can use if desired when you have time. You could add these to the end of any program.
- Incline Treadmill Interval :30/:30 (Alternate between incline or speed)
- Sled Push & Pull Complete 5-10 trips (Back & Forth)
- Running Intervals :20/:40 5-10mins.
- Jump Rope 5 X “000”*
*: Choose a number that’s appropriate for your skill & fitness i.e. 5 X 50skips
Progressing On This Program
To progress in this program, you will use the basic methods of progressive overload. This means you'll simply increase the load and reps over time while focusing on the first lifts.
You'll see that the exercises have a rep range, such as 3-6X8. This means you'll do 3 sets of 6-8 reps. Once you can do 3 sets of 8 reps, you'll increase the load and go back to 6 reps.
When you see “Failure” this means that each set will be performed until failure.
Nutrition To Maximize Your Training
Working out is awesome, but to harness its full benefits, you must eat properly. Healthy eating doesn't need to be overly complicated. Follow these guidelines to make the most of this workout.
Full Body Composition
You'll follow these guidelines if you're at a relatively healthy weight and want to lose fat while maximizing muscle mass. To be clear, performing a body recap is still somewhat experimental and requires greater attention to detail. The idea is to get into a minimal caloric deficit while eating a very high protein diet4.
We can't give you an exact number, but we'd start with 2.5g per kilogram of body weight or about 1.2g per pound. You should also maintain a small deficit of 200 calories. This will be enough to provide fat loss but not too much so you can’t gain muscle. Theoretically.
- Calories: 200 calorie deficit
- Protein: 2.5g/kg (1.2g/lb)
- Fat: 30% total calories
- Carbs: Fill in the rest
- Spread out your protein into 4-5 servings throughout the day
- If you train fast, consume EAA during, and eat right after
Losing Fat
Losing fat is similar to the above, but you’ll have a slightly higher caloric deficit of 300-500 and can eat less protein. However, it should still be high at about 1.8-2.0g/kg. However, keep in mind that more protein can result in better results.
Gaining Muscle
Gaining muscle is the easiest nutrition-wise for most people. You just need to concentrate on eating a whole-food diet and getting in a 300-calorie surplus. As far as protein is concerned, you have a larger range and could go down to 1.6g/kg.
Check Out SET FOR SET's Meal Plans
Show Up 4 Days A Week & Train!
Above, we laid out a highly effective four-day workout plan designed to address much of the nuance in a woman's training program. Remember, training is very similar to men's, so this isn't a subpar workout program; it's just designed to meet your needs. What that means is you'll still need to train hard to get the results you want, so now it's up to you to show up!
Related:
- 3-Day Gym Workout Routine for Women
- 5-Day Gym Workout Routine for Women
- What are the Best Splits for Women?
References:
- Hong, A. R., & Kim, S. W. (2018). Effects of Resistance Exercise on Bone Health. Endocrinology and Metabolism, 33(4), 435. https://doi.org/10.3803/enm.2018.33.4.435
- American Cancer Society. (2023, January 12). Breast Cancer Statistics | How Common Is Breast Cancer? American Cancer Society. https://www.cancer.org/cancer/types/breast-cancer/about/how-common-is-breast-cancer.html
- Lynch, B. M., Neilson, H. K., & Friedenreich, C. M. (2010). Physical Activity and Breast Cancer Prevention. Physical Activity and Cancer, 186, 13–42. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-04231-7_2
- Barakat, C., Pearson, J., Escalante, G., Campbell, B., & De Souza, E. O. (2020). Body Recomposition. Strength & Conditioning Journal, Publish Ahead of Print(5). https://doi.org/10.1519/SSC.0000000000000584
Garett Reid
Author