A well-rounded fitness program helps women improve cardiovascular health and muscle and bone strength. Resistance training can increase functional strength for daily activities, reducing the risk of injury. It can also improve body composition by boosting muscle mass and reducing body fat.
Cardiovascular exercise aids in the prevention or management of diseases like diabetes and heart disease. Additionally, weight-bearing cardio activities like walking or jogging can increase bone density. As menopause-related bone loss increases the risk of weak bones, this is especially important for women.
This beginner workout plan for women includes a lower-body and upper-body workout for women, plus a cardio component. If you are ready to build strength, stamina, and cardiovascular fitness, get your towel and let’s go!
Beginner Workout Routine For Women
This beginner workout plan for women is a four-day upper-lower body split. It works all the major muscle groups and includes a zone two cardio component.
- Day 1: Upper body and zone two cardio
- Day 2: Lower body and zone two cardio
- Day 3: Rest
- Day 4: Upper body and zone two cardio
- Day 5: Lower body and zone two cardio
- Day 6: Rest
- Day 7: Rest
A Beginner Workout Plan For Women
This eight-week beginner workout program for women consists of a four-day workout split. It works the upper body, lower body, and core in an upper-lower body split. The same weekly workouts are performed in the same order over the eight-week duration.
The program consists of three sets per exercise performed consecutively. The load increases while the number of reps decreases with each set. Perform the first set with moderately heavy weights, the second with a slightly heavier load, and the third with the heaviest load. The final set should result in muscle failure, where you are unable to complete any more reps.
Remember that when scheduling your sessions, targeted muscle groups need 48–72 hours of rest between workouts.
A training schedule could look like this:
- Monday: Workout 1
- Tuesday: Workout 2
- Wednesday: Rest
- Thursday: Workout 3
- Friday: Workout 4
- Saturday: Rest
- Sunday: Rest
Alternatively, you could have two consecutive days and alternate rest and workout days for the remainder of the week.
Each session ends with zone 2 cardio which is low-intensity cardiovascular training at 60%–70% of your heart rate maximum. To figure out the correct heart rate range for your age, substrate your age from 220 and then calculate 60%–70% of that number. Here is an example calculation for a 30-year-old:
- 220 – 30 = 190
- 190 x 0.6 = 114
- 190 x 0.7 = 133
The zone 2 cardio heart rate range is 114–133 beats per minute.
Workout 1: Upper Body
Day 1 works the chest, upper back, deltoids, biceps, and triceps. The barbell rows focus on the rhomboids in the mid-back. The alternating dumbbell curls work the short head of this two-headed muscle.
A unilateral (single-arm) bicep curl has a muscle activation rate of 70.46%. This tells us how hard the muscle is working. Lying leg raises target the rectus abdominis and obliques, while the bent-over barbell row also activates the lower back.
For more ab workouts for women, check out these exercises.
Exercise | Sets | Reps | Duration | Rest (between sets) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Incline Dumbbell Press | 3 sets | 12,10,8 reps | 90 seconds | |
| Bent-Over Barbell Row | 3 sets | 12,10,8 reps | 90 seconds | |
| Smith Machine Shoulder Press | 3 sets | 12,10,8 reps | 90 seconds | |
| Alternating Dumbbell Curl | 3 sets | 12,10,8 reps | 90 seconds | |
| Lying Triceps Extension | 3 sets | 12,10,8 reps | 90 seconds | |
| Lying Leg Raise | 3 sets | 12,12,12 reps | 90 seconds | |
| Zone 2 Cardio | 1 set | 20–30 minutes | N/A |
Workout 2: Lower Body
Day 2’s routine focuses on the quadriceps, glutes, hamstrings, gastrocnemius, and soleus. The crunches work the core’s rectus abdominis muscle.
The zone two cardio component will also work the legs while training the cardiovascular system.
Research shows that women get better results from low-to-moderate-intensity exercise rather than high-intensity. This continuous low–moderate intensity training can reduce women’s risk of cardiovascular disease and type two diabetes.
Exercise | Sets | Reps | Duration | Rest (between sets) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Goblet Squat | 3 sets | 12,10,8 reps | 90 seconds | |
| Stiff Leg Deadlift | 3 sets | 12,10,8 reps | 90 seconds | |
| Leg Press | 3 sets | 12,10,8 reps | 90 seconds | |
| Walking Lunge | 3 sets | 12,10,8 reps | 90 seconds | |
| Seated Calf Raise | 3 sets | 12,10,8 reps | 90 seconds | |
| Crunch | 3 sets | 12,12,12 reps | 90 seconds | |
| Zone 2 Cardio | 1 set | 20–30 minutes | N/A |
Workout 3: Upper Body
This workout hits the pectoralis, latissimus dorsi, deltoids, biceps, triceps, and obliques. The bicep exercise differs from day one as hammer curls target the long head of the bicep and the forearm. Also, unlike day one, this routine’s back exercise works the latissimus doris.
In a wide-grip lat pull-down exercise, the latissimus dorsi muscle activation rate is 77.3%.
Studies found that weight training reduced anxiety and depression and positively impacted happiness in women. Research also shows aerobic exercise and exercising three to five times weekly are associated with a lower mental health burden.
Check out more dumbbell workouts for women here.
Exercise | Sets | Reps | Duration | Rest (between sets) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wide-Grip Lat Pulldown | 3 sets | 12,10,8 reps | 90 seconds | |
| Dumbbell Bench Press | 3 sets | 12,10,8 reps | 90 seconds | |
| Lateral Raise | 3 sets | 12,10,8 reps | 90 seconds | |
| Dumbbell Hammer Curl | 3 sets | 12,10,8 reps | 90 seconds | |
| Lying Triceps Extension | 3 sets | 12,10,8 reps | 90 seconds | |
| Bicycle Crunch | 3 sets | 12,12,12 reps | 90 seconds | |
| Zone 2 Cardio | 1 set | 20–30 minutes | N/A |
Workout 4: Lower Body
The final workout in this four-day split works all the lower body’s major muscle groups. In addition to the quadriceps, hamstrings, glutes, and calves, day four targets the inner and outer thigh muscles. The abductor (outer thigh) and adductor (inner thigh) exercises make this a well-balanced workout.
Ball crunches work the rectus abdominis and obliques, improving muscular endurance in the core. One study of sedentary women found core exercises utilizing a Swiss ball improved core stability. Improving core stability was shown to reduce back pain in desk workers.
Deadlifts also contribute to core stability by strengthening the back’s erector spinae muscles. The muscle activation rate for the erector spinae in a one-repetition maximum deadlift is 97.7%.
Exercise | Sets | Reps | Duration | Rest (between sets) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Squat | 3 sets | 12,10,8 reps | 90 seconds | |
| Deadlift | 3 sets | 12,10,8 reps | 90 seconds | |
| Dumbbell Step-Up | 3 sets | 12,10,8 reps | 90 seconds | |
| Abductor Machine | 3 sets | 12,10,8 reps | 90 seconds | |
| Adductor Machine | 3 sets | 12,10,8 reps | 90 seconds | |
| Seated Calf Raise | 3 sets | 12,10,8 reps | 90 seconds | |
| Exercise Ball Crunch | 3 sets | 12,12,12 reps | 90 seconds | |
| Zone 2 Cardio | 1 set | 20–30 minutes | N/A |
Benefits Of A Beginner Workout Plan For Women
This beginner program for women has various benefits.
Improves Bone Density
Due to menopause, middle-aged women lose bone mass, putting them at increased risk of osteoporosis. This brittle bone condition is associated with falls and injuries.
While greater bone loss occurs in middle-to-late adulthood, it’s important for women of all ages to build bone density. A good workout routine for women should include impact or weight-bearing moves to support bone health.
Brisk walking for thirty minutes three times a week was found to prevent bone loss in premenopausal women. Impact exercise and resistance training are recommended for bone density preservation in pre-and post-menopausal women.
Research on aging adults found resistance training improved bone mass. A study on women with low bone density showed that lifting loads of 50%–70% 1RM increased lower back bone density. Another study of post-menopausal women found that participating in exercise increased upper leg and lower back bone density.
Aids In Weight Management
Moderate-intensity continuous cardio can reduce fat mass. Resistance training can also aid in weight loss by increasing excess post-exercise oxygen consumption or EPOC. This means the body burns calories at a higher-than-normal rate during post-exercise recovery.
Strength training can further assist with weight management by impacting metabolism. Our muscle mass directly affects our basal metabolic rate, the amount of energy the body uses at rest. Increases in muscle mass cause the body to use more energy, even at rest. Building muscle mass through resistance training can increase metabolism.
Reduces Cardiometabolic Disease Risk
Cardiometabolic disease refers to interrelated conditions, including coronary artery disease, hypertension, and type 2 diabetes. Regular exercise can decrease the risk of developing these conditions. Calisthenics for women, weightlifting, walking, or participating in sports all constitute physical activity that can decrease disease risk.
Research shows that performing 150 minutes of moderate-intensity exercise weekly can reduce coronary heart disease risk by 14%. Regular physical activity can lower the risk of type 2 diabetes by 30%–60%. One study showed that exercise positively impacted cardiometabolic health in overweight individuals.
Aerobic exercise, like zone 2 cardio and resistance training, can decrease visceral fat. This is the fat tissue that surrounds the organs, and high quantities are associated with stroke, heart disease, and diabetes. Decreasing visceral fat through cardio exercise and weight training can lower the risk of cardiometabolic disease.
Other Things To Keep In Mind
- Targeted muscles require 48–72 hours of recovery time between workouts. Following the scheduling recommendations helps you get the most from your workout. Insufficient rest can lead to muscle soreness and prevent muscles from working their potential.
- Adequate protein intake helps build and maintain muscle mass. The International Associate of Sports Nutrition advises that exercisers consume 1.4–2.0 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight daily. They also recommended protein intake occur every 3–4 hours throughout the day. Studies on menopause transition found that increasing protein intake by 1–3% helped weight management and lean muscle mass maintenance.
- Zone 2 cardio is done at 60–70% of your heart rate max. At this intensity, you should be able to maintain a steady breath and speak short phrases. Hyperventilating or inability to speak is a sign of pushing too hard. Muscles need a constant supply of oxygen to work effectively.
- When resistance training, focus on quality over quantity. Only complete as many reps per set as possible using proper form. Poor form increases the chance of injury and prevents optimal results.
Conclusion
There are countless benefits to be gained for women of all ages by engaging in this split routine. Following this eight-week beginner workout plan for women can help increase muscle and bone strength. It can also improve cardiovascular fitness and lower cardiometabolic disease risk.
Furthermore, cardio and resistance exercises and increasing muscle mass can all aid in weight management. Starting a workout program can benefit your health and quality of life now and in the future.
Frequently Asked Questions
Studies show that training volume is more important than training frequency. Strength goals can be achieved with 2–3 weekly training days if the volume is appropriate. One study found that single-set resistance training was sufficient to build strength in older women.
Developing muscle definition with resistance training can be done with sufficient training volume over a 3-day split. For muscle definition to show, diet and exercise are crucial in managing the fat tissue lying on top of the muscle.
It depends on your fitness goals. A 4-day split suits those looking to build muscle mass as it requires high-volume training. This schedule permits greater volume, with 2 days a week per major muscle group.
Muscles need 48–72 hours of recovery time between workouts. At least one rest day is recommended between full-body workouts. Alternatively, performing a workout split allows you to work out on consecutive days with adequate rest.
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About the Author
Tammy Hogan, PT, BA Personal Trainer & Yoga Instructor
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