How to Build a Woman's Routine?

Training
1

Hello all,

I’ve noticed a lot of folks obviously desire better health and fitness, but are extremely lazy in funny mental ways. As in, they would be willing to go work out, but they are too lazy to figure out a work routine and therefore never end up going. I really like getting people into going to the gym as I can see most people want it, but they just sometimes need a little push.

I’ve helped a few friends get into going to the gym by simplifying the process for them by either getting them to copy my routine for starters or if not an exact mirror, a slightly edited version which is very nearly the same. I have a few friends now who are consistently working out as a result. Some still use my routine and others have figured out their own, but the main thing is that they got into it with some sort of planned template.

Currently, however, I have a friend who is seeking my help but she is a lady and my workout routine is pretty heavy on the weights which she doesn’t want to do. My routine is as follows.

Everyday
Pushups x20
Situps x50
Squats x20
Showels x50 (I always forget the proper name for this exercise, but it’s a shoulder exercise you do using a towel or something else held taut between your hands)
One-armed pushups (naked warrior routine, i.e. 10 sets of 3 reps over a day)
One-legged squats (these are too easy now so I just knock out 30 in the morning)

Trifecta
Bridge Hold 1x10 sec Wrestler Hold 1x10 sec
L-Hold 4x5 sec
Full Twist 1x30 sec each side

Stretches
I won’t list them all, but usual stuff like touching toes, squating really low, chest and calves on the wall, so on.

Running
Alternate between
(A) 12 sets of 400m sprints at 14 km/hr
(B) 5 km none stop, variable speed

Leg Day
Squat
RDLs
Calf Raises

Pull Day
Deadlift
DB Rows
Pulldowns (Machine)
Reverse Curls
Ez Bar Curls

Push Day
Incline DB Press
DB Bench Press
DB Lateral Raises
Rear Dealt Flies (Machine)
Pushdowns (Machine)

I would really like to help her out, but I realize I don’t really know enough to give her a routine which will be interesting enough to keep her hooked. Just telling her to run everyday will probably have her get bored and give up on the second day. So far, I reckon she can probably do the same everyday stuff with little altering, but I think my 3 way split is too intense for her. I don’t think she wants to do bench presses and deadlifts which is a big focus for me. I do think she should do squats though as I have told her. I see lots of ladies at the gym do squats even if they are lighter weights than the fellas and I don’t think anyone gets “too muscly” by accident so I think her fears of becoming less feminine are a little silly. (I wish becoming the boss of the gym was so easy it could happen by accident!)

But I digress. So far, I haven’t got a clue on an interesting split to give her. Knowing her, I think a 3 day split will probably work best as she won’t be able to manage more than that in a week. Definitely running everyday. Squating on one of these days. I don’t know what else to add though. Kettle bell stuff? Lunges?

I would really appreciate some advice in this matter. I would very much so like to help her get into it, but I find that I really only have experience in figuring out routines for guys who generally have similar goals to myself. She just wants to be a bit slimmer (she isn’t fat, but she doesn’t do any cardio at all I am pretty sure which is why she is a little chubby at present) and I think being healthier will just be a pleasant side effect.

Thanks very much in advance.

2

If she will commit 3 days a week, I say make it a full body workout each day.

I think a program for women should be an asscentric program. So start each training day with Hydrants, Donkey Kicks, Glute Bridges, Single Leg Glute Bridges etc. Superset them with core stuff like Planks, Crunches, Leg Raises etc. Then transition into serious leg stuff but disguise it so she doesn’t freak out that she is going to become a mass monster. Romainian Deadlifts instead of Deadlifts, Goblet Squats instead of Squats, Bulgarian Split Squats. Those shouldn’t scare her and over weeks you can build her up to some heavy weight. The idea is you get her into the mind set that she is doing the girly stuff most women think they should be doing but by the end you sneak in the movements that build the good stuff.

Once you’ve done right by her ass you can move on to one or two pressing movements, two or three pulling movements, then finish her of with some raises, arms and calves.

3

[quote]BobtheRobot wrote:
I’ve helped a few friends get into going to the gym by simplifying the process for them by either getting them to copy my routine for starters or if not an exact mirror, a slightly edited version which is very nearly the same.[/quote]
Isn’t that making a (fairly large) presumption that your routine is anything close to ideal? Even without seeing the sets/reps you’re using.

[quote]Currently, however, I have a friend who is seeking my help but she is a lady and my workout routine is pretty heavy on the weights which she doesn’t want to do.
…
I would really like to help her out, but I realize I don’t really know enough to give her a routine which will be interesting enough to keep her hooked.[/quote]
Some very, very good advice in this article, along with a few potential routines:

Agreed. Plus, running everyday will do little to actually improve her physique.

Has she actually said this is a fear of hers or are you just thinking it’s what she’s thinking?

Why?

4

[quote]on edge wrote:
If she will commit 3 days a week, I say make it a full body workout each day.

I think a program for women should be an asscentric program. So start each training day with Hydrants, Donkey Kicks, Glute Bridges, Single Leg Glute Bridges etc. Superset them with core stuff like Planks, Crunches, Leg Raises etc. Then transition into serious leg stuff but disguise it so she doesn’t freak out that she is going to become a mass monster. Romainian Deadlifts instead of Deadlifts, Goblet Squats instead of Squats, Bulgarian Split Squats. Those shouldn’t scare her and over weeks you can build her up to some heavy weight. The idea is you get her into the mind set that she is doing the girly stuff most women think they should be doing but by the end you sneak in the movements that build the good stuff.

Once you’ve done right by her ass you can move on to one or two pressing movements, two or three pulling movements, then finish her of with some raises, arms and calves.[/quote]

Thanks.

[quote]Chris Colucci wrote:

[quote]BobtheRobot wrote:
I’ve helped a few friends get into going to the gym by simplifying the process for them by either getting them to copy my routine for starters or if not an exact mirror, a slightly edited version which is very nearly the same.[/quote]
Isn’t that making a (fairly large) presumption that your routine is anything close to ideal? Even without seeing the sets/reps you’re using.[/quote]

I’m only assuming that anything is better than nothing and that having any plan to follow will help them get started.

[quote]Chris Colucci wrote:

[quote]Currently, however, I have a friend who is seeking my help but she is a lady and my workout routine is pretty heavy on the weights which she doesn’t want to do.
…
I would really like to help her out, but I realize I don’t really know enough to give her a routine which will be interesting enough to keep her hooked.[/quote]
Some very, very good advice in this article, along with a few potential routines:

[/quote]

Thanks!

[quote]Chris Colucci wrote:

Agreed. Plus, running everyday will do little to actually improve her physique.
[/quote]

Yeah, you are right. I’ve been doing a lot of running lately for my cardio, but it’s also pretty important in the army so my mentality on it really doesn’t suit. Also, I am pretty sure it fucks up your joints (so I am told by trainers and veterans alike) but it’s just something I will have to suffer I guess.

[quote]Chris Colucci wrote:

Has she actually said this is a fear of hers or are you just thinking it’s what she’s thinking?
[/quote]

Yes, she has said it and has actively expressed a fear of getting too muscly/masculine as a result of doing weights. This isn’t an assumption.

[quote]Chris Colucci wrote:

Why?[/quote]
[/quote]

I was struggling to think of cardio other than that, but after thinking about it there are probably a lot of better things to be done.

5

Maybe show her Jamie Easons live fit trainer if she wants a program for women, that being said she can do any program that catches her interest, it doesnt have to be geared for women. She wont get big.