Beginner Strength Training Workout

Muscles burn fat even at rest. Therefore, a woman aiming to burn a significant number of calories should focus on three things.

1. A protein-rich diet to support muscle building and repair, 2. adequate rest to allow the body to recover, and finally, a strength training workout plan that promotes fat loss and builds lean muscle.

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Why you should do more strength training than cardio as a woman

Weight lifting helps build lean muscle. Because women have a lower amount of testosterone than men, lifting weights does not produce the same huge muscles as it does in men.

Instead, it will increase lean muscle (that toned look), which in turn boosts calorie burn during and after exercise, even at rest.

This happens because the body needs more energy to build and maintain muscle.

Unlike cardio, strength training workouts lead to a prolonged calorie burn for hours after the session due to the afterburn effect.

The afterburn effect takes place when the body uses additional oxygen to repair muscles that were stressed during the intense workout.

The strength training workouts are split into three sections and can be performed at home or in the gym, whichever you prefer.

Beginner weekly workout plan

This section is for beginners who are new to exercise. It’s important to listen to your body and pace yourself, especially if you are just starting out or haven’t exercised in a long time.

Experts recommend that beginners target 20 to 30 minutes of exercise per session, three to five days a week.

Rest periods: Rest for 45-60 seconds between each exercise. If five days feels like too much at first, skip one or two days and gradually increase your frequency as you become fitter.

Equipment: You will need a gym mat and one or two pairs of dumbbells.

What x2 or x3 means: This indicates that you should perform the set of exercises twice if it’s x2 or three times if it’s x3.

For example, lunges 8×2 means that you would do 8 lunges, rest for 45 or 60 seconds, and then do 8 more.

Warm-up: Each day before your workout session, you should warm up for 5 or 10 minutes to prepare your muscles for exercise.

Stretching: Stretch your muscles after each workout session.

Monday

• Step-ups 10×2
• Plie squats 10×2
• Side-lying hip abductors 10×2
• Lunges 10×2
• Squats 10×2
• Tricep dips 10×2
• Wall push-ups 10×2
• Tricep kickbacks 10×2
• Side lunges 10×2
• Wall sits 10×2

Tuesday – Rest

Wednesday

• Kettlebell swings 10×2
• Dumbbell deadlifts 10×2
• Glute bridges 10×2
• Donkey kicks 10×2
• Supermans 10×2
• Dumbbell rows 10×2
• Reverse flys 10×2
• Bicep curls 10×2 Reverse curls 10×2

Thursday – 30 minutes of cardio

Friday

• Dumbbell chest press 10×2
• Dumbbell chest fly 10×2
• Front raises 10×2
• Planks 30sec x2
• Crunches 10×2
• Toe taps 10×2
• Scissor kicks 10×2
• Russian twists 10×2
• Dumbbell lateral raises 10×2
• Dumbbell upright row 10×2

Saturday & Sunday – Rest

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