Weight Lifting Schedule for Women (Intermediate & Advanced)
The weight lifting schedules in this article incorporate strength training and cardio exercises. The workouts progress as follows:
The first workout plan is for intermediates, and the last is for advanced women who enjoy combining weight lifting and HIIT. If you would like to start right from the beginning, you will find the beginner’s strength training workout over here.
The wonderful thing about the workout routines below is that they will help you build muscle and burn fat even after the workout, no matter your fitness level.
Intermediate weight lifting schedule
This second option is for you if you’re on a quest for a leaner and stronger version of yourself.
The progressive strength training in this intermediate workout plan will help you build and maintain muscle mass and improve bone health.
Women need healthy bones more than men do because estrogen levels drop with age, increasing the risk of fractures and osteoporosis.
Lifting weights helps women preserve muscle mass, promotes the development of new bone cells, and ultimately increases bone size, strength, and mineral density.
Rest periods: Rest for 30-45 seconds between each exercise.
Equipment: You will need a kettlebell, bench, or chair and three to four pairs of dumbbells in different weights that you can comfortably lift without compromising your form.
Cardio options: Alternate between low-intensity and moderate-intensity cardio on different days.
Cardio activities can include walking, jogging, cycling, swimming, aerobics, spinning, hiking, or any other activity that you enjoy.
What x3 means: This indicates that you should perform the set of exercises three times before moving on to the next one.
For example, squats 12×3 means that you would do 12 squats, rest for 30 seconds, then do another 12, rest for 30 seconds again, and then do the final 12.
Begin with a warm-up before your session, and be sure to stretch afterward to cool down properly.
Monday- Chest, shoulders, triceps & cardio
- Dumbbell chest press 12×3
- Tricep extensions 12×3
- Lateral raises 12×3
- Dumbbell chest flys 12×3
- Push-ups 12×3
- Arnold press 12×3
- Tricep kickbacks 12×3
- 20 minutes of cardio
Tuesday- Legs
- Walking lunges 12×3
- Sumo squats 12×3
- Dumbbell Romanian deadlifts 12×3
- Side-lying hip abductors 12×3
- Kettlebell swings 12×3
- Dumbbell squats 12×3
- Hip thrusts 12×3
- Standing calf raises 12×3
Wednesday- Back and biceps
- Dumbbell bent over row 12×3
- Bicep curls 12×3
- Renegade rows 12×3
- Concentration curls 12×3
- One-arm dumbbell row 12×3
- Reverse curls 12×3
- 20 minutes cardio
Thursday- Chest, abs and triceps
- Dumbbell chest press 12×3
- Tricep dips 12×3
- Planks 60-sec x3
- Decline push-ups 12×3
- Skull crushers 12×3
- Side planks 60-sec x3
- Floor leg raises 12×3
- Crunches 12×3
- 30 minutes cardio
Friday- Legs, back and biceps
- Reverse lunges 12×3
- Dumbbell deadlifts 12×3
- Bicep curls 12×3
- Dumbbell squats 12×3
- Kettlebell swings 12×3
- Single-arm dumbbell bent-over rows 12×3
- Hip thrusts 12×3
- Side lunges 12×3 Supermans 12×3
Saturday and Sunday – Rest
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Advanced weight lifting schedule
This final section of the weekly workout schedule is for women who want to be in the best shape of their lives.
If you’re looking to push yourself with a combination of HIIT and weightlifting, you will enjoy this section of the workout plan.
Equipment: You will need a kettlebell, a bench, and three to four pairs of dumbbells in different weights.
Warm up and stretch: Start with a warm-up before your session and stretch afterward to cool down.
Some of the exercises have repetitions (reps), while others don’t. For exercises that have reps, you will do the full reps and then rest for 20-30 seconds before moving to the next exercise. You will perform 12 reps of each exercise and rest for 20 seconds before moving to the next set.
For example, perform 30 mountain climbers, rest for 20 seconds, and then move to the next exercise.
Monday – Chest, shoulders, triceps & HIIT
- 20 mountain climbers
- 20 Jumping jacks
- Dumbbell chest press x3
- Tricep kickbacksx3
- Arnold press x3
- 20 Jumping jacks
- 20 mountain climbers
- Dumbbell chest flys 12×3
- Tricep dips 12×3
- Lateral raises 12×3
- 20 jumping jacks
- 20 mountain climbers
Tuesday- Legs & HIIT
- 12 kettlebell swings
- 12 single-leg hops
- Lunges 12×3
- Sumo squats 12×3
- 12 kettlebell swings
- 12 single-leg hops
- Dumbbell Romanian deadlifts 12×3
- Side-lying hip abductors 12×3
- 12 kettlebell swings
- 12 single-leg hops
- Kettlebell swings 12×3
- Dumbbell squats 12×3
- Hip thrusts 12×3
- Standing calf raises 12×3
- 12 kettlebell swings
- 12 single-leg hops
Wednesday- Rest
Thursday- Back, biceps & HIIT
- 20 punches
- Dumbbell bent-over rows 12×3
- 20 punches
- Bicep curls 12×3
- 12 jumping jacks
- Renegade rows 12×3
- 12 jumping jacks
- Concentration curls 12×3
- 20 punches
- One-arm dumbbell rows 12×3
- 20 punches
- Reverse curls 12×3
- 12 jumping jacks
Friday- Legs, abs & HIIT
- 10 burpees
- Planks 60-sec x3
- Side planks 60-sec x3
- 10 burpees
- Floor leg raises 12×3
- Crunches 12×3
- 10 burpees
- Side lunges 12×3
- Sumo squats 12×3
- Sumo deadlifts 12×3
- 10 mountain climbers
- Side-lying hip abductors 12×3
- Split squats 12×3
- Glute bridges 12×3
- 10 mountain climbers
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