Ladies who lift heavy: What is a typical weekly routine?

BIW2012
BIW2012 Posts: 97 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
Ladies who lift heavy: What is a typical weekly workout routine for you? I'm recently started lifting in the gym. Up until now I've done running and HIIT with weights, but not really heavy weights. I've been given a program by the gym I joined but it seemed a bit templated rather than personalised.

Obviously your plan will be tailored to you, and I won't necessarily copy it, but I'm curious about how to manage muscle groups i.e do I do leg day, then upper body day, then a cardio day, then repeat?

My goals are to lose fat, build muscle and keep up my cardio/running fitness with a few cardio workouts each week.

TIA xx

Replies

  • Achrya
    Achrya Posts: 16,913 Member
    I would suggest picking a beginner program (Strong Curves, Stronglifts 5x5, New Rules of Lifting for Women, Starting Strength) reading up and going for it.

    I'm doing Strong Curves, personally, which is full body 3 days a week, and then I do 2 active cardio days and try to stay activeish on the weekends.
  • BIW2012
    BIW2012 Posts: 97 Member
    Thanks for sharing :) I'm really interested in reading New Rules For Women but it'll take me a little while to get through it and I'm paying for my gym membership now.
  • Achrya
    Achrya Posts: 16,913 Member
    Thanks for sharing :) I'm really interested in reading New Rules For Women but it'll take me a little while to get through it and I'm paying for my gym membership now.


    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/560459-stronglifts-5x5-summary

    Is the link to the 5x5 summary (and the group Stronglifts for Women.) I did stronglifts for awhile, it's a simple but effective program.
  • mfp2014mfp
    mfp2014mfp Posts: 689 Member
    In for peoples thoughts :flowerforyou:
  • Serah87
    Serah87 Posts: 5,481 Member
    I walk 7 miles a day/6 days a week(Mon. thru Sat.) and I do heavy lifting 5 days a week (Mon. thru Fri.) alternating upper/lower body. I do the Stronglifts, plus adding some different lifts with it. Sundays are my rest days.
  • JTick
    JTick Posts: 2,131 Member
    Monday: Deadlifts and accessory work. Run a couple miles.

    Tuesday: Run

    Wednesday: Squat and accessory work.

    Thursday: Run

    Friday: OHP and Bench plus accessory work. Run a couple miles.

    Saturday: Long run

    Sunday: Off


    I am with the poster that recommends a beginner program. Winging it in the gym doesn't really work if you're a beginner. You'll waste a lot of time doing things that don't work in the long run.
  • SnuggleSmacks
    SnuggleSmacks Posts: 3,731 Member
    I started out with StrongLifts, which is super simple, but I got bored after about 6 weeks because there's only two routines. I switched to Strong Curves, which has 3 routines which changes every 4 weeks, and has a beginner, intermediate and expert level which last 12 weeks each. That's enough variety to keep me from being bored, and I'm telling ya, my butt is sore almost all the time. Also, it's looking amazing, along with my legs, and I'm developing some visible muscle along my back, shoulders and arms as well.
  • TheBookSiren2316
    TheBookSiren2316 Posts: 226
    I do James Grange's Rewired. I'm on week five and it's gotten a little too easy so I'm doubling the lifting in a day. I lift 5-7 days a week. Right now I'm lifting 1- 2 hours a day and doing 30-45 of cardio 6-7 days a week.

    http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/james-grage-rewired-9-week-fitness-trainer-main-overview.html
  • Willbenchforcupcakes
    Willbenchforcupcakes Posts: 4,955 Member
    I'm currently running smolov. So I've got 4 squat days, 2 bench days, a shoulder and back day, and shhhhhhhhhh a very light deadlift day. Total time in the gym is 7-9 hours a week.
  • meshashesha2012
    meshashesha2012 Posts: 8,329 Member
    My routine has changed a bit since I'm eating at a deficit and just dont have enough gas in the tank to really focus on strength. I waited until I progressed as much as I could eating at maintenance and then dropped calories. While i lose, i'm focusing on at least keeping the strength I have if i can push my max out a bit then that would be great too, but i seriously dont expect that to happen.

    anyway, here's my current schedule for August:


    Sunday : Full body work @ 50-60% of max and more reps : split squats, front squats, box squats, BB row, chest press, shoulder rehab stuff (this is like the only time i will use the 3 pound weights :laugh: )

    Monday: Rest or 60 minutes moderate intensity cardio (swimming, versaclimber, running or rowing)

    Tuesday : (80-95% of max) : 5/3/1 Deadlifts, back squats, pullup progression,bench press, OHP

    Wednesday : Weighted cardio focused on speed (weights are like 25% of max): Tuminello complex, kettlebell turkish get ups, KB swings, plate pushes

    Thursdays: Power cleans, OH squats, DB rows, lat pulldowns, DB bench press, mace swings, shoulder rehab stuff

    Fridays : 1 mile run + super foam rolling

    Saturdays Rest day, biyatches!! :glasses:

    I try to keep my workouts to 60 minutes total. if i have extra time then i'll either hit the gym's indoor track for a jog or will have extra concentrated stretch and foam rolling depending on what my body is saying that day

    looking at my schedule i'm depressed .. i wish i could deadlift 3 times a week :sad:

    next month i might add some plate pushes or increase the run on friday depending on how far under 10 minutes i get the mile run
  • brower47
    brower47 Posts: 16,356 Member
    Do a beginner program as has been suggested.

    But here's what I do roughly using the 5x5 lifting methods (been lifting fairly consistently for a year with a roughly 2.5 months of downtime last year). The running is a more recent addition since April when I started with C25K.

    Monday: Dead lifts, Pendalay Rows, Bench Press, Barbell Squats, Barbell Hip Thrusts
    Tuesday: Short run (4-5 miles)
    Wednesday: Stiff legged Dead lift, Incline Bench Press, Front Squats, Overhead Press, Reverse Barbell Lunges
    Thursday: Short run (4-5 miles)
    Friday: Dead lifts, Decline Bench Press, Pause Squats, Rolling Dumbbell Triceps Extensions, Barbell Hip Thrusts, Bench Dips/Toe raises
    Saturday: Long run (8 miles or more)
    Sunday: Active rest day so usually a long walk
  • MMarvelous
    MMarvelous Posts: 1,067 Member
    I did NROLFW and loved it. I will finish Jamie Eason's Live Fit 12 trainer tomorrow. I will start Simply Shredded weight training program on Aug 11 which is a 4 day lifting schedule that I will modify. This my schedule:

    Sun - Spin/WT
    Mon - Spin/Boot Camp
    Tue - Spin/WT
    Wed - Spin/WT
    Thur - Pilates
    Fri - Spin/WT (every other week)

    Good Luck!
  • levitateme
    levitateme Posts: 999 Member
    I started out doing stronglifts for 12 weeks and have upgraded to ice cream fitness (with some substitutions), which is basically stronglifts with accessory work.

    Workout A: Squat 5x5 , Bench Press 5x5, Bent over row (or cable row) 5x5, Barbell shrugs 3x8, Tricep press down (cable) 3x8, incline dumbbell curl 3x8, hyperextensions 2x10, Knee raise 2x10

    Workout B: Squat 5x5, Deadlift 5x5, Standing press 5x5, Lat pulldown 3x8, Close-grip bench press 3x8, Incline dumbbell curl 3x8, knee raise 2x10

    Workout B is supposed to have BOR -10% but I do lats instead. Ab work is supposed to be cable crunches but I like hanging knee raises. Tricep pressdowns can be substituted with skullcrushers or 2 handed dumbbell tricep raises. Shrugs can be done with dumbbells instead. I do my deadlifts 5x5 and then I do a few more single reps at higher weights.

    Consistency and routine is important when you're starting out. Stronglifts is a good program to start with and then when you gain functional strength you will want something more challenging. ICF is a long routine though. With warm ups it takes me an hour and a half.

    ETA: I work out MWF alternating those routines and do a 5 minute rowing warm up + warm up sets on low weight squats. On Sundays I usually go to the gym for an extra 30 minute cardio session and maybe some hip abduction.
  • kelly_e_montana
    kelly_e_montana Posts: 1,999 Member
    This is my usual routine:

    Monday: Deadlifts & accessory work,Crossfit, yoga
    Tuesday: Crossfit, bench & OHP
    Wednesday: yoga, squats (front & back, pause & regular)
    Thursday: Crossfit or 1 hour of hiking or running, 30-60 minutes of a variety of ever-changing core/gymnastic/stability work (examples: pull ups/dips, handstand holds, hollow holds, twists with kettlebells on a BOSU, some combo of lunges w/ light plates/pistol squat/overhead squats--depends on what I didn't do in Crossfit that week), back exercises (rows, shrugs, reverse flyes, etc.)
    Friday: Crossfit or hiking or sports conditioning class, shoulders, bis, & tris
    Saturday: Olympic lifting class for 2 hours w/occasional long hike, walk, yoga class, swimming, or cross country skiing--something fun!

    Sunday: REST!
  • milmomto2
    milmomto2 Posts: 84
    Bump
  • awomaame25
    awomaame25 Posts: 189 Member
    Mon-Squats, bench press, tricep ext
    Tue-deads, OHP,biceps, leg ext
    Wed-cardio 1-2hrs
    Repeat.
    Rest when I feel tired
  • ash190489
    ash190489 Posts: 587 Member
    Weight training looks a little bit like this.

    Mon: Chest & Tri's & abs
    Tues: Back & Bi's & abs
    Wed: Legs & Shoulders & abs
    Thurs: REST
    Fri: Upper Body
    Saturday: Lower Body
    Sunday: REST
  • ILiftHeavyAcrylics
    ILiftHeavyAcrylics Posts: 27,732 Member
    Do a beginner program. I've been lifting for a bit, so my program isn't going to be appropriate for someone just starting out.

    I do:
    Monday: Heavy bench 5x5, light OHP 4x6-8, rows 3x8-12, chin-ups AMRAP, skull crushers 3x8-12
    Tuesday: Heavy squats 5x5, light deadlifts 1x5, Bulgarian split squats 3x8-12, good mornings 3x12, hip thrusts 3x12
    Wednesday: rest
    Thursday: Heavy OHP 5x5, light bench 4x6-8, rows 3x12, pull-ups AMRAP, hanging leg raises AMRAP
    Friday: Light squats 4x6-8, Heavy deadlifts 1x5, lunges 3x8-12, hip thrusts 3x12, hamstring glute raises AMRAP
  • acpgee
    acpgee Posts: 8,003 Member
    I've been lifting off and on since the mid 80s, (but took most of the 90s off). My workout is probably still a little stuck in the 80s too, with more isolation than is recommended nowadays.

    My splits are loosely organized as push (bench, flies, pullovers, shoulder press, laterals), pull (rows, pulldowns, shrugs) and legs and arms. I really should add a core day. I just rotate between the four workouts daily. If short on time, I might split push into two different workouts for chest and shoulders. I don't have a rest day, but arm day is relatively light since it is all isolation.
  • shanaber
    shanaber Posts: 6,423 Member
    I have been lifting for about 3 years now and I also run. I typically run 6 days a week (4-5 miles/day plus one long run) and lift 2 days. I alternate legs and upper body but include ab work in as well. If I get in a 3rd strength workout it is typically a mix. Any of the programs mentioned would be good as a start but I would also consider getting a good trainer who can show you proper form so you know what it looks like and how it feels. I see way too many men and women lifting with terrible form (arched backs, shoulders rolling forward and throwing their arms or body around) and not using their core to stay rock solid in support of the lift. Having core strength and proper form will result in getting the most out of the lift and lessen the risk of injury.

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