5-Day Gym Workout Routine for Women

Women need a legitimate workout routine designed specifically to handle their needs while not skimping on substance. Women must train in the identical manner as men to progress while addressing some specific needs. That is why we built this awesome five-day workout routine for girls. This legitimate program is built specifically with women in mind to construct a robust, feminine body.

Why You Need A Gym Workout Routine As A Women

Women need a gym workout routine to optimize their health. While we have come a good distance, there can still be some stigma against women lifting weights and constructing muscle.

More often than not, talking a few “gym workout” immediately brings images of bulging muscles. Well, for one, constructing muscles is a really long process that takes years of dedication. This is very true for girls attributable to their hormones and much more true for the upper bodies of girls.

When women speak about “being bulky,” they typically consult with their upper body. Nonetheless, women naturally hold less muscle of their upper body, making it even harder to construct “bulky” muscles.

And second, there’s loads more explanation why women should follow a correct gym workout routine. Listed here are a number of reasons you must lift weights within the gym!

Construct Bone Strength

Yep! Resistance training can increase bone strength in a really similar manner to muscle growth. When a heavy load is placed on a bone vertically, it causes the bone to bend barely. This bend causes little micro breaks, that are then crammed with a compound generally known as osteoblasts. These osteoblasts fill the little holes and form into the bone, making a thicker, larger bone. 

Research has shown that one method to do that is thru load-bearing exercise¹. By load-bearing, we consult with a load placed on the bone vertically which can cause it to bow. For instance, the squat load is placed on the vertebrae and leg bones, while the bench press load is placed on the arm bone. 

Control Hormones

A working body is a healthy body, a significant a part of which is our hormones. Throughout life, we experience many stressors that may augment these levels. This might include:

• Environmental aspects
• Stress from work
• Normal aging
• Our food regimen 

Whatever the explanation, altering our hormones can have a spread of negative effects on our bodies. The excellent news is that there are things we will do to vary this. Among the finest ways to do that naturally is thru a life-style that features exercise and resistance training. 

Research has shown that consistent resistance training may help to control a girl’s hormone levels and help maintain healthy levels². The bottom line is consistency. Among the finest ways to remain consistent is to follow a program that keeps you on the right track. 

Improve Mood And Mental State

Within the classic film Legally Blonde (2001), Elle Woods famously said, “Exercise gives you endorphins. Endorphins make you completely satisfied. Completely happy people just don’t kill their husbands.” 

The thing is, she’s right! Well, not less than about exercise supplying you with endorphins! Actually, regular exercise promotes the discharge of a ton of various chemicals within the brain that affect our moods, like dopamine. You almost certainly even hear gymgoers talk concerning the gym’s therapeutic effect on their mental state.

The reality is that getting a superb gym workout is probably the greatest things we will do to enhance our well-being and self-worth. Multiple studies have shown that this is not just a figment of our imagination; it’s a scientific fact³.

Improve Body Composition And Body Shape

We love endurance training and firmly consider it needs to be a part of everyone’s fitness regime. Nonetheless, while it does an ideal job improving our cardiovascular system and burning calories, it doesn’t do an ideal job constructing muscle. That is where resistance training is available in. 

Yes, resistance training will help burn extra calories, but this just isn’t its primary function. Its primary function is to construct muscle. Give it some thought like this: cardio burns calories, and resistance training builds muscle. 

This makes a gym workout routine crucial for a lady because not only will it improve her overall body composition, but it’ll also help her construct curves and a robust body. 

Gym Training Variables For Women

Before we discuss the actual program, we wish to clarify its layout and discuss a few of its special variables. We predict it’s crucial for somebody to have some basic understanding of a program to take advantage of it. 

Glutes, Hips & Legs

It’s no secret that a significant area of concern for girls is the lower half, including the glutes, thighs, and legs. Subsequently, whilst you can be training the complete body, this program will favor these parts barely.

We are saying barely as this can still be a full-body workout routine. Nonetheless, it’ll be arranged to favor these body parts. What this implies is you are definitely going to coach your full body, nonetheless, you will work these muscles with more isolation and the ratio can be barely larger. This can allow more volume, which is the primary variable for muscle growth⁴.

Women Need To Lift Heavy! At Least Some…

Our muscles adapt in a different way to different stimuli. Endurance, light loads, and high loads all have different effects on muscle adaptations. Generally, moderate reps of 8-12 are higher for muscle, while heavier a great deal of 1-6 are higher for strength. Nonetheless, there’s loads of crossover. 

You can easily argue that heavier loads are more necessary for strength than moderate loads are for muscle growth⁵.

This just means that you could increase muscle mass with any rep scheme, while strength responds significantly higher to those lower loads. 

Subsequently, we wish to introduce some heavy lifting on this workout plan for girls. Generally speaking, women have been more leery of using these heavier loads, so whilst you’re not going to be performing 1 rep max efforts, you should have 6 reps programmed for a few of your greater compound lifts. 6 reps is the center ground between strength and muscle growth, nevertheless it’s a pleasant “entry” weight for strength training. 

Lifting with these loads offers a ton of advantages:

• Increase muscle strength
• Increase bone strength
• Improve joint stability 

Core, Core, Core!

Along with your lower body, the core is one other major concern for girls. Subsequently, we are going to follow the identical considering as we did with the glutes and legs. We are going to remember to have loads of core work on this program. 

It is important to appreciate that you could spend an excessive amount of time in your core, so don’t expect any “core days.” Nonetheless, this program will include a good amount strategically to enable you create the form you would like.

Upper Body

Yep, you are also going to get some awesome upper-body training! Again, women have tended to steer away from upper body training, generally from a fear of getting bulky. You will not get bulky but will get strong with upper body training! Everyone needs this, nevertheless it’s actually very necessary for girls, as women are naturally weaker of their upper bodies.

This can primarily include major compound lifts and a few isolation work in the shape of supersets and circuits.

Conditioning & Supersets

This body will profit from various conditioning workouts and supersets. This five-day gym workout routine gives you a variety of time within the gym, so we’ll make sure you take advantage of it.

Using supersets and circuits will assist you to get a variety of work in and increase your heart rate. As well as, conditioning will help burn more calories while supplying you with a crazy total body workout.

To be clear, this conditioning will include things like sled work and stair climbing. This will even assist you to train your muscles and provides them extra work. 

The 5-Day Gym Workout Routine For Women

We’re now going to put out your 5-day workout routine. We’ll first lay out the training sessions after which go over how you will run them with a bit more detail. 

Your program will use an upper/lower split on 4 days, with a fifth day of just conditioning. As mentioned, the conditioning will include anaerobic exercises comparable to sled work and kettlebells.

Session 1 (Lower):

1. Squat: 3X6
2. Hip Thrust: 3X8-10
3. Romanian Deadlift: 3X8-10
4. Step Ups (Weighted Or Body): 50
5. Banded Goblet Squat x Side Lunge: 2-3 sets X 8-10 RPE8
6. Reverse Decline Crunch: 3X8-12 w/1:00 rest

Note for Exercise 5 (Superset):

• While you see “2-3” for sets, you possibly can determine based in your needs.
• Use same dumbbell or kettlebell weight for each movements.

Session 2 (Upper):

1. Bench Press: 3X6
2. Chin-Up: 3X6-8
3. Dumbbell Push Press: 3X10 w/ 1:00 rest
4. Face Pull x Tricep Pushdown: 3X8-12 (each)
5. High Pull x Rope Hammer Curl: 3X8-12 (each)
6. Overhead Carry: 5X10m w/:30-1:00 rest
7. Ab Rollout: 3-5XRPE8 w/1:00 rest

Note for Rollouts: Will be tough so progress based on your ability. This will likely mean you begin doing 5 sets of two reps which is positive.

Session 3 (Lower):

1. Deadlift Or Elevated Deadlift: 3X6
2. Bulgarian Split Squat: 3X8-10/leg
3. Leg Press: 3X15-20
4. Lying Leg Curl: 3X10-12
5. Cable Hip Abduction x Cable Kickbacks: 3X10-12 (each)
6. Back Extension: 3X12-15 w/:30-1:00 rest
7. V-Ups: 3XRPE8 w/:30-1:00 rest

Note for Deadlift: Place the deadlift on a raised surface of 2-4” height comparable to plates.

Session 4 (Upper):

1. Seated Dumbbell Press: 3X8
2. Lat Pulldown: 3X8-10
3. Seated Cable Row x Pushups: 3X8-10 // RPE8
4. Chest Fly x Rear Fly: 2-3X8-10
5. Triceps Pushdown x EZ Curl: 2-3X8-12
6. Pallof Press + Twist: 3X5 (Slow Reps) w/1:00 rest

Session 5 (Conditioning):

1. Stair Climber: 10:00 min (Climb as high as possible)
2. Kettlebell Swings: 5X10-20* w/ :30-1:00 rest
3. Sled Push: 5X10 meters (Ramp up weight) w/1:00 rest
4. Sled Pull: 5X10 meters (Ramp up weight) w/ 1:00 rest
5. Flutter Kicks x Mountain Climber: 5X50 reps (Each, minimal rest between exercises)
6. Cycle: 5X 1:00:1:00 min intervals with 70%:90% intensity

Notes:

• Select appropriate weight and reps you’re comfortable with
• Exercise 5 is a superset, and every leg is one rep.
• If there’s a body part you desire to goal comparable to your glutes, you possibly can throw some isolation here. For instance, triceps kickback, bicep curl, glute kickback, clam shells, etc.

Progressing On This 5-Day Workout Routine

Progressing within the workout routine will use the fundamentals of progressive overload. Progressive overload is the basic lifting principle that step by step places greater stress on the muscles⁶. By doing this, you place simply enough stress on the muscle to stimulate muscle growth while not being a lot that you could’t recuperate.

Concerning rest, we’ll also provide the remainder times below for the several rep schemes. Nonetheless, a few of the exercises have specific rest times in this system, so those will use those listed.

Straight Sets (3X6, 3X8, etc)

While you see an exercise with straight sets, comparable to 3×6 or 3×8, your primary technique of progressive overload can be adding weight every week. This can be about 5 lbs for upper body movements and 10 lbs for lower body movements. Nonetheless, you possibly can alter this as essential.

If needed, you should utilize cluster sets whenever you jump in weight if it’s good to. For instance, let’s say you’re doing bench press, and you simply jump to 120lbs but can’t do 6 reps. You would do:

• 3 reps
• Rest 15s
• 3 reps

For rest between sets, give yourself 2:00 on these exercises.

Range Of Reps (3X8-10, 3X10-12, etc)

You’ll use each load and reps whenever you see a spread of reps, comparable to 6-8 or 8-10. Use a load that permits you to perform the prescribed exercise with the lower reps, comparable to 8 reps for 8-10 or 10 reps for 10-12.

You’ll then increase your reps weekly until you possibly can perform the prescribed rep scheme with the utmost reps. Next, add some weight and return to the lower reps. For instance, that is how 3X8-10 might look.

• Week 1: 3X8 w/ 100lbs
• Week 2: 3X9 w/ 100lbs
• Week 3: 3X10 w/ 100lbs
• Week 4: 3X8 w/105lbs. 

For rest, give yourself 1:30

Single Number (i.e. 50)

Some exercises may have a set number, comparable to 50. For these, you’ll perform the prescribed Variety of reps within the fewest sets. The following week, you possibly can increase the reps to 60 or hold a bit weight, depending on how you are feeling that day. 

For these, you’ll complete the Variety of reps as fast as possible using good form.

RPE8

RPE8 simply means a “rate of perceived exertion” of 8. This implies you’ll perform an exercise until you reach about 80% failure. On this program, we’re using this primarily with body weight movements, as providing a selected number isn’t effective. For instance, if we said “8 push-ups”, that is likely to be easy for some and not possible for others. 

For rest, you should utilize 1:30. 

Supersets

For supersets, you’ll use the next scheme whatever the reps.

• Exercise 1
• Rest 30 seconds
• Exercise 2
• 30 seconds
• Exercise 1
• Con’t 

Extra Conditioning Or Warm-Up

If you could have time for extra conditioning or warm-up ideas, listed here are some good ideas you possibly can throw in.

• Stairclimber: At all times great for a superb lower body warm-up while targeting the glutes
• Assault bike: These can work well for an upper body warm-up or as total body conditioning
• Rower: Just like the assault bike, these can work rather well for an upper-body warm-up or total body conditioning
• Jump rope: Easy and effective. Start by knocking out 100 people every session before or after, and go from there.
• Sled: We love the sled because it means that you can overload the whole body at max intensity yet is comparatively secure. The gym is mostly very secure, however the sled uses mechanics to mitigate risk further.
• Carries: This includes front carries, farmer carries, and overhead carries.

Final Say On Your 5-Day Gym Workout Program

That is it in case you’re searching for a 5-day gym workout routine to present you results. It provides proper gym training that doesn’t hold back yet addresses women’s special needs. You’ll must put in the trouble, but you’ll get the outcomes you would like!

Related:

• 3-Day Gym Workout Routine for Women
• 4-Day Gym Workout Routine for Women

References:

1. Hong, A. R., & Kim, S. W. (2018). Effects of Resistance Exercise on Bone Health. Endocrinology and Metabolism, 33(4), 435. https://doi.org/10.3803/enm.2018.33.4.435‌
2. Copeland, J. L., Consitt, L. A., & Tremblay, M. S. (2002). Hormonal Responses to Endurance and Resistance Exercise in Females Aged 19-69 Years. The Journals of Gerontology Series A: Biological Sciences and Medical Sciences, 57(4), B158–B165. https://doi.org/10.1093/gerona/57.4.b158‌
3. McLafferty, C. L., Wetzstein, C. J., & Hunter, G. R. (2004). Resistance Training is Related to Improved Mood in Healthy Older Adults. Perceptual and Motor Skills, 98(3), 947–957. https://doi.org/10.2466/pms.98.3.947-957
4. Figueiredo, V. C., de Salles, B. F., & Trajano, G. S. (2017). Volume for Muscle Hypertrophy and Health Outcomes: The Most Effective Variable in Resistance Training. Sports Medicine, 48(3), 499–505. https://doi.org/10.1007/s40279-017-0793-0
5. Schoenfeld, B. J., Ratamess, N. A., Peterson, M. D., Contreras, B., Sonmez, G. T., & Alvar, B. A. (2014). Effects of Different Volume-Equated Resistance Training Loading Strategies on Muscular Adaptations in Well-Trained Men. Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research, 28(10), 2909–2918. https://doi.org/10.1519/jsc.0000000000000480
6. Krzysztofik, M., Wilk, M., Wojdała, G., & Gołaś, A. (2019). Maximizing Muscle Hypertrophy: A Systematic Review of Advanced Resistance Training Techniques and Methods. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 16(24), E4897. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph16244897‌