A Woman's workout program. Need a critique of this one...

[frorider6]

My buddy worked this up for my girlfriend. She's mainly done cardio in the past with some machines. She has recently begun lifting free weights. I want to know if this is a good program for her. She doesn't want to "get bulky" (I know, like she could ). She just wants to gain muscle at the same rate she loses fat. Probably about a 5 lbs transfer.

Anyway, Ladies I love to hear your opinions on this workout and what he says at the bottom...

Monday

Warm-up
10 minutes on Treadmill
(Fast walk or slow jog 2 min., Stride the rest)

No Rest

5 minutes Bike
(Medium to hard level, as fast as you can)

Walking Lunges
4 sets or 12 -15
30 seconds between sets

Leg Curls
4 set of 10-12
Slow Up and Slow down
30 seconds between sets

Dumbbell Squats
4 sets of 10-12 (no heavy weights)
Slow Up and Slow down
30 seconds between sets

Assisted Pull-ups
(Machine)
2 sets to failure
1 minute between sets

Bent Over Rows (light)
Slow Up and Slow down
3 sets of 10-12
30 seconds between sets

Lat Pull-Downs
Slow Up and Slow down
3 sets of 10-12


Finish with 10 to 15 minutes of cardio

Tuesday

Warm-up
10 minutes on Treadmill
(Fast walk or slow jog 2 min., Stride the rest)

No Rest

5 minutes Bike
(Medium to hard level, as fast as you can)

Reverse Lunges
4 sets or 12 -15
30 seconds between set

Squats Rack Standing Caves
6 sets of 10-15
30 seconds between set

Declined Dumbbell Curls
3 sets of 12-15
30 seconds between set

Barbell Curls
3 sets of 12-15
30 seconds between set

Triceps, Cable Pull Downs
3 sets of 12-15
30 seconds between set

Bench Dips
3 sets of 12-15
30 seconds between set

Finish with 10 to 15 minutes of cardio

Wednesday
Cardio Day (30 - 45 Minutes)
Any kind of cardio you want to do

Abs/Lower Back

Thursday

Warm-up
10 minutes on Treadmill
(Fast walk or slow jog 2 min., Stride the rest)

No Rest

5 minutes Bike
(Medium to hard level, as fast as you can)

Side to Side Lunges
4 sets or 12 -15
30 seconds between sets

Dumbbell Bench Presses
3 sets of 12-15
30 seconds between set

Dumbbell Incline
3 sets of 12-15
30 seconds between set

Dumbbell Military Presses
3 sets of 12-15
30 seconds between set

Dumbbell Side Raises
3 sets of 12-15
30 seconds between set

Bench Dumbbell Bent Over Rows
3 sets of 12-15
30 seconds between set

Finish with 10 to 15 minutes of cardio

Friday

Cardio Day (30 - 45 Minutes)
Any kind of cardio you want to do

Abs/Lower Back

This is a Fat Burning and Firming Workout, the secret is not getting very much
rest so you are burning calories every work-out. Your Muscles are not
getting that much rest thought the week, so you do not gain size, you get
lean.

Make sure and drink alot of water thoughout the day.

 

[Gladiola]

I never do cardio before weights...not even to warm up. The muscle is easier to rip if it's not inflated with blood and oxygen. If she wants to loosen up, tell her to stretch. I stretch before the workout, between sets, and after.

I thought you couldn't effectively stretch 'cold' muscles? With the blood not flowing & joints not lubricated, couldn't you actually do damage trying to stretch? I don't do *cardio* before lifting, but I sit on the bike for 5 min at a moderate pace & just move a bit in my upper body to get the blood flowing - like doing bicep curls against nothing. (yes, I'm sure I look silly!). Then one very light set, then stretch, then GO.

Isn't it best to rest 60 seconds b/t sets?

Isn't it also best to do compound movements (squats) before more isolated moves (leg curls).

As far as going "slow up slow down", I've always read it's best to mix up slow eccentrics, super slow, more powerful, isometrics, partials, etc. Not always going slow.

"This is a Fat Burning and Firming Workout, the secret is not getting very much rest so you are burning calories every work-out. Your Muscles are not getting that much rest thought the week, so you do not gain size, you get lean."

I gotta say, this is kinda funny. As Spatts said, don't you get "lean" by losing body fat? Don't you get "firm" by BUILDING muscle. Why do all that lifting if you're not resting to let the muscles recover/rebuild/grow?

As far as gaining size, it doesn't happen overnight anyway. If it *does* start to happen, she can always just back off on the weights.

 

[new@gettinbig]

Why does this program have lunges every day?? Doing light weights is not going to get her "tone" she needs to do a more realistic training split...chest/back, legs, arms/shoulders..she can do it a number of different ways.. I would not work back and legs together like how you have it above! I would choose 3-4 exercises per bodypart and do 3 sets of 8-10..heavy as she can train..lifting heavy will not get her BULKY! if it were that easy women would all look like Vicki Gates...let her know these women are on juice in order to achieve that type of body..will not happen for her!

What does her diet look like? Diet is 90% of getting "tone"

 

[frorider6]

Ladies, once again you have proven how awesome you are. This workout was given to me by my friend/lifting partner. I think he got it from his ex-girlfriend (who I've never met) that is supposed to be some fitness competitor. I'll try to address as many points as I can.

Wow...I don't know where to start.

Getting lean is about diet, not about how much weight is lifted/how often.


I think she understands this to a point, but not fully. She has a lot of "popular" ideas about women's fitness that are deeply ingrained.

Does she understand that she can't target burn bodyfat? Is that why the legs are on all three days? Is there a misconception that she will burn lower body fat by working her lower body?


Again, I think she knows she can't target burn, but maybe not fully.


Also, maybe this is just me, but I never do cardio before weights...not even to warm up. The muscle is easier to rip if it's not inflated with blood and oxygen. If she wants to loosen up, tell her to stretch. I stretch before the workout, between sets, and after.


I agree with what Gladiola says about warming up before stretching. Cold muscle are more prone to damaga. I always recommend 5 minutes moderate cardio before stretching.


________________________________________________

Here's what I would suggest:

Weights alternating heavy one week and moderate the next:

Monday: legs
Tusday: back and rear delt
Wednesday: off
Thursday: Chest and tri's
Friday: shoulders and bis
Saturday: abs

On, for example Thursday, do shoulders light and bis heavy (start with the heavy) and then the next week shoulders heavy and bi's light. Heavy being about 90% of max and light being about 60% of max.

Cardio 5-7 days a week first thing in the morning OR AFTER WEIGHTS. Moderate intensity, moderate speed, longer duration: walk up hill at 15% grade, 2.5 mph, for 60 min...point being, keep the heart rate between 135-140. I aadded a second cardio session in the evenings, 20-30 min, and straight protein after that, if one session and a clean diet aren't cutting it.


I like your workout. The only problem I see with her is she won't like the level of cardio intensity. When she runs, she runs fast. She loves it. I talked her into doing intervals on the treadmill. 1 minute near full sprint, 2-3 minutes jog. She loved it but wanted to continue her 45-60 minute runs instead of the 30 minutes I recommended for intervals. It took a lot of convincing to get her to lower her time.




My cutting diet looked like this:

http://home.swbell.net/arkaynen/cutting.xls

You would, of course, have to alter the times by when she trains, and cycle the carbs 3 days low (50-75g) and 2 days high (150g).

There's nothing wrong with a three day split. My point is that muscles grow while they're recovering, not while you're working them, so let them heal.

 

[frorider6]

I thought you couldn't effectively stretch 'cold' muscles? With the blood not flowing & joints not lubricated, couldn't you actually do damage trying to stretch? I don't do *cardio* before lifting, but I sit on the bike for 5 min at a moderate pace & just move a bit in my upper body to get the blood flowing - like doing bicep curls against nothing. (yes, I'm sure I look silly!). Then one very light set, then stretch, then GO.



I totally agree with this. I've spent enough time in physical therapy to have this concept drilled into me.

Isn't it also best to do compound movements (squats) before more isolated moves (leg curls).


I thought so too.


As far as going "slow up slow down", I've always read it's best to mix up slow eccentrics, super slow, more powerful, isometrics, partials, etc. Not always going slow.


Sounds about right. I should mix it up more than I do.



As far as gaining size, it doesn't happen overnight anyway. If it *does* start to happen, she can always just back off on the weights.

I know. We've gone round and round and round with this one. I keep trying to tell her it won't happen overnight but I'm fighting against so many other influences.

 

[frorider6]

Why does this program have lunges every day?? Doing light weights is not going to get her "tone" she needs to do a more realistic training split...chest/back, legs, arms/shoulders..she can do it a number of different ways.. I would not work back and legs together like how you have it above! I would choose 3-4 exercises per bodypart and do 3 sets of 8-10..heavy as she can train..lifting heavy will not get her BULKY! if it were that easy women would all look like Vicki Gates...let her know these women are on juice in order to achieve that type of body..will not happen for her!


Once again, I try to convince her of this. I tried to put her on a split like you said, working every major group once per week but she said that wasn't enough. I finally talked her into an upper body/lower body split where she works out 2x/week per group.




What does her diet look like? Diet is 90% of getting "tone"

Her diet is good except for the glass of wine she like to drink with dinner. She cooks for herself, limits restraunt food, etc. She says she would just rather work out harder than limit her diet too much

 

[VooDoo Lady]

She says she would just rather work out harder than limit her diet too much

How many of us (myself included) thought we were going to be the ONE EXCEPTION and this philosophy was actually going to work for us?

 

[frorider6]

How many of us (myself included) thought we were going to be the ONE EXCEPTION and this philosophy was actually going to work for us?

I know I know.

She does really have a great body and build, so she is doing some things right. However, I think she could have a smokin' hot body with a little different stategy.

Can you guys tell I'm a bit smitten with her?

 

[Gladiola]

How many of us (myself included) thought we were going to be the ONE EXCEPTION and this philosophy was actually going to work for us?

Well, when you say she doesn't want to "limit" her diet, I thought you might have meant caloric intake. I eat about 90% clean & I eat like a darn pig. I eat & eat & eat... I still rarely exceed 2,000 cal per day & when I do exceed that, it's on days I did cardio & strength.

My vices: low-fat wheat thin crackers, & I sometimes eat my baked chicken with canned diced tomatoes or bread crumbs. That's my un-clean stuff on non-cheat days. I think I'm being not-super strict, but I don't think those items are as significant as my diet mistakes used to be!!! (not enough protein & fat!)

Frorider, I know EXACTLY what you mean with ""popular" ideas about women's fitness that are deeply ingrained." It is quite tough to abandon what you've always heard!

As far as the running... I think if she did that 1X per week it isn't necessarily too detrimental - particularly if she has enough carbs so her glycogen stores support the activity & her body doesn't have to go catabolic for fuel.

I'm just a big worry wart, but I wouldn't want to 1. try to convince someone to drop what they always believed about fitness AND 2. ask them to drop what the ENJOY about fitness. I'd hate to see someone frustrated & walk away from fitness altogether. That make sense?

 

[frorider6]

Hope she reaches her goals....does she compete at the local/state/ level? OR has she EVER competed?

She's never competed. She doesn't have the build for that. She has a nice firm body, but she does have just enough bodyfat to hide her muscle definition.

And I'm not sure she could ever compete. She was sick as a baby and had to have stomach surgery. So she has a scar horizontally across her midsection. She has a nice flat tummy, no pooch, but I'm not sure how her "6 pack" would look if she were to develop it.

 

[frorider6]

I'm just a big worry wart, but I wouldn't want to 1. try to convince someone to drop what they always believed about fitness AND 2. ask them to drop what the ENJOY about fitness. I'd hate to see someone frustrated & walk away from fitness altogether. That make sense?

I would never try to convince her to stop running. I was just trying to get her to adjust how she runs. And she actually like my way better now.

 

[Raina]

I completely agree that as women there's are fitness messages drilled into us that just seem like second nature. So much of that stuff is BS though. Eating a high carb, low fat, low calorie diet and doing a lot of cardio did nothing for me other than leave me feeling really tired and unhappy with my body.

As someone who's had serious issues with food for a looong time, I always payed attention to calories and fat. I pretty much was always hungry and when I ate it was a lot of carbs. I fed off my lean mass and pushed up my body fat with carb/sugar. As a result I ended up a bitty little "fat" girl. Eating clean really is a lifestyle change more than a "diet". I don't really think it takes much longer than a couple of weeks to get used to it-- and now I eat like a horse. My bf commented over the weekend that it seems like I'm always eating. It's awesome. I have so much more energy and I am surprised daily that I can eat SO much more (and better) than I used to without increasing body fat. I don't have to deprive myself to have the body I want-- that almost goes against everything I grew up thinking about fitness.

I like to do maybe 5-10 minutes of light cardio (usually bike) before I work out. It warms me up a little. I do 20 minutes of cardio after I lift too. I used to workout like your girlfriend does and I was never happy with how I looked. I have to say that now that I'm on a weekly split, I'm much happier with how my body feels and I give it adequate time to rest and heal before I work specific muscle groups again. There are a lot of splits she can try. I lift 3 days a week (chest/shoulder, back/bi/tri, legs) with a cardio day (usually swimming for an 45-60 minutes twice a week and doing a 30 minute high intensity running interval the other day) in between. For me, this is just right but I think everyone is different and should do what's best for them. I am also a big fan of lifting heavy. I really like to feel my workout for a day or two afterwards and I don't feel like I've done anything if I haven't pushed myself. Try to drill it into her head that really working her muscles with lower reps and higher weight will not make her bulky-- it'll just make her more firm and she'll likely be happier with how her clothes fit.

Like everyone said though, diet is key. My little sister is a college athlete. She works out like a mad woman-- more than I could ever handle-- and her body fat sucks because she eats a really high carb crappy diet. If she ate clean, she'd be SO amazing.

Encourage her to set goals. Has she had her bf taken?? That might help. My goal right now is to drop bf while building/maintaining lean mass. It's a much better goal than my old "I want to drop 10 pounds". I'd do so by depriving my body and losing muscle. I was never happy with it. Now I realize that I can put on muscle weight, drop size, and generally be more content with what I see in the mirror. In the past month or so my entire concept of weight has changed. Yet another thing that does contrary to those ingrained women's fitness myths-- it is definately possible for me to be a little size 4 fat-ass.

Hope you figure out something that works well for her that she'll also enjoy.