Hard Body Training for Women

You'll get stronger, faster, more powerful, and more resilient. The end result will be fat loss, more muscle in the right places, and a strong body.

This is the type of training I used with one of my clients who won her first two physique competitions this year, training without drugs, while having two kids and a full time job working construction.

Can Men Do It? Maybe, If They're Woman Enough

Can guys do this program? Sure, they can try.

Muscle is muscle and we're all the same species, but women don't have the same needs when it comes to building an aesthetic physique. They don't need to emphasize building the pecs. Instead, they need more focus on the glutes. And since they need muscular but not massive arms, tons of direct arm work isn't necessary.

Women also tend to have a higher pain tolerance when it comes to training. Females can recover faster between sets, and are able to sustain a higher volume of work during a session. So if you're a guy, you're welcome to try the program, but it will be even more uncomfortable for you!

The Basic Structure

The program calls for five mandatory training days per week with an optional sixth day. That extra day will help you get lean faster, but you'll get amazing results with just the five main workouts.

This program uses a cool concept: train the same muscles two days in a row. You hit them hard with heavy lifting the first day and then you do pump work for the same muscles the next day.

This actually facilitates recovery and lengthens the duration of the anabolic phase. Protein synthesis stays elevated for 24 hours post-training, but by having a second session the next day that's less traumatic, you extend protein synthesis significantly, thus building more muscle.

It's important that the second session is pump work and not heavy lifting, though. We don't want to cause any muscle damage on that second day. We only want to activate the cell signaling responsible for stimulating hypertrophy and pumping nutrients into the muscles.

I also include metabolic conditioning (metcon) to get you lean fast without risking the loss of muscle mass. The metcon will actually help you build more muscle while getting leaner.

Explosive work also plays a big role in the program. It increases the insulin sensitivity of muscle, making you more prone to storing ingested nutrients in the muscles instead of the fat cells. Additionally, explosive work gives the body a harder, more sculpted look by improving myogenic tone.

The schedule looks like this:

• Monday: Lower body strength/hypertrophy work
• Tuesday: Lower body pump complex/lower body metcon
• Wednesday: Upper body strength/hypertrophy work
• Thursday: Upper body pump complex/upper body metcon
• Friday: Optional sprint/energy systems session
• Saturday: Whole body explosive work
• Sunday: OFF

Load Progression

The program uses two main systems of progression: programmed progression and double progression.

Programmed progression refers to a cycle where the weights are planned in advance based on your 1RM. So you'll need to establish your maximum load for one technically solid rep on the back squat, push press, and power clean from the hang.

The percentages used during this whole program are all based on that 1RM.

Double progression is a system where you have a target rep range instead of a precise number of reps to do, 6 to 8, for example. You will use the same weight for all your work sets.

The goal is to be able to do all the work sets with the upper limit of the range (8 in our example) with the same weight. When you're able to do that, you increase the weight at your next session. If you can't get 8 reps for all of your work sets, that's fine, but it means that you'll keep the same weight during next week's workout.

So when you see a percentage given for an exercise below, it uses the planned progression. When you don't see a percentage, it means you'll use the double progression approach.

The Program

Monday

	Exercise	Wk	Sets x Reps	%1RM	Rest
A	Box Jump		3 x 10
B	Back Squat	1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10	5 x 4 5 x 5 5 x 6 3 x 3 5 x 3 6 x 3 3 x 3 3 x 2 3 x 3 Test Max	80% 80% 80% 90% 90% 90% 95% 100% 100%	75 sec. 90 sec. 2 min. 2 min. 2 min. 90 sec. 90 sec. 2 min. 2 min.
C1	Superslow Eccentric Back Squat * squat down in 6 seconds, stand up fast	1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10	5 x 4 5 x 5 5 x 6 3 x 3 5 x 3 6 x 3 3 x 3 3 x 2 3 x 3 None	60% 60% 60% 70% 70% 70% 75% 80% 80%	30 sec. 30 sec. 30 sec. 30 sec. 30 sec. 30 sec. 30 sec. 30 sec. 30 sec.
C2	Dumbbell Jump Squat * using 20-30% of your body weight	1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10	5 x 4 5 x 5 5 x 6 3 x 3 5 x 3 6 x 3 3 x 3 3 x 2 3 x 3 None	20% 25% 30% 20% 25% 30% 20% 25% 30%	90 sec. 90 sec. 90 sec. 90 sec. 90 sec. 90 sec. 90 sec. 90 sec. 90 sec.
D	Barbell Hip Thrust * * with 3 second hold at peak contraction	1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10	4 x 6-8 4 x 6-8 4 x 6-8 2 x 6-8 4 x 6-8 5 x 6-8 6 x 6-8 3 x 6-8 2 x 6-8 None		75 sec. 75 sec. 75 sec. 60 sec. 60 sec. 60 sec. 45 sec. 45 sec. 45 sec.

* Perform one set of C1, rest 30 seconds, then perform a set of C2, rest 90 seconds and repeat.
* * Utilize the double progression method, which means the goal is to do 6-8 reps on all your sets using the same weight. If you can complete 8 reps on all your sets, you increase the weight by 5, 10, or even 20 pounds at the next workout. If you do something like 8, 8, 7, 6, that's fine, but it means that you keep the same weight during the next session.

Tuesday

Circuits	Sets	Reps	Details
Lower Body Pump Lying Leg Curl Leg Extension Walking Lunge	3 rounds	10 - 15	Rest minimal between exercises and 90-120 sec. between rounds.
Metabolic Conditioning * Bike Sprint Body Weight Squat Vertical Jump		1 min 30 10

• * Number of times to perform:
• Week 1 3 rounds
• Week 2 4 rounds
• Week 3 5 rounds
• Week 4 2 rounds
• Week 5 4 rounds
• Week 6 5 rounds
• Week 7 6 rounds
• Week 8 3 rounds
• Week 8 5 rounds
• Week 10 2 rounds

Wednesday

	Exercise	Wk	Sets x Reps	%1RM	Rest
A	Medicine Ball Throw, wall slams		3 x 10
B	Push Press	1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10	5 x 4 5 x 5 5 x 6 3 x 3 5 x 3 6 x 3 3 x 3 3 x 2 3 x 3 Test Max	80% 80% 80% 90% 90% 90% 95% 100% 100%	75 sec. 90 sec. 2 min. 2 min. 2 min. 90 sec. 90 sec. 2 min. 2 min.
C1	Superslow Eccentric Push Press * lower the bar in 6 seconds, especially from forehead to clavicle	1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10	5 x 4 5 x 5 5 x 6 3 x 3 5 x 3 6 x 3 3 x 3 3 x 2 3 x 3 None	60% 60% 60% 70% 70% 70% 75% 80% 80%	30 sec. 30 sec. 30 sec. 30 sec. 30 sec. 30 sec. 30 sec. 30 sec. 30 sec.
C2	Overhead Medicine Ball Throw *	1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10	5 x 5 5 x 5 5 x 5 3 x 8 5 x 8 6 x 8 3 x 10 3 x 12 3 x 15 None		90 sec. 90 sec. 90 sec. 90 sec. 90 sec. 90 sec. 90 sec. 90 sec. 90 sec.
D	Bent-Over Barbell Row torso parallel to the floor	1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10	4 x 6-8 4 x 6-8 4 x 6-8 2 x 6-8 4 x 6-8 5 x 6-8 6 x 6-8 3 x 6-8 2 x 6-8 None		75 sec. 75 sec. 75 sec. 60 sec. 60 sec. 60 sec. 45 sec. 45 sec. 45 sec.
E	Lat Pulldown * *	1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10	4 x 6-8 4 x 6-8 4 x 6-8 2 x 6-8 4 x 6-8 5 x 6-8 6 x 6-8 3 x 6-8 2 x 6-8 None		75 sec. 75 sec. 75 sec. 60 sec. 60 sec. 60 sec. 45 sec. 45 sec. 45 sec.

* C1 and C2 are a contrast superset. Perform one set of C1, rest 30 seconds, perform a set of C2, rest 90 seconds and start over.
* * This movement utilizes the double progression method. That means your goal is to do 6-8 reps on all your sets using the same weight. If you can complete 8 reps on all your sets, you increase the weight by 5, 10, or even 20 pounds at the next workout. If you do something like 8, 8, 7, 6, that's fine, but it means that you keep the same weight during the next session.

Thursday

Circuits	Sets	Reps	Details
Upper Body Pump 1 Dumbbell Lateral Raise Lying Dumbbell Triceps Extension Dumbbell Shoulder Press	3 rounds	12 - 15	Rest minimal between exercises and 90-120 sec. between rounds.
Upper Body Pump 2 Lat Pulldown, wide behind neck Lat Pulldown, wide in front Lat Pulldown, hands supinated as in chin-up position	3 rounds	12 - 15	Rest minimal between exercises and 90-120 sec. between rounds.
Metabolic Conditioning * Rowing Ergometer Push-Up		500 m. 10

• * Number of times to perform:
• Week 1 3 rounds
• Week 2 4 rounds
• Week 3 5 rounds
• Week 4 2 rounds
• Week 5 4 rounds
• Week 6 5 rounds
• Week 7 6 rounds
• Week 8 3 rounds
• Week 8 5 rounds
• Week 10 2 rounds

Friday (Optional Session)

Circuit	Sets	Reps	Details
Medley * Farmer's Walk or Prowler Pushing Walk Back Sprint			There's no rest between activies (the active rest is the walk to the start line for the sprints). After the sprint you rest 90 seconds.

• * Number of times and distance to perform:
• Week 1 5 rounds 50yd.
• Week 2 6 rounds 50yd.
• Week 3 7 rounds 50yd.
• Week 4 5 rounds 60yd.
• Week 5 6 rounds 60yd.
• Week 6 7 rounds 60yd.
• Week 7 5 rounds 70yd.
• Week 8 6 rounds 70yd.
• Week 8 7 rounds 70yd.
• Week 10 Off

Saturday

	Exercise	Wk	Sets x Reps	%1RM	Rest
A	Power Clean from the Hang	1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10	10 x 3 10 x 3 10 x 3 5 x 5 5 x 5 5 x 5 3 x 3 3 x 3 3 x 3 Test Max	80% 80% 80% 90% 90% 90% 95% 100% 100%	75 sec. 90 sec. 2 min. 2 min. 2 min. 90 sec. 90 sec. 2 min. 2 min.
	Whole Body Power Complex *
B1	Dumbbell Lateral Raise		5	70%	30 sec.
B2	Box Jump, shoot for a 20" box		10		30 sec.
B3	Overhead Medicine Ball Throw, push press action		10		30 sec.
B4	Broad Jump		10		30 sec.
B5	Medicine Ball Slam		10		30 sec.

Circuits	Sets	Reps	Details
Metabolic Conditioning Bike Sprint Rowing Ergometer Push-Up		1 min 250 m. 10	Perform as many times as possible in a 12-minute time frame. Try to increase your workload every week.

• * Number of times to perform:
• Week 1 3 rounds
• Week 2 4 rounds
• Week 3 5 rounds
• Week 4 2 rounds
• Week 5 4 rounds
• Week 6 5 rounds
• Week 7 6 rounds
• Week 8 3 rounds
• Week 8 5 rounds
• Week 10 2 rounds

Can I Add Cardio?

Old habits die hard. Women tend to hold on to the belief that cardio – the steady-state moderate intensity version – is the best way to get leaner. You really don't need it with this program!

Sure, women can benefit from cardio more than men when it comes to getting leaner. They tend to have more vascularization in their lower body and the cardio helps them mobilize lower body fat. Women are also less at risk of losing muscle from doing cardio compared to men.

This program will get you lean without cardio, but include some if you enjoy it. Just don't do anything more than 15 minutes of steady-state cardio or seven minutes of interval training 2-3 times a week at first. Less is better.

Only consider adding more cardio at the mid-point of the program, when your body is used to the workload or if fat loss slows.

If you decide to add extra cardio at the mid-point of the program, do so gradually. Don't go crazy and add an hour every day! Even with my competitive figure girls I limit cardio to 30 minutes per session (at the most).

What Supplements Do You Recommend?

If you're serious about changing your body, proper supplements are a must. By allowing you to train harder and recover faster, you'll get the most out of your workouts.

I recommend 1 or 2 servings of Plazma™ around your workout (half of it 15 minutes pre-workout, half at the mid-point of the session) and 1 serving of Mag-10® after the session.

Those who are really serious should add another serving of Mag-10® an hour after the first.

Getting the best workout nutrition will allow you to cut carbs during the rest of the day without losing muscle mass while enhancing recovery and performance and still burning fat.

The figure girl who is pictured earlier in the article made significant progress when she started using Micro-PA™ and Indigo-3G®.

She was able to keep building muscle and strength even during the last weeks of her prep when competitors are known to be at their weakest and most tired.

Micro-PA™ will allow you to build more muscle and recover faster.

Indigo-3G® will allow you to store more of the ingested nutrients in muscle instead of fat cells. It will also reduce fat cell inflammation, which often results in a rapid drop in weight My figure athlete dropped 3 pounds within 4 days of starting Indigo-3G and she was less than 10% body fat at that point.

The Head-Turning Benefits

This program will add muscle in the areas that make the female body look its best: An athletic appearance that turns heads.

It's not going to be easy, though. Like any program based on changing the way your body looks, you have to get out of your comfort zone to get impressive results. This is especially true with the met-con sessions where you should go as hard as humanly possible.