The best way to get your body ready for summer is to lift heavy weights!
Nothing Can Beat Free-Weights & Compound Exercises For Muscle Tone
Women need to lift heavy, challenging weights just like men in order to gain muscle. While machines do provide sufficient stimulation to gain muscle, nothing can beat free-weight/compound exercises. Here are a few free-weight and compound exercises that we will incorporate into a 12 week weight training plan to shape and tone your body.
Deadlifts
Deadlifts are a full body exercise, activating almost every muscle in the body. Deadlifts hit the legs, back, traps, abs, obliques, etc. If you don’t have any back injuries, deadlifts are a must for building a fully developed body.
Squats
Squats are going to give you the most bang for your buck as they are one of the most effective exercises you can do for overall leg development. Free weight barbell squats are a compound exercise that hits the entire upper leg, quadriceps, hamstrings, and glutes. If you’re planning on busting out those daisy dukes this summer squats are a must for sexy, toned legs.
Lunges
Lunges are great for targeting the glutes, hamstrings, and quadriceps. Lunges will help tighten up your legs and butt and give you the curves you want.
Pull-Ups
Pull-ups work the muscles of the back, biceps, and forearms. Most gyms have an assisted pull-up machine, so if you cannot do pull-ups with your bodyweight, this machine will allow you to do pull-ups with less than your bodyweight.
Dips
Dips work the muscles of the chest, shoulders, and triceps. Dips are a great exercise for overall upper body development, especially the shoulders and triceps. Most gyms have an assisted dip machine, so if you cannot do dips with your bodyweight, this machine will allow you to do dips with less than your bodyweight.
Read on for 12 Weeks of Workouts…
Below is a 12 week workout program that progressively builds so you can continue to challenge your body and increase strength. Don’t worry, lifting heavy weights will not cause women to get big and bulky like men because women produce a fraction of the testosterone that men do.
If your goals are to tone up and gain shapely curves, then is the perfect program for you! Over the course of 12 weeks, you will decrease the number of reps you complete and increase the load you lift as you progress and perfect your form. The number of sets per exercise stays the same, but the rep range changes.
12 Week Workout Program to Gain Sexy Muscle and Curves
Weeks 1-4
During weeks 1-4, you will be lifting in the 8-12 rep range. What this means is that you want to complete at least 8 reps but no more than 12 reps for each set. If you cannot complete 8 reps, then the weight is too heavy and you should decrease the load. If you can complete more than 12 reps, then the weight is too light and you should increase the load.
Monday – Upper Body Workout A
- Bench Press 3 x 8-12
- Bent Over Row 3 x 8-12
- Dumbbell Shoulder Press 3 x 8-12
- Lying Tricep Extension 3 x 8-12
- Barbell Curl or Dumbbell Curl 3 x 8-12
Tuesday – Lower Body Workout A
- Squat 3 x 8-12
- Stiff Leg Deadlift 3 x 8-12
- Leg Extension 3 x 8-12
- Leg Curl 3 x 8-12
- Standing Calf Raise 3 x 8-12
- Abs
- Lying Leg Raise 3 x 10-15
- Swiss Ball Crunch 3 x 10-15
Thursday – Upper Body Workout B
- Dips 3 x 8-12
- Pull-Ups 3 x 8-12
- Dumbbell Side Lateral 3 x 8-12
- Tricep Cable Pressdowns 3 x 8-12
- Cable Curl 3 x 8-12
Friday – Lower Body Workout B
- Deadlifts 3 x 8-12
- Leg Press 3 x 8-12
- Lunges 3 x 8-12
- Seated Calf Raise 3 x 8-12
- Dumbbell Shrugs (Optional) 3 x 8-12
- Abs
- Incline Crunch 3 x 10-15
- Back Extension 3 x 10-15
Note: Rest Period between each set = 1 Minute
Need a pre-workout to stay motivated? We have just the list…
Read on for Weeks 5-8…
Weeks 5-8
During weeks 5-8, you will be lifting in the 6-8 rep range. What this means is that you want to complete at least 6 reps but no more than 8 reps for each set. If you cannot complete 6 reps, then the weight is too heavy and you should decrease the load. If you can complete more than 8 reps, then the weight is too light and you should increase the load.
Monday – Upper Body Workout A
- Bench Press 3 x 6-8
- Bent Over Row 3 x 6-8
- Dumbbell Shoulder Press 3 x 6-8
- Lying Tricep Extension 3 x 6-8
- Barbell Curl or Dumbbell Curl 3 x 6-8
Tuesday – Lower Body Workout A
- Squat 3 x 6-8
- Stiff Leg Deadlift 3 x 6-8
- Leg Extension 3 x 6-8
- Leg Curl 3 x 6-8
- Standing Calf Raise 3 x 6-8
- Abs
- Lying Leg Raise 3 x 10-15
- Swiss Ball Crunch 3 x 10-15
Thursday – Upper Body Workout B
- Dips 3 x 6-8
- Pull-Ups 3 x 6-8
- Dumbbell Side Lateral 3 x 6-8
- Tricep Cable Pressdown 3 x 6-8
- Cable Curl 3 x 6-8
Friday – Lower Body Workout B
- Deadlift 3 x 6-8
- Leg Press 3 x 6-8
- Lunges 3 x 6-8
- Seated Calf Raise 3 x 6-8
- Dumbbell Shrugs (Optional) 3 x 6-8
- Abs
- Incline Crunch 3 x 10-15
- Back Extension 3 x 10-15
Note: Rest Period per set = 1 Minute
Weeks 9-12
During weeks 9-12, you will be lifting in the 4-6 rep range. What this means is that you want to complete at least 4 reps but no more than 6 reps for each set. If you cannot complete 4 reps, then the weight is too heavy and you should decrease the load.
If you can complete more than 6 reps, then the weight is too light and you should increase the load. This phase of the 12-week program is going to be very challenging and produce accelerated results.
Monday – Upper Body Workout A
- Bench Press 3 x 4-6
- Bent Over Row 3 x 4-6
- Dumbbell Shoulder Press 3 x 4-6
- Lying Tricep Extension 3 x 4-6
- Barbell Curl or Dumbbell Curl 3 x 4-6
Thursday – Upper Body Workout B
- Dips 3 x 4-6
- Pull-Ups 3 x 4-6
- Dumbbell Side Lateral 3 x 4-6
- Tricep Cable Pressdown 3 x 4-6
- Cable Curl 3 x 4-6
Tuesday – Lower Body Workout A
- Squat 3 x 4-6
- Stiff Leg Deadlift 3 x 4-6
- Leg Extension 3 x 4-6
- Leg Curl 3 x 4-6
- Standing Calf Raise 3 x 4-6
- Abs
- Lying Leg Raise 3 x 10-15
- Swiss Ball Crunch 3 x 10-15
Friday – Lower Body Workout B
- Deadlift 3 x 4-6
- Leg Press 3 x 4-6
- Lunges 3 x 4-6
- Seated Calf Raise 3 x 4-6
- Dumbbell Shrugs (Optional) 3 x 4-6
- Abs
- Incline Crunch 3 x 10-15
- Back Extension 3 x 10-15
Women (and men!) Should Maintain Strict Form On All Movements
Read on for the most important tips for success!
Exercise Tips: Form Over Ego!
The key to success is to maintain strict form on all movements. This means stabilizing your body and contracting your abs so you isolate the primary intended muscles.
For example, when doing a standing barbell curl, tighten your abs and do not rock or swing the weight. By tightening your abs, you stabilize your body and prevent momentum. This will also help condition your abs and save your lower back from injury.
Warm-Up Properly
You should perform 1-3 warm-ups sets before working a given muscle group. For example, if you are going to bench press 85 lbs for your working sets then do a warm-up set with 45 lbs (just the bar) and then a set with 65 lbs before trying to bench press 85 lbs.
Rest, Don’t Nap, Between Sets
We recommend 60-120 seconds of rest periods between sets. This allows your body to recover some of its expended energy but is not so long that you lose the flow of the workout.
Remember, the goal is to get in and out of the weight room in 30-45 minutes.
What if I Miss a Workout?
If you miss a workout, simply work your schedule so you get back on track. Do not skip a workout! You have three off days per week. If you miss Tuesday’s workout then try to do it on Wednesday and then get back on your normal schedule.
You now have a complete 12-week workout program
Get Lifting!
And don’t forget your pre-workout so you can delay fatigue and stay driven.
