By Marnie Kunz,
Certified trainer and run coach

If you’re looking for strength training workouts for women, this article includes my top recommendations as a certified personal trainer. Strength training offers so many benefits for women, from helping with weight loss to reducing your risk of chronic diseases and boosting mood. When I go to the gym, I am often one of the few women lifting weights, and I would like to change this so more women feel comfortable doing strength training workouts. In this article, I will guide you through some of the most effective exercises to help you get stronger and enjoy the many benefits of strength training.

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What Is Strength Training for Women?

Strength training, also called resistance training, is doing an exercise that makes your muscles contract against outside resistance. Resistance can be in the form of weights, resistance bands, weight machines, or your body weight. Strength training helps build more lean muscle mass, improves bone density, and allows your body to move more efficiently.

The American College of Sports Medicine recommends doing strength training exercises two to three times a week for maximum health benefits.

Benefits of Strength Training for Women

Strength training offers many health benefits for women, including:

Strengthens muscles, boosting lean muscle tissue
Improves bone density, reducing your risk of osteoporosis and bone injuries like stress fractures
Speeds up metabolism so your body burns more calories even while resting
Helps with weight loss by burning calories and fat and improves body composition
Prevents injuries by enabling your body to move more efficiently and have more stability
Boosts mood by releasing endorphins, a “feel good” hormone
Reduces risk of chronic diseases like heart disease and diabetes
Improves endurance for sports and daily life activities

Common Myths About Workouts for Women

The reason many women don’t lift weights is because there are many myths and discouraging messages women get about strength training. People often think that weightlifting will make women big and bulky when in fact it’s the opposite - weight training improves lean muscle mass and helps to burn fat, giving women the “toned” and defined look that is so sought after.

These are some common myths about strength training workouts for women:

Myth 1: "Women should only focus on cardio." While cardiovascular exercises like walking and running burn calories and offer heart health benefits, strength training also offers many health benefits. The best workout programs include a balance of cardio and strength training exercises. Strength training is important for bone and muscle health and to prevent falls and muscle deterioration that happens with age.
Myth 2: "Women shouldn't lift heavy weights." The truth is that women can benefit from lifting heavy weights just as much as men. With proper training and form, lifting heavy weights offers the benefits of increased strength, improved body composition, and more confidence.
Myth 3: "Women who lift weights get bulky.” Women who do strength training get more defined physiques with less body fat and have a leaner look. In fact, strength training is one of the best ways to lose weight since it speeds up your metabolism. Only a very small percentage of women are able to get bulky with weightlifting and they are powerlifters who follow very specific exercise programs while eating prescription diets. The average woman will be able to lose weight and get a more defined look by doing strength training exercises.

Strength Training Workouts for Women

These strength training workouts for women can help you improve your physical and mental health. When scheduling your workouts, keep in mind that when you do a strength training workout, it’s considered a hard training day so take a rest day or easy day afterwards. For instance, you may want to do strength workouts on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday or on Tuesday and Thursday so your body has time to recover between sessions.

Compound Exercises

Whether you’re a beginner or an advanced weightlifter, compound exercises are one of the best ways to get stronger in a short amount of time. Compound exercises target different muscle groups with each exercise so you can get a lot of bang for your workout buck.

Squats, for instance, are a lower body compound exercise that strengthens your glutes, hamstrings, quads, hips, and calves. Push-ups are an upper body compound exercise that targets your chest, shoulders, triceps, biceps, and core muscles.

Some of the best compound exercises to get started include squats, push-ups, and planks. For more intermediate workouts, you can use weights and do these compound exercises - deadlifts, squats, overhead presses, and bent-over rows.

Bodyweight Exercises

If you’re new to strength training or do not have any equipment, these are some of the best bodyweight workouts for women to get a full body workout. Do 3 sets of 10 reps for each exercise. For the plank exercises, start with 20 or 30 seconds and gradually add more time until you can do up to 1-minute planks and 45-second side planks (side planks are harder than regular planks).

Squats - Begin with your feet hip-width apart and your core muscles tight. Slowly bend your knees and lower your body as if you were about to sit back in a chair, resting your weight in your heels. When your thighs are parallel to the floor or you cannot go any lower without losing your form, then pause and stand back up to the starting squat position.
Side lunges - Begin by standing with good posture and your core muscles engaged. Step out onto your right foot, bending your right leg slightly at the knee with your feet and knee and hips facing forward. Lean into your right leg, feeling the tension in your glute muscle. Push back up to the starting position with your feet together then repeat with your left leg.
Push-ups - Begin by lying on your stomach on the ground with your hands planted on the floor near your shoulders. Push up onto your hands and feet, keeping your body in a straight line with your core muscles tight. Slowly lower your torso back toward the ground then repeat.
Seated dips - You can do seated dips using a stable bench, chair, or step. Sit on the edge with your hands gripping the edge beside your hips. Slide forward off the seat, keeping your feet flat on the floor. Slowly lower your body by bending your elbows, then push back up to the starting position.
Planks - Begin by lying on your stomach on a mat. Push up onto your forearms so your weight is resting in your forearms and feet and your body is in a straight line from your head to your toes. Keep your core muscles tight and do not let your hips sway or inch up above your waist. Hold for 30 seconds to start and gradually add more time over a period of weeks.
Side planks - Lie on your side with your forearm directly under your shoulder. Stack your feet and lift your hips off the ground, forming a straight line from head to toe. Engage your core and hold this position, keeping your hips level. Hold for 20 seconds on each side.

Weightlifting Exercises

If you want to add intensity to your strength training program or see results more quickly, weightlifting is the way to go.You can do these weight-training exercises with dumbbells or a barbell. If you are using weight machines at your gym, you can do variations of these exercises on weight machines.

Try these full-body workouts for women to get stronger and step up your fitness levels:

Squats with Dumbbells

Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart, holding a dumbbell in each hand at your sides.
Lower your body, pushing your hips back and bending your knees, keeping your back straight and core muscles engaged. Lower yourself until your thighs are parallel to the ground or as far as you can go with good form.
Push back up to the starting position.

Chest Press

You can do this exercise with a weight bench or on the floor on a mat. For the weight bench version, lie on the bench with dumbbells above your chest, palms facing each other.
Lower the dumbbells towards your chest, then press them back up to the starting position.
Without a bench, lie on the floor with your knees bent and feet flat. Hold the dumbbells above your chest, palms facing each other. Lower the dumbbells towards your chest, then press them back up to the starting position.

Hip Thrusts

Use a weight bench or solid, elevated surface for this exercise. Sit on the bench and slide your body down so your upper back is against the bench and your lower back is in the air between the bench and the ground. Hold a dumbbell across your hips.
Hinge at the hips, squeezing your glutes, lowering your butt toward the ground. Drive your hips upward, squeezing your glutes, until your thighs are parallel to the floor.
Raise your hips back up to the starting position.

Dumbbell Deadlifts

To do a dumbbell deadlift, stand with your feet hip-width apart, holding a dumbbell in each hand at your sides.
Keeping your back straight and core muscles engaged, hinge at the hips and bend your knees slightly to lower the dumbbells towards the floor.
Raise back up, squeezing your glutes, returning to the start position.

Bicep Curls

Stand with a dumbbell in each hand, palms facing forward and core muscles engaged.
Keeping your upper arms by your sides, curl the weights up towards your shoulders by bending your elbows.
Slowly lower the dumbbells back to the starting position.

Tricep Extensions

Hold a dumbbell above your head gripping it with both hands with your arms extended straight.
Slowly bend your elbows, lowering the dumbbell down behind your head.
Straighten your arms to return to the starting position.

Bent-over Rows

Place your right knee and right hand on a weight bench or other flat, stable surface for support. Hold a dumbbell in your left hand, arm extended towards the floor.
Bring the dumbbell up towards your left hip, squeezing your shoulder blades together.
Pause briefly then slowly lower the dumbbell back to the starting position. Repeat on the other side.

Shoulder Press

Hold a dumbbell in each hand at shoulder height, palms facing forward with your elbows bent at a 90-degree angle.
Press the dumbbells directly overhead, extending your arms fully.
Slowly lower the dumbbells back to the starting position.

Do 3 sets of 10 of each weightlifting exercise for a full-body strength training workout. You can do a full circuit with 10 reps of each exercise then take a 1-minute break before repeating the circuit.

Cardio Exercise

Although the myths people have about the best workouts for women may recommend only one kind of exercise, the best fitness program for your health will include cardio and strength training exercises. The Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans recommends getting at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity physical activity each week and at least two strength training workouts.

Some excellent cardio workout options include walking, hiking, running, swimming, cycling, and dancing. Another popular option is HIIT (high-intensity interval training), which often combines cardio and strength training elements with exercises such as burpees, jumping jacks, running, and jumping rope.

Circuit training is one of my favorite ways to help clients improve their fitness by combining strength training and cardio. A circuit training workout may include running and bodyweight exercises for a full-body workout that burns calories and helps you get stronger.

Creating a Personalized Workout Plan

Ultimately the best workouts for women take into account each person’s fitness level, preferences, and goals. If you find an activity you enjoy, you’ll be much more likely to stick to your workout program. Also, a personalized training program should fit into your schedule so you can get in your workouts at the right time.

Pairing your fitness program with a nutritious eating plan will help you get the most out of your workouts and feel energized. Eat as many whole, real foods as possible and reduce processed foods in your diet. Staying hydrated is also crucial, so make it easy by bringing a water bottle with you wherever you go.

Tips for Staying Motivated

When you’re stepping up your fitness, use these tips to help you stay motivated:

Set SMART goals. SMART goals are specific, measurable, attainable, realistic, and timely. By having realistic and measurable goals, you’ll have a better chance of success.
Track your progress. Use a smartwatch, fitness tracker, or app to track your progress. You’ll be able to see how far you’ve come and celebrate your milestones.
Find an exercise buddy. Work out with a friend, partner, or your pet and you’ll enjoy your sessions more. You can also sign up for a fitness class if you enjoy group exercise.
Listen to your body. Take rest days when you feel exhausted or have lingering aches and pains.
Make workouts fun. Create a pumped-up playlist or listen to an audiobook or podcast to make your workout time more enjoyable. Find activities you love to do and you won’t even feel like you’re working out.

Move More, Live Better

Workouts for women can be as varied as women themselves. Try different activities and stick with the ones you enjoy. If you want to make your workouts more fun, try adding a great playlist or partnering up with a workout buddy.

Women have often been discouraged from strength training due to myths about building muscles and bulking up. Strength training is in fact an important part of reducing your risk of injuries, boosting metabolism, and reducing body fat. It also offers mental health benefits and can give you a boost in mood and energy.

If you need a personalized fitness program to help you step up your fitness and health, visit the Runstreet Training Center and I can help you with a personalized training plan and ongoing coaching and support. For more training tips and workouts, sign up for our free Wellness Wednesday newsletter.

Happy sweating to you!😊

Marnie Kunz is a NASM-certified trainer and USATF- and RRCA-certified running coach based in Brooklyn, NY. Marnie likes helping people get and stay active to enjoy a better quality of life. When she’s not doing fitness things, Marnie enjoys exploring with her dog, a mischievous rescue Akita.

Workouts for Women - Strength Training Ideas from a Trainer