Workout Routine for my Fiancee

[Josh_GTiR]

Hello all,

My Fiancee Megan has been going to the gym for a fair amount of time now. We had a baby recently, well 9 months ago and she hit the gym again about 6 weeks after our son was born. She was very determined and dropped back down to her normal weight and even dipped under. She lost alot of fat from her troublesome areas (bum and legs) and was looking great and maybe a little too skinny (49kg). She is a small girl with a small frame so she doesn't look anorexic but she wants to put on some muscle mass and tone up.

I have given her a routine of -

Bicep Curls
Tricep Kickbacks
DB Chest Press
Lat Pull Down
Seated Row
DB Shoulder Press
Squats
Lunges
Calf Raises

This is split over two days. She eats quite well and eats quite a lot for a girl her size and weight. I would estimate 2000cals per day. She eats a high protein low fat diet as we basically both eat the same foods.

Now can someone advise if this is right or not and what she should be doing? I reckon a couple of kg of muscle all over would really get her looking toned. What is recommended for Women? I was thinking it would be the same as Men but unsure?

Maybe I should get her on the 5x5 haha.

 

[breebreerocks]

Women can train just like men, so she can train just like you do.

Women have some advantages. Quicker recovery times due to hormones mean that women will recover will with a full body routine a few times a week. Normally one rest day is enough.

Now you just have to hope that she doesn't start showing you up.

 

[Kyle Aaron]

What is recommended for Women? I was thinking it would be the same as Men but unsure?

Women have got all the same muscles as men, in the same places more or less, just a little altered because of wider hips. On average, they begin with less muscle mass overall - so the average woman will start with lower weights than the average man.

Once training begins, they grow muscles more slowly, but they still grow. And as Bree says, they recover more quickly than us.

Remember, there are plenty of women who warm up with your max.

Maybe I should get her on the 5x5 haha.

That's exactly what you should do.

I mean, please point me to the person who developed strong arms from just doing tricep kickbacks and bicep curls. Now point me to a person who did barbell overhead press, bent over rows and chinups for a year and did not get strong arms.

Women tend to be resistant to the idea of heavy weight training. But if you can persuade her to it, do it. Once they get into it they love it, unless they're complete wusses.

Start with just the bar to learn the movements, then add weight over time. Just like a bloke. Muscles are muscles, iron is iron. Doesn't matter what they have in their pants.

 

[breebreerocks]

Women tend to be resistant to the idea of heavy weight training. But if you can persuade her to it, do it. Once they get into it they love it, unless they're complete wusses.

Spot on Kyle! Once women get started and start seeing the end of the jiggle, they are converted!

And nothing feels better when you are a little person than realising how amazingly strong your body really is.

One of the best advantages you girl will probably see is a growth in confidence. It's hard to explain, but when you are small, people can try and use their size to intimidate you (intentionally or otherwise). But when your body feels strong, you just get filled with a confidence that stops you being affected by such bozos.

 

[Josh_GTiR]

I will get her on the 5x5 then. She was looking for something to "tone up" the areas of her body and not necessarily build a heap of mass. Though as we all know, you don't build mass overnight, it is very tough to build.

Meg doesn't need any extra confidence either, or else she will be telling me to stay home and take care of Jake while she goes down to deadlift as many plates as she can. haha

We are training together this Saturday, I guess I will get her on the 5x5 routine.

 

[Kyle Aaron]

"Tone up", what does that mean? Well, what sort of physiques do women consider most "toned"? Dancers. Those are women who do bodyweight exercises - ie dancing - for several hours a day, with the result of losing fat and gaining muscle. So that's what "toning" means - losing fat and gaining muscle.

In combination with a decent diet and plenty of good sleep, lifting heavy for an hour or so a few times a week will also lose fat and gain muscle, it will "tone you up".

 

[Josh_GTiR]

Sweet, the diet part is pretty good. We both eat very similar. Now it is time to get her on the 5x5. I know she will love it, she loves lifting weights and has even built some biceps and some upper back muscles which she is proud of. She was showing me how her hands are stating to build callouses like mine as well, she said "should I get gloves?" I told her don't worry about it.

 

[Kyle Aaron]

Awesome. Josh & Meg, Katie & Unnamed Hubby, Markos & Nina, this is becoming the forum of Heavy Lifting Couples

 

[katie]

hmmm, after reading this thread and this other one (http://ausbb.com/bodybuilding-training-discussions/9192-tailor-me-workout-please.html)

it looks like we need a definitive 5x5 workout routine? since the same questions are popping up again.

Personally Josh, I find the stronglifts program easy to read and follow, and there's heaps of stuff to read up about it if your fiancee likes analysing things like me.

StrongLifts 5×5 Beginner Strength Training Program | StrongLifts.com

 

[katie]

Lol @ unnamed hubby. I'll see if he will sign up to ausbb someday! For the time being I'm just pleased he's going through Markos' 70+ newsletters (or is it 80+ now?!?)

 

[Josh_GTiR]

I don't know how many newsletters there are, but I have to stop reading them because I need to do some work!!

I'll have to get Meg to join up so she can do a diary and stuff. I am so amazed and proud of her by how fast she transformed from pregnancy weight back to her previous weight and size and then improved that!

 

[Kyle Aaron]

hmmm, after reading this thread and this other one (http://ausbb.com/bodybuilding-training-discussions/9192-tailor-me-workout-please.html)

it looks like we need a definitive 5x5 workout routine? since the same questions are popping up again.

Well, the thing is that nobody reads stickies, and there is no "definitive" 5x5, there are several, each with their advantages and disadvantages. While stronglifts is good, there will be individual circumstances like (genuinely) bad backs, half-hour workouts needed, home gyms with some equipment not available, and so on.

Also, I have been in forums where the response to questions is, "this has already been discussed, search the forums / read the sticky", and they are not as friendly. So while it can be tedious to answer the same questions again and again, it makes it nicer to be here in other ways.

 

[katie]

By the way, Josh, I can't believe I didn't say this earlier in the thread (though I was certainly thinking it) but Megan deserves the hugest congrats already - to have such dedication to training (with a new baby too!)

I'm sure she will go a long way!

 

[katie]

And Kyle, good point. But I'll shut up now so that we can keep the thread on track about Megan's workout...

I just like stronglifts because of the very extensive FAQ and the whole lot of training diaries on the website. For example, this woman inspires me.
The Making of a Goddess : Training Logs | StrongLifts.com Forum
She started on 20kg squats, got to 60kg (bodyweight) squats by the end of the log, and is continuing to train even harder in her 2nd log. Just goes to show that no matter where you start (especially if you're a lightweight girl), it is possible to see progress

 

[Kyle Aaron]

Definitely inspirational, and absolutely yes, everyone can get stronger. If this guy can lift and get strong, anyone can.

It's okay that he does bicep curls, he has an excuse​

Even if being a woman were some kind of disability in the iron game - and it's bloody well not - no-one can say it's worse than that guy has.

"But I'm a girl."
"But my back hurts."
"But I'm old."
"But I don't look good in a leotard, people will laugh."
"But I don't want to bulk up."

I think as a trainer I will have to carry a little packet of Smarties. When they offer excuses I can offer a Smartie in return, "Here, take a Hard Pill. Now get under that bar and start lifting."

 

[CaT_SPeW]

Awesome. Josh & Meg, Katie & Unnamed Hubby, Markos & Nina, this is becoming the forum of Heavy Lifting Couples

wish mine would lift lol. body pump at Fatness First is as close as she gets

Lol @ unnamed hubby. I'll see if he will sign up to ausbb someday! For the time being I'm just pleased he's going through Markos' 70+ newsletters (or is it 80+ now?!?)

up to issue #84

 

[Fadi]

Well done Megan.


Fadi.

 

[Josh_GTiR]

Well this is what she will be doing tomorrow. I told her to join up here so she can learn some things and get some tips from Katie and Bree amongst others.

We have decided on a similar 5x5 that I am doing though slightly modified.

Squats - 5x5
Bench Press - 5x5
Deadlift - 5x5
Military Press - 5x5
DB one arm Row - 5x5

I don't want to do Powercleans as I am in no position to advise anyone on this lift.

We will start with the empty bar (20kg) on everything except possibly military press. We might get a 10kg BB out for those to start.

She will be doing this twice a week while I am with her to help. Her cardio will consist of burpees, Fadi's circuit and some walking, which I will be doing with her as well.

She is looking forward to it, but as this is her first time doing a 5x5 I reckon she is going to be cursing me in a few days.

 

[katie]

Awesome work!!

bear in mind that doing deadlifts with the empty bar means the bar starts closer to the ground - might need to stack it on some plates?

Also bench press with the bar could get a little too heavy depending on how trained/untrained your fiance is. I had to start at 15kg, I think!!

 

[Kyle Aaron]

That is excellent, Josh, I hope we see Megan here soon.

Megan, Josh has a head start on you, but you have a speed advantage in that you are starting with a good simple workout while he messed about for ages with all sorts of daft stuff, so you will improve faster than he did and catch him up faster than you think.

For deads, perhaps begin with the safety racks in the squat cage, so it can be at plate height without plates, which as Katie said would be a problem.