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Workout plan for my girlfriend

A

Alpha Moth

New member
inb4 don't train partner, etc, just give me some advice lol
She refuses to train at my gym, so I've given her the following:
5kg medicine ball
2 dumbbells with ~20kg of weights (I can give her more if needed)
a standard size barbell
a 15/20/25kg weight plate
skipping rope
boxing bag

She says she likes to do the following: skipping, boxing, rowing, squats, anything with medicine ball, running up and down stairs and walking.

I was thinking of having each session at 45-50 minutes long. 25 minutes of training with the weights she has (maybe in a circuit?) with stuff like bulgarian squats, goblet squats, rows, light shoulder presses, etc, whatever she can do with the dumbbells and weight plates. And then the other 20 minutes or doing tabata protocols with the boxing, rowing machine, squats, stair running, she can choose what one she wants and mix it up. How would I go about her progressing the tabata? Number of certain exercise in the 20 second period?


I was thinking this, thoughts, critiques?

Monday:
first 20-25 minutes
4-5 x 10-20 Bulgarian split squats w/5kg each hand to start off, adding 2.5kg each friday?)
superset^^ with below
4-5 x 10-20 goblet squats starting off with the 10kg weight plate, moving up when she can
4 x max push ups
4-5 x 10-20 rows (start off light, progress each friday)
4-5 x 10-20 DB/BB should presses (will start off light, adding weight each friday)
should last around 25 minutes with 1-2 minute breaks between sets

then 3-4 circuits of tabata from her choice

Tuesday: light cardio/walk/tabata if she feels like it
Wednesday:
first 20-25 minutes
4-5 x 10-20 Bulgarian split squats w/5kg each hand to start off, adding 2.5kg each friday?)
superset^^ with below
4-5 x 10-20 goblet squats starting off with the 10kg weight plate, moving up when she can
4 x max push ups
4-5 x 10-20 rows (start off light, progress each friday)
4-5 x 10-20 DB/BB should presses (will start off light, adding weight each friday)
should last around 25 minutes with 1-2 minute breaks between sets

then 3-4 circuits of tabata from her choice

Thursday:light cardio/walk/tabata if she feels like it

Friday:
first 20-25 minutes
4-5 x 10-20 Bulgarian split squats w/5kg each hand to start off, adding 2.5kg each friday?)
superset^^ with below
4-5 x 10-20 goblet squats starting off with the 10kg weight plate, moving up when she can
4 x max push ups
4-5 x 10-20 rows (start off light, progress each friday)
4-5 x 10-20 DB/BB should presses (will start off light, adding weight each friday)
should last around 25 minutes with 1-2 minute breaks between sets

then 3-4 circuits of tabata from her choice

Saturday:light cardio/walk/tabata if she feels like it
Sunday:light cardio/walk/tabata if she feels like it
 
Last edited:
get her eating properly too?

1kg a week is 1000cal deficit per day. thats a lot of exercise... or not much food..
 
I can't control her diet nor do I want to. She doesn't eat much and needs to eat more in my opinion. I've told her to go to calorieking and track it there. It' just to get her motivated and to see results. I don't think she'll loose that much weight in 3 months, I'll try and get it to 4-5 months with a bit of convincing but you know how impatient women are.
 
A good way to make it more circuit based is to choose a
- leg exercise
- upper body pull
- upper body push
- ab/core based exercise

Say you do 6 mini circuits overall in a session but want to "mix it up" to keep her interested I would keep changes minimal and try stick to a couple of main lifts to build volume in each eg
Rotate between a particular squat and deadlift variant for the leg exercise
Rotate between 3 upper body pulls, upper pushes and ab exercises
This way it is possible to program it so no circuit is exactly the same but you do each exercise twice (3 for squat/dead)
 
Hamburgs gave a good suggestion. Also stick with the basics but rotate them a little to keep her from getting bored, most women can't seem to take the same thing over a protracted period but if you change the exercise a little (elevated Pushups to a floor Pushups of shorter ROM for example) they tend to accept that as different.
 
What would be a small list of pulls/pushes she can do (keep in mind she is an untrained weak girl)

I won't get her doing any deadlifting, maybe later if she is more interested and will come into my home gym.
 
[ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YzsVO8YuQUI[/ame]
Like this? seems easy enough to do. Ok will do.

So DB deadlifts
bulgarian split squats or goblet squats? or both?

And for
push:
push ups
shoulder press
push up variant
pull:
DB row
??
??
 
Nah done between the legs like a sumo deadlift
Start with goblets then progress to a uni lateral variation later

Presses : single arm over head db, alternating overhead db, normal overhead db, overhead press with a plate, push ups with one arm on the med ball, push ups on varying angles, hand placements etc etc

Pulls: bb row varying torso angle and grip width, single arm db row with knee support, db row with arm support only, bent over db row (with 2 DBs), plate rows, renegade rows

Bit of imagination will get you everywhere ;)
 
[ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qzLXROx2eeo]Sumo Deadlift ( Kettlebell or Dumbbell) - YouTube[/ame]
so that?

How would you set up your mini circuits? And how often a week? as often as she feels like it or 3-4 times a week? Can she follow it up with 2-4 tabata protocols or something like that afterwards or is that too much?

Example workout:
goblet squats x 10-20
med ball push ups left arm elevated x 10 right arm x 10
DB knee support row x 10-20
v-ups x 10-20
2-4 minute rest
DB deadlift x 10-20
standard push ups x 10-20
plate row x 10-20
plank x 1 for time

repeat 2-3 times?
Then next workout she can choose her variation of exercises (not too varied) but same template.
 
Between the 2 of you I would choose 1 exercise from each category to use as a means to monitor progression. These 4 you should do every session the rest can be varied slightly.
If you have a timing device there is no reason the exercises can't be done for time instead of reps (45-60 second range each)

If the weight it light enough she could do it most days but from what you've said I would question the likelihood of her doing more than 2-3 days a week
 
She does like a challenge and enjoys working out, so if it's fun I think she will like it.


With the chosen one form each category, I'll get her to do it at least twice in one session? The other circuits she can choose for herself from a list of exercises. I'll get her a notebook and make it all easier for her.

So it would look like this (bold is chosen exercise, just for example):

list of exercises
legs: goblet squat / DB deadlift / bulgarian split squat(also slightly) elevated for increased ROM) / Step-ups (box height slightly above knee) / reverse lunge / walking lunge

Presses : single arm over head db, alternating overhead db, normal overhead db, overhead press with a plate, push ups with one arm on the med ball, push ups on varying angles, hand placements etc etc

Pulls: bb row varying torso angle and grip width, single arm db row with knee support, db row with arm support only, bent over db row (with 2 DBs), plate rows, renegade rows

abs:medicine ball toe touches/russian twists, v-ups, planks - any other ideas?

Circuit 1
legs: goblet squat x 45-60 seconds or 10-20
push: push up for numbers
pull: DB row for weight x 45-60 seconds or 10-20
abs: plank x time

Circuit 2
legs: her choice
push: her choice
pull: her choice
abs: her choice


Circuit 3
legs: goblet squat x 45-60 seconds or 10-20
push: push up for numbers
pull: DB row for weight x 45-60 seconds or 10-20
abs: plank x time

Circuit 4
legs: her choice
push: her choice
pull: her choice
abs: her choice

Circuit 5
legs: her choice
push: her choice
pull: her choice
abs: her choice

Circuit 6
legs: her choice
push: her choice
pull: her choice
abs: her choice
 
Last edited:
Something like that would be fine

Med ball slams and side ab bridges are 2 other options

For abs bridging and stabilisation exercises are IMO more effective and suitable than more dynamic movements (after all the primary function of the core muscles is to stabilise the spine)
 
I was doing a drill circuit once that was timed rather than "do 20". Personally, I felt that this focused on my ability rather than inability to achieve a certain number. So maybe if you set 1 minute each of 4 different exercises 5 times (20 minutes), she would be driving the number. It also teaches you to pace yourself and get to know and have control over your body, as well as pushing yourself for you, not just to meet a 'magic' number of '14' reps that can seem abstract to some.
 
Last edited:
20 Box Jumps
20 Push Ups (according to her ability)
20 Overhead Squats (broomstick to start off)
20 weighted sit ups

20 Burpees
20 Tricep Dips
20 Single Leg BW Squats
20 Reverse Crunches

A couple of my beginner exercises:)
 
The Hamburgler said:
Single leg squats as a beginner exercise?

Most girls I've delt with struggle with a bw squat using both legs
Click to expand...

For sure, support/balance with empty upright bar or non working foot resting behind on step.:)

edit: I wouldn't rep for 20, prolly more so 10.
 
Before you start home workout warm up your body and get ready for exercise,
this workout is for the chest, triceps and even involve your back and shoulder muscles,
Dips are alternative to developing chest and triceps muscles...
 
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