Women need to lift heavy, challenging weights in order to gain muscle. 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. When women begin working out, their goals are to tone up and gain shape/curves and following this program will accomplish just that! In this 12-week program, you will decrease the number of reps you complete and increase the load you lift as you progress. The number of sets per exercise stays the same, but the rep range changes.
Now you may be saying, “I have seen some female bodybuilders who are very muscular and look similar to men in their build.” The real reason they look like that is they are most-likely using exogenous testosterone injections and/or other anabolic steroids. When women use exogenous testosterone/steroids they may show signs of hair growth on the face and chest, increased muscle mass, a redistribution of body fat from a female pattern of storage to a male pattern of storage, deepening of the voice, and other effects. The point of saying this is that unless you are on exogenous testosterone or other anabolic steroids, you will not become big and bulky from lifting weights.This is not to say that you will not gain any muscle, you will, but you will not gain muscle like a man. Instead, you will become toned and shapely.
**Note: If you can complete more than maximum required reps then weight is too light and you should increase the load. Same way , if you can not complete more than minimum required reps then weight is too heavy and you should decrease the load.
Week 1-4
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Exercise Sets Reps/Time Bench Press 3 8-12 Bent Over Row 3 8-12 DB Shoulder Press 3 8-12 Lying Tricep Extension 3 8-12 Barbell or DB Curl 3 8-12 Note : Rest period 1 minute
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Exercise Sets Reps/Time Squat 3 8-12 Stiff Leg Deadlift 3 8-12 Leg Extension 3 8-12 Leg Curl 3 8-12 Standing Calf Raise 3 8-12 Abs Lying Leg Raise 3 10-15 Swiss Ball Crunch 3 10-15 Note : Rest period 1 minute
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Rest
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Exercise Sets Reps/Time Dips 3 8-12 Pull-Ups 3 8-12 DB Side Lateral 3 8-12 Tricep Cable Pressdown 3 8-12 Cable Curl 3 8-12 Note : Rest period 1 minute
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Exercise Sets Reps/Time Deadlift 3 8-12 Leg Press 3 8-12 Lunges 3 8-12 Seated Calf Raise 3 8-12 DB Shrugs (Optional) 3 8-12 Abs Incline Cninch 3 10-15 Back Extension 3 10-15 Note : Rest period 1 minute
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Rest
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Rest
Week 5-8
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Exercise Sets Reps/Time Bench Press 3 6-8 Bent Over Row 3 6-8 DB Shoulder Press 3 6-8 Lying Tricep Extension 3 6-8 Barbell or DB Curl 3 6-8 Note : Rest period 90 seconds
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Exercise Sets Reps/Time Squat 3 6-8 Stiff Leg Deadlift 3 6-8 Leg Extension 3 6-8 Leg Curl 3 6-8 Standing Calf Raise 3 6-8 Abs Lying Leg Raise 3 10-15 Swiss Ball Crunch 3 10-15 Note : Rest period 90 seconds
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Rest
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Exercise Sets Reps/Time Dips 3 6-8 Pull-Ups 3 6-8 DB Side Lateral 3 6-8 Tricep Cable Pressdown 3 6-8 Cable Curl 3 6-8 Note : Rest period 90 seconds
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Exercise Sets Reps/Time Deadlift 3 6-8 Leg Press 3 6-8 Lunges 3 6-8 Seated Calf Raise 3 6-8 DB Shrugs (Optional) 3 6-8 Abs Incline Cninch 3 10-15 Back Extension 3 10-15 Note : Rest period 90 seconds
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Rest
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Rest
Week 9-12
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Exercise Sets Reps/Time Bench Press 3 4-6 Bent Over Row 3 4-6 DB Shoulder Press 3 4-6 Lying Tricep Extension 3 4-6 Barbell or DB Curl 3 4-6 Note : Rest period 2 minutes
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Exercise Sets Reps/Time Squat 3 4-6 Stiff Leg Deadlift 3 4-6 Leg Extension 3 4-6 Leg Curl 3 4-6 Standing Calf Raise 3 4-6 Abs Lying Leg Raise 3 10-15 Swiss Ball Crunch 3 10-15 Note : Rest period 2 minutes
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Rest
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Exercise Sets Reps/Time Dips 3 4-6 Pull-Ups 3 4-6 DB Side Lateral 3 4-6 Tricep Cable Pressdown 3 4-6 Cable Curl 3 4-6 Note : Rest period 2 minutes
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Exercise Sets Reps/Time Deadlift 3 4-6 Leg Press 3 4-6 Lunges 3 4-6 Seated Calf Raise 3 4-6 DB Shrugs (Optional) 3 4-6 Abs Incline Cninch 3 10-15 Back Extension 3 10-15 Note : Rest period 2 minutes
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Rest
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Rest
