What Are the Best Workouts for Women?

Yes, there is a difference in how exercise & nutrition impact women.

You’re not imagining it. It’s a real thing. The metabolic, hormonal, and psychological makeup of men and women* are different, resulting in a whole different experience for each when it comes to working out. And man. That can make for a frustrating experience, especially if you have specific goals in mind.

*When we say “women” and “men”, we’re referring to hormone levels where higher estrogen is associated with women and higher testosterone is associated with men.

I’ll never forget when my husband went through a vegetarian phase and lost a stupid amount of weight in a few months while I looked at a vegetable and gained. Anyone who’s ever had a body and any sort of relationship to a member of the opposite gender has experienced a radical difference on the impact exercise and nutrition can have on results.

First, an important disclaimer: We are not physicians! Always consult your doctor before beginning any fitness regimen or changes to your diet. The internet can be a wonderful place to get ideas, but it also can be…well, a dumpster fire. Be smart. Talk to your health support team before making any changes.

A Holistic Approach to Wellness

The best workout anyone can do is one that is well rounded. If you’re only doing cardio, you’re missing out on the incredible benefits of weight training. If you’re hitting the bench and barbell but not doing cardio or stretching, you’re setting yourself up for limited range of motion and low stamina.

Before researching what workouts to do, I highly recommend you first check out “How to Workout and Not Hate It.” Because, my friends, if your whole house isn’t in order (i.e. how you define “wellness” and success associated with fitness), you’re not going to get the most out of all the effort that goes into crafting a workout routine. And lawd, IT TAKES EFFORT.

Before we dive in…

Familiarize Yourself with What Good Form Looks Like

Good form involves a degree of body awareness, and not everyone is blessed with this inherently. “Good form” means you are supporting movement from your core, which refers to a group of muscles responsible for stabilizing our spine and pelvis. If you’re not sure how to know if you’ve got “good form,” do some browsing on YouTube, or better yet ask Theresa, a certified personal trainer, or a personal trainer or exercise fiend you trust.

Here are our recommendations on what makes for the best fitness routines and workouts, particularly for women and women-identifying humans.

Four Elements of a Well Rounded Fitness Routine

1. Strength Training

Strength training is so, SO important and impactful for women. As we age, we lose muscle mass and (thank you, estrogen), bone density. Strength training helps to build lean muscle, boost metabolism, improve bone density, and tone muscle.

Won’t I Get Bulky if I Lift Weights?

No. I repeat, NO.

It’s incredibly difficult to bulk up without an extremely intentional effort to do so. Professional bodybuilders craft intricate nutrition plans (hi, macros) and lifting routines attuned for specific purposes. Stepping into the squat rack to squat with a barbell won’t give you gnawable quads.

Women produce 10-20 times less testosterone than men so muscle gain in women is a slower process. Because of this, many women who incorporate weight and strength training into their routine will experience an increase in muscle tone of what’s already there.

What Are Good Weight Exercises To Do?

Body weight squats, lunges, planks, and push-ups
- Squats are incredible because they target the glutes, quads, hamstrings, and abdominal core all in one shot. If you can only do one thing, you can’t go wrong with squats.
  - You don’t need weights for an efficient squat. Start with bodyweight squats and lunges and consider adding weights as those become easier. Start with 3lb or 5lb weights, and work your way up.
- Planks, and push ups aren’t limited to the floor! The wall makes a great starting point for push ups and planks. Other modifications, like starting on your knees instead of your toes, are great ways to level up. These exercises are fantastic because they build strength in our core alongside the muscles that help us to stabilize and balance.
Add Resistance bands and dumbbells to your body weight exercises.
- If those squats and lunges start to get too easy, it’s time to add some resistance via a resistance band or a dumbbell
- Remember – the number on that band or weight isn’t as important as the control and the reps
Experiment with the weight machines
- While you’re warming up, scope out how others are using the machines. Also, many machines now have QR codes on them that take you to a video or instructions on how to use them.
- Start with low or no weight, and work your way up. Remember – it’s about control, NOT how heavy you can lift.
If you want to jump right in and go for the squat rack or weight bench, try:
- Squats
- Deadlift
- Bench Press
- Overhead press

How Much/Often Should I Lift and How Many Should I Do?

Again, this may vary depending on your goals, but generally a safe place to start is:

Frequency: 2-3 days per week
- Incorporate rest days! Your body builds new muscle during rest
Sets: 2-3
Reps: 8-12 per set
Weight: this is incredibly subjective and will vary depending on your mood that day, your history, your physiology, etc.
- - There is NO shame in using no or low weight
  - Your starting weight should feel light to moderate
  - You should feel challenged throughout the reps, especially as you get into sets 2 and 3, but you should still be able to maintain good form as you suffer through do them
  - A good rule of thumb: aim for feeling like you could do two more reps at the end of a set

2. Cardio

Cardiovascular exercise is any exercise that raises your heart rate and keeps it there for a sustained period of time. It doesn’t have to be fancy, and it doesn’t require any sort of equipment.

The zombies are 100% going to eat you if you don’t have the stamina (and agility) to outrun them…

What is the Best Type of Cardio?

The best type of cardio you can do is any type of cardio, especially types that you can stick with and recover well from.

HIIT (high intensity interval training). There’s a reason Crossfit has the cult-like following it does. HIIT training really keeps your body on its metabolic toes. The up-and-down variation of high heart rate to rest periods jump-starts the fat burning process
- HIIT can be: Strong Nation, Tabata, Circuit training, and any time-based interval training
Running. The tried and true. It’s free! The elliptical machines are also great for getting the same effect as a run, but with a bit less impact.
Swimming. It can be laps or aqua aerobics. Both are great low-impact options.
Walking. Low impact and accessible for all.
Hiking. Like walking, but often with more gear and a variety of terrain. It’s the HIIT of walking!
Cycling. It’s walking, but less boring!
Dancing. Any type of dancing, including Zumba and dance fitness, will get your heart rate up and also help challenge your coordination and memory retention.

And everything in between. Pound Fitness is a fusion of cardio and strength training all while banging on things with drum sticks. Boxing ups the heart rate while beating up imaginary foes. Trampolines and jump classes appeal to our inner child while also kicking up the heart rate.

How Often and How Long Should I Do Cardio?

The American Heart Association recommends at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity cardio or 75 minutes of vigorous aerobic activity per week1
Remember – it isn’t all or nothing. Anything that helps you spend less time sitting is a huge win. Break up your workday with a 15 minute walk at lunch. Walk the dog after dinner. Play with your kids for half an hour. Find what works for you.

3. Flexibility & Mobility

There are few things worse than those first seconds getting out of bed in the morning and feeling stiff as you waddle to the bathroom. Incorporating stretching into your fitness routine will do wonders for your range of motion, mobility, and balance.

As you increase your muscle mass, your flexibility often decreases. Keep your range of motion by incorporating stretching into your wellness routine. It will also help reduce injuries, improve your posture, and make moving generally easier.

Classes That Will Help You Get More Flexible

Yoga: hatha, vinyasa flow, yin yoga, and restorative yoga are fantastic for improving flexibility, balance, and mind-body awareness
Pilates: if yoga and ballet had a baby, it’d be pilates.
Barre and ballet: low impact, isometric movements incorporate both dynamic and static stretching segments.
Stretching-Focused Classes: browse YouTube or your local gym schedule for deep stretch, flow, mobility, etc.

4. Mental Health/Mind Body

All the exercise and nutrition in the world aren’t going to have their fullest impact without connecting the body and your mind. You don’t have to be a yogi to appreciate yoga, or a monk to benefit from meditation. Incorporating any type of mediation into your routine can help reduce stress, regulate your emotions, increase your self-awareness, and impact your overall physical health.

Best Types of Fitness Classes for Mental Health

Yoga: same as above
Tai-Chi and Qigong: slow-flowing movements connected to nature and inner awareness can help improve balance and energy
Dance: in addition to Zumba and other dance fitness, forms like Ecstatic dance and DMT (dance movement therapy) can provide emotional release
Somatic Movement and Release: subtle movement exercises that focus on the nervous system and promote healing based on intentional release of muscles and tension
Sound Healing: the use of gongs, crystal bowls, and voice tones can help achieve deep relaxation and reset your central nervous system

Let’s Do This

Ready to go? Join us at one of our Central PA fitness classes! Have questions. Hit us up! We’re here to help you navigate your way through whole-body wellness and have a blast while doing it.