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Hard Body Training for Women

The 10-Week Transformation Program
by Christian Thibaudeau | 08/18/14

Tags:
Fat Loss Training
For Women

Here's what you need to know...

1. Women tend to have a higher pain tolerance when it comes to training, can
recover faster between sets, and are able to sustain a higher volume of work.
Men are welcome to try the program, but they may not be able to hang!
2. This program has you training the same muscles two days in a row: heavy
lifting the first day and pump work for the same muscles the next day.
3. Training the same muscles two days in a row facilitates recovery and lengthens
the duration of the anabolic phase.
4. The workout plan calls for five mandatory training days per week with an
optional sixth day. That extra day will help you get leaner super fast, but you'll
get amazing results with just the five main workouts.

What To Expect
This program will be uncomfortable at times, painful at others. It will force
you to focus on performance.

You'll get stronger, faster, more powerful, and more resilient. The end result
will be fat loss, more muscle in the right places, and a strong body.

This is the type of training I used with one of my clients who won her first
two physique competitions this year, training without drugs, while having
two kids and a full time job working construction.

Can Men Do It? Maybe, If They're Woman Enough

Can guys do this program? Sure, they can try.

Muscle is muscle and we're all the same species, but women don't have the
same needs when it comes to building an aesthetic physique. They don't
need to emphasize building the pecs. Instead, they need more focus on the
glutes. And since they need muscular but not massive arms, tons of direct
arm work isn't necessary.

Women also tend to have a higher pain tolerance when it comes to training.
Females can recover faster between sets, and are able to sustain a higher
volume of work during a session. So if you're a guy, you're welcome to try
the program, but it will be even more uncomfortable for you!

The Basic Structure

 The program calls for five mandatory training days per week with an
optional sixth day. That extra day will help you get lean faster, but you'll get
amazing results with just the five main workouts.

This program uses a cool concept: train the same muscles two days in a
row. You hit them hard with heavy lifting the first day and then you do pump
work for the same muscles the next day.

This actually facilitates recovery and lengthens the duration of the anabolic
phase. Protein synthesis stays elevated for 24 hours post-training, but by
having a second session the next day that's less traumatic, you extend
protein synthesis significantly, thus building more muscle.

It's important that the second session is pump work and not heavy lifting,
though. We don't want to cause any muscle damage on that second day.
We only want to activate the cell signaling responsible for stimulating
hypertrophy and pumping nutrients into the muscles.

I also include metabolic conditioning (metcon) to get you lean fast without
risking the loss of muscle mass. The metcon will actually help you build
more muscle while getting leaner.

Explosive work also plays a big role in the program. It increases the insulin
sensitivity of muscle, making you more prone to storing ingested nutrients in
the muscles instead of the fat cells. Additionally, explosive work gives the
body a harder, more sculpted look by improving myogenic tone.

The schedule looks like this:

Monday: Lower body strength/hypertrophy work

Tuesday: Lower body pump complex/lower body metcon
Wednesday: Upper body strength/hypertrophy work
Thursday: Upper body pump complex/upper body metcon
Friday: Optional sprint/energy systems session
Saturday: Whole body explosive work
Sunday: OFF
Load Progression
The program uses two main systems of progression: programmed
progression and double progression.

Programmed progression refers to a cycle where the weights are planned in

advance based on your 1RM. So you'll need to establish your maximum
load for one technically solid rep on the back squat, push press, and power
clean from the hang.

The percentages used during this whole program are all based on that
1RM.

Double progression is a system where you have a target rep range instead
of a precise number of reps to do, 6 to 8, for example. You will use the
same weight for all your work sets.
The goal is to be able to do all the work sets with the upper limit of the
range (8 in our example) with the same weight. When you're able to do that,
you increase the weight at your next session. If you can't get 8 reps for all of
your work sets, that's fine, but it means that you'll keep the same weight
during next week's workout.

So when you see a percentage given for an exercise below, it uses the
planned progression. When you don't see a percentage, it means you'll use
the double progression approach.

The Program
Monday
Exercise Wk Sets x Reps %1RM Rest
A Box Jump (skoit na 3 stepera) 3 x 10
B Back Squat 1 5x4 80% 75 sec.
2 5x5 80% 90 sec.
3 5x6 80% 2 min.
4 3x3 90% 2 min.
5 5x3 90% 2 min.
6 6x3 90% 90 sec.
7 3x3 95% 90 sec.
8 3x2 100% 2 min.
9 3x3 100% 2 min.
10 Test Max
C1 Superslow Eccentric 1 5x4 60% 30 sec.
Back Squat * 2 5x5 60% 30 sec.
squat down in 6 seconds, stand up 3 5x6 60% 30 sec.
fast 4 3x3 70% 30 sec.
5 5x3 70% 30 sec.
6 6x3 70% 30 sec.
7 3x3 75% 30 sec.
8 3x2 80% 30 sec.
9 3x3 80% 30 sec.
10 None
C2 HULK SKOK UANJ S VREOM 1 5x4 20% 90 sec.
PIJESKA (ZANEMARI 2 5x5 25% 90 sec.
POSTOTKE) 3 5x6 30% 90 sec.
4 3x3 20% 90 sec.
5 5x3 25% 90 sec.
6 6x3 30% 90 sec.
 7 3x3 20% 90 sec.
8 3x2 25% 90 sec.
9 3x3 30% 90 sec.
10 None
D Barbell Hip Thrust * * 1 4 x 6-8 75 sec.
with 3 second hold at peak 2 4 x 6-8 75 sec.
contraction 3 4 x 6-8 75 sec.
4 2 x 6-8 60 sec.
5 4 x 6-8 60 sec.
6 5 x 6-8 60 sec.
7 6 x 6-8 45 sec.
8 3 x 6-8 45 sec.
9 2 x 6-8 45 sec.
10 None

* Perform one set of C1, rest 30 seconds, then perform a set of C2, rest 90
seconds and repeat.
* * Utilize the double progression method, which means the goal is to do 6-
8 reps on all your sets using the same weight. If you can complete 8 reps
on all your sets, you increase the weight by 5, 10, or even 20 pounds at
the next workout. If you do something like 8, 8, 7, 6, that's fine, but it
means that you keep the same weight during the next session.

Tuesday
Circuits Sets Reps Details
Lower Body Pump
Lying Leg Curl 3 rounds 10 - 15 Rest minimal between
Leg Extension exercises and 90-120 sec.
Walking Lunge (OBINI between rounds.
ISKORAK)
Metabolic Conditioning *
Bike Sprint 1 min
Body Weight Squat 30
Vertical Jump 10

* Number of times to perform:

Week 1 3 rounds
Week 2 4 rounds
Week 3 5 rounds
Week 4 2 rounds
Week 5 4 rounds
Week 6 5 rounds
Week 7 6 rounds
Week 8 3 rounds
Week 8 5 rounds
Week 10 2 rounds

Wednesday
Exercise Wk Sets x Reps %1RM Rest
A Medicine Ball Throw, 3 x 10
wall slams (UMJESTO OVOG
ZAGRIJAVANJE)
B Push PressV (BUICE PRESS) 1 5x4 80% 75 sec.
2 5x5 80% 90 sec.
3 5x6 80% 2 min.
4 3x3 90% 2 min.
5 5x3 90% 2 min.
6 6x3 90% 90 sec.
7 3x3 95% 90 sec.
8 3x2 100% 2 min.
9 3x3 100% 2 min.
10 Test Max
C1 Superslow Eccentric 1 5x4 60% 30 sec.
Push Press * 2 5x5 60% 30 sec.
lower the bar in 6 seconds, 3 5x6 60% 30 sec.
especially from forehead to clavicle 4 3x3 70% 30 sec.
5 5x3 70% 30 sec.
6 6x3 70% 30 sec.
7 3x3 75% 30 sec.
8 3x2 80% 30 sec.
9 3x3 80% 30 sec.
10 None
C2 Overhead Medicine Ball Throw * (U 1 5x5 90 sec.
UANJ PA BACIT LOPTU IZNAD 2 5x5 90 sec.
GLAVE U RAVNINI SISA) 3 5x5 90 sec.
4 3x8 90 sec.
5 5x8 90 sec.
6 6x8 90 sec.
7 3 x 10 90 sec.
8 3 x 12 90 sec.
9 3 x 15 90 sec.
10 None
D Bent-Over Barbell Row 1 4 x 6-8 75 sec.
torso parallel to the floor 2 4 x 6-8 75 sec.
(VESLANJE U PRETKLONU SA 3 4 x 6-8 75 sec.
NATHVATOM) 4 2 x 6-8 60 sec.
5 4 x 6-8 60 sec.
6 5 x 6-8 60 sec.
7 6 x 6-8 45 sec.
8 3 x 6-8 45 sec.
9 2 x 6-8 45 sec.
10 None
E Lat Pulldown * * 1 4 x 6-8 75 sec.
2 4 x 6-8 75 sec.
3 4 x 6-8 75 sec.
4 2 x 6-8 60 sec.
5 4 x 6-8 60 sec.
6 5 x 6-8 60 sec.
7 6 x 6-8 45 sec.
8 3 x 6-8 45 sec.
9 2 x 6-8 45 sec.
10 None

* C1 and C2 are a contrast superset. Perform one set of C1, rest 30

seconds, perform a set of C2, rest 90 seconds and start over.
* * This movement utilizes the double progression method. That means
your goal is to do 6-8 reps on all your sets using the same weight. If you
can complete 8 reps on all your sets, you increase the weight by 5, 10, or
even 20 pounds at the next workout. If you do something like 8, 8, 7, 6,
that's fine, but it means that you keep the same weight during the next
session.

Thursday
Circuits Sets Reps Details
Upper Body Pump 1
Dumbbell Lateral Raise 3 rounds 12 - 15 Rest minimal between
Lying Dumbbell Triceps (NA exercises and 90-120 sec.
LEEI DRIM LAKAT between rounds.
DRUGOM
RUKOM)Extension
Dumbbell Shoulder Press
Upper Body Pump 2
Lat Pulldown, wide in front 3 rounds 12 - 15 Rest minimal between
exercises and 90-120 sec.
Lat Pulldown, hands between rounds.
supinated as in chin-up
position (DLANOVI UNUTRA,
RUKE U IRINI PEDLJA)
Metabolic Conditioning *
Rowing Ergometer 500 m.
Push-Up 10

* Number of times to perform:

Week 1 3 rounds
Week 2 4 rounds
Week 3 5 rounds
Week 4 2 rounds
Week 5 4 rounds
Week 6 5 rounds
Week 7 6 rounds
Week 8 3 rounds
Week 8 5 rounds
Week 10 2 rounds

Friday (Optional Session)

Circuit Sets Reps Details
Medley * There's no rest between
Farmer's Walk or 110 koraka, activies (the active rest is the
oko1:15traje walk to the start line for the
Prowler Pushing sprints). After the sprint you
Walk Back (UMJESTO rest 90 seconds.
TOGA SAM 20 UNJEVA)
Sprint (110 koraka, oko
40sec)

* Number of times and distance to perform:

Week 1 5 rounds 50yd.
Week 2 6 rounds 50yd.
Week 3 7 rounds 50yd.
Week 4 5 rounds 60yd.
Week 5 6 rounds 60yd.
Week 6 7 rounds 60yd.
Week 7 5 rounds 70yd.
Week 8 6 rounds 70yd.
Week 8 7 rounds 70yd.
Week 10 Off

Saturday
Exercise Wk Sets x Reps %1RM Rest
A Power Clean from the Hang 1 10 x 3 80% 75 sec.
2 10 x 3 80% 90 sec.
3 10 x 3 80% 2 min.
4 5x5 90% 2 min.
5 5x5 90% 2 min.
6 5x5 90% 90 sec.
7 3x3 95% 90 sec.
8 3x3 100% 2 min.
9 3x3 100% 2 min.
10 Test Max
Whole Body Power Complex *
B1 Dumbbell Lateral Raise 5 70% 30 sec.
B2 Box Jump, shoot for a 20" box 10 30 sec.
B3 Overhead Medicine Ball Throw, 10 30 sec.
push press action
B4 Broad Jump 10 30 sec.
B5 Medicine Ball Slam 10 30 sec.
Circuits Sets Reps Details
Metabolic Conditioning Perform as many times as
Bike Sprint 1 min possible in a 12-minute time
Rowing Ergometer 250 m. frame. Try to increase your
Push-Up 10 workload every week.

* Number of times to perform:

Week 1 3 rounds
Week 2 4 rounds
Week 3 5 rounds
Week 4 2 rounds
Week 5 4 rounds
Week 6 5 rounds
Week 7 6 rounds
Week 8 3 rounds
Week 8 5 rounds
Week 10 2 rounds

Can I Add Cardio?

Old habits die hard. Women tend to hold on to the belief that cardio the
steady-state moderate intensity version is the best way to get leaner. You
really don't need it with this program!

Sure, women can benefit from cardio more than men when it comes to
getting leaner. They tend to have more vascularization in their lower body
and the cardio helps them mobilize lower body fat. Women are also less at
risk of losing muscle from doing cardio compared to men.

This program will get you lean without cardio, but include some if you enjoy
it. Just don't do anything more than 15 minutes of steady-state cardio or
seven minutes of interval training 2-3 times a week at first. Less is better.

Only consider adding more cardio at the mid-point of the program, when
your body is used to the workload or if fat loss slows.

If you decide to add extra cardio at the mid-point of the program, do so

gradually. Don't go crazy and add an hour every day! Even with my
competitive figure girls I limit cardio to 30 minutes per session (at the most).
What Supplements Do You Recommend?
If you're serious about changing your body, proper supplements are a must.
By allowing you to train harder and recover faster, you'll get the most out of
your workouts.

I recommend 1 or 2 servings of Plazma around your workout (half of it 15

minutes pre-workout, half at the mid-point of the session) and 1 serving
of Mag-10 after the session.

Those who are really serious should add another serving of Mag-10 an
hour after the first.

Getting the best workout nutrition will allow you to cut carbs during the rest
of the day without losing muscle mass while enhancing recovery and
performance and still burning fat.
The figure girl who is pictured earlier in the article made significant progress
when she started using Micro-PA and Indigo-3G.

She was able to keep building muscle and strength even during the last
weeks of her prep when competitors are known to be at their weakest and
most tired.

Micro-PA will allow you to build more muscle and recover faster.

Indigo-3G will allow you to store more of the ingested nutrients in muscle
instead of fat cells. It will also reduce fat cell inflammation, which often
results in a rapid drop in weight My figure athlete dropped 3 pounds within 4
days of starting Indigo-3G and she was less than 10% body fat at that point.

The Head-Turning Benefits

This program will add muscle in the areas that make the female body look
its best: An athletic appearance that turns heads.

It's not going to be easy, though. Like any program based on changing the
way your body looks, you have to get out of your comfort zone to get
impressive results. This is especially true with the met-con sessions where
you should go as hard as humanly possible.

Related: 3 Complexes for Rapid Female Fat Loss

Related: More Articles for T Nation Women

Christian Thibaudeau

Christian Thibaudeau specializes in building bodies that perform as well as they look.
He is one of the most sought-after coaches by the world's top athletes and
bodybuilders.

Follow Christian Thibaudeau on Twitter

COMMENT ON FACEBOOK
08/18/14

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