Ladies, A Word of Caution for Beginners

If you’re new to strength training, practically any strength training program will produce some results. Someone who has never strength trained can start out performing squats on a Bosu ball, and they will get stronger and build muscle.


Any progressive strength training program will produce results, but some will produce significantly better results than others.

Look at your strength training program like an investment. Putting $100 in a savings account every month that delivers a measly 1% interest rate will increase your net worth. But putting $100 into low-cost funds (via a 401k, Roth IRA, ETFs, etc.) with an average of 7% interest will increase your net worth much more over the same period. The former will technically produce a return on your investment, but the latter will deliver significantly better results.

Approach your time in the gym like you would a monetary investment: put it where it will produce the greatest return.


Your sole purpose as a beginner trainee should be to learn a few basic movement patterns you can master quickly, and then get stronger with those exercises. This will build a solid foundation upon which you can later customize for your specific goals.


As said a moment ago, a beginner could perform Bosu ball squats and build muscle and strength. Contrast this with a beginner who performs barbell squats, or goblet squats, and this individual will get stronger faster, namely because a heavier load can be used since they’re not (dangerously) balancing on a bouncy-ball while squatting. The former trainee may be able to squat with 20 pounds after a month of Bosu squats, but the trainee squatting with a barbell on her back may be closer to 100 pounds in the same period.


One is getting a return on her training investment, but the other is reaping greater rewards from the same time commitment.

The real question should be: What should a trainee do to maximize the returns from her time spent in the gym, so she doesn’t just achieve some results, but achieves the most results possible?


Three things:

Use compound exercises that train basic movement patterns that can be learned quickly.
This should include a squat, deadlift, and pressing movement; a row and chin-up variation is great, too. Notice we’re prioritizing movements and not talking about individual muscle groups. These big movements will effectively and efficiently hit every muscle in your body.


Perform three total body workouts per week.
This training frequency is not only manageable for most people, but it’s been proven to be effective for building strength and muscle. This is why total body workouts are superior to bodybuilding splits that work each muscle group once per week for beginners.


Improve performance every workout.
You must do better than the last time you performed the same workout. Perform more reps with the same weight, or add more weight. Heck, the first few workouts you may just hone better technique, or perform an extra set or two. But you must do a little better every time you repeat the same workout.


If you do those things, you’ll achieve excellent results from a minimum time investment.
One final word of caution for beginners: be wary of the surplus of bullshit in health and fitness. It’s easy to get distracted or led astray with empty promises and expensive gimmicks. Stick to the basics and you’ll be well rewarded.