Romy
It has become a common misconception that men and women should train differently and this is one of the main reasons why you won’t see many couples train together in the gym. The idea of having different workouts seems like the best option for many fit couples, however this really isn’t the case. Men and women may look different but their training programs don’t have to be. In most cases men and women should definitely train the same – and here are a few great reasons why.
Sharing Similar Goals
Before we go any further, most people will argue that men want to become bigger and stronger, while women generally want to lose weight and tone up. The thing is, it’s not possible to be toned without building any muscle. In order to achieve this, you need to lift weights and provide your body with enough calories to recover from your workouts. Now it is quite obvious that the amount of weight that will be used for these training at sessions will differ between men and women, but the overall goal stays the same and they can definitely do the same workouts and exercises.
Simple and Convenient
Most couples will go to the gym together, but split up to go and follow their own routine. This is not necessary; just think how convenient it would be if you can both go to the gym, do the same training program and encourage each other along the way. Many couples already follow this route, but some people are still under the impression that men and women should not look the same and therefore not train the same. This is a completely misguided approach. It is possible to train together on the same exercises, just adjust the weight for your strength and fitness level.
Building Muscles – Differently
One of the biggest mistakes that women make is thinking that they will grow ridiculously big muscles from doing the same workout routine as their male counterparts. But the fact of the matter is that most female biologically cannot build big muscles. This is mainly due to the difference in hormone levels (like testosterone) so unless you are supplementing with additional hormones you won’t be building massive muscles so that should be the least of your worries!
As a female, the only time when you might want to do things differently is when it comes to legs. Most women want their legs and butt to fit their jeans, but don’t want their quads to be overdeveloped. This isn’t a fact but it is my personal preference when training female clients. Unless your goal is to build big quads, you should not really focus your training on heavy squats. The quads can be trained with exercises such as reverse lunges and lateral lunges. Instead, base training on exercises that target the posterior chain, hamstrings, and glutes by doing exercises such as hip thrusters and deadlifts.
Aside from this – there is no real reason why men and women should train differently. Although both sexes have biological factors that affect their goals, exercise is blind to gender! So, the next time you are wondering what direction to take in terms of your training, keep this info in mind. As for women – “you can still train like Tarzan, but look like Jane!”
Fit Couple Workout
Day 1
Warm-Up 10 Minutes on Stationary Bike at low intensity
Romanian Deadlift 3 Sets X 8-10 Reps
Sumo Squats 3 Sets X 8-10 Reps
Hip Thruster 3 Sets X 10-12 Reps
Glute Kickback 3 Sets X 10-12 Reps
Reverse Dumbbell Lunges 3 Sets X 10 / leg Reps
Bodyweight Squats Holding Hands 2 Sets X 15 Reps
Standing Calf Raises 3 Sets X 20 Reps
Day 2
Medicine Ball Chest Pass 3 Sets X 10 Reps
Partner Clap Pushups 3 Sets X 10 Reps
Medicine Ball Twist Passes 3 Sets X 10 Reps
Partner Planks 3 Sets X 30 Seconds
Assisted Pullups (Assist your partner by holding their legs and pushing them up) 3 Sets X 10 Reps
Superman Planks 3 Sets X 10 Reps
Day 3
Lat Pulldown –superset with Straight Arm Pulldown 3 Sets X 10 Reps
Barbell Rows –superset with Inverted Rows 3 Sets X 10 Reps
Seated Cable Rows 3 Sets X 10 Reps
Alternating Dumbbell Curls (Spot Your Partner) 3 Sets X 10 Reps
Hammer Curls 3 Sets X 10 Reps
Preacher Curls 3 Sets X 10 Reps
Barbell Curl Passes – Do 1 Rep, hand to partner to do 2 Reps, then you do 3, and so on until someone gives up
Day 4
Triceps Kickbacks 3 Sets X 10 Reps
Shoulder Press 3 Sets X 10 Reps
Overhead Triceps Extensions 3 Sets X 10 Reps
Dumbbell Lateral Raise 3 Sets X 10 Reps
Tate Press 3 Sets X 10 Reps
Upright Rows 3 Sets X 10 Reps
Rear Delt Fly 3 Sets X 10 Reps
Here’s a shirt you can wear next time you train together in the gym!
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