Female cutting program

[PwittyLola]

Hi everyone,

I am trying to get back into shape after giving birth (4 months ago), I have done very light exercises 3-4 times a week the past 2 months and am now starting to feel ready to push a bit harder. My main goal is to lose fat, but also to build some strength. My goal is the bikini look, not so much upper body muscle development, slim waist, big glutes quads and hams. I am 29 years 169cm, before pregnancy I was 56kg with popping obliques but not much abs (not sure of body fat %), now I am 67 kg. I am of African decent, it seems that I grow muscle relatively easily and struggle to get the fat off.

I used this program before and it worked quite well - I was thinking of doing the same now except that my stomach does not yet feel ready for abs workout. First 5-8 weeks as below, see how it goes and then step up with a bit more exercises per day.

MONDAY – LEG DAY
Barbell Squats – 4 x 25
Jumping squats – 3 x 15
Lunges – 3 x 20 each leg
Step-ups – 3 x 20 each leg
30 min medium cardio

TUESDAY – BACK and ABS
Cable Row – 3 x 15
Lat pulldowns – 3 x 15
Bent Over Barbell Rows 3 x 15
Standing ez-bar bicep curls 3 x 15
Ab crunches – 3 x 25 (I may skip this if my stomach is not ready yet)
Planks – 4 x 1 min planks (I may skip this if my stomach is not ready yet)
Row Machine – 3 sets of 400m row
30 min hard cardio (alternating 2 min hard, 1 min medium)

WEDNESDAY - cardio only
45 min hard cardio (alternating 2 min hard, 1 min medium)

THURSDAY - LEGS
Hip thrusts 4 x 20
Cable kick-backs 4 x 20 each leg
Squats 3 x 12
Leg Press 3 x 20
Glute push-downs 3x12 each leg
30 min medium cardio

FRIDAY – SHOULDERS and ABS
Lateral Shoulder Raises with dumbbells (pause at top) – 3 x 12
Forward dumbells raise - 3 x 12
Shoulder Press Overhead - 3 x 12
Tricep pushdown rope 3 x 15
Planks – 4 x 1 min planks (I may skip this if my stomach is not ready yet)
30 min hard cardio (alternating 2 min hard, 1 min medium)

SATURDAY - off

SUNDAY - cardio only
45 min hard cardio (alternating 2 min hard, 1 min medium)

I don't have any chest exercises in the program, I sometimes add dumbbell bench press. I have medium sized breast implants and don't need to grow chest muscles to for the aesthetics, but I am not sure if I should add some chest exercise for general fitness and conditioning?

Does this look reasonable as the basic cutting program, before stepping up the intensity?

I understand that the diet is the most important piece of losing fat, I will post my diet separately in the diet forum.

[PwittyLola]

Anyone have any thoughts?

[ghettoboyd]

Hi everyone,

I am trying to get back into shape after giving birth (4 months ago), I have done very light exercises 3-4 times a week the past 2 months and am now starting to feel ready to push a bit harder. My main goal is to lose fat, but also to build some strength. My goal is the bikini look, not so much upper body muscle development, slim waist, big glutes quads and hams. I am 29 years 169cm, before pregnancy I was 56kg with popping obliques but not much abs (not sure of body fat %), now I am 67 kg. I am of African decent, it seems that I grow muscle relatively easily and struggle to get the fat off.

I used this program before and it worked quite well - I was thinking of doing the same now except that my stomach does not yet feel ready for abs workout. First 5-8 weeks as below, see how it goes and then step up with a bit more exercises per day.

MONDAY – LEG DAY
Barbell Squats – 4 x 25
Jumping squats – 3 x 15
Lunges – 3 x 20 each leg
Step-ups – 3 x 20 each leg
30 min medium cardio

TUESDAY – BACK and ABS
Cable Row – 3 x 15
Lat pulldowns – 3 x 15
Bent Over Barbell Rows 3 x 15
Standing ez-bar bicep curls 3 x 15
Ab crunches – 3 x 25 (I may skip this if my stomach is not ready yet)
Planks – 4 x 1 min planks (I may skip this if my stomach is not ready yet)
Row Machine – 3 sets of 400m row
30 min hard cardio (alternating 2 min hard, 1 min medium)

WEDNESDAY - cardio only
45 min hard cardio (alternating 2 min hard, 1 min medium)

THURSDAY - LEGS
Hip thrusts 4 x 20
Cable kick-backs 4 x 20 each leg
Squats 3 x 12
Leg Press 3 x 20
Glute push-downs 3x12 each leg
30 min medium cardio

FRIDAY – SHOULDERS and ABS
Lateral Shoulder Raises with dumbbells (pause at top) – 3 x 12
Forward dumbells raise - 3 x 12
Shoulder Press Overhead - 3 x 12
Tricep pushdown rope 3 x 15
Planks – 4 x 1 min planks (I may skip this if my stomach is not ready yet)
30 min hard cardio (alternating 2 min hard, 1 min medium)

SATURDAY - off

SUNDAY - cardio only
45 min hard cardio (alternating 2 min hard, 1 min medium)

I don't have any chest exercises in the program, I sometimes add dumbbell bench press. I have medium sized breast implants and don't need to grow chest muscles to for the aesthetics, but I am not sure if I should add some chest exercise for general fitness and conditioning?

Does this look reasonable as the basic cutting program, before stepping up the intensity?

I understand that the diet is the most important piece of losing fat, I will post my diet separately in the diet forum.

This program has plenty of volume for sure so plenty of calories will be burned...I like that your lifting and doing cardio so I’d say your setting your self up for success...you know that diet is of utmost importance so your program will serve you well imho...I personally would ad in another triceps exercise and definitely do a few sets for chest so your hitting all the muscles but that’s just me, you do you and good luck... I will follow your journey if you keep a log...

[ScotchGuard02]

When I work with women who are looking to lose weight and tone up, I keep them moving through their exercises with supersets.

Using your leg workout, I would have her do 1 set of Squats/10 crunches/Jumping Squats/10 oblique crunches (left side)/Lunges/10 oblique crunches (right side)/Step-Ups 2 minute break. Then repeat the sequence for 2 more cycles.

I'm trying to keep her heart rate up through physical exertion and minimal rest between exercises. It's like a low intensity HIIT. Work a muscle and keep moving.