11 Best Exercises For Workouts for Women - gymgirlfit (2024)

It can sometimes feel like workout trends come and go faster than the latest meme.

You start off strong, hitting the gym with the latest and greatest routine, only to find yourself stuck in a plateau that even the most upbeat workout playlist can’t conquer.

But fear not, because breaking through those fitness plateaus and injecting some excitement into your routine is all about having a reliable set of exercises up your sleeve.

Let’s face it, our bodies get way too comfy with the same old workout routine. It’s like telling your muscles, “Hey, you’ve got this – no need to break a sweat!”. To keep things interesting and your progress on the upswing, having a mix of the best exercises is the secret.

It’s all about variety – making your muscles guess what’s coming next, keeping you on your toes, and challenging your body and mind throughout.

So, in this article, we’re diving into the eleven best exercises for women. Forget about those fly-by-night fitness trends; we’re talking about tried-and-true moves that can be your go-to for any fitness goal.

Let’s get into it!

The Best Exercise for Women

1. Squats:

Squats pull in a huge range of muscles, in your lower body, making them a firm favourite for any leg and glute workout. Before you start adding weight, it’s essential you get your body form absolutely perfect to avoid injury. So, check out the guide below!

Instructions:

– Stand with feet shoulder-width apart.

– Lower your body as if sitting into a chair, keeping chest up and knees behind toes.

– Stop when your hip joint is aligned with your knees, and stand up.

Muscles Worked: Quadriceps, hamstrings, glutes, and core.

Ideal for: Lower body and butt workouts.

2. Push-ups:

Push-ups are a classic upper body exercise that also activate the core. They’re something of an achievement to achieve a full body one too, so if you’re starting out, we’d recommend resting on your knees instead of your toes. This way you can build you strength up and gradually work towards a full push up.

Or, if knees don’t feel right, you can use a bench or fence to elevate your top half as you build strength (just like in the video above!).

Instructions:

– Start in a plank position with hands slightly wider than shoulder-width apart and your weight on your toes or knees depending on your strength.

– Lower your body towards the floor and push back up.

Muscles Worked: Chest, shoulders, triceps, and core.

Ideal for: Upper body and core workouts.

3. Lunges:

Lunges are a dynamic lower body exercise targeting individual legs, but especially focussing in on the glutes. Add these to a legs or butt workout and you’re sure to feel the burn – trust us!

Instructions:

– Step forward with your right leg, lowering your body until both knees form 90-degree angles and your left knee is almost touching the floor.

– Return to the starting position by pushing up through your right leg.

Muscles Worked: Quadriceps, hamstrings, glutes, and core.

Ideal for: Lower body and butt workouts.

4. Deadlifts:

Deadlifts are a great addition to any workout. As a compound movement, a deadlift works a range of muscles throughout the posterior chain, which is why so many people use it as a foundation movement for an entire body workout.

Instructions:

– Hold a barbell or dumbbells in front of your thighs.

– Hinge at the hips and lower the weight towards the ground while keeping your back straight.

Muscles Worked: Hamstrings, glutes, lower back, and core.

Ideal for: Lower boddy and full-body workouts.

5. Pull-ups:

Pull ups are an excellent upper body and back workout. Plus, while they’re only bodyweight, they’re one of those exercises that’s a real achievement to do in full. But, of you’re not in a position to do a full pull up yet, you can use resistance bands or a jumping pull up to help you build up strength.

Instructions:

– Hang from a bar with palms facing away from you.

– Pull your shoulder blades together to create tension in your back and shoulders

– From here, pull yourself up until your chin is above the bar.

Muscles Worked: Back, biceps, and shoulders.

Ideal for: Upper body workouts.

6. Plank:

Planks are a great part of any total body workout, it helps you build strength in your core muscles. On top of that it works muscle groups in your shoulder and back too.

Instructions:

– Hold a plank position with forearms on the ground and your core tight.

– Keep your body in a straight line from head to heels.

Muscles Worked: Core, shoulders, and back.

Ideal for: Core and full-body workouts.

7. Leg Press:

A leg press machine is a great way to work on your leg and glute strength on top of the other leg movements. Plus, if you’re trying out strength training and you struggle with flexibility in your lower body, and you’re working on your squat strength.

Instructions:

– Sit on a leg press machine and place your feet just outside hip width apart

– Press the platform away using your legs

– Bend your legs to bring the plate down in a controlled manner, until your knees sit around your chest

– Push the plate back until your knees are almost straight

Muscles Worked: Quadriceps, hamstrings, and glutes.

Ideal for: Lower body workouts.

8. Bent-over Rows:

Bent-over rows target the back and biceps, promoting upper body strength. They’re a really effective move, especially if you keep your shoulder blades nice and tight together to maintain tension. We like to pair them with a deadlift, but that’s entirely up to you!

Instructions:

– Hold a barbell or dumbbells in each hand,

– Hinge at the hips until your back is just above parallel to the floor

– Row the weight towards your lower chest, as if you’re elbowing someone behind you

Muscles Worked: Back, biceps, and shoulders.

Ideal for: Upper body workouts.

9. Russian Twists:

Russian twists are a great option for a total body workout or a strong core muscle groups session. The twist means you get to work a good selection of muscles. And, once you’ve done this without weight, why not add some weights to the movement to keep challenging your body.

Instructions:

– Sit on the floor, lean back slightly and lift your feet off the floor slightly

– Rotate your torso to touch the ground on each side

Muscles Worked: Obliques and core.

Ideal for: Core workouts.

10. Hip Thrusts:

The hip thrust is one of the most effective movements you can do to isolate your glutes. It’s like a glute bridge, but for more intense and challenging. Don’t sweat it though! You can start with no weights and add a bar (with a bar protector for comfort!) across your hips as you progress in strength.

Instructions:

– Sit with your back against a bench, knees bent and feet flat on the ground.

– Thrust your hips upward until your body is in a straight line from the bench to your knees

– In a controlled manner, return your butt to the floor to begin the next rep

Muscles Worked: Glutes, hamstrings, and lower back.

Ideal for: Butt and lower body workouts.

Discover our full guide to hip thrusts right here.

11. Burpees:

The burpee may sound pretty straight forward, but it’s one of those cardio exercise that just gets you right in the lungs. And, it’s a great full body workout too. So, add. these to your workout and you’re certain to get a good training session in.

Instructions:

– Start in a standing position

– Drop into a squat then place your hands flat on the floor

– Kick your feet back so you’re in a push up position

– From here, perform a push up, being sure to touch your chest to the floor

– Return your feet to squat position, and jump up, arms extended above your head

Muscles Worked: Legs, core, chest, and arms.

Ideal for: Full-body workouts.