Phase 1: Foundation•Week 1 • Monday

Day 1: The first rep is the hardest

Full Body Strength A

45 minutes

Today's workout

Squat-focused full body session. Foundation for lower body strength.

Warm up (5-7 min)

•5 minutes easy walk or bike
•World's greatest stretch x 5 per side
•Glute bridges x 10
•Bodyweight squats x 10
•Scapular push-ups x 10

Showing gym version. Switch to home above if needed.

1. Goblet Squat

3 x 8-10

Rest: 90 sec • Equipment: dumbbells

Form cues:

→Hold dumbbell at chest, elbows tucked
→Sit back and down, knees tracking toes
→Drive through full foot to stand

Common mistakes to avoid

✗Knees caving inward - drive them out over your second toe
✗Heels lifting off the floor - widen stance or use flat shoes
✗Forward lean - keep your chest tall and elbows tucked down

Easier

Bodyweight squat with chair behind you for depth check

Harder

Heavier goblet squat
Dumbbell front squat

Home alternative: Bodyweight squat with 3-second lower

30-second goblet squat demo

2. Dumbbell Romanian Deadlift

3 x 8-10

Rest: 90 sec • Equipment: dumbbells

Form cues:

→Soft knees, hinge at hips
→Dumbbells slide down thighs
→Squeeze glutes to stand

Common mistakes to avoid

✗Rounding the lower back - keep your spine neutral, chest proud
✗Over-bending the knees - this becomes a squat, not a hinge
✗Going too low - stop when your hamstrings tell you to, not when the floor arrives

Easier

Hip hinge with band or dowel on back for form check

Harder

Single-leg RDL
Barbell RDL

Dumbbell RDL form demo

3. Dumbbell Bench Press

3 x 8-10

Rest: 90 sec • Equipment: dumbbells

Form cues:

→Feet planted, shoulders pulled back
→Lower dumbbells to chest level
→Press up and slightly together

Common mistakes to avoid

✗Flaring elbows to 90 degrees - tuck them to about 45 degrees
✗Pressing dumbbells apart at the top - keep a controlled path
✗Losing shoulder retraction - pinch shoulder blades into the bench

Easier

Dumbbell floor press
Incline push-up

Harder

Heavier dumbbells
Barbell bench press

Home alternative: Push-ups on knees or incline

Dumbbell bench press demo

4. One Arm Dumbbell Row

3 x 10-12 per side

Rest: 60 sec • Equipment: dumbbells

Form cues:

→Flat back, opposite hand on bench
→Pull dumbbell to hip, not shoulder
→Squeeze shoulder blade at top

Common mistakes to avoid

✗Twisting the torso - keep your shoulders square to the floor
✗Pulling to the shoulder - pull to the hip, elbow trails behind
✗Shrugging at the top - keep the shoulder packed down

Easier

Seated supported row with band

Harder

Heavier dumbbell
Chest-supported row

One-arm row demo

5. Plank

3 x 30-45 sec hold

Rest: 45 sec • Equipment: bodyweight

Form cues:

→Straight line from heels to head
→Ribs tucked, glutes squeezed
→Breathe through the hold

Common mistakes to avoid

✗Sagging hips - brace core and squeeze glutes
✗Lifting hips too high - keep a straight line heel to head
✗Holding breath - breathe slow and steady through the hold

Easier

Knee plank
Incline plank on bench

Harder

Longer holds
Weighted plank with plate on back

Plank form demo

Cool down (5 min)

•5 minutes easy walk
•Child's pose x 30 sec
•Seated forward fold x 30 sec
•Deep breathing x 2 minutes

Today's nutrition focus

Protein check: calculate your daily target

Multiply your body weight in kilograms by 1.8. That's your daily protein target in grams. Write it down. If you weigh 150 lbs (68 kg), you need 122g of protein today.

Mindset brief

Slow is smooth, smooth is fast

The biggest mistake women make starting a program is going too hard in week one. You want to feel capable at the end of today's workout, not wrecked. If you finish thinking "I could have done more," that's correct. Momentum beats intensity.

If you're on HRT

If you're on estrogen therapy, the muscle you're about to build will respond more strongly to today's session than it would without HRT. Estrogen supports muscle protein synthesis, satellite cell activation, and post-exercise recovery. You have a tailwind. Lean into it.

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Challenge overview

Day 2

Medical Disclaimer

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What to expect in your first 30 days on HRT

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