About this workout
Your 40s are a great time to get strong. Lifting builds lean muscle, supports your bones and hormones, and shapes the strong, athletic body most women are after, and it does it better than any class or gadget. This 12 week, 4 day upper/lower split is built for women over 40 who already train: real glute and shoulder work, enough volume to change your shape, and a joint-aware structure so you feel good doing it. Strong is the goal, and strong looks fantastic.
Who This Program Is For
- You are a woman over 40 who already trains and wants a smarter structure.
- You can train four days a week.
- You have access to a full gym.
- You want lean muscle, strong glutes and healthy joints, not a quick-fix 'toning' plan.
Who this is NOT for: women brand new to the gym. Start with the 4 Week Beginner Gym Workout Plan for Women and build a base first.
It is also not about shrinking. We build and shape muscle and manage food; that is what actually changes how you look and how you age.
What You'll Need
- A full gym with barbells, dumbbells, cables and machines.
- A resistance band is handy for warm-ups and glute activation.
- A training log to keep your progress honest.
The Program
Four days: two upper, two lower, with the lower days built around the glutes and hamstrings. A good layout is Monday upper, Tuesday lower, Thursday upper, Friday lower. Control every rep and stop a rep or two shy of failure.
| Day 1 | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Upper A | |||
| Exercise | Sets | Reps | Rest |
| Dumbbell Shoulder Press | 4 | 8-10 | 90 sec |
| Lat Pulldown | 4 | 10-12 | 90 sec |
| Incline Dumbbell Bench Press | 3 | 10-12 | 75 sec |
| Seated Cable Rows | 3 | 10-12 | 75 sec |
| Dumbbell Lateral Raise | 3 | 12-15 | 45 sec |
| Dumbbell Curls | 3 | 12-15 | 45 sec |
| Tricep Pushdown | 3 | 12-15 | 45 sec |
| Day 2 | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Lower A | |||
| Exercise | Sets | Reps | Rest |
| Hip Thrust (Weighted Hip Extension) | 4 | 10-12 | 90 sec |
| Romanian Deadlift | 3 | 10 | 90 sec |
| Leg Press | 3 | 12-15 | 90 sec |
| Lying Leg Curl | 3 | 12-15 | 60 sec |
| Standing Calf Raise | 4 | 15 | 45 sec |
| Plank | 3 | 45 sec | 45 sec |
| Day 3 | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Upper B | |||
| Exercise | Sets | Reps | Rest |
| Dumbbell Bench Press | 4 | 10-12 | 90 sec |
| One Arm Dumbbell Row | 4 | 10-12 each arm | 75 sec |
| Cable Lateral Raise | 3 | 15 | 45 sec |
| Face Pulls | 3 | 15-20 | 45 sec |
| Hammer Curls | 3 | 12 | 45 sec |
| Bench Dips | 3 | 12-15 | 45 sec |
| Day 4 | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Lower B | |||
| Exercise | Sets | Reps | Rest |
| Goblet Squat | 4 | 10-12 | 90 sec |
| Dumbbell Romanian Deadlift | 3 | 10-12 | 90 sec |
| Walking Lunge | 3 | 10 each leg | 75 sec |
| Glute Bridge | 3 | 15 | 60 sec |
| Leg Extension | 3 | 15 | 45 sec |
| Cable Crunch | 3 | 15 | 45 sec |
How to Progress
Twelve weeks in three blocks with a built-in deload.
Weeks 1 to 4. Set your working weights and keep two reps in reserve. Add a rep or a little weight whenever a set feels easy, especially on hip thrusts and pulldowns.
Weeks 5 to 8. Push the top sets harder, one rep in reserve. Prioritize adding weight to the hip thrust, Romanian deadlift and presses.
Week 8 (deload). One lighter week at about two thirds of your normal load and volume. It protects your joints and sets up the final block.
Weeks 9 to 12. Build past your week 5 to 7 numbers. By week 12 your glutes, back and shoulders will be visibly stronger and more defined.
Warm-Up and Recovery Notes
Warm up for five to ten minutes: easy cardio, band glute activation, and mobility for hips and shoulders, then a lighter set of your first lift. This gets more valuable every year.
Recovery drives results. Sleep seven or more hours, keep off days active, and manage stress; it all affects how you feel and train in your 40s. Work around any joint that is cranky rather than pushing through sharp pain.
Nutrition and Supplementation
Protein supports muscle, bone and recovery, and it matters more with age. Aim for about 0.8 to 1 gram per pound of bodyweight and eat at maintenance or a slight surplus to build.
Support worth having: protein powder to hit your target, creatine monohydrate at 5 grams a day, which is well studied and helpful for women, and a daily multivitamin. Vitamin D and calcium are worth discussing with your doctor for bone health.
FAQ
Will lifting heavy make me bulky? No. Building large amounts of muscle takes years of hard eating and training. Lifting builds the lean, strong, shapely look, and it protects your bones as you age.
I am in perimenopause and everything feels harder. Does this still work? Yes. Strength training is one of the best tools for managing body composition, bone density and mood through these years. Adjust volume on rough weeks and stay consistent.
Do I need the barbell? No. Dumbbell and machine versions work just as well here; use whatever your joints prefer.
Questions and results
Ask a coach
Running this program? Tell us what week you are on and how the progression is going. A coach answers every question here.