Hard Body Training for Women: What Next?

I have just completed your Hard Body Training for Women with amazing results. I have been training for 30 years and never seen anything like this program. My body composition and my strength has improved remarkably. Although I still feel I can do better, it took me a while to perfect some of the exercises to perfect form.

My question is I love this program and thinking of doing it again now that I have perfect form. Will I still see benefits if I start over again or will I benefit more by changing my program?

I also am looking into your Super Hero and Bad Strength Circuits. My goal is more weight loss whilst building muscle. So in your option should I start another program? Like your Super Hero program (noticed the adjustment you made for women on this program) or your Bad Strength Circuits? Do you think I can still benefit starting over on the Hard Body Training or should I change?

Got to tell you again - Thank you! You really know your stuff never felt so great in my life along with my muscles actually doing what I need them to do and I am in my mid 40s!

1 Like

Gimme until tomorrow. I’ll give you a proper answer
 pretty tired right now :slight_smile:

Try something like


DAY 1
A) STRENGTH
Power clean ramp to maximum for 3 reps (shoot to get there in 5-6 sets)
Power clean + front squat (3+3) for 5 sets
Deadlift* + power clean (3+3) for 5 sets

*You can use two separate bars or use the same bar but add weight in the deadlift and remove it for the power clean

B) METCON
4 rounds of:
10 deadlifts at 55%
500m rowing ergometer

C) ABS WORK
10-15 minutes

DAY 2
A) STRENGTH
Push press ramp to maximum for 3 reps (shoot to get there in 5-6 sets)
Power clean from hang + Push press + Front squat (2+3+5) for 5 sets
Military press + Push press (same weight) (5+max) for 5 sets

B) METCON
4 rounds
10 Thrusters (about 50-60% of push press 3RM)
20 box jumps

C) ABS
10-15 minutes

DAY 3
A) RESISTANCE
A1. Back squat x 8-10 reps lowering in 5 seconds
45 sec reps
A2. Chin-ups (with band if required) x 8-10 reps holding chin ABOVE bar for 2 sec
90 sec rest
Do 4 sets

B1. Sumo deadlift x 8-10 reps with 2 sec pause just below knees
45 sec. rest
B2. Incline DB press x 8-10 lowering in 5 seconds
90 sec rest
Do 4 sets

B) METCON #1 (ANAEROBIC POWER)
KB swing max (russian swing, no higher than eyes) max reps in 15 seconds, 45 sec of rest
 do 8 sets

C) METCON #2 (ANAEROBIC CAPACITY)
Stationary bike 
 TONS of resistance
 the most resistance you can use while still being fluid
60 seconds on/45 seconds off for 4 sets

DAY 4
A) POWER
A1. Power clean hang + Push press (3+3)
30 sec rest
A2. KB jumps 5 jumps
90 sec rest
Do 5 sets

B) HYPERTROPHY
B1. Preacher curl x 8-10 lowered in 4 seconds
30 sec rest
B2. Lying DB triceps extension x 8-10 lowered in 4 seconds
30 sec rest
B3. DB hammer curl x 8-10 hold peak 2 seconds
30 sec rest
B4. Max push-ups
90 sec rest

4 sets

C1. DB lateral raise x 8-10 lowered in 4 seconds
30 sec rest
C2. DB front raise x 8-10 lowered in 4 seconds
30 sec rest
C3. DB shoulder press x 8-10
90 sec rest

4 sets

C) ABS
10-15 minutes

D) CARDIO
20-30 minutes at about 140 BPM

DAY 5
A) GIANT METCON
4 rounds
10 power clean @ 60%
10 push press @ 60%
20 front squats (same weight as push press)
Battle rope 1 minute
Rowing ergometer 500m
3 minutes of rest

5 Likes

Thanks so much Christian! This workout should be called Extreme Hard Body Training for Women :slight_smile: Very scary but can not wait to get into the gym and see the results. Thank you, Thank you, Thank you!!!

[quote]DB666 wrote:
Thanks so much Christian! This workout should be called Extreme Hard Body Training for Women :slight_smile: Very scary but can not wait to get into the gym and see the results. Thank you, Thank you, Thank you!!![/quote]

Post an update a few weeks in and let us know how it’s going. This looks great and I may try it in a few weeks also.

How many weeks would you recommend on this program?

Power clean from hang + Push press + Front squat (2+3+5) for 5 sets
Finish the cleans 2 reps, then precede to push press 3 reps, then front squat 5 reps?

[quote]fnf wrote:
Power clean from hang + Push press + Front squat (2+3+5) for 5 sets
Finish the cleans 2 reps, then precede to push press 3 reps, then front squat 5 reps?
[/quote]

Correct

[quote]sandradee wrote:
How many weeks would you recommend on this program?[/quote]

4 to 6

[quote]sandradee wrote:
Post an update a few weeks in and let us know how it’s going. This looks great and I may try it in a few weeks also.[/quote]

Sure thing Sanradee. Starting it on Monday. Just speadsheeted it out. I can feel it already :slight_smile:

[quote]sandradee wrote:

Post an update a few weeks in and let us know how it’s going. This looks great and I may try it in a few weeks also.[/quote]

sandradee as promised here is my update.

I have just completed 3 weeks and by no means am I an expert. My bible used to be Arnold’s Encyclopaedia so really this type of workout I still feel like a noob.

Well got to say it’s a perfect extension to the Hard Body program and yes I was right it’s ‘Extreme’ (for me anyway).

Results are more amazing than the Hard Body program! It’s a real fat loss program and even if you think you aren’t gaining strength you are. I don’t push out of form to add extra weight I stay true to form and add weight when I know I can do the reps but strangely enough analysing my spreadsheet I have increased weight every week. But you don’t feel like that in the gym you just feel stuffed! Every set or combined set you are sweating like crazy. I’ve got bruises on my delts permanently from the power cleans, you do so many power cleans!

The bottom line it’s a fantastic extension to the Hard Body workout but no way could I have tried this without my 10 weeks intro.

Although I don’t measure on the scales I use mirrors and clothes, just after 3 weeks I am back into my skinner clothes. My shoulders are rounder, pecs more defined, my biceps are rounding nicely and my quads are showing. So yes, CT has delivered exactly what I asked for in a program for weight loss with bigger muscles. The only complaint I have is my back is not developing along with the rest of me. If you have got any suggestions CT would love to add them :slight_smile:

The only change I have made is to Thursday (or day 4). You will spend 1:15 mins approx on each day but Thursday is too long as given it would take 1:45 mins to do so the Abs are changed to day 5 and the cardio on the week-end. I can’t or don’t have the energy to do more than 1:15 minutes in the gym, this excludes any warm-up for me so it’s usually 1:30 everyday this program takes to finish. So yes, it’s longer than the Hard Body.

Oh also, I had to up my supplements and protein to keep up with this program but it’s truly worth it.

Thanks again CT really feeling great but haha I say this after my 16 hrs of rest and have to look forward to a week-end of recovery with exception to a 20 min cardio session :slight_smile:

What to do next???

1 Like

Thanks for the update DB666. Sounds like it’s challenging and you’re getting the right results. I have not started yet, just finishing up my current plan this week. I have some experience with cleans and they are one of my favorite lifts, so that’s why I was drawn to this workout. I’m still trying to figure out the logistics of some the met cons in my gymñ?©.but I’ll figure a way or modify a move. I’ll keep you posted too. Keep working hard!

Hi CT!
First of all, I have also completed the Hard Body Training for Women, big fan and I love love love the results! Added 9 kg to the main lifts (I suck at squats), and the size of my glutes is much better now (my waist is naturally wide and I struggle to compensate for it).
I would like to try the program you gave DB666 here. Hate to ask this, but could you please suggest any modifications, just to make it shorter?
I go to our awful corporate gym during the lunch break and only have 1 hour to train (warm-up included) :frowning:
The gym also lacks equipment - no DBs oÐÂș KBs lol, I fasten together small plates with a strap


Thanks in advance for you time!!

p.s. and sorry for my grammar :slight_smile:

[quote]SonyaSt wrote:
Hi CT!
First of all, I have also completed the Hard Body Training for Women, big fan and I love love love the results! Added 9 kg to the main lifts (I suck at squats), and the size of my glutes is much better now (my waist is naturally wide and I struggle to compensate for it).
I would like to try the program you gave DB666 here. Hate to ask this, but could you please suggest any modifications, just to make it shorter?
I go to our awful corporate gym during the lunch break and only have 1 hour to train (warm-up included) :frowning:
The gym also lacks equipment - no DBs oÃ??Ã?ÂÂș KBs lol, I fasten together small plates with a strap


Thanks in advance for you time!!

p.s. and sorry for my grammar :)[/quote]

Hi SonyaST - I’m not CT but I can tell you what I would do if I was in your situation. But you got to try it. It’s amazing! I’ve just ended my 4th week I am still progressing. I find it more result orientated than the Hard Body.

So looking at my times and days avgs after first set, ex warm-up (and given what I mentioned above I changed on Thursday-Friday-Weekend). M-1:15, T-1:00, W-1:00, Th-1:00, F-1:00, Weekend-20-30mins.

As you can see we have mostly 1 hour workouts (ex warm-up after 1st set).

  • So Mon, Tues you do 5 sets to start not 6 like I do.
  • Abs are Mon, Tues, Fri (given my change), don’t do them and save 15mins and do them at home!
  • Warm-up can be anything to get your body warm to lifting lighter weights on your first sets or take the stairs to your gym. Notice CT put ramp-ups in Mon and Tues so this can be used for your warm-ups.
  • The main problem you will have is Thursday. So cut down on your Cleans to 4 sets or maybe look at doing 3 rounds on your strongest body part ie shoulders or bis/tris or 3 for both. Or alternate every week.

Missing DBs, KBs and most likely some metcon equipment I would think outside of the box and just fill the gaps. Most of the DBs and be done with bars. KBs free plates like you mentioned.

It’s an amazing program but if you stick to 90% with fillers I am sure you will still see results. Most of the bar work gets you pumped and exhausted which I believe is the most important for muscle, strength and even the weight loss. The other stuff if you don’t have the equipment to use improvise I am sure you will still see similar results.

So go in there and just do it! You got nothing to lose apart from weight and you will gain muscle even without your DBs, KBs. The bar work alone you will see results. Good luck :slight_smile:

Thanks a lot DB666! I really appreciate your answer and will keep in mind your advice :slight_smile:
By the way, what about rest periods for the strength part?

[quote]SonyaSt wrote:
Thanks a lot DB666! I really appreciate your answer and will keep in mind your advice :slight_smile:
By the way, what about rest periods for the strength part?[/quote]

Edited sorry was very sleepy :slight_smile:
Single lifts 60-90secs. Complex sets 0-10 secs between and 60-90secs rest at the end of each complex. I test my strength on single sets but I keep my heart rate up on complexes.

This program is a trade-off if you want to keep your heart rate up minimise your rest (to burn fat). If you want to gain strength increase your rest. So it depends on your objectives. I have biased towards fat loss but test my strength on single lift sets. But regardless I still try to increase weight in my complex every week even if it’s just 2.5-5 kgms.

I did Monday today and my progress wasn’t as good as I hoped. I am into my 5th week. I hope I just had a bad day after a very physical week-end. If I still feel the same tomorrow I might increase my rest times.

[quote]DB666 wrote:

[quote]SonyaSt wrote:
Thanks a lot DB666! I really appreciate your answer and will keep in mind your advice :slight_smile:
By the way, what about rest periods for the strength part?[/quote]

Single lifts 60-90secs. Combined sets 0-10 secs. I test my strength on single sets but I keep my heart rate up on combined.

This program is a trade-off if you want to keep your heart rate up minimise your rest (to burn fat). If you want to gain strength increase your rest. So it depends on your objectives. I have biased towards fat loss but test my strength on single lift sets. But regardless I still increase weight in my combined every week even if it’s just 2.5-5 kgms.[/quote]

For some reason I can’t edit my post :frowning:

A bit sleepy last night posting this. Wanted to make clear that I also have 60-90sec rests between strength complexes.

Today I started week 5 Monday. I was a bit disappointed with my lifts today but I did have a pretty physical week-end. If I feel like this tomorrow I will be increasing my rest times. I think you just have to listen to your body to know what’s right for you.

Thanks again :slight_smile: I started yesterday, and it was brutal. Expected crushing soreness from the cleans but today I am surprisingly alive and even energetic :slight_smile:

[quote]SonyaSt wrote:
Thanks again :slight_smile: I started yesterday, and it was brutal. Expected crushing soreness from the cleans but today I am surprisingly alive and even energetic :)[/quote]

Glad to hear you started. You are a day behind me but I am in Australia.

Hope you enjoy your shoulder workout for Tuesday :slight_smile: Those Military Presses with Push Presses are a killer :frowning:

Still feeling crap today. But I don’t like Tuesdays my shoulders feel the pain but Wednesday I am so looking forward to. Love my squats and Sumo deadlift!!!

Keep me posted how you go. - Di

Sweet!! I just finished Hard Body a couple of weeks ago and also just loved it!! I gained strength everywhere but most impressively with my squats. I too gained muscle and lost fat
So glad to see that there is a follow up to this program!! I am gonna dig in starting Sunday. I will train 2 days on 1 day off 3 on then one off
abs may get done on off days, though my abs developed nicely without doing any in hard Body
Actually CT, I am surprised that you actually added time for abs :stuck_out_tongue:
I too do not have any kettle bells, but I will figure something out for that.

Thank you CT for sharing your knowledge, most appreciated!