5 functional exercises for women to gain lean mass

There are many women who are afraid to train hard, either in a gym or in a CrossFit box, because they think they will become gigantic – we even talked about this in another post.

But you can be carefree! The general training routine of CrossFit or a conventional gym will not make you muscular like a bodybuilding competition athlete.

First, because a woman’s body doesn’t produce enough testosterone for that, and female athletes who tend to be bigger and stronger are the exceptions, not the rule. After all, professional athletes spend their lives dedicating themselves to this, so it’s understandable that their bodies are more muscular.

1- Romanian Deadlift with Kettlebell

The deadlift is a powerful exercise that works your entire back, but especially your glutes and hamstrings. Perform the exercise with your feet hip-width apart and your legs slightly bent.

Hold the kettlebell between your feet, and lower and raise your torso with the kettlebell in your hands. Do five sets of eight reps.

2- L-Sit

This challenging exercise can be modified for beginners, but no matter which version you do, you’ll feel your core screaming by the end.

Place push-up bars on either side of your body, around shoulder-width apart.

With one hand on each bar, step away from the floor and lift your legs to hip height, keeping your legs straight.

For starters, you can bend your knees to make this move easier. Do four sets of 20 seconds.

3- Bent Row

bent-over row woman

Many women leave weight training out of their routine. But it’s important to add these types of exercises into your workouts to get a balanced body.

Position your feet in line with your hips and knees, slightly flexed.

Grip the bar with shoulder-width apart.

With the backs of your hands facing up, lean your torso forward at a 45-degree angle to the floor, then pull the bar up until it touches your chest.

Keep your spine straight, and lower the bar with arms extended to the floor. Do four sets of eight reps.

4- Kettlebell Swings

This kettlebell exercise is a full-body movement that sounds easy to perform, but it’s not.

So start with a lighter weight to get a feel for how far your body can go before choosing a heavier, more challenging weight.

Standing upright, hold the kettlebell in both hands.

With the kettlebell dropping between your legs, thrust your hips forward, bringing the kettlebell up to eye level.

Keep your arms straight with a slight bend at the elbows. Perform four sets of 12 reps.

5- Flexion

Last but not least, push-ups!

One of the most common exercises and also one of the most effective in strengthening the entire body.

On a mat, lie down on your stomach. With your body stretched out, support your hands on the floor aligned with your shoulders, lifting and lowering your body with the strength of your arms.

Do four sets of eight reps.

You can still get a better result if you do all these exercises together in the same circuit. But always count on the help of your coach.