The topic of training women is a nuanced one. I don’t believe women inherently need to train differently than men, but there are times when a tailored approach can help them reach their goals more safely and effectively. Here’s how I think about it in practice.
A former female client—a mom and personal trainer—shared a formative story. She volunteered at a local high school to support the female teams, only to hear from a coach that summer workouts wouldn’t attract the girls because the weight room had “limited equipment that was female friendly.” That message is troubling. It helps explain why many girls disengage from sport and shy away from lifting. While I have nothing against yoga, Pilates, or Barre, marketing these as the universal solution for women can be misleading. All exercise has value, but marketing promises like “building long, lean muscle” often oversimplify reality.
I love training women and female athletes for many reasons. It’s incredibly rewarding to see someone hit a personal record or achieve something they never believed possible—like a first unassisted chin-up—and realize they have as much to gain from strength work as their male peers. I enjoy helping them shed limiting beliefs and embrace strength as a positive, empowering tool. Some of the most tenacious and competitive clients I’ve worked with have been women.
For example, distance coaching client Sarah was able to perform chin-ups, and CSP bootcamper Paula showed impressive work by powering through kettlebell swings after heavy deadlifts and squats. There’s also Cara, a former CSP client, who delivered a challenging deadlift at 33 weeks pregnant. (And yes, there are always technical notes and feedback from others online—I’m open to constructive criticism, but it’s not the sole measure of progress.)
There are times when women may benefit from training differently, and I’ve explored this topic in depth in a presentation I recently recorded for Mike Reinold’s RehabWebinars.com: Training Jane from Joe: Do Women Need to Train Differently Than Men?
This 75-minute webinar covers my general approach to training women, including intake and assessment, programming progressions, and special scenarios like training through pregnancy. It also addresses commonly glossed-over psychological barriers that keep some women from stepping into the weight room, as well as questions like whether weight training makes women bulky and why people still follow popular trends.
I believe this would be an excellent resource for any trainer or coach who works with female clients. The cost is $19.95, and you also gain monthly access to RehabWebinars.com, which hosts dozens of hours of content from leading professionals in rehab, strength, and sports medicine. If you value continuing education and staying current on industry topics, this is a strong option.
TRAINING JANE FROM JOE: DO WOMEN NEED TO TRAIN DIFFERENTLY THAN MEN?
