Workout guides for women
Stronger on your terms
Timed workouts you can follow at home, a library of 81 exercises with clear movement diagrams, and plain-English guidance for every stage of life — from first workout to pregnancy, menopause and beyond.
The session board
Pick by the time you've got. Every workout has a built-in interval timer and a printable plan.
- 9min 10-minute wake-up Home bodyweight Beginner Low impact
- 27min Living-room strength Home bodyweight Beginner Low impact
- 32min No-kit full body 30 Home bodyweight Intermediate Low impact
- 33min Dumbbell foundations Dumbbell strength Beginner Low impact
- 22min Upper body with dumbbells Dumbbell strength Intermediate Low impact
- 26min Kettlebell starter Dumbbell strength Intermediate Low impact
- 26min Resistance band full body Resistance bands Beginner Low impact
- 24min Low-impact HIIT HIIT Intermediate Low impact
The movement library
81 exercises, drawn out
Every exercise has numbered steps, form cues, common mistakes, an easier and a harder version, and safety notes — plus an original start-to-finish diagram.
Train your way
Choose a style you enjoy, or guidance shaped around where you are in life.
Training styles
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Home bodyweightNo kit, no commute: strength and cardio in the space of a yoga mat.
3 workouts
Photo: David Hawgood, CC BY-SA 2.0 -
Dumbbell strengthA pair of dumbbells and a plan: the simplest way to get properly strong at home.
3 workouts
Photo: Nenad Stojkovic, CC BY 2.0 -
Resistance bandsLight, cheap and packable — real strength training that fits in a drawer.
1 workout
Photo: Tyler Read, CC BY 2.0 -
HIITShort, hard bursts with rests between — maximum effort, minimum time.
2 workouts
Photo: Scott Webb scottwebb, CC0 -
Low-impact cardioGet warm, get breathless, keep your feet on the ground.
1 workout
Photo: Georgios Liakopoulos, CC BY-SA 3.0 -
Walking & runningFrom brisk walks to your first 5K — one step at a time.
2 workouts
Photo: R. Henrik Nilsson, CC BY-SA 4.0 -
Yoga, pilates & mobilitySlow, strong and supple: move well and feel better for it.
3 workouts
Photo: dennis, CC BY 2.0
Life stages & health
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Pelvic floorThe muscles you can't see but definitely notice — and how to train them.
1 workout
Photo: Public domain, CC0 -
Pregnancy & postnatalStaying active for you and your baby — always with your midwife or GP in the loop.
2 workouts
Photo: freestocks.org, CC0 -
Menopause & perimenopauseStrength, impact and calm: exercise that supports you through the change.
1 workout
Photo: gminguzzi, CC BY-SA 2.0 -
Strength & balance in later lifeStronger legs, steadier feet, more confidence — at any age.
2 workouts
Photo: Jim Smillie, CC BY-SA 2.0
What the UK guidelines say
Three numbers worth knowing
From the UK Chief Medical Officers' physical activity guidelines for adults (first published 2019, updated July 2026). Any activity counts — every minute helps.
Minutes a week of moderate activity…such as brisk walking or cycling — you can talk, but not sing.
…or of vigorous activitysuch as running — or a mix of the two. Spread it across the week.
Days a week of strength workfor all the major muscle groups. Over-65s should add balance activities too.
Start with a plan
Four calm, structured weeks. Tick sessions off as you go — progress is saved only in your browser.
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Photo: Alabama Extension, CC0 4 weeks · Beginner
4-week home strength starter
Three short sessions a week with no equipment: two strength days and one cardio day, plus walks. Builds from 10 to 30 minutes.
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Photo: Public domain, CC0 4 weeks · Beginner
4-week low-impact start
No jumping at all: gentle cardio, strength, balance, mobility and daily pelvic floor work. Ideal if you're returning to exercise.
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Photo: R. Henrik Nilsson, CC BY-SA 4.0 4 weeks · Beginner
4-week walking to run-walk
Build a walking habit, add faster stretches, then try short jogs — a gentle lead-in to NHS Couch to 5K.
Kit that earns its space
Home workout kit
What to look for before you buy — sizes, weights, materials — with links to compare options on Amazon.co.uk.
DumbbellsThe most versatile weights for home strength training — fixed pairs or adjustable sets.Photo: Ser Amantio di Nicolao, CC BY-SA 4.0
KettlebellsOne bell, many exercises — swings, goblet squats, deadlifts and carries.Photo: Detlef Romeike, CC BY-SA 2.5
Resistance bandsInexpensive, packable resistance: long bands, tubes with handles, and mini loops.Photo: Velislav Panchev, CC BY-SA 4.0
Exercise matsThe one piece of kit almost every workout uses — thin and grippy, or thick and cushioned.Photo: Santeri Viinamäki, CC BY-SA 4.0
Guides
The basics, done properly — and sourced.
- The UK physical activity guidelines, explainedHow much activity the UK Chief Medical Officers recommend for adults, older adults, and during and after pregnancy — and what counts.
- Getting started safelyWhen to check with your GP first, how to warm up and cool down, how hard to work, and what to do when something doesn't feel right.
- Building a home gym on a budgetWhat to buy first, what can wait, and how to fit a useful workout corner into a small space.
- Staying motivated (when life gets busy)Practical ways to keep going: make it easy, make it social, make it count — and be kind to yourself when weeks go sideways.
- Recovery and sleep basicsRest days, cool-downs and a better night's sleep — the parts of training that happen when you're not training.