New Rules of Lifting for Women — standard program

Train three nonconsecutive days a week, with at most three workouts in seven days. Regular Stage 1 has eight A workouts, eight B workouts and two AMRAP (as many reps as possible) specials; if you choose the beginner start, do its 26 workouts instead of regular Stage 1. Stages 2–5 each have four A and four B workouts, and Stage 7 has six workouts. Take a week off after Stage 1 and choose whether to take a week off after each of Stages 2–5. Choose Stage 6 if you want to do it, and decide yourself whether to do a second Stage-7 pass. Follow the book’s guidance on posture, support and exercise variations, and keep track of your working weights. For the Stage-1 specials, reuse the appropriate first-workout weights; at the end of Stage 6B, reuse the workout-2 weights where called for. Before Stage-6 pulldowns, choose either a 1-second lowering, 1-second pause and 4-second return, or a 4-second lowering, 1-second pause and 1-second return.

• Adjustable bench
• Back extension bench
• Barbell
• Stable exercise box
• Cable stack
• Dumbbells
• Flat bench
• Lat pulldown machine
• Pull-up bar
• Elevated deadlift pulling blocks
• Squat rack
• Stability ball
• Stable exercise step
• Weight plates