Welcome to the Member’s Corner! 🎉
This is your go-to hub for everything you need to know about your training at Strong Women Can. Here, you’ll find insights into our programming—what we’re focusing on each phase, why it matters, and how each week is designed to help you get the best results.
You’ll also have access to the daily workouts, so you can make the best class choices for your goals. Our aim is to empower you with the knowledge to train smarter, not just harder—so you’re not just picking the sessions you like, but also the ones you need (because let’s be real, the tough stuff is often where the biggest growth happens 💪🔥).
It’s also a space to stay connected with our community! The Member’s Corner will be our board for sharing upcoming events, workshops, and anything exciting happening at the gym. Think of it as your insider guide to making the most of your training and being part of something bigger.Â
Strength Program – 9 Week Overview
Over the next 9 weeks, we’re taking you through a structured strength journey designed to help you feel stronger, more confident, and more capable under the bar than ever before.
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Weekly Breakdown
Weeks 1–4 (13th Apr – 10th May):
- Hinge Days: Tuesdays & Fridays
- Squat & Bench Days: Thursdays
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Weeks 5–9 (11th May – 14th Jun):
- Hinge Day: Thursdays
- Squat & Bench Days: Tuesdays & Fridays
Tuesday 28th April & Friday 1st May
Strength B – Hinge
Intention: Build the base. Lift with intent. TRUST YOUR STRENGTH.
Prep: Brace training/warm up; 90/90 breathing, bear crawl holds 20-30 sec, glute activation with bands, lat activation
70% 1RM
A1) Conventional Deadlift 3 x 5
B1) Split Squat OR Bulgarian Split Squats 3 x 6-8 ea
B2) DB Skull Crushers (neutral grip, slow eccentric) 3 x 8-10
C1) Chest supported DB Incline Reverse Flyes 3 x 8-10
C2) DB Floor Press 3 x 8-10
D1) Deadbugs (slow & controlled, add light weights to arms to increase challenge) 2 x 8-10 ea
D2) Kneeling Windmills 2 x 8-10 ea
Thursday 30th April
Strength A – Squat & Bench
Intention: Build the base. Lift with intent. TRUST YOUR STRENGTH.
Prep: Ankle dorsiflexion stretch, 90/90 hip switches, thoracic ext over foam roller, hip power 3.
70% 1RM
A1) BB Back Squat 3 x 5
A2) Banded Face Pulls 3 x 10-12
B1) BB Bench Press 3 x 5
B2) DB SA Bent Over Row 3 x 8-10 ea
C1) DB RDL 3 x 8-10
C2) DB Shoulder Press 3 x 8-10 ea
D1) KB SA Front Rack March 2 x 20 (10 ea)
D2) Side Plank hold 2 x 30secs ea
PRACTICE – UNILATERAL
Intention: Unilateral exercises improve strength balance, enhance core stability, reduce injury risk, and translate to better functional and athletic performance.
Prep: Cardio, SL glute activation, abdominal activation, shoulder activation, side planks, ankle knee and calf prep for running eg. foot bouncing
3 sets
A1) SL RDL x 8-10ea
A2) Bridge Marches x 20
B) In Partners – alternate between the 2 exercises
4 rounds – 40s work / 20s rest
– 1/2 kneeling cable row with rotation – alt arm each round Â
– Plank up/ downs (or shoulder taps)
1 min rest
4 rounds – 40s work / 20s rest
– SA KB OH or FR standing marchÂ
– Alt split stance SL plate hopsÂ
C) AMRAP 8 – Partner running – 200m – I Go You Go
P1 runs to doggy daycare while P2 rests, swap and repeat for 8 mins
for slower runners, decrease the distance, if not running at all, Bike sprints for 20-30s
OLYMPIC LIFTING – BB CLEAN & JERK
Intention: Getting strong and familiar in the BB Clean and Jerk ready for the lifting party in June.
Prep: Bike/Rower 12 cal (damper 10), trigger ball foot, quads, pecs, lats, traps, scaps, sub scap. Hip opener. Shaky Shaky, jump to touch, stick Complex, EBB complex.
5 Muscle Clean
5 Front squat (slow)
5 Push press
5 Jerk
A) Power Clean and Jerk 5 x 3 (80-85%of 1 RM)
**use the same weight as A series
B1) Clean high pull 3 x 5
B2) Paused front squat 3 x 5
AMOM 6 – rest the remainder of the minute
C1) Heavy Double DB OH hold x 30s
C2) 1 x round of Durante
10 hollow rock
10 V up
10 Tuck up
10 sec hollow hold
COMPETITION – UB PULL / UB VERTICAL PUSH
Intention: A focus on strong upper body push and isometric hold. B series, focus switched to lower body – zone 3 to 4 so this should feel uncomfortable but sustainable!
Prep: Lat and pec release & thoracic extension. Swimmers, rhomboid lifts, shoulder big 3. Glute and quad activation, lateral and rotational prep for B series.
A1) BB/DB push press x 8-10
A2) Chin over the bar hold – 10 to 30s
** coaches – chin over the bar holds can be done with feet on the floor or bands can be used.
Rest 90sec
B) Competition Partner workout – 45 work / 15 rest x 3 rounds on each station. (20 min)
60sec rest between stations
** partners alternate between the two exercises for 3 rounds (6mins). Partners rest together.
** Competition – Cals on each machine added up for a final number, use mini whiteboards to record.
Station 1
– Bike
– Lateral shufflesÂ
Station 2
– Ski-erg
– Reverse lunge to knee driveÂ
Station 3
– Rower
– Medball lateral throw
**for the lunge and MB throw you will need to give a half way “change sides” command.
PRACTICE – SQUAT
Intention: Building volume, work capacity and technical consistency in the Back squat for the lifting parrty
Prep: How to Brace, pelvic floor awareness in the lift, shoulder mobility, Squat mobility for depth,eg. hips knees and ankles, quad and glute activation, shoulder activation
All working sets at same load, all reps have a 1 second hold at the bottom of the squat, squat to target if unable to get to full range
A1) BB Back squat 5 x 5 (@70% of 1RM or 8/10 RPE)
A2) Mini band monster walks x 40 ( 10 x Left, 10 x right, 10 x forward, 10 x backward) (band around the feet / separate the floor with feet)
B) 3 rounds not for time – 16min cap – Quality reps!
**set up stations for each exercise, different size boxes for jumping on, bands and bars for push ups, DBs for strict press (seated or standing), benches set up witrh DBs for the SA row. Have 2 peeps starting on each station.
10 Box jumps
10 Push ups
10 Strict press
10 SA DB row
C) Finisher – AMRAP 4 – Team wall sit medball pass (blue)
**clear the main wall of equipment, have all athletes wall sit next to each other and pass the Med ball along quickly until it reaches the end of the line and then back to start, all stand up and rest 10 sec and repeat as many times as possible in 4 mins.
PRACTICE – HINGE
Intention: Building volume, work capacity and technical consistency in the deadlift, adding an extra set from last week, with a small increase in intensity.
Prep: Mobility for hinge and horizontal push and squat. Glute and hammy activation – bands, hammy walkouts. Lat activation, Andrew Lock glute big 3Â Focus – How to Brace, pelvic floor awareness in the lift.
Deadlift warm up:
Empty BB x 10
Add load x 8
Start working sets
All working sets at same load
A1) BB deadlift 5 x 5 (@70% of 1RM or 8/10 RPE) @31X0 – rest 60’s
A2) Hollow hold 30’s – rest 60’s
** regress hollow hold to deadbug isometric hold for beginners.
B) AMRAP 8 x 2 – zone 2 nasal breathing
– 10 x DB cyclist squatsÂ
– 10 x DB plank pull throughs (L&R = 1)Â
– 10 x DB floor press
– 100m run
2 min rest – repeat
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MENTAL TOUGHNESS – UB HORIZONTAL PUSH
Intention: Building volume, work capacity and technical consistency in the Bench press
Prep: How to Brace, pelvic floor awareness in the lift, Mobility for ankles, shloulders and hips. Activation for glutes, hamstrings, chest, shoulders, lats, calves. EBB warm up bench press, add load x 2 to be ready for A series
All working sets at same load, all reps have a 1 second hold under tension at the bottom of the press
A1) BB bench press 5 x 5 (@70% of 1RM or 8/10 RPE) rest 90-120
B) 5 rounds for time – Mental Toughness
– 20 Plate GTOH RX-10kgÂ
– 200m Run (8 cal bike)
– 15 sit ups
**Plate GTOH – dont load up a poor hinge pattern, go lighter if needed to work on technique, a hinge is hips (glutes) not lower back. If unable to hinge correctly, then goblet squat to OH press.
PARTNER WORKOUT
Intention: Working in pairs, share the reps/distance at each of the 8 stations – this can be divided equally or any other way the pairs wish.
4 mins per station, 1 min rest between.
40 min total time
Prep: 1 min bike, ski & row. Glute and chest activation, Jumping, single leg and wall ball prep.
1. Ski – 1200m
2. Burpee BJ (step backs) x 60
3. Row – 1200m
4. Farmers carry x 300m (to the end of black fence and back x 3) – RX 16kg +
5. Sandbag/DB/RAM lunges x 100 – RX 10kg +
6. Box step overs x 40 – 24inch
7. Bike x 40 cals
8. Wall balls x 100 – RX 8lb
STRENGTH PROGRAM 13th Apr – 14th Jun (WEEK 3 of 9)
Transitioning into a 6-Week Intensification Phase in Barbell Lifting
For the past six weeks, we’ve focused on building speed, control, and explosiveness. Now, it’s time to level up with the intensification phase — heavier loads and fewer reps to target maximal strength.
MONDAY 27th APRIL – STRONG & FIT
Transitioning into a 6-Week Intensification Phase in Barbell Lifting
For the past six weeks, we’ve focused on building speed, control, and explosiveness. Now, it’s time to level up with the intensification phase — heavier loads and fewer reps to target maximal strength.
TUESDAY 28th APRIL – OLYMPIC LIFTING
Transitioning into a 6-Week Intensification Phase in Barbell Lifting
For the past six weeks, we’ve focused on building speed, control, and explosiveness. Now, it’s time to level up with the intensification phase — heavier loads and fewer reps to target maximal strength.