By Will Duru | BSc Sport Science | Personal Trainer | 10+ Years Experience
I have been a personal trainer for over 10 years. In that time, I have trained hundreds of women who were brand new to the gym. Every single one of them said the same thing to me on day one.
“I do not know what I am doing. I do not know where to start. I feel like everyone is looking at me.”
I hear this every week. It does not matter if the woman is 22 or 52. That feeling of walking into a gym for the first time and not knowing what to do is the same for almost everyone.
That is exactly why I built the 12REPS app. I wanted to give women the same guidance I give my personal training clients. A real trainer in your pocket. Someone who plans your workouts. Someone who shows you how to do every exercise. Someone who is there to guide you through your journey.
In this newsletter, I will explain what every beginner woman needs to know before she starts strength training. I am going to give you a beginner program you can follow from day one. And I am going to show you how the 12REPS app can guide you every step of the way.
Why Every Woman Should Strength Train
Let me say this clearly. Strength training will not make you bulky. I have had this conversation a thousand times. Women do not have enough testosterone to build big muscles. Strength training will make you stronger. Leaner. More toned. More confident. That is what every one of my female clients has experienced.
Here is what strength training does for women.
It builds lean muscle. Lean muscle gives your body shape. It is what creates the toned look that most women want. You do not get that from cardio alone. You get it from lifting weights.
It burns fat. Muscle is an active tissue. The more muscle you carry, the more calories your body burns at rest. That means you burn more energy throughout the day. Even when you are not exercising.
It makes your bones stronger. This is very important for women. After menopause, women lose bone density faster than men. Strength training is one of the best ways to slow that down.
It builds confidence. There is something powerful about lifting a weight you could not lift a month ago. I have seen quiet, nervous beginners turn into the most confident people in the gym. Strength training changes how you see yourself.
It helps with everyday life. Carrying shopping bags. Picking up your kids. Climbing stairs. Moving furniture. Strength training makes it all easier.
“Strength training does not make women bulky. It makes them strong, lean, and confident. I have seen it happen hundreds of times.” – Will Duru
What Every Beginner Needs to Know
Before you pick up a single weight, there are a few things I tell every beginner.
- Nobody Is Watching You
I know it feels like everyone in the gym is looking at you. They are not. Most people are focused on their own workout. They have headphones in. They are looking at their phone between sets. They are not thinking about you. Once you realise this, the gym becomes a much less scary place.
- Start Light
You do not need to lift heavy on your first day. Or your first week. Or your first month. Start with a weight that feels comfortable. Make sure you can do every rep with good form. If you can do all your reps easily, go a little heavier next time. That is called progressive overload. It is how you get stronger over time.
- Form Comes First
A perfect rep with a light weight is worth more than a sloppy rep with a heavy weight. Bad form leads to injury. Good form leads to results. Learn the movement first. Add weight later. The 12REPS app helps you with this. Every exercise has a video so you can see the correct form before you start.
- You Need a Plan
Walking into the gym without a plan is like going food shopping without a list. You will wander around. You will waste time. You will leave without getting what you need. A workout plan tells you exactly what to do. How many sets. How many reps. How long to rest. The 12REPS app gives you that plan.
- Consistency Beats Perfection
You do not need the perfect workout. You do not need the perfect diet. You need to show up three times a week and do the work. That is it. Three sessions a week, done consistently, will change your body and your life.
The 12REPS Beginner Program for Women
I designed this program for women who are new to the gym or coming back after a long break. It is a 3-day full-body split. You train your whole body in every session. Three times a week. With at least one rest day between each session.
Why full body? Because as a beginner, you do not need to split your training into separate body parts. You need to learn the basic movements. Build a foundation. Get your body used to training. Full body sessions are the best way to do that.
Start with a weight that lets you complete all reps with good form. If you finish a set and feel like you could have done 3 or 4 more reps, the weight is right. If you are struggling and your form breaks down, the weight is too heavy. Drop it down.
You can find all of these exercises in the 12REPS app with full video demonstrations.
Day 1: Full Body A
Focus: Learn the squat, hinge, and push patterns.
| Exercise | Sets | Reps | Rest | Focus |
1 | Goblet Squat | 3 | 12 | 60s | Quads, glutes |
2 | Dumbbell Romanian Deadlift | 3 | 12 | 60s | Hamstrings, glutes |
3 | Dumbbell Bench Press | 3 | 12 | 60s | Chest, triceps |
4 | Lat Pulldown | 3 | 12 | 60s | Back, lats |
5 | Dumbbell Shoulder Press | 3 | 12 | 60s | Shoulders |
6 | Plank | 3 | 30 secs | 45s | Core |
Day 2: Full Body B
Focus: Build single-leg strength and pulling patterns.
| Exercise | Sets | Reps | Rest | Focus |
1 | Dumbbell Walking Lunges | 3 | 10 each | 60s | Legs, balance |
2 | Dumbbell Glute Bridge | 3 | 15 | 60s | Glutes |
3 | Dumbbell Single-Arm Row | 3 | 12 each | 60s | Back |
4 | Press-Ups (Knees if Needed) | 3 | 10 | 60s | Chest, core |
5 | Face Pulls | 3 | 15 | 60s | Rear delts, posture |
6 | Dead Bug | 3 | 10 each | 45s | Core |
Day 3: Full Body C
Focus: Progress the squat, add hip work, and build the upper body.
| Exercise | Sets | Reps | Rest | Focus |
1 | Barbell or Dumbbell Squat | 3 | 12 | 60s | Quads, glutes |
2 | Kettlebell Deadlift | 3 | 12 | 60s | Hamstrings, back |
3 | Dumbbell Incline Press | 3 | 12 | 60s | Upper chest |
4 | Seated Cable Row | 3 | 12 | 60s | Back |
5 | Lateral Raise | 3 | 15 | 60s | Shoulders |
6 | Pallof Press | 3 | 10 each | 45s | Core stability |
Your Week
Monday: Full Body A
Tuesday: Rest
Wednesday: Full Body B
Thursday: Rest
Friday: Full Body C
Saturday: Optional walk or light cardio
Sunday: Rest
Follow this programme for 6 to 8 weeks. Log every session in the 12REPS app. When you can finish all your sets with good form and the weight feels easy, add a little more weight. That is how you get stronger week by week.
Why the 12REPS App Is the Best App for Beginner Women
There are hundreds of fitness apps out there. Most of them throw a random workout at you. They leave you on your own. They use AI to generate your programme. That is not what a beginner needs. A beginner needs guidance. A beginner needs a real person who knows what they are doing. That is what the 12REPS app gives you.
Your Workouts Are Designed by a Real Trainer
Every programme in the 12REPS app is designed by me. I have a BSc in Sport Science and over 10 years of experience training real people in real gyms. I know what works for beginners because I have taken hundreds of them from their first ever gym session to squatting, pressing, and deadlifting with confidence.
You Have Access to a Trainer Who Can Guide You
This is what makes the 12REPS app different from every other fitness app. You are not on your own. You have access to a trainer who can guide you throughout your journey. If you are not sure about an exercise, ask. If you do not know what weight to use, ask. If you need your programme adjusted, ask.
I check in with my clients through the 12REPS app. I look at their sessions. I see what they are logging. I can tell if someone is progressing or if they need help. That level of support is what you get with a personal trainer. But without paying £50 to £80 per session.
Every Exercise Has a Video
This is massive for beginners. You do not have to guess how to do an exercise. Every single exercise in the 12REPS appcomes with a video showing you the correct form. Watch it before you start your set. Check your technique. Make sure you are doing it right.
The 12REPS app also has muscle highlight technology. You can see exactly which muscles each exercise targets. That helps you understand your body and your training.
Plan Your Workouts and Track Your Progress
The 12REPS app lets you plan your workouts in advance. You know exactly what you are doing before you walk into the gym. During your session, you log your sets, reps, and weights. After your session, you can look back and see what you did.
Over time you build a full record of your progress. That record is powerful. It shows you how far you have come. It keeps you motivated to keep going.
It Is Affordable
A single personal training session in London costs between £50 and £80. Some trainers charge over £100. The 12REPS app costs 24.99 a month. That is less than the price of one session.
For that you get trainer-designed programmes. Video demonstrations. Workout planning. Progress tracking. And access to a real trainer who can guide you. There is no other app that gives you all of that at this price.
“I built the 12REPS app because I wanted every woman who walks into a gym for the first time to feel like she has a personal trainer standing right next to her. That is what this app does.” – Will Duru
Common Fears I Hear From Beginner Women
I have heard every fear there is. Here is what I say to my clients.
“I am scared I will look silly.” You will not. Everyone in that gym started exactly where you are. Most of them are too busy with their own workout to notice you. The fact that you showed up already puts you ahead of most people.
“I do not want to get bulky.” You will not. Women do not have the hormones to build big muscles. What you will get is a leaner, more toned, stronger body. That is it.
“I do not know how to use the equipment.” That is what the 12REPS app is for. Every exercise has a video. If you are still not sure, ask your trainer through the app. You do not have to figure it out alone.
“I have tried before and gave up.” That is because you did not have a plan or someone to hold you accountable. The 12REPS app gives you both. A structured programme and a trainer who checks in with you. That is the combination that makes people stick with it.
“I am too unfit to start.” You are not. The beginner programme starts light and builds up slowly. If you can walk, you can do this. I have trained women who had never touched a weight in their lives. Within weeks, they were surprised by what they could do.
My Message to Every Beginner Woman Reading This
You do not need to know everything before you start. You do not need to be fit before you get fit. You just need to take the first step.
Download the 12REPS app. Follow the beginner programme. Log your sessions. Talk to a trainer when you need help.
I have watched hundreds of women go from nervous beginners to strong, confident lifters. Every single one of them started with the same doubts you have right now. Every single one of them is glad they started.
You can do this. And you do not have to do it alone. That is what the 12REPS app is for.
Start Your Strength Training Journey
Trainer-designed programmes. Video demonstrations. Real coaching.
24.99/month. More affordable than one PT session.
