Fitness plans: training plans of top women athletes

The fitness plans of Fitness Olympia winners are no secret – and they’re worth knowing. Not so you can follow them to the letter, but so you can understand the structure and principles world-class athletes use. The training load can always be adjusted to your own level.

Fitness plans from five top Fitness Olympia athletes

Below are the real training plans of five well-known fitness athletes, along with their cycles and body stats. All of them come from the competition period – so you can see the volume they actually trained with.

Timea Majorova – shoulder workout

1. Standing one-arm cable fly – 3 x 15
2. Seated dumbbell press – 3 x 15
3. Dumbbell upright row – 3 x 15
4. Rear delt machine – 3 x 15

Training cycle:
Day 1: legs, abs
Day 2: back
Day 3: chest, abs
Day 4: shoulders, arms
Day 5: rest

Stats: height 173 cm, weight 61 kg, competition weight 58.5 kg. Achievements: European champion 1997, amateur world champion 1997, Fitness Olympia 1998 3rd place.

Lena Johannessen – arm workout

1. Standing biceps curl (barbell or dumbbells) – 4 x 10–15
2. Upper-pulley curl (between two pulleys) – 4 x 10–15
3. Cable pushdown – 3 x 10–15
4. Dumbbell forearm extension to the rear (“kickback”) – 3 x 10–15

Training cycle:
Day 1: legs, abs
Day 2: rest
Day 3: chest, shoulders, triceps, abs
Day 4: rest
Day 5: back, biceps, abs
Day 6: rest
Day 7: rest
Note: Calves aren’t trained – they’re good enough already!

Stats: height 168 cm, weight 61.5 kg, competition weight 58.5 kg.

Mary Yockey – back workout

1. Wide-grip pull-up – 4 x 15–22
2. Lower-pulley row (“rowing”) – 4 x 12
3. Wide-grip cable pulldown to the front – 4 x 12
4. Bent-over dumbbell row – 4 x 12

Training cycle:
Day 1: chest, triceps
Day 2: legs
Day 3: rest
Day 4: shoulders, biceps
Day 5: back
Day 6: rest
Day 7: rest
Train abs and calves every other day. Aerobic training 3 x a week, 45–60 min each.

Stats: height 160 cm, weight 52 kg. Achievements: Fitness Olympia 1999 1st place.

Federica Belli – arm workout

Triceps:

1. Dumbbell “kickback” – 3 x 8–10
2. One-arm dumbbell French press – 3 x 8–10
3. Cable pushdown – 3 x 8–10

Biceps:

1. Seated dumbbell biceps curl – 3 x 8–10
2. Concentration curl – 3 x 8–10
3. Standing dumbbell biceps curl (neutral grip) – 3 x 8–10

Note: Swaps training exercises very often.

Training cycle:
Day 1: back, biceps
Day 2: shoulders, triceps
Day 3: rest
Day 4: legs, calves
Day 5: chest, triceps
Day 6: rest
Note: Rest days are dropped when preparing for competitions.

Stats: height 168 cm, weight 59.5 kg, competition weight 57.5 kg. Achievements: 1996 Italian champion.

Denise Paglia – arm workout in supersets

1. Standing barbell biceps curl – 3 x 15 / superset \
2. Lying French press – 3 x 15 \ superset /
3. Dumbbell biceps curl – 3 x 15 / superset \
4. Dumbbell “kickback” – 3 x 15 \ superset /

Training cycle:
Day 1: chest, back, abs
Day 2: running 45 min
Day 3: shoulders, legs, calves
Day 4: running 45 min
Day 5: arms, abs
Day 6: rest
Day 7: rest

Stats: height 160 cm, weight 53.3 kg, competition weight 52 kg. Achievements: 1995 Fitness Olympia 5th place.

What do these fitness plans have in common?

Look at these plans and a pattern jumps out. A few observations:

• Muscle-group split – none of them does full-body workouts. One or two muscle groups a day, then rest.
• More sets, less weight – 3–4 sets per exercise, with reps between 8 and 22. That’s fitness logic, not powerlifting logic.
• Aerobic work is included – Mary Yockey did 45–60 minutes of cardio 3 x a week. Denise Paglia ran 2 x 45 minutes. A fitness physique doesn’t come from the gym alone.
• Rest days are scheduled – everyone has at least 1–2 rest days a week. Even in the run-up to competitions (see Federica Belli’s note).

How to fit fitness plans into your own training

Don’t copy these programs word for word. Even if you’re an experienced lifter, a top athlete’s volume and intensity are a big jump. Frankly, most recreational lifters do too much, not too little.

Here’s what you can borrow for your own training:

• A muscle-group-based cycle, where each group gets one proper workout a week.
• 3–4 sets per exercise, no more.
• The superset method for arm training (biceps + triceps together) – it saves time and gives a great pump.
• Cardio isn’t an optional extra, it’s part of the plan.

FAQ: fitness plans and how to use them

Can a beginner follow these fitness plans?
Partly, yes. You can follow the cycle and the muscle group split, but at first it’s worth cutting the rep count and the set volume by half. Give your body time to adapt.

How many times a week should I train?
These plans assume 4–5 training sessions a week. For a recreational lifter, 3–4 is perfectly enough, as long as the intensity is honest.

What’s the difference between fitness plans and powerlifting programs?
Fitness plans emphasize physique, not maximal weight. Rep counts are higher (8–20+), the exercise selection is more varied, and cardio is an integral part of the training plan.

Author: FLEX, translated by I.Otsus

Source: WHO – physical activity.

Come and train! ArtGym