A good Apple Watch workout for women who lift is a strength plan run set by set from your wrist, two or three sessions a week, with extra work for the glutes if that's your goal. Pick a plan below by where and how often you train, add it to RIRLift, switch to it in My Programs and start it on the Watch: it shows each set's weight, reps and rest, and sets the next session's weights from what you logged.
Plan 1
You train in a gym three days a week and want your glutes and legs to lead, with the upper body trained every session too.
3× a week · 35 sets a week · ~30 min
Plan 2
You train at home with adjustable dumbbells and a bench, twice a week.
2× a week · 25 sets a week · ~30 min
Plan 3
You lift on your lunch break, about 35 minutes three times a week, in a gym with machines close together.
3× a week · 54 sets a week · ~25 min
Pick the plan that fits your situation
Plan 1
Full gym, 3 days, glutes first
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Workouts 3× a week Working sets 35 a week Per workout ~30 min Equipment Barbells, Dumbbells, Incline Bench, Lat Pulldown +5
You train in a gym three days a week and want your glutes and legs to lead, with the upper body trained every session too.
Each day opens with a lower-body lift: the squat, the hip thrust or the Romanian deadlift, so glutes are trained three times a week from different angles. An upper-body press and pull follow every day. That works out to about 12 or more hard sets a week for the glutes and 6 to 9 for the back and shoulders.
How to run it Run Day 1, 2 and 3 with a rest day between when you can. The Watch puts the next day first, so a missed session moves the week rather than skipping a day. With Pro, it shows the plates per side for the squat, hip thrust and Romanian deadlift.
How to progress When every set of a lift reaches the top of its range, the next session adds the next weight up and the reps reset. Count a hip thrust rep only when your hips reach full lockout, so the weight goes up for real reps.
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Plan 2
Home: dumbbells and a bench, 2 days
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Workouts 2× a week Working sets 25 a week Per workout ~30 min Equipment Dumbbells, Flat Bench
You train at home with adjustable dumbbells and a bench, twice a week.
Two full body days, each with two lower-body lifts and two or three upper-body ones. The ranges run up to 15 because home dumbbells top out sooner than a gym's. The legs and back are trained on both days, with a press on each.
How to run it Leave two or three days between the sessions. Set the dumbbells to the weight on your wrist; the rest timer starts as soon as you log the set.
How to progress When every set of a lift reaches the top of its range, the next session moves you to the next dumbbell. If you're on your heaviest pair, add a slow lowering and stay at the top of the range until you can go heavier.
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Plan 3
35-minute lunch break, machine supersets
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Workouts 3× a week Working sets 54 a week Per workout ~25 min Equipment Leg Press, Lat Pulldown, Barbells, Flat Bench +3
You lift on your lunch break, about 35 minutes three times a week, in a gym with machines close together.
One workout of three pairs, each a lower-body lift with an upper-body machine, so one muscle rests while the other works. You rest after the pair, not after each exercise, which fits 18 working sets into a 35-minute lunch break.
How to run it On the Watch each pair shows as Superset 1 of 2 or 2 of 2 with the round you're on, and the rest timer starts after the second exercise. If a machine is taken, swap it from your wrist and keep the pair going.
How to progress Each machine moves up one plate on the stack when all three sets reach the top of the range. With three sessions a week, the weights get three chances to move.
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Run the plan from your Apple Watch
The plan opens with sets, reps, rest and RIR filled in. Switch to it in My Programs on iPhone, then start each session on your wrist and log every set as you rack the weight. Free on iPhone and Apple Watch.
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The exercises
Main squat
Barbell Back Squat
Quads, Glutes, Adductors
The heaviest leg lift of the week, for the quads, glutes and adductors together.
How to do it
Set the bar in the rack at mid-chest height and step under it so it sits on your upper back, not your neck.
Grip just outside your shoulders, stand up to unrack, and take two short steps back.
Set your feet about shoulder width, toes turned out slightly, and take a big breath into your belly.
Sit down between your heels until your hip crease drops to knee height or a little lower.
Drive up through your whole foot, keeping your chest and hips rising together.
Cues
Knees follow your toes
Breathe and brace before every rep
Same depth every rep
Common mistakes
Cutting depth as the weight goes up: film one set from the side and keep the depth you had at lighter loads.
Hips shooting up first out of the bottom: lighten the bar and lead with your chest on the way up.
Swap for: Hack Squat, Leg Press, Goblet Squat
Upper chest and shoulders
Incline Dumbbell Press
Chest
The incline aims the press at the upper chest and front shoulders.
How to do it
Set an adjustable bench to an incline of 30 to 45 degrees.
Kick the dumbbells up and start with them over your upper chest.
Lower them to the sides of your upper chest, forearms vertical.
Press back up over your collarbones.
Cues
Low incline, not a shoulder press
Chest up, shoulders down
Control the bottom
Common mistakes
Bench set too steep: if it feels like a shoulder press, lower it a notch.
Stopping short: bring the dumbbells all the way down to chest level.
Swap for: Incline Dumbbell Squeeze Press, Flat Dumbbell Press, Decline Push-Up
Back
Lat Pulldown
Lats
It trains the lats from overhead, with any load you need.
How to do it
Set the thigh pad so your legs are pinned and your feet are flat.
Take a grip about one and a half times shoulder width and lean back slightly.
Pull the bar to your upper chest by driving your elbows down toward your ribs.
Let the bar rise until your arms are straight and you feel your lats stretch, then start the next rep.
Cues
Shoulders down before the pull
Elbows to ribs
Arms fully straight at the top
Common mistakes
Leaning far back and rowing the bar to your stomach: keep the torso angle fixed and lighten the stack.
Cutting the top short: let the weight stack nearly touch down so the lats get the full stretch.
Swap for: Neutral-Grip Lat Pulldown, Single-Arm Lat Pulldown, Pull-Up
Side glutes
Hip Abduction Machine
Abductors
It trains the side of the glutes, which squats and hip thrusts reach less.
How to do it
Sit with the pads against the outside of your knees and grab the handles.
Lean your torso forward from the hips, chest toward your thighs.
Push your knees out as wide as the machine allows and hold for a second.
Let the pads come back in slowly without letting the stack rest.
Cues
Lean forward from the hips
Pause wide
Slow on the way in
Common mistakes
Bouncing out of the bottom with momentum. Control the return and pause at the widest point.
Short reps near the middle. Use the whole range the machine gives you.
Swap for: Multi-Hip Abduction, Band Seated Hip Abduction, Band Standing Hip Abduction
Glutes
Hip Thrust
Glutes
It loads the glutes heavy at their shortest, the position squats leave out.
How to do it
Sit on the floor with the bottom edge of your shoulder blades against a bench and roll a padded barbell into the crease of your hips.
Plant your feet about hip width, far enough out that your shins are vertical when your hips are up.
Tuck your chin, brace, and drive through your whole foot until your hips are level with your knees and shoulders.
Hold the top for a beat, then lower until your hips nearly touch the floor and go again.
Cues
Chin tucked, eyes forward
Ribs down at the top
Push the floor away with your heels
Common mistakes
Arching your lower back to finish the rep. Stop when your hips line up with your knees and keep your ribs down.
Feet too close, so your quads take over. Walk them out until your shins are vertical at lockout.
Swap for: Smith Machine Hip Thrust, Dumbbell Hip Thrust, Single-Leg Hip Thrust
Shoulders
Dumbbell Shoulder Press
Shoulders
It trains the shoulders and triceps overhead.
How to do it
Sit on a bench or chair with back support, or stand with your stomach braced.
Start with the dumbbells at shoulder height, palms forward or slightly turned in.
Press up until your arms are straight overhead.
Lower back to shoulder height under control.
Cues
Ribs down
Press up and slightly back
Full lockout overhead
Common mistakes
Leaning far back: brace your stomach and squeeze your glutes.
Stopping at forehead height: bring them down to your shoulders.
Swap for: Neutral-Grip Dumbbell Shoulder Press, Arnold Press, Pike Push-Up
Mid back
Seated Cable Row
Upper Back, Lats
Steady tension through the whole pull for the mid back.
How to do it
Sit with your feet on the platform, knees slightly bent, and hold the handle with straight arms.
Sit up tall so your torso is vertical.
Pull the handle to your lower ribs, driving your elbows back past your sides.
Let your arms extend slowly until your shoulder blades spread apart, without rocking forward.
Cues
Sit tall
Elbows past your ribs
Chest stays up
Common mistakes
Rocking your torso back and forth to move the weight. Keep it still and lighten the stack.
Shrugging your shoulders toward your ears. Keep them down as you pull.
Swap for: Chest-Supported Row, One-Arm Dumbbell Row, Band Bent-Over Row
Hamstrings
Seated Leg Curl
Hamstrings
It trains the hamstrings at the knee and is easy to push near failure.
How to do it
Adjust the back pad so your knees line up with the machine's pivot point.
Set the leg pad just above your heels and lower the thigh pad onto your legs.
Curl your heels down and back as far as they go.
Let your legs straighten slowly to the start.
Cues
Knees on the pivot
Thigh pad snug
Slow on the way up
Common mistakes
Lifting your hips off the seat to finish reps. Tighten the thigh pad and lighten the stack.
Letting the weight snap back. Take two seconds to straighten your legs.
Swap for: Lying Leg Curl, Dumbbell Romanian Deadlift, Stability Ball Leg Curl
Hinge
Romanian Deadlift
Hamstrings, Glutes
Hamstrings and glutes at long lengths, loaded with a barbell.
How to do it
Stand tall holding the bar at your hips with an overhand grip just outside your thighs.
Soften your knees and keep that bend fixed for the whole set.
Push your hips straight back and let the bar slide down your thighs until you feel a strong hamstring stretch, usually just below your knees.
Squeeze your glutes to bring your hips forward and stand back up.
Cues
Hips back, not down
Bar stays in contact with your legs
Long spine from head to hips
Common mistakes
Turning it into a squat by bending your knees more as you lower: keep the knee angle fixed.
Rounding your back to reach the floor: stop the rep where your hips stop moving back.
Swap for: Dumbbell Romanian Deadlift, Stiff-Leg Deadlift, Good Morning
Single-leg squat
Bulgarian Split Squat
Quads, Glutes
A slight forward lean puts more of the work on the glute of the front leg.
How to do it
Stand about two steps in front of a bench and rest the top of your back foot on it.
Hold a dumbbell in each hand at your sides.
Drop your back knee straight toward the floor until the front thigh is about level with it.
Push through your front foot to stand back up. Finish every rep on one leg before switching.
Cues
Back knee straight down
Lean slightly forward for more glutes, stay tall for more quads
Front heel stays heavy
Common mistakes
Standing too close to the bench: if your front heel lifts, step farther out.
Pushing off the back foot: it is only there for balance.
Swap for: Dumbbell Split Squat, Dumbbell Reverse Lunge, Walking Lunge
Pull-up, assisted
Assisted Pull-Up
Lats
The counterweight lets you train the full pull-up movement before you can do one alone.
How to do it
Set the counterweight, then kneel on the pad and take an overhand grip just wider than your shoulders.
Start from a full hang with your arms straight.
Pull your chest toward the bar until your chin clears it, driving your elbows down.
Lower all the way to a straight-arm hang under control.
Cues
Start from a dead hang
Chest to the bar
Lower in two seconds
Common mistakes
Using so much assistance that 12 reps feel easy. Pick the counterweight that leaves you 1 rep short at the target.
Swap for: Lat Pulldown, Pull-Up
Side shoulders
Dumbbell Lateral Raise
Shoulders
Presses barely train the side of the shoulder; raises cover it.
How to do it
Stand tall with a dumbbell in each hand at your sides, a slight bend in your elbows.
Raise your arms out to the sides until they are about level with your shoulders.
Lower slowly, taking about two seconds.
Cues
Lead with the elbows
Pinky slightly higher than thumb is fine, shrugging is not
Slow on the way down
Common mistakes
Swinging the weight up with your hips: go lighter and slower.
Shrugging toward your ears: keep your shoulders down and away from them.
Swap for: Leaning Dumbbell Lateral Raise, Seated Dumbbell Lateral Raise, Incline Dumbbell Lateral Raise
Squat at home
Goblet Squat
Quads, Glutes
One dumbbell at your chest keeps you upright and loads the legs well.
How to do it
Cup the top end of one dumbbell with both hands and hold it against your breastbone.
Set your feet a little wider than your hips, toes turned out slightly.
Sit straight down between your heels until your elbows brush the inside of your knees, or as deep as you can keep your back flat.
Drive the floor away and stand tall without letting the dumbbell drift off your chest.
Cues
Elbows down, chest up
Knees follow your toes
Stand up through the whole foot
Common mistakes
Letting the dumbbell pull you forward: keep it touching your chest the whole rep.
Cutting depth as the set gets hard: stop the set when depth goes, that rep does not count.
Swap for: Heels-Elevated Goblet Squat, Dumbbell Front Squat, Dumbbell Split Squat
Hinge at home
Dumbbell Romanian Deadlift
Hamstrings, Glutes
Hamstrings and glutes at long lengths with dumbbells.
How to do it
Stand with feet hip-width apart, a dumbbell in each hand in front of your thighs.
Unlock your knees, then push your hips back and let the dumbbells slide down your legs.
Stop when your hamstrings are tight and your back is about to round, usually just below the knee.
Squeeze your glutes to bring your hips forward and stand up.
Cues
Hips back, not chest down
Dumbbells shave your legs
Long spine, neck in line
Common mistakes
Turning it into a squat: keep the knee bend small and fixed.
Chasing depth by rounding your back: stop where your hamstrings stop you.
Swap for: Single-Leg RDL, Dumbbell B-Stance RDL, Dumbbell Good Morning
Chest press
Flat Dumbbell Press
Chest
Two dumbbells and a bench give a full chest press at home.
How to do it
Sit on the end of a flat bench with the dumbbells on your thighs, then roll back and kick them up to above your chest.
Plant your feet and pull your shoulder blades back and down into the bench.
Lower the dumbbells to the sides of your chest with elbows about 45 degrees from your body.
Press up and slightly in until your arms are straight.
Cues
Shoulder blades pinned
Forearms vertical
Deep stretch, then press
Common mistakes
Elbows flared straight out: tuck them toward your ribs a little.
Bouncing out of the bottom: own the stretch for a beat.
Swap for: Dumbbell Floor Press, Dumbbell Hex Press, Push-Up
Row at home
One-Arm Dumbbell Row
Lats, Upper Back
Bracing on the bench lets you row heavier than a two-arm row.
How to do it
Put one hand and the same-side knee on a bench, or one hand on a sturdy chair with feet staggered.
Let the dumbbell hang straight below your shoulder.
Pull your elbow back toward your hip until the dumbbell reaches your side.
Lower until your arm is straight and your shoulder blade slides forward. Finish all reps, then switch sides.
Cues
Elbow to hip
Let the shoulder stretch at the bottom
Chest stays square to the floor
Common mistakes
Twisting your torso to lift more: keep your shoulders level.
Shrugging the weight up: lead with the elbow, not the shoulder.
Swap for: Dumbbell Lawnmower Row, Dumbbell Bent-Over Row, Incline Dumbbell Row
Glutes at home
Dumbbell Glute Bridge
Glutes
It loads the glutes at their shortest with a dumbbell across your hips.
How to do it
Lie on your back with knees bent, feet flat and hip-width apart, close enough that your fingertips brush your heels.
Rest a dumbbell across your hip bones and hold it in place with both hands.
Press through your heels to lift your hips until your body is straight from shoulders to knees.
Pause for a second, then lower your hips until they almost touch the floor.
Cues
Drive through your heels
Ribs down at the top
Pause and squeeze
Common mistakes
Arching your lower back to get higher. Stop when your hips line up with your knees and shoulders.
Pushing through your toes. Keep the pressure in your heels.
Swap for: Dumbbell Hip Thrust, Single-Leg Glute Bridge, Dumbbell Romanian Deadlift
Legs, superset A
Leg Press
Quads, Glutes
Heavy leg work while the upper body rests, quick to load.
How to do it
Sit with your back and hips flat against the pad and your feet hip-width in the middle of the platform.
Release the safety handles and bend your knees, letting the platform come toward you under control.
Stop while your lower back is still flat against the pad.
Press through your whole foot until your legs are nearly straight, without snapping your knees locked.
Cues
Hips stay on the seat
Knees in line with your toes
Smooth turnaround at the bottom
Common mistakes
Going so deep your hips curl off the pad. Set your depth where your lower back stays flat.
Locking your knees hard at the top. Stop just short of straight.
Swap for: Goblet Squat, Hack Squat, 45-Degree Leg Press
Chest, superset B
Machine Chest Press
Chest
A guided press you can push close to failure without a spotter.
How to do it
Set the seat so the handles line up with the middle of your chest.
Sit with your back flat against the pad and grip the handles.
Press forward until your arms are straight without locking your elbows hard.
Let the handles come back slowly until you feel a stretch across your chest.
Cues
Back stays on the pad
Handles at mid-chest
Slow on the way back
Common mistakes
Seat too high, so the handles sit at your neck. Lower it until they line up with mid-chest.
Letting the stack slam between reps. Stop just before the plates touch.
Swap for: Flat Dumbbell Press, Push-Up, Incline Push-Up
Back, superset C
Machine Row
Upper Back, Lats
The chest pad holds you in place, so setup takes seconds.
How to do it
Set the seat so the handles line up with the middle of your chest, and sit with your chest against the pad.
Reach forward and take the handles with your arms straight.
Pull the handles back until your elbows pass your torso, then pinch your shoulder blades for a second.
Let the handles travel forward until your arms are straight and your shoulder blades spread apart.
Cues
Chest stays on the pad
Squeeze, then release
Reach forward between reps
Common mistakes
Leaning back off the pad to finish reps: the pad is there to keep you still, so lighten the stack.
Pulling with your hands and wrists curled: keep the wrists straight and think about your elbows.
Swap for: Seated Cable Row, Chest-Supported Row, One-Arm Dumbbell Row
Make it fit you
More glutes, less quads
On Day 1, swap the squat for the leg press with your feet high on the platform, or add a second set of hip abductions. Keep the hip thrust day as it is.
Train around your cycle
If some weeks feel heavier, log the reps in reserve as they really were. The next weights follow what you logged, so an off week holds the weight instead of pushing it.
Swap the assisted pull-up
No assisted pull-up machine? Swap it on the Watch for the lat pulldown with a different grip; it picks up from the weights you logged on it on Day 1.
Shorten a session
Tap −15 s on the rest timer for raises, curls and abductions. Keep the full rest on squats, hip thrusts and Romanian deadlifts.
Questions
What is the best Apple Watch workout for women?
For lifting, one you can run set by set from your wrist and repeat for months: two or three strength sessions a week that train every major muscle. Pick the plan above that matches your gym and your time.
Can Apple Watch track strength training?
The Workout app records the time and your heart rate. To track the weight and reps of every set, use a lifting app on the Watch; RIRLift logs each set and sets the next weight from it.
How many days a week should women lift?
Two to three for most goals. Two sessions train every muscle twice a week; three let you give the glutes or another priority its own day.
Can I leave my iPhone in the locker?
Yes. Every set is saved on the Watch the moment you log it, and the rest timer, swaps and next weights all run there. The session syncs back to your iPhone afterwards. You do need an iPhone to install RIRLift and set up your plan.
Is it free?
Yes. Running these plans on iPhone and Apple Watch is free, with no account. Pro adds plates per side on the Watch and your own plates and bar.
Take your plan to the gym on your wrist
Each plan opens in RIRLift with the sets, reps, rest and RIR filled in. Switch to it in My Programs, start the session on Apple Watch, and the next session tells you when to add weight.
Full gym, 3 days, glutes first
Add plan 1
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Home: dumbbells and a bench, 2 days
Add plan 2
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35-minute lunch break, machine supersets
Add plan 3
Add plan 3
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