Her Trails Coaching
Her Strength: 6 Week Program
Strength training designed for women.
Six weeks to build the strength your body needs as a woman: bone density, hormonal resilience, joint integrity, and the kind of power that holds up on every trail and through every life season.
Most women step into strength training without a clear starting point. This program changes that. From a personalised movement assessment, you build a 6-week strength plan that meets you exactly where you are and takes you somewhere stronger.
Why this works — the evidence
Strength training reduces overuse injuries by more than 50 percent.
Lauersen, BJSM 2014 · meta-analysis of 26,000+ participants
Every 10 percent increase in strength volume cuts injury risk by another 4 percentage points. This is one of the most robust effects in all of sports science.
Running economy. Heavy resistance training at 80 percent of one-rep max or above improves economy by 2 to 8 percent. The biggest gains come from heavy loading, not light circuits.
Bone density. For perimenopausal and post-menopausal women, 8 months of heavy resistance combined with impact training meaningfully improves lumbar spine and femoral neck bone density, while controls in the same studies lose bone. Light training does not move the needle.
Why heavy beats light if you are 35 or older. Declining oestrogen demands a heavier external stimulus, not a lighter or longer one. The framework is 3 to 5 sets of 6 reps or fewer at a high load, with 2 plus minutes of rest, paired with weekly plyometrics. Heavy lifting also improves insulin sensitivity and reduces visceral fat, both of which worsen across menopause. This is why the block is built the way it is.
Why we run this as a standalone block
Strength training isn't a side-quest. It's the work that makes everything else possible.
When you train running volume and strength simultaneously, neither adapts maximally. A standalone strength block lets your hormones reset, your tendons rebuild, your bones load, and your nervous system focus on building something specific.
For women in particular, the pay-off compounds: more bone density, lower chronic cortisol, stronger glutes and core, less injury risk on the trail. Six weeks here is the foundation that protects the next twelve months of running.
When you are new to strength training you get what is called newbie gains. The adaptations come fast, and almost any well-structured load produces results. The hardest part is patience — it does not give you the same dopamine hit as a sweaty run, but the return on your time is enormous.
Inside the 6 weeks
Five days of training, two days of recovery. Three focused strength sessions (Mon, Tue, Thu, Fri), two active recovery days (Wed, Sun), one full rest (Sat).
Mon · Strength: Stability + Mobility Flow
Tue · Upper Body Stability + Single-Leg Strength
Wed · Active Recovery
Thu · Core Stability + Lower Body Strength
Fri · Glute + Power Build
Sat · Rest
Sun · Active Recovery
Each week builds on the last:
Wk 1 Build the base · Wk 2 Understand tempo · Wk 3 Prioritise tempo · Wk 4 Presence in every rep · Wk 5 Mind to muscle · Wk 6 Explore your max efforts
BEFORE YOU BEGIN
What you need to start
This six-week program is open to all levels. Beginners are welcome, and stronger lifters will find structure that meets them where they are.
Time commitment: Three sessions per week, around 45 minutes each. The program is designed to fit a runner's life without overtaking it.
Equipment: A mat, a bench or chair, resistance bands, and dumbbells (medium 5-8 kg + heavy 10-15 kg). Optional: kettlebell, barbell, yoga ball or sliders. No gym required.
Mindset: A willingness to lift with intent. The program works best when you trust the process across all six weeks.
What's included
Her Strength Orientation: Self-Paced
Movement assessment, mobility prep and program foundations
Her Strength: 6 Week Training Program
Progressive weekly workouts with video demos and coaching cues
Printable Strength Tracker
Log load, RPE and weekly check-in across all six weeks
Her Strength Community Access
Connect, share progress and stay accountable with other women
6 months access
Revisit the program and all content at your own pace
This program is for you if...
✓ You want to build real strength, not just follow a generic plan
✓ You are new to structured training or returning after a break
✓ You want to move well, feel confident, and see progressive results
✓ You value coaching cues that actually explain the why
✓ You are between race programs and want to come back stronger
✓ You are peri or post-menopausal and ready to invest in long-term strength
Want to keep some running through this block?
Some women will.
Here's the truth: the program works best standalone, but you can run alongside it if you cut volume by 30-40%, keep running easy and only on Wed and Sun, and protect Saturday as full rest.
Coaching note: if you're racing soon, lean fully into strength now. The running will be there waiting, and you'll come back to it stronger.
"Strength is not just about what you lift. It is about understanding your body, building trust with it, and showing up consistently. This program gives you the foundation to do exactly that."
Sam Gash, Her Trails Coaching
"This is the program every Her Trails member should run between race blocks. It's the off-season anchor that makes the next program possible."
Coach Sam · for our community
Key Reminder
Your strength is not seasonal. It's cyclical, layered and always within reach.
Six weeks. One commitment. The foundation you build here is yours for life.
One-time payment | AUD $189 | 6 months access | Secure checkout
