Evolve Strong: Team
COMMUNITY-BASED STRENGTH TRAINING FOR WOMEN LATE 30s TO LATE 50s WHO WANT TO BUILD STRENGTH AND RESILIENCE IN 2-3 HOURS PER WEEK
Evolve Strong: Team is my signature strength and hypertrophy program for women who want to prioritise building strength and muscle now, so they can avoid becoming a burden on their loved ones in later life.
After working with so many women in their 40s going through the menopause transition, I realised the reason so many have found it so difficult to make real head-way in the gym and get consistent with it, was because they were trying to do too much. I knew that in order to make a program work for these women, who were juggling high-responsibility careers, kids, elderly parents, alongside their fitness, the protocol needed to be more efficient and simple.
Evolve Strong: Team was born, based on my 3-part blueprint:
Structured flexibility
Efficiency
Accountability
If you are looking at your parents and thinking 'I do not want to end up like that', Evolve Strong: Team will help you build the strength and resilience to keep you independent and mobile
1. Structured Flexibility
AKA A plan exists (but can be amended as needed)
So many women get given plans from 20 year old PTs who live in their Mum's spare room, that look something like this:
'You will train 5 times per week, Monday to Friday. Each session is 90 minutes and contains 10 exercises. You must add weight or reps every session. You must also eat 150g protein per day, drink 3 litres of water and do 12000 steps.'
You are probably looking at that and thinking 'no bl**dy chance, mate'.
This IS a plan, but it is not a very rigid plan.
In Evolve Strong: Team - we give you a plan. You know exactly where you are going, and how to get there. You know what you are supposed to do every time you go in the gym. You don't have to think about it.
But the plan has flexibility built in. That is, there are many ways you can successfully complete your plan each week, depending on your capacity.
There are always at least 2 sessions - they take under an hour. But there is an optional 3rd session, which you can commit to doing every week, or you can do now and again, or you can skip entirely. Either way, you will still be successful.
There is guidance about reps and choosing an appropriate weight, but we also know that life is chaotic and your energy goes up and down like a ping pong ball, and so your plan adapts to meet you where you are at on a given day.
Evolve Strong: Team gives you structure. The flexibility of the plan means you stay consistent.
'The Evolve Strong: Team program has been perfect for me as it gives me structure for my workouts, has touch-points to encourage and help me progress, but also is accessible due to it being 2-3 workouts, instead of 3+. Really enjoying it so far' - SARAH Y.
2. Efficiency and Proficiency
AKA The plan actually works
Too many training plans come with what I call 'junk volume'. Training that only exists to make you feel like you have done something - it gives you a burn, keeps you entertain, burns a few calories
But junk volume doesn't actual move the needle forwards in building strength and muscle mass. In fact, it can do the opposite, because it causes you to become burnt out and frustrated as you work really hard, but don't see any progress.
Evolve Strong: Team works as a 2-3 session per week program because it is EFFICIENT. Only stuff that actually moves the needle on your goals makes it's way into the program, meaning you get amazing bang for your buck, and don't have to spend hours and hours in the gym.
The program is also proficient - that is, it is good at what it does. It is not a series of random workouts, but rather, carefully designed, and data-derived.
A good plan begins with the end goal in mind, and works backwards from there.
Evolve Strong: Team is periodised, meaning we start with the foundations - first, movement quality and work capacity - your ability to actual train. Then, we move into a hypertrophy phase where the goal is to build muscle, since you need a solid foundation of muscle in order to build strength. Only then do we progress into strength development phases - the meat and potatoes of developing that physical quality, and finally a peak phase where we express that strength so we can test ourselves and see how far we have come.
3. Accountability
AKA You actually follow the plan for the long-haul
These days, if you wanted to, you could just type a couple of sentences into AI and out would pop a training program. Possibly even quite a good one. So why are you here reading this? Why aren't you doing that?
My guess is that you don't actually need more information. There is ample information.
What you need is skin in the game.
Because once you make a financial investment in your health and bring another person, such as a coach, or a community of training partners into the picture, it becomes a lot harder to not show up.
And consequently, much easier to stay on the wagon.
In Evolve Strong: Team, the accountability is 3-fold
1. Community based - you have training partners in this program and you all get the same set of workouts to do every week. Shared wins and struggles in the community group chat are a key part of every week.
2. Coach based - Coach Claire is in the group chat daily, encouraging you to check in every week, and reviewing training videos. I care deeply about every single one of my clients and go above and beyond to ensure there are opportunities to ask questions and get support. I am never going to leave you wondering what to do next
3. Investment based - yes, the first 7 days are free, but after than, you have financial stake. It isn't much - less than the price of a takeaway for two. But it is not an internet freebie that you are going to download and never finish. You will want to see a return on investment.
Building strength and resilience is 100% momentum-based, and the support and accountability of your training partners and your coach will ensure you keep that ball rolling, and stop relying purely on motivation
Meet Tanya
Tanya has been working with us for 18 months. She is in her 50s, and has a family and full-time career. She wanted to prioritise building strength and muscle, but this was a new challenge for her and she was a little gym-nervous.
When she joined, she was pretty new to strength training but had done a little bit of this and that, mainly interval style training.
She kindly agreed to share some of her journey with you
Here is what she had to say:
'Prior to joining, I had used an online coach before but was out of the habit of training and had lost self-confidence due to a stressful few years. I had tried a few free online programs but not really strength focused. More interval-style training.
I thought if I paid for a program, I might actually commit. I enjoyed the free workshop Claire ran, I liked her approach, and felt I could work with her. She worked with women my age. It meant trying something a bit different to what I had done so far.
Now, I have been with Evolve Strong for 18 months, and enjoy doing 3 workouts per week. The data show I have got stronger and have more confidence. My mobility/flexibility/strength in some joints has also improved - I was scared to jump when I started due to Achilles pain, but now doing box jumps.
I was going to use weights at home initially but after a couple of months braved the gym as I got as far as I could at home. The gym was scary but now I love using the barbell
The program provides a clear plan and expectations, with a calm, encouraging approach has helped me work with weights I never thought I would. Regular check in calls and opportunities to ask questions to help maintain progress. The app is easy to use and allows you to see history for each exercise which helps see the progress.
She is supportive and I am much stronger and more confident now!'
This is for you, if:
You are a woman in or about to go through the peri- to post- menopause transition and want to prioritise strength and muscle
You are worried about becoming a burden on loved ones in later life and want to retain independence
You have a high-responsibility life and limited time and energy to spend in the gym - 2 or 3 sessions is perfect for you
You are returning to the gym after a long break, or are trying to make it consistent. The main Team program assumes you have at least some gym experience already. If you are a total beginner, we do have an 8-week Evolve Strong: Foundations program which you can run first, that will bring you up to speed - just go ahead and sign up for the free trial and you will be directed to the right program
You want to be treated seriously in your training, not given tiny dumbbell circuits. You want to lift heavy and become a badass
You want to become stronger than you have ever been
This is NOT for you, if...
You are looking for a quick fix, like a 30-day belly blast, or 6-weeks to six-pack. This is a long-haul program. A life change.
You want a fat loss program. This program is for strength and hypertrophy. It will work alongside a good fat loss program if that is your goal, but I am not promising you fat loss as a result of this program. I am promising you PBs and muscles though!
You 'don't want to get too muscley'. I am not going to turn you into Arnie, but the goal of this program is to look and feel strong
You are a man, or are under 35/over 60. This is a cohort program for women in, or soon to be in the P2PM transition, designed with them in mind. You are very welcome to join my Evolve Strong: Mastery program!
You want to train less than twice per week, or more than three times per week. That will require you to join my Mastery program where I can write you something more specific
You are looking for a fully individualised, high touch 1-to-1 program. This is a community-based coaching program where everyone does the same sessions. For bespoke 1-to-1, Evolve Strong: Mastery is what you need!
Meet Margaret
Margaret has been working with us for over a year.
She is in her 40s, has a full-time job, a family, and she knew she needed to prioritise strength and muscle retention, but had limited time and capacity to spend in the gym.
She wasn't a total beginner to the gym when she joined us, but she wanted a more optimal approach., as she felt she was working very hard in the gym, but not actually getting anywhere.
She kindly agreed to share some of her journey. Here is what she had to say:
'Prior to joining, I wasn't sure what I was doing was right, and wanted some professional help so that I could progress safely. I used to go to the gym 4-5 times per week for really long sessions - mainly based on tiktok advice - and would be wiped out afterwards!
I wanted an online program focused on strength training for women over 40. I particularly liked the ethos of cutting out 'junk volume', which was causing me to spend way too long in the gym. Now, I am never wiped out after sessions like I used to be.
I have developed an overall strength, rather than just being strong in certain exercises. My technique has improved and I have more control. I increased by about 20kg each in my squat, bench press, and deadlift in the first 6 months of the program, and I feel great for knowing how strong I am.
Sticking to the program has not been hard as it is only 3 sessions per week for 1 hour, which is much less than what I was doing before. I don't feel like I have to go 100% all the time to get results, and I have never been injured on the program.
Coach Claire gives great feedback and support which have improved my technique and performance.'
The Investment:
£49
per month
(first 7 days free)
Email: [email protected]
Site: www.evolvestrong.co.uk
