Strong Curves: Bootyful Beginnings
A woman's guide to building a better butt and body
Overview
Strong Curves: Bootyful Beginnings is a beginner routine designed specifically for women who want to build a strong, curvy body. This program has a mix of bodyweight and barbell/dumbbell exercises.
Designed by Bret Contreras, a Sports Science PhD and a long-time trainer who has helped thousands of women build a better body. In addition to the Strong Curves book, Bret has published Glute Lab book.
If you want to train virtually with Bret, check out Booty By Bret for his strength and conditioning digital subscription program that includes up to 5 workouts per week, exercise library, and community.
Strong Curves
Strong Curves is completely free on Boostcamp App, which contains a full library of well over fifty free popular weight training programs with the mission to make evidence-based training accessible to everyone, not just those who can afford it.
Strong Curves FAQ
What is Strong Curves?
Strong Curves: Bootyful Beginnings, written by Bret Contreras, is a popular 3X per week beginner gym routine specifically designed for women. The program requires access to commercial gym equipment like barbells, dumbbells, and machines.
Strong Curves Results
Hundreds of thousands of women have transformed their body by following Strong Curves. You can scroll down to find written reviews of Strong Curves program by Boostcamp users. You can also find tons of Strong Curves before and after on Bret Contreras' website and IG.
Strong Curves Workout
Strong Curves routine is 3x per week, with ~45-60 min per workout. Each workout starts with a glute exercise, such as glute bridge and glute march. The workouts then move to exercises for your back, legs, shoulders, and core. Every Strong Curves workout is a full body workout to develop a balanced physique, with a focus on glute development.
Strong Curves Reddit
You can learn more about Strong Curves on various subreddits, like r/fitness, r/xxfitness, and r/strongcurves. They're all excellent resources for science-based training.
Strong Curves PDF
You can find Strong Curves PDF on liftvault.com and many other websites. You can also follow Strong Curves app on Boostcamp App, with easy workout logging and video exercise demos.
Strong Curves App
Strong Curves is completely free on Boostcamp App, the last lifting app you'll ever need. You'll be able to easily start Strong Curves with workout tracking, video exercise demos, and training analytics.
Boostcamp is not affiliated with Bret Contreras. You can also find Strong Curves in spreadsheet or PDF format on other websites. For more info on Bret's training programs, online coaching, and products visit https://bretcontreras.com.
Who it's for
Reviews
straight forward and nothing fancy but effective
the good mix of upper and lower body exercises
Great beginner to intermediate workout. It takes me a little less than an hour to finish my routine.
This is the first full strength program I’ve ever gotten through completely. I have gotten stronger, especially in my upper body, so that has been great. I don’t really see much of a difference- I know it’s only been 8 weeks though so am going to repeat the program and continue upping the weights. I know some people complained about variety, but I really like that it’s mostly the same moves. I like seeing how much I progress each week with the same moves.
Muscle engagement
| # | Exercise | Sets | Reps |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Glute Bridge (Barbell) | 3 | 10–20 reps |
| 2 | Single Arm Row (Dumbbell) | 3 | 8–12 reps |
| 3 | Box Squat (Barbell) | 3 | 10–20 reps |
| 4 | Bench Press (Barbell) | 3 | 8–12 reps |
| 5 | Romanian Deadlift (Dumbbell) | 3 | 10–20 reps |
| 6 | Side Lying Abductions | 1 | 15–30 reps |
| 7 | RKC Plank | 1 | 20–120 sec |
| 8 | Side Plank | 1 | 20–60 sec |
| # | Exercise | Sets | Reps |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Single Leg Glute Bridge | 3 | 10–20 reps |
| 2 | Lat Pulldown | 3 | 8–12 reps |
| 3 | Step-Up (Weighted) | 3 | 10–20 reps |
| 4 | Standing Shoulder Press (Dumbbell) | 3 | 8–12 reps |
| 5 | Back Extension | 3 | 10–20 reps |
| 6 | Side Lying Clam | 1 | 15–30 reps |
| 7 | RKC Plank | 1 | 20–120 sec |
| 8 | Side Plank | 1 | 20–60 sec |
| # | Exercise | Sets | Reps |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Glute March | 3 | 60 sec |
| 2 | Seated Row (Cable) | 3 | 8–12 reps |
| 3 | Parallel Squat (Dumbbell) | 3 | 10–20 reps |
| 4 | Incline Bench Press (Dumbbell) | 3 | 8–12 reps |
| 5 | Single Leg Romanian Deadlift | 2 | 10–20 reps |
| 6 | X-Band Walk | 1 | 20 reps |
| 7 | RKC Plank | 1 | 20–120 sec |
| 8 | Rope Horizontal Chop | 1 | 10 reps |
Weeks 2–8 are in the app
Download Boostcamp to follow the full program with auto-progression and built-in coaching notes.
The coach
Common questions
Yes, Strong Curves: Bootyful Beginnings is completely free to follow on Boostcamp. There's no subscription or payment required. Download the app on iOS or Android, search for the program, and you can start your first workout immediately. All 8 weeks are fully unlocked.
This program is built around a full gym. Make sure you have consistent access before starting, since the progression model assumes you can perform the same movements week over week. If you're missing something, the Boostcamp app includes substitution suggestions inside each workout.
Each session typically takes around 45 minutes to complete. That estimate covers your working sets but doesn't account for warm-up or rest between sets, so budget a little extra time when you're first learning the movements. As you get familiar with the program, sessions tend to move faster.
Strong Curves: Bootyful Beginnings is structured around 3 training days per week, with rest days built in to allow for recovery. Consistent rest is as important as the training itself. Skipping rest days can stall your progress. The app lets you reschedule sessions if your week doesn't go to plan.
The program runs for 8 weeks. The structure is designed so that each week builds on the last, with weights, volume, or intensity progressively increasing as you go. Many athletes choose to repeat the program after finishing, either at a higher starting weight or with a different variation.
Strong Curves: Bootyful Beginnings is available inside the Boostcamp app, free on iOS and Android. Once you download the app, you can search for the program by name or find it on the coach's profile. The app tracks all your sets and weights automatically, so you always know exactly what to do next session.
Get started
