IF STRENGTH TRAINING came with alter egos, we’d each have one. Maybe you’re the reliable, no-drama type (hi, dumbbells). Or you’re the momentum seeker who is always in motion (lookin’ at you, kettlebell queen). Perhaps you’re the boundary pusher who approaches a barbell thinking, Let’s see what I can do. The point is, strength doesn’t show up in the same way on everyone.
Free weights are the ultimate choose-your-flavor tools: kettlebells, barbells, and dumbbells each offer their own route toward lasting strength (and look pretty badass while doing it).
Together, they’re the backbone of the Women's Health+ Build & Burn series, a training experience built around three distinct free-weight tracks—dumbbell, kettlebell, and barbell—that are each designed to:
- Build muscle and definition
- Support fat loss
- Improve movement quality and lifting confidence
- Strengthen your entire body
- Create sustainable workout momentum for 2026
Introducing Build & Burn
Each training program is four weeks long and boasts evidence-based programming that supports fat loss, muscle building, and functional strength. Each track within the Build & Burn series will teach you how to train with purpose while sparking meaningful physical and mental transformation.
But what really sets Build & Burn apart from typical New-Year-new-you challenges is that it's not a one-size-fits-all sprint; it’s a smart strength-training experience built around you. Instead of dishing out the same cookie-cutter routine to everyone, it recognizes that strength shows up differently for every body and gives you three ways to pursue it. You pick the track that matches your style, confidence level, and goals.
At the same time, you aren’t locked into just one! Because you get all three programs, you build momentum with your first four-week plan, then keep your progress rolling by sampling the other modalities, switching when you’re curious, or completing them back-to-back. That built-in variety keeps training fresh, builds versatility, and solidifies consistency long past January.
What's more, because Build & Burn is part of the wider Women’s Health+ membership, you'll gain access to all of our other ongoing fitness challenges, expert programming, recipes, and a streaming workout library—making it a holistic entry point into a stronger 2026. Are you ready?
Track 1: Barbell Burn
Barbell Burn
A max strength-and confidence-building track that teaches proper lifting mechanics while helping you move heavier weight safely and effectively. At the guidance of Aja Campbell, CSCS, learn key barbell movements, develop full-body strength, and discover how empowering barbell work can be.
Common Barbell Mistakes—And How To Fix Them
A confidence-building instructional video from Campbell that teaches exactly how to set up and maneuver the barbell with proper form during bench presses, deadlifts, and more.
Meet Your Coach
Aja Campbell, CSCS, is the owner and founder of ATTAGIRL, a coaching company dedicated to empowering individuals and giving them the tools to take their health and fitness into their own hands through both online and in-person coaching. She is a certified strength and conditioning specialist and nutrition coach with over a decade of experience in the fitness industry.She currently leads the sports medicine department at The Mary Louis Academy, an all-girls high school in Queens, New York, serving over 240 student-athletes. She also serves as the director of strength and conditioning and co-creator of the school’s Sports Medicine Diploma Designation, helping introduce young women to career possibilities within sports medicine and sports science.
Track 2: Kettlebell Burn
Kettlebell Burn
A fast-paced, power-driven program from Sarah Warshowsky, CPT, that builds strength, athletic conditioning, and calorie-burning intensity through explosive kettlebell movements. You’ll refine foundational skills like swings and cleans while boosting cardio capacity and full-body power.
Kettlebell Tips To Elevate Every Rep
A technique-focused video where Warshowsky breaks down the most common swing and clean and snatch mistakes (and more!)—plus the simple adjustments to make for safer, more effective reps.
Full-Body Follow-Along Kettlebell Workout
A dynamic kettlebell session designed to elevate your heart rate, refine technique, and build power as you sweat for 20 minutes alongside Warshowsky.
Meet Your Coach
Sarah Warshowsky, CPT, is a certified personal trainer, group instructor, and kettlebell coach based in New York City. She empowers her clients to build strength—both physically and mentally—so they can move with greater confidence in and out of the gym and navigate daily life with more ease. She believes in a holistic approach to fitness, emphasizing longevity, freedom of movement, and meeting each individual exactly where they are.
Track 3: Dumbbell Burn
Dumbbell Burn
A blend of strength and HIIT exercises that build muscle definition, stability, and full-body conditioning using accessible dumbbell training. Expect smart progressions, intentional tempo work, and plyometrics—designed by Alexandra Mack, CPT—to help you feel stronger and get your heart rate up.
Full-Body Follow-Along Dumbbell Workout
A quick guided, total-body dumbbell workout that blends strength and conditioning so you can train with Coach Alex anywhere, anytime.
Meet Your Coach
Alexandra Mack, CPT, is an athlete, certified personal trainer, run coach, and on-camera instructor known for her high-energy HIIT, strength, audio run, and mobility classes. Her program encourages women to lift heavier, move with intention, step out of their comfort zone, and feel empowered in every phase of their training.
What You Get When You Sign Up
You’ll get everything you need—from structure to skills to support—to train effectively and confidently.
- Three month-long Build & Burn training program PDFs—one for dumbbells, one for kettlebells, one for barbell that you can download directly to any of your devices and take to the gym.
- Two instructional videos to help correct form issues, master technique, and avoid common training mistakes.
- Two guided follow-along workout videos for real-time motivation and coaching when you are short on time or traveling.
- Access to and education from three certified strength training coaches with different specialities and styles.
More Perks Of Joining WH+
When you sign up for a Women's Health+ premium membership, not only do you get all three Build & Burn training programs, you also get access to the following perks.
- A year’s worth of health programming, from nutrition guides to targeted workout plans, all created by WH editors and experts
- Exclusive fitness challenges, including the popular Glute Gains Challenge and Ultimate Pull-Up Plan
- 450+ streaming workouts with 1 year of our All Out Studio fitness app (a $90 value)
- Hundreds of easy, healthy recipes, plus our High-Protein Meal Prep Manual
- Unlimited WomensHealthMag.com content and a one-year print magazine subscription
Photographs by Rona Ahdout
Styling by Rose Lauture
Hair by Charles McNair
Makeup by Victor Henao
Visual Editor: Muzam Agha
Workout Moves (Print):
Photographs by Justin Steele
Hair & makeup by Dawn Brocco
Video:
Executive Producer/Director: Dorenna Newton
DP: Cory VanderPloeg
Cam Op: Derrick Saint Pierre
Sound: Pablo Diez
Editor: Josh Archer
AP: Janie Booth
Production Coordinator: Francesca Campanella
Jacqueline Andriakos, CPT, is the executive health and fitness director at Women’s Health, where she oversees all health and fitness content across WomensHealthMag.com and the print magazine. She has more than a decade of experience covering the wellness space and has edited ASME-nominated health features, spearheaded brand packages such as Fitness Awards, and represented the brand on the TODAY show, podcasts, and more. Before Women's Health, Jacqueline was the deputy health features editor at Self.com, and previously worked as the senior editor at Health magazine. As a writer-reporter, she has contributed to print and online publications including TIME, Real Simple, and People, among others. A dancer throughout her youth, Jacqueline went on to study journalism at the Medill School of Journalism at Northwestern University and stoked her passion for health and fitness during her college years, ultimately inspiring her to make women’s health content the focus of her media career. She is constantly researching the latest health and wellness trends, trying a buzzy new workout class, hiking and snowboarding, or browsing athleisure. Her friends would describe her as the confidant to turn to for fitness and wellness advice, not to mention answers to any weird body questions. Jacqueline is also a former group exercise instructor and is a certified personal trainer via the National Academy of Sports Medicine (NASM).
