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
Track 2: Kettlebell Burn
Track 3: Dumbbell Burn
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.
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).