Did you know that the Spartacus workout was created by a woman? Yes it's true. Her name is Rachel Cosgrove. Since airing on Starz in 2010, Spartacus has become one of the most popular shows to ever air in history. With it's popularity arose another hot topic: The Spartacus workout which caught the interest of mostly men, but in time with more female characters coming into the show & playing a more and more important role and showing off their incredible bodies, women also want to get in on how these ladies got the bodies they did.

However, there are 2 different versions of them, the original which came out with Season 1: Blood & Sand, and the new workout that has been released with the Season 4: War of the Damned.

The Spartacus workout for women is intense and fast paced. Although women are recommended to use smaller weights to avoid bulky muscle builds, the intensity of the workout is just as tough as it is for men. Both versions in fact are equally difficult. Here are both versions:

Version 1: The original workout which you can actually find on Youtube. You basically complete a series of different exercises in interval training form, exercising for 1 minute, taking a break for 15 seconds, then moving onto the next workout. There are 10 workouts in total.

Once you complete all 10 exercises (if you can!), then you take a 2 minute break and then repeat the same 10 exercises in the same form once again. The truth is very few men & women can actually complete this type of workout. It is very intense on the knees & joints and takes a lot of time to get used to. The workout is recommended to be used no more than 3 times a week.

Version 2: There isn't much detail on this new version of the workout, but it does involve a lot of similar exercises as in the first version, but this time there are more plyometric exercises added in to create even more cardio effects.

This workout is even tougher on the knees than the first and involves a lot of squatting and explosive motions. If you are someone who has knee and/or joint issues, it may be very difficult to complete this workout. This version, unlike version 2, does cost money.

Can you do it? Overall there is no doubt that the Spartacus workout gets results for women. It's intense, fast paced and you will be drenched in sweat. However, it's difficulty and intensity may be too difficult for many.

If you are still interested in trying the workout, by all means give it a shot. But there are alternative ways to reach the same results this workout gives you. For example, you can get the same results with Kettlebell workouts as you would with the Spartacus workout. In fact, kettlebells are one of the best tools for female fitness as they provide a total body workout in a short amount of time.

The only difference is that kettlebell workouts aren't as intense as this one, but they get the same level of effect because their design works way more muscle groups than most of the exercises in the Spartacus workout, thereby giving you the same results, but with less hassle basically.