Planning an effective workout routine

Are you a little lost and confused by the vastness of available information on the internet?

It’s no surprise, and you’re certainly not alone!

We are constantly bombarded with the latest exercise or workout craze to sweep the fitness world and being told that it’s “the best [insert relevant body part] builder you can possibly do”.

So, naturally, you want to add it to your very next session!

And then, next week, someone else you follow (or even that same person) releases another video with “the very best [insert relevant body part] workout for maximum growth”.

To simplify things into a few easy to follow steps, I wanted to share with you a great way of building your own workouts for you and your goals.

Follow these simple steps to get you started:

• Know your GOAL!

Without this crucial step, you will have no idea what you want to achieve!

This is more important than you might initially think.

If your goal is to run a marathon, but the workout plan you pick from the internet is to “build a huge chest and arms”, you may find that, come marathon day, you struggle to complete the distance!

Try to be specific with your goal(s) too. The clearer they are, the easier it is to structure the plan.

And think about the long term goal, which you can then break down into smaller chunks, as required.

• Figure out how much TIME you have available during a typical week

Be realistic, here. But also be honest. 

Think about how much you value the goals you set in step 1.

If you value those goals highly, you will create more time than you may initially believe that you have available.

Is your time in the mornings, lunchtimes, evenings, or a combination of time slots?

Could you separate your cardio sessions from your weight lifting sessions and perform more than one session during the day?

You don’t want to create a 5 day plan if you only have 3 days available!

• At this stage you may need to reassess points 1 & 2 if they don’t align!

If your goal is to lose 25kgs of body fat in 12 weeks and you only have the capacity for 2 x 30 minute sessions every week, you will likely find that very difficult (subject to your starting point) and we don’t want to set ourselves up to fail!

However, if the goal of 25kg body fat loss is rated extremely high in your personal values, you may discover that you actually have much more than 2 x 30 minutes available.

You are prepared to get up 30 mins earlier each day to create a further 7 x 30 minute slots.

You might forgo the hour of Netflix in the evenings to ensure that you have a good 60 minutes to workout.

• With points 1 & 2 aligned, consider your WORKOUT SPLIT

This will vary dependent on your goals and experience level. 

If you’re newer to the gym, think about splitting your muscle groups in line with your availability, which might mean full body work or upper/lower splits.

For example, having 2 available slots could mean that you perform two full body workouts per week.

Or 3 days available might look more like a push, pull, legs split.

4 days could be upper/lower/upper/lower or a muscle group split, e.g. chest/back/shoulders/legs.

Also allow sufficient time to stretch and recover. Factor in a minimum of two rest days each week.

There are numerous options here, but stick to simple principles as mentioned above initially and consider further development of those in due course.

• EXERCISE SELECTION

Again, subject to goals and experience, although focusing on proper form should always be the primary objective to reduce injury risk and instil the correct mechanical motion of the exercise.

Don’t be that guy or girl swinging lots of (too) heavy weight around, instilling poor form into your mechanical/muscle memory and creating poor habits from the get-go!

Also, remember to take the muscles through their fullest range of motion (ROM) that you are safely able to. If your ROM is small when you begin, it will improve over time providing that you consciously think about extending it every time. 

Ensure adequate balance within your split exists. 

Don’t overload your chest and forget about your back, for example!

Or train only your upper body at the expense of your legs! Nobody wants a chicken legged body shape ;) 

• EXERCISE ORDER

Generally speaking perform your compound lifts (those requiring multi-joints/muscles, such as a deadlift or squat) at the beginning when you have the most energy. 

This will ensure that you can focus on the principles of progressive overload (the gradual increase of stress placed on the body during exercise training that is beyond its current capabilities) when you are at the strongest during your session.

Ordering these compound exercises at the beginning of the session also focuses your energy on maintaining the best form and preventing injury. 

Leave the isolation work (single-joint/muscle, such as leg curls or triceps extensions) towards the end.

• REP RANGES

This can vary hugely, but as a general rule of thumb for muscle building, stick to 6-12 reps, particularly for those compound lifts and don’t be scared of doing some much higher, 15-20+ reps for those isolations to maximise that burn (metabolic stress)!

Remember, these rep ranges are often just a guide!

You also need to think about intensity levels and when you should and shouldn’t take a set to failure.

With the compound lifts I like to think of my sets as increasing intensity warm-ups until my final, top set, which is all out, pushed to failure!

If the rep range I was aiming for was 6 reps on that final set, I stop when I fail, not at 6 reps if I knew I could do one or two more! If I hit 7 reps, next week the weight goes up and I aim for 6 and see how many I get.

• GIVE IT A WHIRL!

Try it out and don’t be afraid to play around a bit until you find the ideal split and exercise order for you.

You might find that the sessions are taking too long. 

Which might mean that you’re resting too long between sets, just be aware! 

On the whole I wouldn’t rest more than 60-90 seconds between most sets and perhaps 2-3 minutes between exercises.

You may have included exercises for which your gym doesn’t have the equipment and you need to find an alternative (that’s where the internet can come in handy!)

So have a go, see how you get on and make any necessary changes within that first week of sessions.

Then, stick to the plan for 4-6 weeks, focusing on correct form, progressing the major lifts and fully committing.

• FINALLY, if you have any questions, make sure you ask someone!

Be it someone in the gym, a friend you trust or a coach (hi), make sure you are comfortable with them and their knowledge.

For any coaching enquiries, please do not hesitate to take a look at my options and book in for your FREE consultation to discuss your goals, your needs and the best approach for you!