Building the Best Workout Plan for You

Building the Best Workout Plan for You

When it comes to working out, many pieces of research suggest that the best way to achieve the results you want is by sticking with your plan over a long period of time. However, this doesn’t mean that you have to do the exact same exercises every single time you workout. In fact, by mixing up your workout routine, you will prevent boredom.

The key is to form habits. The best way to do this is to set out the days and times that you will exercise in advance on a weekly basis. Don’t postpone your exercise because this will prevent you from getting into the right behaviour patterns.

Once you’ve got your workout calendar and you’ve built up the motivation, now what? It’s time to build the best workout plan for you. While it’s fine to use a basic workout plan created by someone else, it is important to tailor each step to your own needs and adjust it in any way you see necessary. At the end of the day, everybody exercises differently and you need to find the best way for you!

Assess your current situation and outline your goals

Look at where you are now and think about what you want to change and improve. Having an idea of what you want to get from your workout plan is the best way to achieve results. Set a goal of where you want to be in a specified time period and work towards that.

It is also good to break it down into small, manageable chunks so it doesn’t feel as daunting to start with. However, the key thing to remember is that sometimes things don’t go to plan. Not putting too much pressure on yourself when you’re having those ‘off days’ is integral for success.

Define the exercises you need to focus on to achieve your goals

‘Exercise’ is obviously a broad term, so defining the exercises you need to focus on to move forward is a must. Think about which exercises you enjoy and research their benefits to see how you can fit them into your personal workout plan. There’s no point in having a workout plan where you try to fit in every single piece of equipment at the gym because some of them just won’t be useful for your needs. This takes a bit of researching and planning but it’s definitely worth it!

Keep things simple

If you’re just getting into exercise, nobody is going to expect you to suddenly be able to run a marathon and you shouldn’t expect that from yourself either! Keep things simple at first; the most successful workout plan is one that you can adapt as you go along. Similar to defining the exercises you need to focus on to achieve your goals, there’s only so much you can add into your workout.

Establish how many sets you'll do

Between 5 and 12 sets per workout tends to be the standard but don’t let that stop you from doing what suits you best. It’s also important to stick to the number of sets you decide on because, even if you’re up for doing more, it’ll only hinder you in the long run if you are then less able to do other things in your workout plan. It really is all about balance.

How long should you exercise?

How long you exercise per week depends on the reason that you’re working out. If you’re working out to lose weight, your workout plan will typically consist of a minimum of 250 minutes per week. Whereas, it has been suggested that a minimum of 150 minutes is optimal if your goal is to tone your muscles.

It’s important to remember that you need to switch up the intensity of your workouts. This is something that you can play around with and see what suits you and your body. Remember, the best workout plan for someone else probably won’t be the right plan for you!

Keep track of your progress

This links to the idea of outlining your goals - there’s no point in making goals if you don’t keep track of how they are going. Whether you want to write it down in a notebook, take before and after photos or even create an Instagram page dedicated to your hard work - do what helps you to keep going!