The average gym goer spends 30-60 minutes in the gym, for most this is all you need to get the job done! Remember to make the most of your time in the gym by having a goal specific program. Many spin their wheels doing random exercises for a set or two here and there, several months later wondering why they aren’t achieving their desired results?
Before you step foot in the gym or start to exercise you need to have a plan of attack! Whether your goal is fitness, building muscle or both, you need to know how you are going to go about reaching your goal!
Think to yourself, how are you going to train? What intensity, exercises, body parts, training split etc, etc... The main focus is not to over complicate things. You can always add exercises or customise a plan to your specific needs as long as you have a foundation!
There are 4 key points to a good workout plan!
· Firstly frequency, how often do you need to exercise to reach you goal and how often you can realistically train? For example, you may only be able to exercise 3 days a week, so plan around your availability or make yourself available!
· Secondly intensity, how hard you need to exercise. Effort level is crucial for results, especially if you want to build muscle (tone up) or improve performance. If fitness is your goal don't be satisfied with a slow jog on the treadmill for hours on end! Mix it up, incorporate some circuit training, intervals and even a weekly weight session. Cover all corners, as they say.
· Thirdly, time, how long do you need to spend in the gym. If you’re going balls to the wall you can be in and out in 15 minutes, I'm talking sprints, supersets, dropsets, high intensity exercises. Not everyone has an hour to spend in the gym, 15-30 minutes fitting it in on your lunch break or before work is suitable for those with time restrictions and opens up the rest of the day. Though keep in mind you always need to make sure the session is specific to your goal.
· Fourth and finally, type. What type of exercises are you going to be doing? Anaerobic, Aerobic, Compounds, isolation's? You need to know what you’re going to be training, so... structure specific exercises and an alternative to each exercise if you are unable to use a piece of equipment.
There is no point doing steady state cardio on the treadmill if your aim is building muscle. Know what exercise stimulates what, and its effects on the body. A little self-education goes a long way!
With these in mind, build yourself a plan or use an existing one which has a similar goal. If you still have trouble finding or following a routine, there is a free plan and template available on my website. They break down each session with primary exercises and alternatives if for whatever reason you can’t partake in the first one.
If you find yourself lost or tired of not achieving your desired outcome my coaching offers personalised exercise and nutrition programming with the guidance to implement it into your lifestyle, creating lasting habits. Feel free to get in touch via the contact page!
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