Creating a Workout Plan

True fitness success requires a little planning. And one of the first things that needs to be planned is your workout schedule.

There’s a science to working out, and whether your goal is weight loss, muscle gain, or a bit of both, having a detailed plan is always helpful. This is primarily because having a workout plan will improve the likelihood that you’ll follow through.

It’s a great source of motivation!

In some respects, it’s almost like having a personal trainer on your case all week long. Once you create a schedule, you feel somewhat accountable to it (and to yourself) to follow through. It’s also great for managing your time.

Creating a Workout Plan – The How-To

When it comes to creating a workout plan, you need to think about a few basic principles. Let’s go over them in a bit more detail:

• Available Time – First, you need to be realistic about how much time you have a available in a day and in a week. Don’t fool yourself – many plans fail because they’re impractical! Consider your time with an honest and sensible approach.

• Energy – Next, consider when you tend to be at your best in terms of energy. Some people work out most effectively in the morning, while others work better at night. Choose a time that works for you and stick to it!

• Fitness Level – Your current fitness level is really important when it comes to creating a workout plan. If you’re a beginner, you don’t want to push it too hard in the beginning, as you may be setting yourself up for failure. Make sure you create a plan that challenges your body in a safe and effective way.

• Goals – Finally, you need to think about your goals. If your goal is to lose a few pounds or just tone up, 30 minutes a day 3-4 days a week are more than sufficient. But if your goals involve significant weight loss, weight gain, and/or body transformation, then you’re probably going to have to do about 60 minutes a day 4-5 days a week.

Either way, you need to write down your plan and log your efforts on a daily and weekly basis. This is where a workout plan can be especially motivating, as it can allow you to reflect on your progress in a constructive way.

I’ve created an easy, flexible, and effective workout log that you can download and print here. Use this to create a workout plan and to track your progress!

Creating a Workout Plan – The Options

To give you an idea of all the options at your disposal, I thought I’d review some of my best workout plans – with variety in mind. Any of these options offer a great starting point when it comes to creating your own workout plan (click on the title to view the plan).

• 30 Minute Workout Plan – If you’re looking for a solid workout in 3 minutes a day, this one’s for you. Full-body, hard-hitting, but convenient.

• Full Body Workout Plan – If you’re looking for something a little more intense, check out this upper body / lower body split routine that requires 5 days a week.

• Fat Burning Workout Plan – This plan will give you some serious results. Another 5 day plan, this one breaks things down by muscle groups and focuses on burning fat and building lean muscle mass.

• Home Workout Plan – Finally, for those who need to fit in a decent workout at home, this 30-minute workout plan is perfect. This is a full-body, interval training workout.

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