New fitness can be the gateway to the changes you desperately need. Maybe a minute (or a year) has passed and you want to go back to a place where climbing long stairs won’t overwhelm you. Or maybe you’re an avid fitness enthusiast but you need a new workout to replace the one you’re tired of.
Either way, a new exercise is your ticket to achieving the fitness goals you’ve set and want to maintain.
That’s why a new workout routine can also be one of the most powerful expressions of self-care – focusing only on repetitions and a personal achievement catalog – to prove to yourself that you are capable of making profound progress. So, go ahead and make your days better. Here’s how to create a workout routine in four easy steps.
Step #1: Make Time and Take up Space
A workout routine is like a personal contract you can make with yourself. And, like any contract, they have some basic requirements that you must comply with if you want results.
Even if you’re not sure about the specific results you want, it’s important to understand that there are two commitments you need to make before any fitness program begins:
- Time
- space
Understanding how to start an exercise routine depends heavily on these two elements, but if they sound a bit abstract, don’t worry. Below we will break it down.
Time is precious, but planning can help carve out some space
Among your myriad obligations, if you don’t already have a brand new workout program, it may seem impossible to incorporate it into your schedule. But most likely, you already know that you need to prioritize the time of physical activity. If finding time seems too daunting, pull out your planner and take stock of where your time tends to disappear:
- Research your schedule – identify appointments, meetings, games, and/or recitals that you absolutely can’t afford to miss. Make a list of these “must-dos” and any other things that aren’t flexible.
- Determine your free time – now, highlight the empty times in your schedule – the best time for a lunch break, evening, early morning, or afternoon – and decide if you can incorporate any of those times into your workout routine. Then, decide how many workouts you can do in a week (whether it’s three, four, five, or even seven), then pick a time (or multiple times) and add it to your calendar. Commit to sticking to this workout plan as if they were one of the “must do” appointments we mentioned above.
- Be patient with yourself – it’s important to focus on what you can realistically achieve in a day or week. If you can’t get someone to help with some of the time-consuming chores, such as washing dishes, laundry, or cleaning, or other things are already taking up too much space for you, give yourself some tolerance. Study your schedule, take it one step at a time, and be prepared to forgive yourself if it takes some trial and error.
Request the space you need
Just as time is precious, let’s face it: space is limited. It’s constantly being taken over, and you need to remember that you have as much a demand for the space as anyone else – such as at the gym. Also keep in mind that you don’t have to limit your workout routine to one place, even with limited space.
Consider which parts of your new workout program can be done in the following ways:
- Exercise at home – Maybe you have an exercise mat, treadmill, elliptical machine, or your own dumbbells; exercising at home is both effective and convenient.
- Outdoor Workouts – While outdoor activities don’t always provide some of the equipment needed for daily activities, they certainly provide usable space. Feel the beneficial effects of moving from point A to point B, take a deep breath of fresh air, and enjoy the scenery – especially if you need a change.
- Gym workouts – Those with more ambitious goals may also need more space (and gear) to achieve them.
Step #2: Assess Your Fitness Level and Set Goals
Before putting a new workout routine into practice, test your current fitness abilities to determine which exercises and which intensity works best for you.
If you’re already a fitness enthusiast, you’ve probably got an idea of your fitness level and have mastered goal setting. But if you’re still a newbie or have taken a break for a long time, it may be helpful to start with the basics to assess your condition:
- Determine your target heart rate – Your target heart rate is typically around 50%–85% of your maximum heart rate, calculated by subtracting your current age from 220. Monitor your heart rate while walking, jogging, or running a mile. Determining how long it will take to reach a target speed appropriate for your age can help you understand how much physical exertion you should begin.
- Try push-ups and sit-ups – The number of repetitions of these basic physical exercises should give you an idea of your body’s current fitness capacity.
- Try basic stretching exercises – sit down with your legs straight and your arms extended to your toes. Measure the flexibility of your hamstrings, joints, and muscles, and stretching, as warming up before a workout has many benefits.
Meeting with a fitness professional may help determine your goals
To help you better tailor your goals to your body’s unique needs, it may be beneficial to try a class taught by a certified fitness professional who can guide you through safe and effective workouts while helping to assess your fitness level.
To help adjust your plan, there are a few questions you can ask yourself, including:
- Whether you’re looking for 5km or marathon training tips
- Whether you want to focus on weight loss or strength training
- If you just want to maintain excellent overall fitness goals for optimal health
Determine the fitness goals you want to achieve, and you may find yourself focusing on which type of workout routine works best for you. An exercise with a lot of aerobic exercise should get you ready for 5 kilometers, while a less frequent microworkout, including weight training and proper nutrition, may help you achieve the muscle growth you need.
Step #3:Develop and Implement an Exercise Routine That Fits Your Goals
Now that you know how healthy your body is and you’ve set a goal for losing weight, building endurance, or building strength, it’s time to learn how Xi create an exercise plan.
Depending on the time and space available to you, as well as your personal goals and current health, you’ll need to choose different activities to help you achieve those goals. Still, the two sample routines below can get you started and can be adjusted as needed to fit your schedule.
Examples of weight loss and endurance training
If you want to focus on losing weight and building endurance, then choose a routine that emphasizes cardiovascular exercises rather than strength training. For example, if you want to know how to build stamina, divide your week as follows:
- 3-5 days a week – aerobic exercise. Incorporate 3-5 cardiovascular exercises to maintain your target heart rate for 20-40 minutes. Walking, jogging, spinning, swimming – choose your moves and get your heart racing. While exercising, you can even watch TV series and read a chapter in a book.
- 2-3 days a week – resistance and strength training. Choose some exercises that use free weights, barbells, resistance bands, or gym equipment. For each exercises, try 3-4 sets of up to 12 repetitions per set. Choose a challenging resistance.
- 5 days a week – stretching. In addition to standard daily stretching exercises, experts recommend mobility and flexibility exercises such as yoga or Pilates. 3Try one of our fitness classes to add an element of vitality to your weekly routine.
Also, make sure to give your body at least one day off each week. The same applies to any routine that emphasizes strength training rather than aerobic exercise.
Examples of routines to build muscles and strength
If you want to build muscle and build strength, your workout plan may vary. Try to divide your week like this:
- 2-4 days a week – resistance and strength training. Alternate focus on different muscle groups over several days, and never work the same muscle group for two days in a row. For example, try chest strength training on Monday, shoulder and triceps strength training on Tuesday, back and biceps strength training on Thursday, and leg strength training on Friday, and don’t forget to include your abdomen and forearms.
- 3-5 days a week – aerobic exercise. Try climbing stairs to increase leg and hip strength training.
- 5 days a week – During strength training, stretching exercises are essential to maintain muscle and motor flexibility and reduce the chances of injury.
- At least one day of the week – rest. As muscles grow, they need time to repair and rebuild – and this happens while we sleep. In addition to giving your body a day or two off each week, make sure you get enough sleep each night.
Step #4: Keep Track of Your Daily Schedule, Track Your Meals, And Take Advantage of Your Progress
While this step doesn’t have to be part of the routine itself, tracking your progress can go a long way in keeping you motivated.
Use your laptop or phone to keep track of:
- The adjustments you make to your daily routine over time.
- Your stats on treadmill, biking, or elliptical workouts.
- The amount of weight you lift each week and the increased resistance.
- The different exercises you are doing, and any new things you discover.
Additionally, you may find that there is a great benefit to tracking macros for meal plans. For example, if you want to build muscle, you may want to focus on protein. As a result, you may want to:
- Keep track of the grams of protein you’re currently consuming
- Determine the amount of protein you may need each day
- Consider dietary supplements, such as protein powder or creatine, to help rebuild muscle
No matter how your diet affects your workout program, remember to stay hydrated during your workout.
