Hey there!
Today, I want to talk fitness.
Let me just start by recognizing AND stating that I am not a professional trainer or athlete or fitness instructor, and I do not try to be any of these things. I am simply a college student with a passion for wellness, trying to maintain a healthy relationship with fitness!
Now that that is out of the way, I want to talk today about workout plans. It has taken a couple years to develop the most effective and least time consuming workout plan for me and my life. The reason I want to share this today is because I feel that it may help the girl who was once in my position—feeling overwhelmed by options, lacking the time to commit to an intensive workout plan, or just not feeling motivated to get in the gym for various reasons when you really do want to.
Maybe you were active in high school and have just gotten out of it since entering college, or maybe you’ve never really been into fitness and want to start now. Whatever your situation might be, I hope this is helpful for you!
At times, cheer was my only source of accountability for working out, and I truly believe that is because before cheer, I held myself to this ridiculous standard of an intense, time consuming, and results-driven workout plan that was created by someone else whose job was to, well, be fit.
I have come to realize that those workout plans only leave me feeling like a failure because I cannot commit to a plan as extensive as those. I felt frustrated and like I was lacking—and no wonder! I was trying to keep up with a plan that was created by someone whose life revolved around fitness.
So if you would like to learn more about what has worked for me within the last few years, keep reading! I hope that you will be able to use this information in a way that fits your busy life and passions. 🙂
Assessing Your Availability
Realistically, how many days in a week are you willing to incorporate a workout into your routine? I think what has worked best for me in this area is to make a commitment that is not too time consuming or unreasonable. Choose a minimum. Commit to some form(s) of exercise for, as an example, a minimum of three days per week.
By choosing a minimum goal for myself, I feel motivated to reach that goal and accomplished when I do. If I set an unrealistic goal for myself (like every single day of the week), I know that I will feel discouraged or burnt out when I find myself failing to achieve that goal at the end of the week. Plus, if I choose too unrealistic of a minimum for myself, I have the tendency to let my workout routine become more of a chore/mandatory task and not something that makes me happy and healthy!
Make a commitment that fits your life, your work, and your personal goals!
Creating a Schedule
When I use the word ‘schedule’ in reference to a workout plan, I do not mean that I want you to pull out your planner and schedule a workout for a specific day; however, if that is something you would prefer, go for it!
When I refer to a workout plan, I (personally) am referring to one’s personal goals, schedule, routines, and tracked progress as a whole.
When I say workout ‘schedule,’ I am simply referring to a list to build workout routines around. Think about what types of workouts you want to do and make a list. For example, my schedule looks something like this:
- Day 1: Upper Body
- Day 2: Core
- Day 3: Cardio
- Day 4: Legs
- Day 5: Combo (Whatever areas I feel like targeting that day!)
Now, the ‘days’ listed above are not always going to be consecutive. That’s why I listed them as numbered days rather than days of the week. This is because some days are busier than others and do not always allow for a workout. Also, unforeseen circumstances can definitely be a factor in your workout plan, and that is more than okay!
Let’s go back to when I said above to “choose a minimum.” If the minimum of three days was applied to my example schedule above, this could mean, for example, that I do upper body on Monday, core on Wednesday, and intense cardio on Friday. The following Monday, I will return to the schedule by picking up with legs, and maybe on Tuesday with my combo day. That ends one five-day rotation over the span of eight days, and that is OKAY!
If I work on my core one day, and the next three days I am sick with a cold, I am gonna pick right back up where I left off once I am well again and go on to cardio. I do not consider those days that I was unwell to be setbacks—that is just part of life! My body is telling me to rest and then recuperate, and I need to listen! (Same goes for pulled/strained muscles—listen to your body and do not push it when it comes to injuries of any kind!) If I complete my five-day rotation in a matter of eight or even more days for whatever reason(s), that is no problem at all.
I am making a schedule that fits my life but still provides results, motivates me to achieve new goals, and does not control me!
Deciding on a Day’s Workout Routine
This is one part that can be most frustrating for many. “I would work out, but I just feel lost in the gym and don’t know what to do.” With platforms like Pinterest, YouTube, and even Instagram, it can feel so overwhelming to find just what you need for your body. However, these are also fantastic resources for compiling exercises that would benefit you. I would recommend making a comprehensive list of specific exercises that correspond to one area of your body. Go to your fitness boards on Pinterest or collections of fitness posts on Instagram and start pulling from things that grabbed your attention at one time for some reason or another. Or if you have access to a fitness facility, ask the workers there to demonstrate how to use the different machines.
When I say to make a list, I really mean to make an actual list! Grab a notebook and start writing down moves that will benefit each day’s target area. Even a quick Pinterest search of “ab workouts” will give you millions of results that you can use to choose exercises that you want to incorporate.
After you have a list, you can start narrowing down your list to make a few different sets. (A set is a group of consecutive repetitions, referred to as “reps.”) I typically repeat a set two or three times in one workout session depending on the difficulty and amount of time it takes. It’s also nice to have at least two different sets to choose from so that when you come to a day in your rotation, you have options depending on what you feel that day. Take it to the gym with you (or take a picture on your phone) or set it next to you when you work out in the comfort of your own room.
After you have finished your workout, you may want to go through and edit your list. If you have exercises on there that feel like they are not doing enough for you or they repeat what another move’s objective is and you like one better, go ahead and cross them out. Elimination is totally acceptable.
After just a couple rotations of your workout schedule, you will probably learn what moves make you burn and what moves you absolutely DREAD. This is how your workout routine is born—through trial and sometimes elimination and additions. You’ll begin to know what makes you feel motivated and what makes you discouraged, and clarity is a good feeling!
Your fitness journey is all about what motivates you and provides results that you want to see and, more importantly, feel. 🙂
A Freebie Just For You!
I have created a handy, basic guide to building your own workout plan that is available for download below! This document has sections to set goals, build your schedule, and create sets for every day of your rotation. Instead of printing it, you can even edit these on your phone and take screenshots to have next time you hit the gym! They are user-friendly and my gift to you for reading through this long post!!!
And while you’re at it, subscribe to my email list to get blog updates and receive other FREE content directly to your inbox!
——
Thank you so much for taking the time to read about the steps I have taken to build a workout plan for my life and wellness. I hope they are of use to you as you discover what works for you! I view this as a fun and satisfying process, and I hope that you do too!
Until next time,
Annie Lark
“…For while bodily training is of some value, godliness is of value in every way, as it holds promise for the present life and also for the life to come.”
-1 Timothy 4:8
ANNIE BOYD SOWELL 