November 24th, 2007 by William | Posted in Secrets Of The Gym | 1 Comment »
I have seen it all at the gym. I don’t mean crazy routines and antics. I’ll write that novel some other time. Today, what is on my mind is your actual workout routine. You know, that plan you follow with single minded determination and discipline.
You do have a plan, don’t you? Please tell me you don’t just wander in and stroll among the and machines, hoping something will catch your eye. Do you wait to decide how you “feel” ? Do you not have a clue? Aaarghhhh!!
I knew it!
OK, I know it’s probably not that bad, but I truly believe that most of us do not have a very good idea of what we are going to do do on a day to day basis.
Here is my confession:
Jarryd, of Joewarrior.com, asks me at lunch, “Are you working out today?”
Me: “Uh, well, ……I think so…….I’m planning on it….yeah, I am, for sure.”
Jarryd; “What are you working on?”
Me: “I’m not sure, legs I think. I can’t remember what I did last time.”
I am not admitting to Jarryd that I skipped “last time” and I’m not really sure what day that even was.
Jarryd: “Today’s my chest day, want to do bench together?”
Me: “OK, sounds good. I think it’s been a while since I worked my chest.”
Jarryd: “All right, see you there. Don’t skip out this time.”
Does this sound familiar to you?
Hey, it was great to do the bench together. Having a workout buddy is a good thing. I really love removing the big weights off every time it’s my turn.
Now, here is my point.
Some kind of plan is an absolute. You need a goal and at least some idea of how you are going to achieve it. Of course, there are many ways to go about it.
As I said, I have seen it all in the gym.
Some individuals are just wandering in and casually deciding, on the spot, what to do. Whatever station is open is good enough. Hey, it can be crowded and you don’t always have access to what you want. That is not all bad. They are still getting exercise, which is much better than snacking while watching Drew on The Price is Right.
The negative is that the muscles worked today might have been worked just yesterday or maybe not at all for the past month. I think you see where I am going.
Another group people I see at the gym, although dedicated, still don’t quite have a disciplined or well planned approach. To their credit, they have been coming forever. Now and then they do try some new things they have read in a magazine. Somehow, it just doesn’t tie in together and produce results. To me, they look the same as when they did back when.
This is better, but once again, I think you see where I am going.
Confession number two: I seem to slide in and out of this group. I know better. My results always show which direction I’m sliding. Later I’ll have Jarryd read this article to me.
Next are what I call the professional amateurs. I admire these ultra-planners who have done all the research. Or, at least their personal trainer has. Complete organization is their M.O.. They have their cards or notebooks with them at all times, recording every rep of every exercise. Each muscle is trained on schedule with a calculated amount of resistance. Amazing!
When professional amateurs stay on task for an extended (and calculated) time, noticeable improvements are inevitable.
The question is, where do you fall in the above categories? Most likely somewhere in between. Today, I won’t get into what type of training regiment is best. The possibilities are almost endless.
There are low rep routines, high rep routines and combinations of both. Common questions are: What days for what body part? Which exercises are best for what muscles? How often and how much is another query. There is circuit training to consider. Finding the right balance between aerobic and anaerobic exercise is important. It goes on and on.
There is always room for personal improvement and a wide variety of training methods to explore. That is the beauty of our quest.
Now, back to your plan. For today, check to see if you have a few guidelines in place. This will help whether you work out casually or are on a particular mission.
1. Figure out what your goals are. Do you want overall fitness, more endurance, toned legs, tight abs or big guns? Are you recovering from illness or would you like to reclaim your youthful figure? Get at least a general idea of what you desire. Of course, the more defined your goal is, the easier it will be to achieve.
2. Decide which muscles you will focus on. If you are starting out, stick with the major groups. The smaller muscles will still get some action if your workout is varied. If you have been at it for a while, decide where your weaknesses are and add them to your list.
3. Decide how many muscle groups you will work out each day. For beginners, a light exercise for each body section all within the same day can work. Or, consider a two day split, with for example, upper body one day and lower the next. If your workouts are heavier, you will want to do only one or two muscle groups per day.
4. Research the various exercises for different body sections, muscle groups or individual muscles, depending on your goals. Start with the basics and try the variations as you steadily strengthen yourself.
Now, here is the kicker for your workout program:
5. Any conditioning or muscle building program requires repetition. Each area you are trying to improve upon must get a steady flow of work and rest for a period long enough for it to take effect. Eight weeks is a good standard to go by, although you can get results in more or less time for certain activities, depending upon your current level of fitness and intensity of workouts.
However, if you do something completely different and unconnected every day, never settling on one repetitive program, your desired results suffer.
You will find all kinds of exercises, workouts and strength training or weightlifting programs out there. It is fine to try out various exercises in order to stay motivated and to cover all areas of your body.
Your body will sometimes get used to certain routines and adapt to them, so some workouts are designed to stimulate or shock your muscles into growth. That is acceptable as long as the new exercise continues or adds on to what the previous one has accomplished.
And remember, you should have established a good foundation with your basic routine before beginning to experiment with variations.
I can’t stress enough the importance of having a workout plan. You can change it, alter it, but keep it a plan. Make sure the changes and alterations are connected. Keep your goal in sight. Don’t just wander in.
See you at the gym.
