Think about the process of writing an essay in school. Most of the time, you did not just sit down and begin writing your paper - you had to develop your argument first. You can start writing once you have your thesis statement, outline, and sources. Developing an exercise program is similar to writing a solid essay - you need to establish a structure to follow so you can effectively work toward whatever goal you set. If you are new to fitness and unsure where to begin, seeing a personal trainer can be an excellent first step in creating a program you can maintain over time. Our EW Motion Therapy trainers love working with clients of any fitness level to develop exercise programs that align with their lifestyles and goals. Even if you decide not to train with us, you can read on to learn about goal setting and the three principles of a successful exercise program that gives you the results you want.
Setting goals for your program
Before you even begin thinking about structure, it is essential to determine your fitness goals. Do you want to run a certain number of miles, or do you want to lose weight? Whatever your goal is, strength training and cardio are the two most essential parts of any exercise program. A healthy balance between the two will ensure a healthy heart and the development of lean muscle mass. Let’s discuss why each of those is so important.
Heart health
You can likely think of many reasons why a healthy heart is essential for your well-being. Regular exercise that increases your heart rate will increase your cardiac output over time, the amount of blood your heart can pump per beat. Cardio should increase your resting heart rate by 40-60%, which stretches your heart muscle and is vital to longevity and continued activity.
Lean muscle mass
Regular strength training will build lean muscle mass over time. You need healthy muscle tissue to exercise and do simple daily tasks, like getting out of bed in the morning and going up and down stairs. Lean muscle is also a significant indicator of longevity. As we age, frailty can become a problem for fall risk and daily functional movement. If you build lean muscle mass now, you reduce your fall risk as you age, likely ensuring your health and safety for many years.
Three principles of a successful exercise program
So how will an exercise program you implement succeed? There are three essential elements many experts agree will make your program successful and give you the results you want.
Sustainability
You cannot succeed with a program that is not sustainable. Sustainability falls into two categories: is it sustainable for your body, and will you be consistent? The first category is accomplished by evaluating your current fitness level, setting realistic goals, and ensuring you progress and regress exercises as needed, not pushing yourself to the point of injury or burnout. Focus on the minimal effective dose of movement required for your overall health and start there, making sure you allow muscle groups to recover appropriately in between.
The second category, consistency, is determined by personal motivation and enjoyment. You will not continue in a program you don’t enjoy - if you dread your Pilates classes, that’s probably not sustainable exercise. Find an engaging and fun movement practice, and you will be successful.
Reduce injury risk
Any exercise program needs to reduce your overall risk of injury. You can do this by increasing your body’s durability and improving coordination. Durability refers to your body’s resilience over time, encompassing increased muscle density, strength, endurance, density and thickness of tendons and ligaments, and bone density. All these work together as body armor to help you withstand increased loads. Coordination is your ability to react quickly and effectively to external stimuli, like regaining your balance after you trip over something. Durability and coordination are two essential elements of fall risk, and even if you are not thinking about falls now, the concern will likely arise as you age. If you incorporate strength training and cardio into your exercise program, you will cover durability and coordination and ensure success.
Improve performance
Whatever exercise program you implement should improve performance in some way. This can look different for different people. For example, if you are a grandmother, your primary goal may be to play with your grandkids more actively. Or, if you are a runner, set a new PR during your next race. There are ways you can tailor your exercise program to work toward your specific goals, and a personal trainer can be an excellent resource in figuring out what works best for you.
How to incorporate recovery
So if you carry out your planned exercise program daily, you should see results, right? While consistency is critical to success, you must consider one last essential element of a successful exercise program: recovery. If you do not allow your body adequate time to recover between strength training sessions, you increase your injury risk by consistently breaking down muscle tissue.
A recommended amount of rest for each muscle group is 48 hours between each strength training session. If you did an upper body workout one day, you could do leg day and some cardio the next day so your upper body has space to rest and rebuild. It is also essential to step back and relax every six weeks to evaluate your progress and give your whole body a chance to reset.
How personal training can help
Now you know how to structure an exercise program that you can maintain. While the internet can be an excellent resource for inspiration, some sites are more trustworthy than others. A personal trainer can be a perfect ally in your fitness journey. As certified, trained fitness professionals, they can evaluate your current fitness level and work with you to create an exercise program that aligns with your lifestyle and goals. If you are curious about what else personal training can do for you, click the button below to download our answers to 20 frequently asked questions.
