The days of one size fits all workout routines are all but gone. Many of us share the same goal, but there are literally hundreds of ways to get there. How do you know who to listen to, and what to believe? The truth is that just starting and exercise plan is the best advice. By waiting until you have it all figured out, or have found the perfect plan will put a big gap between you and your ideal body. This post will address how to create a workout program that you can tailor to your particular circumstance and weight loss goals.
How Much Time Do You Have?
This is an essential question that so many of us forget to answer. If we only have 3 hours a week that we can dedicate to exercise, then steady state cardio (jogging) might not be the most beneficial practice. Take a moment to analyse your life, and then set a hard number of hours that you will be able to dedicate to exercise in a typical busy week.
What Activities Should You Eliminate From Your Routine?
I am a huge promoter of high intensity interval training, but even I had to stop drinking the interval training Kool- Aid. While HITS is a great way to burn fat, it can be a very demanding routine. Be sure to ease into it, and monitor your breathing if you chose to include it in your program.
I recently injured my knee, actually dislocated my patella (knee cap), and am in the process of strengthening the surrounding muscles. Now for the next six weeks I will not be able to perform High Intensity Interval Training…sad indeed.
The point is that we need to be realistic with our fitness levels and treat the entire process of improving our health as a marathon, rather than a sprint. Getting hurt while training is a serious issue for people that push too hard too soon. Listen to your body…
Women tend to avoid lifting free weights out of fear that they will get a bulky, muscular look. This is simply not the case….
Resistance Training vs. Cardio
If you are short on time please consider including body-weight training or weight training with free weights. Resistance training may actually help you achieve your goals quicker than you think. Lifting weights or performing body weight routines will help improve muscle mass, muscle density, and help burn fat.
Conquer The Meat-head Jungle
Many gym goers I speak with tend to stick with cardio routines because they believe that “Cardio” is the holy grail of fat loss. While cardio is great, resistance training offers more bang for your buck, if you plan correctly. Sadly most of these people admit that they avoid the free weights section of the gym because they are intimidated by people that hang out there.
Don’t be afraid of the big boys. Learn a few essential free weight exercises (presses, squats, lifts), even ask others for advice, and don’t worry the tough guys aren’t watching you, they are looking at themselves in the mirror. Just remember to wipe your sweat off the equipment…there is nothing worse than a wet bench!
Putting It All Together For Fat Loss
Obviously diet plays a huge role in determining our fat loss success, but is often overlooked. To ensure fat loss you have to create a calorie deficit, by expending more energy than you consume!
The Best Ways To Expend Energy For Optimal fat loss
If you have less than 4 hours a week to workout…..
- Focus on resistance training exercises, and high intensity interval training
- Complete your weight routine first (no more than 40 minutes), and finish with HITS (no more than 15 minutes)
- Be sure to target all muscle groups
- If you can’t make it to the gym try a Tabata body weight workout to get a training effect
- Include fun cardio - social exercise (walks, hikes, sports, etc.)
More than 4 hours a week …..
- Complete resistance training routine followed by cardio for each trip to the gym (or home gym if you are lucky!)
- Cardio should be High Intensity Interval Training, or steady state cardio
- For optimal fat loss, Complete in this order ..resistance exercises, HITS, steady state cardio…sauna, hot tub, and shower! (all in under 80 minutes max)
- Any extra time to engage in activity is a bonus (walks, hikes, sports, etc.)
Hope this helps you create a workout routine that fits your lifestyle!
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This is a very good way of looking at hour to make a workout efficient for yourself when time is an issue.
I have little time to train these days so what I found that works for me is: Weights low volume using only squat, deadliest, press and bench + 20 min Hiit throw in a low calorie diet and I’m all good for most of the time.
Raymond
Raymond,
I think your program is great. How could I question you? You are in the best shape of your life. You changes are are proof that Smart work + Hard Work = Huge Success
Jordan,
Creating a program that fits your lifestyle is very important. Most people don’t have several hours a day to train, so strength training + HIIT is ideal for efficiency, but you need to make sure you work your way up. If you’re a beginner, you don’t want to just jump into heavy lifting and too frequent HIIT.
Alykhan
Alykhan,
HIIT is extremely demanding, and it will mean different intensities for different people. The key is that we are all working at similar levels of difficulty relative to our fitness level. HIIT is powerful medicine! Use with caution.
Great info on how to create a workout routine. Time is always a restrictive factor and it’s important to structure workouts around it. If workouts become inconvenient, then people stop doing them. Also, finding a gym that fits your style is important. Not all gyms are filled with meat head lifters any more. Some specifically cater to people trying to avoid those people.
Dave,
My perspective is based on the public gyms I’ve experienced, but I totally understand the reason gym owners are catering to others needs. The gym is no longer a place to just get jacked! I just joined a gym that has a similar philosophy to what you described, and love it. Thanks for your input Dave.
It’s crazy how most people think that in order to get in shape you need to spend a couple of hours in the gym when all it takes is 60 minutes or less per session.
You are right. There is no cookie cutter method. Getting in shape is not like you see in magazines with a specific diet and meal plan with X number of calories with a specific machine or equipment that needs to be used. There is a lot of flexibility regardless of ones budget and time.
-Sam
Sam,
It’s true that it doesn’t require much time to get results in the gym. If we eat efficiently and train consistently, even for a few hours a week then results will come!
I trained pretty much the same way for over twenty years and finally changed things up a lot these past few years. I am so glad to get out of that huge rut that I was in. There are so many different ways to train and all of them can be effective depending on your goals. I am really settling in to training at home and having some great workouts. The time that it took to drive to and from the gym is the same amount that it takes to train, which equals more time to sleep.
More sleep makes me happy!
-Kelly
Kelly,
I’m not going to lie. Everytime I read about your home gym I get jealous. I love going to the gym, but it is time consuming. Can’t wait to get into my new house. Home gym is the first thing on my agenda!
Really great stuff here Jordan. I’m sorry to hear about your patellar dislocation! How did you manage that??
Thanks Srdjan!
Slipped on a wet spot playing ball hockey, Knee buckled and went down in a heap. Not a pretty sight!
I whole heartedly agree. I’m a father (3.5 year old son and a 4 week old son!) so I know all about creating a workout routine that fits your life. I commute pretty far to work also, so hitting the gym just ain’t gonna happen.
Raza,
Thanks for checking out the site! In an ideal world we wouldn’t have to commute, but it that’s a reality for most people. With your busy lifestyle you have to make your workout routine felxible enough to maintain, and it looks like you are doing an excellent job with that! 4 week old son….you must be busy!
Cheers,
Jordan