Designing an Effective Exercise Schedule
By Isaiah David
An effective exercise schedule is one you can stick with. You can set lofty goals, but if you are not getting out there several times a week to actually do the work, it won't help. When you are beginning, any regular exercise schedule is "effective," since you will be making progress. As you get fitter, you will have to work harder to get additional fitness gains.
Instructions
Difficulty: Moderate
Set aside enough time to exercise. At the very least, you should do vigorous aerobic exercise for 30 minutes, three times a week, plus stretching before and after. You may also want to add strength training twice a week or more. This requires at least 10 minutes to stretch and warm up, and at least 30 minutes to work out. Try to set aside the same block of time every week.
Find fun activities at convenient locations for your workout. You don't need to jog on a treadmill, participate in an aerobics class or ride an exercise bike every day, and many people find this approach boring. Try alternating workouts at the gym with neighborhood bike rides, games of basketball, or other activities you find enjoyable.
Write down a detailed account of all the exercises you do every workout. If you are doing barbell curls, for example, write down how much weight you use, how many reps and how many sets. If you are running, write down how long you ran and the distance covered.
Challenge yourself to do a bit more whenever possible. Even a few more minutes running or a couple more repetitions in a weight lifting set is meaningful improvement.
Learn to moderate your exercise schedule. If you have a day when you are full of energy, push yourself hard and enjoy the challenge. If you have a low energy day, go easy on yourself and give your body and mind a break. If you wake up feeling under the weather, stop training until you recover from the illness.
Consider hiring a personal trainer for a few sessions. He will be able to help you fine-tune your exercise schedule for greater fitness gains.
About The Author
Isaiah David is a freelance writer and musician living in Portland, Ore. He has nearly five years' experience as a professional writer and has been published on various online outlets. He holds a degree in creative writing from the University of Michigan.
