If you want to get fit but are on a shoe-string budget, you can create your own workout plan for free. After assessing your fitness goals, you can create an individual exercise program that will help you reach your full potential. A comprehensive fitness plan should include aerobic exercise and strength training to help you achieve maximum fitness and health benefits. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, regular exercise can reduce your risk of cardiovascular disease, diabetes and some cancers, as well as improve mental health.
Step 1
Choose an aerobic exercise for your fitness plan base. Some popular aerobic exercises include walking, running, swimming, cycling, dancing and playing basketball, soccer or tennis. The American College of Sports Medicine offers basic aerobic-activity guidelines for reaping the health benefits of exercise. ACSM advises doing moderately intense cardiovascular exercise for 30 minutes a day, five days a week or doing vigorously intense cardio 20 minutes a day, three days a week.
Step 2
Assess your current activity level to get a starting point for your workout program. If you rarely exercise, you will want to create a beginner's workout program that eases you into working out. If you currently bike 10 miles a day, on the other hand, you will want to step up your fitness plan by adding intensity and duration to some of your workouts.
Step 3
Figure out how much you need to work out each session. If your goal is to lose weight or burn a certain amount of calories, use a calculator that can compute your calories burned for different exercises (see Resources). If your goal is to increase your fitness level, add time or intensity to your workouts each week. If you are a runner, for instance, start speed training once a week by doing 30-second sprints throughout your run.
Step 4
Do strength training twice a week. ACSM recommends doing eight to 10 strength-training exercises, with eight to 12 repetitions of each exercise. There are a variety of ways to strength train, ranging from pilates to free weights. Generally, weight machines; dumbbells; or activities using your own body weight such as push-ups, pull-ups and crunches are easy for beginners to learn. Free weights require a spotter and certain techniques, and may be more suited to advanced exercisers. Whatever strength-training options you choose, incorporate exercises that work all of your major muscle groups, including chest, arms, legs and abdominal muscles.
Tips and Warnings
- Keep a log of your workouts to track your progress. Set up clear goals at the beginning of your log and measure your results periodically to see if you are meeting your goals. Be flexible and willing to adjust your workout program for illness, injuries or other setbacks.
- Before beginning any fitness program, see your physician for a complete check-up and approval of your workout plan. If you feel any sharp or lasting pain while working out, stop immediately and consult your doctor.
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