You don't have to be a fitness expert to design your own exercise program. Establish your fitness goals first and develop your exercise program around your goals. If your goal is to lose weight design your exercise program focusing on aerobic exercise complemented with resistance and flexibility training. If your goal is to improve your fitness level create an exercise program that consists of a balance of cardiovascular, resistance and flexibility training. The best fitness program is the one you will actually follow consistently, safely and with the proper technique. Choose the environment that best suits the type of fitness program you like. Fitness programs do not necessarily have to be performed in a gym. To improve compliance, fun and accountability exercise with a partner or your family. Whatever you do, regularly move in a way that you find enjoyable. Start with at least a five- to eight-minute warm up or 12 to 15 minutes if you have any medical conditions prior to exercising. Cool down for the same amount of time by doing very light movement and static stretching to recover from your exercise session. Before beginning this or any other fitness program consult with your physician regarding any risks associated with your participating in an exercise program.
Weight-Loss Fitness Program
To create a weight-loss fitness program, take baseline measurements of your vital signs, girth measurements, height and weight. Set your fitness goals and ask your health care provider how much weight you really need to lose. Calculate your target heart rate zone so you can monitor your exercise intensity. Do cardiovascular exercise a minimum of four times per week in your target heart rate zone for a minimum of 30 minutes to burn fat. This facilitates weight loss. Resistance exercise is an important part of a weight-loss fitness program. Strength training helps to increase your metabolism to burn more calories to lose weight. Do one to three sets of 12 to 15 repetitions of an exercise for each major muscle group. Choose a weight that challenges and fatigues you by the last three repetitions. Examples of cardiovascular exercises are walking, swimming, running, rowing, bicycling and group exercise classes, such as step aerobics or low-impact aerobic dance. When choosing resistance exercises choose exercises that target your back, chest, shoulders, arms, hips, thighs and core. Do static stretches to cool down and improve your flexibility.
Strength Fitness Program
Develop a fitness program focused on strength with at least one exercise for each major muscle group. Vary the types of resistance you use to prevent plateaus in progress. Use body weight exercises, free weights, rubberized resistance and exercise machines to increase strength. Perform one to three sets of eight to 12 repetitions to develop strength. If you prefer a bodybuilding strength program, do one to six sets of one to four reps. When the last three repetitions of each set are no longer challenging, you are ready to increase your resistance. Increase the resistance by 5 to 10 percent or the next weight increment, where necessary. The burn you feel after doing a set of resistance training is from the lactic acid that builds in your muscles. There is no benefit to strive for the burn or work through it. Buffer the lactic acid with oxygen by allowing a brief rest period of 60 seconds to two minutes with heavier weightlifting. This allows you to recover your aerobic energy system so you can repeat another set of weightlifting. Perform resistance training one to three times per week. Allow at least 48 hours rest between resistance training with the same muscle group.
Family Fitness Program
Develop a family fitness program to boost the quality time in your family and your wellness. Do a combination of fitness activities including aerobic activities, strength training, flexibility training and stress-relaxation training. Choose physical activities that your family enjoys and make them part of your fitness program. If you enjoy biking, join a cycling club, ride scenic bike trails together or participate in a race for charity. It's an aerobic exercise that benefits your health and facilitates weight loss. The track is a great place for the all your family members to improve their aerobic fitness. Try relay races, jumping or run the bleachers. Divide the family into teams and see how many pushups or situps each team can do. This adds a little healthy competition and some fun to improve the strength of your family members. Explore fitness trails where you can do pullups to strengthen your upper body, walk across pylons to improve balance, or run through tires to improve foot work, balance and agility. Develop strength and flexibility while climbing rock walls. Try a Pilates or yoga class together to stretch, improve flexibility and learn something new. Do some form of activity every day, alternate impact and non-impact activities and allow at least 48 hours rest between strength training the same muscle groups. Whatever you do, be consistent, stay hydrated and safe.
No-Gym Low-Cost Fitness Program
If you are a student with limited resources or simply have limited access to facilities in your community fitness is still within your reach. You do not have to belong to a gym in order to create or participate in a fitness program. Walk around your block two or three times to warm up. It's free and easy. Just choose a well-lit path that's not secluded and has other people around. Walk or run the stairs as a warm up or aerobic activity. Mall walking is a safe and free way to get some aerobic exercise. The park, or even your living room, provides strength-training options. Do pushups with your feet or hands on a curb or chair to improve upper body strength and endurance. Use a picnic bench or sturdy coffee table to do dips to increase upper arm strength. You can do forward lunges onto a curb or stretch your calf muscles lowering your heel off of a curb or step. Squats and core training require little space so a high school track, park or any open space make perfect locations to stay strong. The keys to developing personal exercise programs are clear behavioral-based goals, exercise selection based on goals, proper form and technique, and appropriate progression of frequency, intensity and duration. Fitness is not a destination but an ongoing process.
References
- "The ACE Personal Trainer Manual"; American Council on Exercise; 2003
- "Serious Strength Training"; Tudor Bompa, Dr. Mauro Di Pasquale, Lorenzo Cornacchia; 2003
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