How to build a program

Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 28/05/2019 (2403 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

In my gym, all workouts are coached. My clients don’t have the option to wander around aimlessly.

We do all the thinking so that they can focus on moving well during the workout. I realize, however, that many people don’t have that luxury. If you exercise on your own without the help of a trainer, today’s article is for you: a roadmap to building your own program.  

First, determine your main goal. Common goals include looking better and feeling better, but that’s a bit too vague for our purposes. If you want to build an exercise program, you’ll need to get a bit more specific. Feeling better might mean improving endurance or energy, or simply losing body fat.  Frame the goal in a physical, measurable way, like losing two per cent body fat, or getting up three flights of stairs without feeling winded. Have an easy way to determine when you’ve accomplished your goal.  

Next, figure out how much time you can allot to your goal and make a schedule. If you can exercise three times per week after work, you’ll need to build a routine around those constraints. Next, determine how you’re going to use those three workouts each week. Assuming you’re not competing at a high level in a specific sport, I recommend including strength training, flexibility training, and cardiovascular training. Ignore the old myths that cardio burns fat and strength training builds bulk. Resistance training helps to that toned look, but it can also help your metabolism to assist in fat loss.

It’s a win-win. Cardio, on the other hand, can have a significant impact on mood and quality of sleep, while flexibility helps with day-to-day mobility and health.

Next, pick the right exercises. If you’re short on time, your strength exercises should be multi-joint compound exercises, as these will give you the most bang for your buck. You may want to give certain muscle groups a rest by splitting up your strength routine into multiple days. Some examples include upper body one day and lower body the next day, or pushing one day and pulling the other day.

Lastly, adjust the reps, sets, and rest. Each resistance exercise is generally done in multiple sets, where each set contains a specific number of repetitions. You might do three sets of eight repetitions of a squat, with a minute rest between sets, for example. The number of reps and sets will depend on your goals and the stage of your training. Beginners should generally aim to do more reps in order to learn technique and build lean mass. As you progress, you’ll reduce the number of reps but increase the load you are using.  

For example, you might do three sets of 12 reps your first month, then increase the load and do four sets of eight reps the next month. This allows your body to adapt and keeps boredom at bay. The body responds differently depending on the repetitions and the load. More than 12 reps is endurance work and will not help build lean mass or strength. Six to 12 reps is good for building lean mass, hypertrophy, or what some might call toning. Lower reps are great for building strength and allow for a heavier load. Rest between sets will vary from person to person, but a good rule of thumb is the heavier the load, the more rest is required.  

Not sure if you’re up for creating your own program? There are lots of free programs online, pick one and start today.

Tania Tetrault Vrga is owner and head trainer at CrossFit Winnipeg. Send questions to her at www.crossfitwinnipeg.com