Exercise & Fitness Tips

Developing a Workout Schedule

There are many factors to be considered when planning your personal fitness routine. The goals you want to accomplish are the most important and will help you determine how often, how long and how hard you exercise, and what kinds of exercises you do. Also to be considered are your age, current fitness level, health conditions, skills and interests. Consult your physician for specific information suited to your personal needs.

Warm-Up: It’s important to begin each workout with a warm-up to loosen your muscles and get your blood circulating. Five to ten minutes of exercises like walking, slow jogging, arm circles or trunk rotations are a good way to begin your workout.

Resistance Training: Exercises that build muscular strength can help you maintain better posture and burn more calories. Two to three 20-minute weight training sessions each week are an effective way to increase your strength. Be sure to include exercises that work all the major muscle groups.

Cardiorespiratory Endurance: Each week, incorporate at least three 20-minute sessions of continuous aerobic activity into your workout. It’s very important that this exercise is uninterrupted – in order for you to effectively burn calories and lose weight, your heart rate needs to remain at an increased rate for at least 20 minutes. If you become tired, slow down until you feel ready to pick up the pace again. Consider these popular aerobic activities: jogging, swimming, cycling, jumping-rope, cross-country skiing and racquetball.

Cool Down: When you’ve finished your workout, be sure to give your body time to cool down before you rest completely. Five to ten minutes of slow walking or other low-level exercise will keep your muscles from cramping and help prevent injury.

Stretching: For increased flexibility, stretching should also be incorporated into either the warm-up or cool down, or both. Perform ten to twenty minutes daily for best results.

When you’re ready to begin your workout routine, spend some time thinking about the time of day that will be most convenient for you. Choose the days and times when you’re least likely to have to cancel or interrupt your workout because of other commitments.

The most popular times of day to work out are early morning and after work. People who exercise before work say it gives them more energy throughout the day and helps them stay alert. Those who choose to work out in the evening usually see exercise as a good way to unwind at the end of the day.

After considering your personal preferences and availability, make an appointment with yourself 3–4 days each week to exercise. Treat it just like a commitment you’d make to your job or family and don’t allow yourself to break the schedule.