5 Key Tips For Planning An Effective Training Program
Begining an exericse program is often the hardest step to make. Here are tips to get you on track, from setting goals, planning to evaluating.
Planning Tips
- Set and write down your goals - To train effectively you need to know why you are working out, even when you don’t feel like it! Want to run a marathon? Want to drop a dress size? When you can see the bigger picture the steps required to reach that become clearer. Setting goals is great, but writing them down, and even putting them on the fridge where you can see them every day, is even better. This will give you visual inspiration and hold you accountable for your decisions.
- Evaluate - Before starting any fitness plan you should evaluate your current position and what you are able to achieve. What can you realistically do? Where are you currently at? What size is your waist? How far can I run? This all impacts the plan you will put together. See fitness testing.
- Create a plan - Once you have set out your goals and evaluated your current position, you need to write up a plan on how you will achieve them, with defined steps along the way. Small steps towards a larger goal is much more achievable, than one big overall and probably challenging goal. On a micro level, you will need to plan each individual workout and session. If you meander around the gym thinking about what to do next, you’re wasting valuable time and are not truly focused.
- Keep a log - Writing down and tracking your workouts and progression will demonstrate the gains you are making (or not making). Along with pen and paper, there are many electronic versions of a log, to help you monitor and track many aspects of your training. This should help with future planning. Also, check out our free training diary.
- Assess your goals - an important part of setting goals is to evaluate them regularly and reset them if required. If you are not tracking or achieving sessions as you had planned, then perhaps change the plan to better suit your abilities.
- Management your time — how to find time for training if you’re a student
Related Pages
- Other articles on planning an exercise program
- Read about our free training diary
- These tips are derived from just a small part of the Fitness Tips eBook 100 Essential Fitness Tips — get your free download.
Any comments, suggestions, or corrections? Please let us know.
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