A Generic Schedule with Exceptional Results

I think that the reason most people fail in their exercise endeavors is because they are not aware of what they need to be doing. Throughout my years of personal training, I have developed a general weekly exercise program which I have found to be effective for most fitness levels.

This program combines cardiovascular activity with strength exercises. You will be sore. And you will like it.

Cardio

Cardiovascular exercises significantly accelerate your heart rate for a consistent period of time. Typical examples of cardio include walking, running, the elliptical machine, and the spinning bike. My personal recommendation would be the elliptical machine. Multiple studies have proven that exercising on the elliptical machine burns as many calories as running on a treadmill, but results in little negative impact on your joints. Another good option could be group fitness classes, especially if you are a social butterfly and enjoy working out with others.


I recommend trying to work 45 minutes of cardio into your schedule 3-5 times each week. You can choose to either do consistent cardio, where you are exercising at a steady rate throughout, or you can utilize interval training. Interval training has been found to be more effective at burning fat than steady cardio.


Interval training essentially works by shocking and confusing your body. This is achieved through varying your rate of perceived exertion (RPE) and heart rate throughout the workout. Here is a sample 50-minute interval training routine for the elliptical machine:


Warm-up: 5 minutes at Level 3
Interval A: 8 minutes at Level 6 (carrying on a conversation should be difficult)
Interval B: 2 minutes at Level 9 (you should be out of breath, and operating at almost 100%)
Repeat Intervals A and B three more times
Cool-down: 5 minutes at Level 3

Strength Training

Strength training is important to any fitness routine because it increases your muscle mass (which increases your basal metabolic rate) along with your endurance and strength. While muscle weighs more than fat, it actually takes up less volume, which means that your jeans will fit differently based on your body fat percentage even if you weigh the same amount. When done correctly, strength training routines also accelerate your heart rate and provide some of the same benefits as cardio. 


Here is a sample full-body strength training routine, which should take about 45 minutes to complete. If you don't know what some of these exercises are supposed to look like, try searching for images online before going to the gym. Each set is intended to be repeated three times before moving on to the next set. To get the most out of strength training, you should try to do these exercises twice a week. 


Set 1
Bicep Curls (15, using 10-lb dumbbells)
Squats (15, using 10-lb dumbbells)
Tricep Kickbacks (15, using 10-lb dumbbells)


Set 2
Lunges (12 each side, using 10-lb dumbbells)
Calf Raises (100, using 10-lb dumbbells)
Shoulder Side Raises (15, using 8-lb dumbbells)

Set 3
Bent-Over Row (15, using 8-lb dumbbells)
Deadlift (15, using 10-lb dumbbells)
Leg Lifts (25 full)
Crunches (25)


I hope that this schedule helps you plan your next trip to the gym, but remember, all of your exercise does not need to be planned in such a rigid fashion. Sometimes on a beautiful day, taking your puppy on an impromptu hike is much more enjoyable than jogging nowhere on the treadmill. 

And we are meant to enjoy those beautiful days.