Exercise Plans
There are numerous exercise plans available to the public regarding resistance training. You can buy a million different machines off television that promise amazing results, some requiring little or no effort. I can assure you that you don’t need to spend money to get in shape but you do have to work at it. I will let you in on a secret, THERE ARE NO SECRETS! I will explain several different exercise plans that you can try at home or the gym. They are for beginners or people who are not getting results. Remember that just going to the gym will not change you health or body. You must work, sweat and push yourself to make improvements.
For less than a dollar a day you can join one of the nicer gym chains. Be careful about signing a long-term contract. Most will contract month to month. This gives you options, in the case that you don’t like the facility or you move. The new health clubs offer cardio equipment, free weights, machines and some have pools. No excuses for not getting in shape.
Making a Plan
Your first few weeks in the gym will be an adjustment period, getting to know what’s available and getting comfortable. Don’t worry about the amount of weight you are lifting, instead go lighter and work on form. Check your ego at the door. The majority of  people think they must lift as much as is possible, while sacrificing form, leading to poor results and injuries. If you can afford a personal trainer it is best, as they will help make workout or exercise plans and watch your form. Remember all trainers are not created equal. Ask around the gym and keep your eyes open, you can learn a lot about trainers by watching how they interact with their clients.
If you want to go it alone you need to make a plan and stick to it. A good way to start is three days a week with a day off  in between workout  days. A muscle needs at least 48 hours of rest after being worked. This will lead to better results , muscles build at rest after being worked. Plans that try to cover all body parts in one workout and are repeated three times a week do not allow enough rest prior to the next workout.  These plans also require too much time per workout. A person would need at least 2 1/2 hours to adequately work each muscle group. These long workouts lead to inferior performance and ultimately to failure of your program. Our lives don;t allow for that amount of time on a regular basis , we then start to make excuses why we can’t go for our workout.
45 minutes of intense training is an adequate amount of time and easily fits into our busy schedule. In, out showered and off to work, 1 hour.
Click to see an example of an Exercise Program. Please print off and make your schedule prior to going to the gym. Have a pen handy so you can record weight used for each exercise and reps completed and whether or not you need to increase or decrease the weight the next time you do that particular exercise. This also is a nice way to track your progress.
On your days off plan to do 30 minutes of cardio. Thus can be done on bike , treadmill, elliptical , inside ,outside it doesn’t matter. It should be done first thing in the morning prior to eating. There are several excellent articles that show this gives you the most bang for your buck. The cardio that gives the best results is intervals. 100% for 1 minute followed by 2 minute recovery period. The recovery period is a slow jog or spin . You will kick your metabolism up and burn more fat longer then if your ran for an hour. Remember that this needs to be intense as well, no joy riding here! This is a proven way to increase your VO2 max faster then any other way.
Today is the day, print out your program planner and begin the journey to the new you.
Prework out Evaluation
The current recommendation for individuals older than 50 who have not exercised before , see your doctor for clearance. Anyone with any known injuries or other medical conditions should be cleared by their doctors as well. Better to be safe then sorry, remember we are doing this to improve our health.
If you develop any discomfort or tighting in the chest seek medical advice immediately. You will be sore as you begin to work out. You will learn that some pain is good and some indicates poor form or injuries, never be afraid to ask a certified trainer or physician.
Outcomes
These will depend on your effort and your stick to itness. Diet also plays a role in results, protein intake, complex carbohydrates and plenty of fresh vegetables. Finally get your rest so those muscles can grow and you’ll be ready in the morning to start a new day. You will soon feel better and look better and then it’s off to the races.
Exercise plans are a dime a dozen. Try this plan and we are confident you’ll see results.
See related articles.
