Setting Up a Complete Exercise Program

CEBU, Philippines – One of the hardest parts of an exercise program involves two things:  Setting it up and then, of course, doing it.

If you know anything about exercise, you know that you need to have it all:  cardio, weight training and flexibility. Okay, that makes sense... but how do you put all of these together without taking up half your day?  Should you do cardio and strength training on the same day? Which one should you do first?

Those are just some of the common questions people ask and, sometimes, the answers depend on their goals, schedule and fitness level.

One thing that may actually help is seeing a sample workout schedule that includes all the workouts you need, whether you’re a beginner, intermediate or a more advanced exerciser.

Guidelines for Beginners

• Ease into exercise with a simple cardio program and a full body resistance training routine.

• You’ll want to have recovery days to allow your body to rest and your muscles to heal from your new routine.

• A typical beginner program will include about three days of cardio and two days of strength training.

Guidelines for Intermediate Exercisers

• If you’ve been exercising for at least three months consistently, you typically fall into this category

• If your goal is to lose weight, you want to shoot for 20 to 60 minutes of cardio about five or more times a week.

• Your strength training schedule will depend on what type of workouts you’re doing (e.g., total body training or a split routine).

• You can do cardio and weight training on the same day, depending on your available time. It doesn’t matter which one you do first, so vary your routine and try different combinations to find the one that is right for you.

Guidelines for Advanced Exercisers

• If you’re more advanced, you can split your routine further, focusing more attention on each muscle group.

• You can also increase the intensity of your cardio, incorporating interval training and other advanced techniques to burn calories and build endurance.  (exercise.about.com)