Preferably Planned

You just got done working for the day and are headed to the gym. Wow, what a day! A lot has happened and the best part about it is that almost everything happened according to how you had planned it to happen. To top this off you feel great! What a great day to work out. You get to the gym change, and now you are ready to roll. Well actually there seems to be one little problem. You have no idea what you are going to do, and the workout that started out with a full head of steam is dwindling fast. If this sounds even remotely familiar you definitely need to read this article.

Proper planning (or a lack of) can make or break your workout. For most of us a great portion of the day is planned and the time that has no plans is also planned time. Most of us abide by a specific time that we have to wake up, a specific time to eat, allow a specific amount of time to get to work, and so on. If your entire day were planned why would you not plan a workout. When you are in the gym you have to be doing something. Would you rather spend half of the time contemplating what you are going to do next, or know in advance what you are going to do so when you get there you can just workout?

The most productive route is knowing before you set foot into the gym exactly what your options are. There are some simple ways to go about planning your workouts that will drastically improve your workouts, and sometimes lessen the time spent in the gym.

For those of us that enjoy writing everything down there are ways to cover all bases so that you know your workout and possible last minute changes in advance. After all someone could have the idea to use the same piece of equipment that you had planned before you get to it. It helps to have alternatives planned so you are not standing around for 5 minutes or more, cooling down, waiting for equipment to be freed up. A great way to plan your workout is to first break you planner down into the days that you will be going to the gym. Once this is accomplished decide what muscle groups you are going to be working on what days and write it down. Now for the fun part. Decide how many sets you are going to be doing for each muscle group along with a list of exercises that work the muscle groups you have written down. The more exercises that you can come up with the more successful your workouts are going to be.

Let's say that you are going to be working your chest. You have decided that you are working chest once for the week with 12 sets and 4 different exercises. Having a "reservoir" of 6-8 possible exercises that you can do for chest almost guarantees that no matter how busy the gym may be, you are going to be able to complete your workout without waiting for equipment, or wondering what to do. We all know that change does a body good, so if your "A list" exercises cannot be done for the particular workout there is really nothing lost. You may even get a much better workout than you had anticipated because you did something that prevented you from resting for astronomical periods of time, and was different than your normal workout. With a bit of time and investigating coming up with a pool of exercises for specific muscle groups can be an easy and rewarding task.

If the idea of writing your workouts down in advance makes you sick to your stomach don't worry, there are other ways to plan your workout. Practicing the art of visualization can be an extremely valuable tool in adding the intensity to your workouts. This virtue is a personal favorite of mine. One of the best ways to do this is to simply have some "quiet time" when you are on your way to workout. During this time you should be mapping your gym out. Think of what muscle groups you are going to work. Than visualize what exercises work these muscle groups. Think of different ways you can achieve a great workout if the equipment you planned on using happens to already be in use when you are ready to use it. In essence what you are doing is creating a mental picture of your entire gym experience before you begin your workout.

Planning one or two workouts in a row can, and probably will produce better than average workouts. Stringing a few months of well-planned intense workouts can produce a stunning body. Go ahead give it a try!

About the Author
I am a Fort Lauderdale, Florida based personal fitness trainer.
For the last 12 years of my life physical fitness has helped me
Overcome a great number of obstacles and excel at sports.
For more information about services I offer please visit
http://www.efitnessprograms.com or
E-mail paul777@attbi.com


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