Instructions: How to Make Your First Workout Plan

I hope that you’ve been practicing these different exercises in the gym, but as of now you are still in need of an actual workout plan. There are so many different ways to do this, which makes it difficult to instruct you in an exact way, but I can certainly get you started, and I will include my own beginner’s workout using the exercises I have introduced to you at the end of this post. The following are steps you should follow in order to create your workout routine:

1.       Decide how many days per week you will workout based on your schedule and age. If you’re below 40 years old, work no less than three days per week, and no more than 6. If you are older than 40, workout between two and five days per week. Take into account that the more you workout, the quicker you’ll see results.
2.       Incorporate squats, dead lifts, and bench press into three different days of your workout (other days may include shoulders or core: which hasn’t been talked about).
3.       Add at least 20 minutes of moderate to intense cardio into your workout every day if you’re trying to lose weight.
4.       Start adding complimentary exercises to their respective assigned days. For example, add more back exercises to the day you are doing deadlifts. I even highly recommend combining back with biceps and chest with triceps (put back and chest exercises first). Always keep legs separate.
5.       Assign sets and reps to each of your exercises. If you are a true beginner, start out with a base of 4 sets of 8 for each exercise. For others, reduce reps if you are trying to put on mass quick and up your max weight for lifts (i.e. 4 sets of 4). Never do more than 5 or 6 sets of an exercise.
6.       Decide about what weight you will be doing for each exercise. Hopefully, you’ve been doing some of these, but if not, then this step may take a few weeks to really get set; that’s okay. Do what is challenging, but start out with lower amounts for now.
7.       Find a workout partner. Not only will this make it easier to always have a spotter on hand, but it will make working out more interesting (it can be very boring at times), it will be motivating, and people with workout partners consistently have better results. Also, if they have more experience than you, they will help you progress quicker and easier. If not, then at least you have another beginner to start a regimen with.
8.       Go workout. The longer you wait between making your workout plan and actually doing it, the less chance you have of sticking to it. Be proactive and go achieve your goals with confidence.

My own beginner’s workout for three different days:

Workout every other day while cycling through the following three routines:

Chest & Triceps:

Bench Press                                        4x8

Incline Bench Press                            4x8

Decline Bench Press                           4x8

Dips                                                    4x8

Push Downs                                       Pyramid (reduce weight and add reps each set)

Skull Crushers                                    4x8

Back and Biceps:

Pull Ups                                              4x8

Dead Lifts                                           4x8

Bent Over Rows                                 4x8

Seated Rows                                       4x8

Pull Downs                                         4x8

Bicep Curls                                         4x8

Reverse Grip Curls                             4x8

Legs:

Squats                                                  4x8

Calf Raises                                          2x20

Leg Press                                            4x8

Lunges                                                4x30 (15 on each leg)

I hope all of this has helped you and educated you. I wish you the best of luck in the gym.