How far out do you plan out your workout schedule?

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AmyK2003
AmyK2003 Posts: 16 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
I was wondering how far out you plan out your workout schedule? A day? A week? Any recommendations?

THANKS! :)
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Replies

  • alpine1994
    alpine1994 Posts: 1,915 Member
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    I pretty much decide that day what I will be doing. I go to ballet Tuesdays and Thursdays so that's planned I guess. I have a dry erase calendar in the room I work out in and I write down my workouts every day so that I can see what I've already done for the week and make sure that I mix it up enough. When I don't workout I write "SKIP" really big. Don't want too many of those in a week! It works for me.
  • wswilliams67
    wswilliams67 Posts: 938 Member
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    I follow a 12 week trainer online so the schedule is already planned out for 12 weeks. I just enter each week's exercises in MFP and hit the gym... bodybuilding.com has some great FREE 12 week trainers. If you are a beginner then I recommend following a structured plan until you feel comfortable creating your own workout schedule.
  • Chief_Rocka
    Chief_Rocka Posts: 4,710 Member
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    I keep the same workout schedule for 8-12 months at time. Even when changes are made, they're typically minor.
  • Tw1zzler
    Tw1zzler Posts: 583
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    I'm following an 8 week running plan right now. I've been doing the same strength workout for a few months, when I get bored I'll change it up.
  • drmerc
    drmerc Posts: 2,603 Member
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    I have a spreadsheet with my workout schedule which has number of reps that I should do exactly, weight I need to use etc
    Its planned out 48 months in advance
  • jofjltncb6
    jofjltncb6 Posts: 34,415 Member
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    I have a spreadsheet with my workout schedule which has number of reps that I should do exactly, weight I need to use etc
    Its planned out 48 months in advance

    Uh...

    That's intense.
  • drmerc
    drmerc Posts: 2,603 Member
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    I have a spreadsheet with my workout schedule which has number of reps that I should do exactly, weight I need to use etc
    Its planned out 48 months in advance

    Uh...

    That's intense.

    Its a long term plan to induce the maximum amount of muscle confusion
  • BrunetteRunner87
    BrunetteRunner87 Posts: 591 Member
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    I'm doing a specific race in April that I'm going to train for, so yesterday I sat down and planned the next 5-6 months out. Of course I'll switch it up if life gets in the way :)
  • DavPul
    DavPul Posts: 61,406 Member
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    I have a spreadsheet with my workout schedule which has number of reps that I should do exactly, weight I need to use etc
    Its planned out 48 months in advance

    slacker. i have the same thing but it includes all meals and snacks
  • jofjltncb6
    jofjltncb6 Posts: 34,415 Member
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    I have a spreadsheet with my workout schedule which has number of reps that I should do exactly, weight I need to use etc
    Its planned out 48 months in advance

    Uh...

    That's intense.

    Its a long term plan to induce the maximum amount of muscle confusion


    I'm fairly certain that Weider advocated just a 36 month plan for maximum gains.

    You might want to reconsider your approach.
  • JMSKCW
    JMSKCW Posts: 43 Member
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    I print out a calendar each month and write in my workouts for that month. It helps me to make adjustments for anything that should come up (i.e. if I have a dinner planned, I know to work out in the morning or to switch that day with an off day). I highlight the workouts that I completed and mark off those that I did not.
  • JustJennie1
    JustJennie1 Posts: 3,843 Member
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    I don't plan it out at all. I've tried and when I miss a workout seeing what I was supposed to do written on the calendar makes me feel like an even bigger failure.
  • klacount77
    klacount77 Posts: 270 Member
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    I usually only plan 90 days at a time to keep it interesting, but because I am training for my first 1/2 marathon in June of 2013 and my first full marathon in January of 2014, I have planned out the next 14 months. I'll go back to my 90 day routine once I finish my marathon.
  • kairisika
    kairisika Posts: 131 Member
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    I am working for specific gains, so I write up a program to follow for 6-12 weeks. Generally when I am starting a program, I take a week or so of trying it out before I hammer in exactly what I'm planning to do, and then once I'm secure with what's included and the order and such, I write it down and then follow it for the planned amount of time. 6 weeks for some intro things, 8-12 for most programs, as a good length of time to see solid improvement, then change once the muscles get used to it.

    I plan what I will do, but intend to increase the weight according to how I progress along the way. I don't see any point in planning the weight ahead of time where I may over- or under-estimate my gains. It's very easy to go 'okay, next is bench press', and determine the weight from what I did the previous time.

    I also consider the goal of something. If I am working on a running program, then I will have my long run, my sprints/intervals, and my hills day planned out on the schedule. If I have some cardio scheduled in for the sake of cardio rather than a specific aim, I don't mind if I feel like swimming one day instead.
    but usually my training plans all have a specific goal for what I'm trying to accomplish, so I therefore stick to them. Makes a lot more sense than working out just to randomly burn some calories.

    I usually plan the specific length of the program when I start it, and then re-evaluate. Doesn't mean that I'll do something completely different after 12 weeks, but that I will think about what I've accomplished and where I want to go next and make any necessary changes.
  • Candijean1988
    Candijean1988 Posts: 13
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    I plan two months out at a time in a regular notebook. I found out what i can handle and then do that for six days. Then I increase it a little bit so i know it will be a challange but still do able. My work out includes pushups, situps jumping jacks, lunges, knee HIghs, supermans, burpees... and once a month I will add a new one. I have been doing this for a month now and have stuck with it.. I plan on adding in hand weights in Jan.
  • Alex_is_Hawks
    Alex_is_Hawks Posts: 3,499 Member
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    I have a spreadsheet with my workout schedule which has number of reps that I should do exactly, weight I need to use etc
    Its planned out 48 months in advance

    slacker. i have the same thing but it includes all meals and snacks

    you know drmerc....you may want to consider that....

    then you know...anonymous pepperoni pizza's won't assault your mouth as often...
  • Lisah8969
    Lisah8969 Posts: 1,247 Member
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    I have my running schedule planned out a year in advance to accomodate whatever races I have proposed for the year. Obviously, it can be adjusted if I add races like I did this year. The rest of my workouts (strength training, stationary bike, circuit training and misc DVDs like 30DS), I just fill in on certain days. So I am able to run 4 X, strength 2 X, bike 3X, circuit train 1 or 2 X, and misc 1 X. And I still get one sometimes two days off a week. I have to know what I am doing each and every day before the day begins.
  • laserturkey
    laserturkey Posts: 1,680 Member
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    People plan that stuff? :-P

    I generally just do what I feel like, which is admittedly not nearly enough.
  • MsTanya77
    MsTanya77 Posts: 357 Member
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    I plan it for the week, because my schedules change week to week.....
  • wolfchild59
    wolfchild59 Posts: 2,608 Member
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    For 2012 I knew every race that I was signed up for and what the training schedule would look like for each of them. So every single night/day of working out from Jan 5 - Sep 3 was planned out and on a calendar around August of last year. And then Sep 4 - Dec 8 were filled in around May of this year.

    For 2013, I'm not training for any specific races, so I just have a general workout plan laid out for the first quarter of the year and then I'll re-evaluate and make modifications as needed as I near the end of that.

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