Building a workout plan

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jrjonesguitar
jrjonesguitar Posts: 2 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
What are the critical components? Trying to go from not moving much to being a regular at the gym. Need a good workout plan and tips for making every workout count. I plan to try to go 5x a week. I have had bad ankles all my life so running isn’t really an option for me.

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  • quiksylver296
    quiksylver296 Posts: 28,442 Member
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    Pretty much every good beginner, intermediate, and advanced weight lifting program is listed in this thread. Popular beginner programs are Stronglifts and Starting Strength.

    http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10332083/which-lifting-program-is-the-best-for-you/p1
  • AnvilHead
    AnvilHead Posts: 18,344 Member
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    ^ The link above is good. Better to use an established plan, written by somebody who knows how to properly design a workout routine, than to wing it on your own.
  • TavistockToad
    TavistockToad Posts: 35,719 Member
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    If your starting point is not moving much, you might want to start with walking and add in gym time slowly.
  • jesse_323
    jesse_323 Posts: 49 Member
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    I'd start with a 3-day full body beginner routine. You could do cardio on the other 2 days.
  • jjpptt2
    jjpptt2 Posts: 5,650 Member
    edited January 2018
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    Critical components, in no particular order
    • Sufficient/appropriate resistance
    • Sufficient/appropriate progression
    • Appropriate muscle groups worked (based on goals/ability).
    • Sufficient/appropriate recovery time

    Pretty vague, huh? Yep. Go with one of the established programs mentioned in the link above.

    ETA:
    I agree with the recommendation to start off easy/slow so as not to overdo things.
  • RoxieDawn
    RoxieDawn Posts: 15,488 Member
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    Going from not moving much to 5 days in the gym is quite a lofty goal. Need something to help build fitness.

    have any fitness goals? Want to train for something specific? What do you enjoy doing for activities, fun, do you like to walk?

    The best exercise is the one you will do...
  • Sharon_C
    Sharon_C Posts: 2,132 Member
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    I am in no way an expert but I have been working out for a few years. It took me a couple of years to work up to 5 days a week. I started at 2-3 days a week and gradually added days. I'm now at 6 days a week and have been there for about a year, but it took me several years to work up to this.
  • JAYxMSxPES
    JAYxMSxPES Posts: 193 Member
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    jrjonesguitar wrote: »
    What are the critical components? Trying to go from not moving much to being a regular at the gym. Need a good workout plan and tips for making every workout count. I plan to try to go 5x a week. I have had bad ankles all my life so running isn’t really an option for me.

    First, identify your training goals aside from weight-management. Things like improved quality of life, strength goals, athletic performance are all fine goals but may use a different training methodology.
  • ninerbuff
    ninerbuff Posts: 48,506 Member
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    JAYxMSxPES wrote: »
    jrjonesguitar wrote: »
    What are the critical components? Trying to go from not moving much to being a regular at the gym. Need a good workout plan and tips for making every workout count. I plan to try to go 5x a week. I have had bad ankles all my life so running isn’t really an option for me.

    First, identify your training goals aside from weight-management. Things like improved quality of life, strength goals, athletic performance are all fine goals but may use a different training methodology.
    Yes, start with this. Many give the defacto "I want to lose weight and get fit", but fit for what? To run? To hike? To play basketball? To just be able to climb stairs without huffing and puffing?
    The more concise you can be with WHY you're looking to exercise, the easier it is to figure out what may be the best workout program for you.

    A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
    IDEA Fitness member
    Kickboxing Certified Instructor
    Been in fitness for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition
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  • cwolfman13
    cwolfman13 Posts: 41,876 Member
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    jrjonesguitar wrote: »
    What are the critical components? Trying to go from not moving much to being a regular at the gym. Need a good workout plan and tips for making every workout count. I plan to try to go 5x a week. I have had bad ankles all my life so running isn’t really an option for me.

    Generally speaking a good mix of resistance training and cardiovascular work. There are tons of good beginner weight lifting programs out there. Generally speaking...in regards to critical components...most good weight lifting programs have their foundation in compound movements and/or variations of traditional compound movements. Squat, deadlift, bench press, rows, OH press.

    Ideally, you'd want to hit each group of muscles 2x per week minimum which is why I personally prefer full body programs vs. splits. Also because I don't really want to spend all of my time in the gym. I only use the gym for weight training...I do all of my cardio outside of the gym.

    I'm a cycling enthusiast, so all of my cardiovascular workouts (3x per week) are on my bike...usually indoors on my indoor bike trainer. They are all structured and work on various aspects of my cycling fitness. I also do a lot of just being out and playing...going on fun rides, hiking, walking the dog, rock climbing here and there, scootering around the skate park, etc.

    For cardio, it really just depends on whether or not you just want to do some cardio to do some cardio (at that point anything will work), or if you have more specific interests and fitness goals that you are working towards, in which case, you'd want something more structured and progressive to aid you in meeting those goals.

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