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Designing A Tailored Program for Beginners
By Cindy Posey | August 24, 2007
This is Part 2 of a 5 Part Series: Basics of a Tailored Program
Small changes in life create large ripples of success over time. Start Small and Succeed for Life! To create any program, an honest assessment is essential. To make a new experience habit, the changes must be gradual. Focus on consistently accomplishing small changes. The big picture will follow. Your Personal Assessment will help you develop a workout tailored to your level of physical fitness. We are going to look at each level of physical fitness and design a plan that you can incorporate into your busy lifestyle as a mother. This is an enjoyable journey with achievable challenges and accomplishments. You should feel good about your progress. At the end of a workout, you should say, “Wow, I did it. I’m tired, but that feels good.”
Where to begin?
After completing your Personal Assessment, you’ve discovered that you need to start from the beginning. Even though the idea of working out feels daunting, don’t get overwhelmed. Take the process one baby step at a time. If you make drastic changes in the way you live, you’ll quickly find yourself giving up on all fronts.
Small changes in life create large ripples of success over time. Start Small and Succeed for Life!
What do you need?
Access to gyms and the latest exercise gismo on the market? NOPE! Remember, we’re starting small. Pull out comfortable clothes and good shoes for support. A basic stroller will work fine for walking routines.
Which Exercises Do You Try?
Fitness is accomplished through a variety of activities and exercises. You never have to be bored or stuck in one activity. You’re not limited to one style of exercise. Based on your time, location, availability to equipment, and sanity, pick and choose your own exercises. How do you want to spend your time working out? For a successful program, be realistic and focus on activities you enjoy. I don’t mean that you have to love every workout, but if you “hate to run,” then you’ll find every excuse in the house to avoid hitting the trails. Pick the mode of exercise you enjoy to achieve your goals.
Are You Improving?
For your body to improve beyond the beginning level stage of fitness, it will take about four to six weeks. Be consistent. When you miss a day (or two or three), do not beat yourself up with your negative thoughts! Reset and move on. Be positive!
The Cardiovascular Component
What physical activities do you enjoy? Walking, running, jump rope, aerobic classes, swimming, dancing, bicycling? The best thing about tailoring a program to your desires is that you’ll begin to look forward to the exercise and the time focused on you. Do you like to mix it up? You don’t have to focus on one activity. Does running everyday bore you? Then don’t. Run one day. Walk the next. Run and walk the following day. You’ve completed three different exercises and they’ve all benefited your body.
I’ve provided a chart to assist you in picking a mode you’ll enjoy and the basic guidelines you’ll need to fulfill the Basics of a Tailored Program: Mode, Intensity, Duration and Frequency. Find the activities you enjoy. Look forward to taking the time to reward yourself!
| Mode | Intensity | Duration | Frequency |
|---|---|---|---|
| Walking, Running, Aerobic Classes/DVDs,Jump Roping, Swimming, Dancing, Hiking, Bicycling, Elliptical Trainer, Treadmill, Stepper, Stairs, Gardening, Focused housecleaning, Washing the car, raking leaves, Shoveling snow, Chasing children, etc. |
50 to 60% of your Heart Rate Reserve
Do a 10 second measurement |
10 to 30 minutes *Begin with 10 if you’ve been Sedentary. *Break up the routine into two or three sessions if necessary. |
3 Days a week |
Strength Training Component
In selecting exercises for strength training, your access to equipment will help determine how you’re capable of achieving success. You don’t need access to large gyms, but you’ll have different workouts to choose from to achieve the similar results.
Are you limited to home? Pick and choose from a set of dumbbells, weighted balls, Resistance Bands or food cans, bags of potatoes, bags of rice, and gallons or jugs of water. You get the picture. Let your surroundings determine your equipment.
I outlined the basics for incorporating strength training into your routine. Focus on large muscle groups in the beginning. I provided links to a few basic workout routines, so that you can start a workout.
- Pick your workout (don’t feel obligated to just one version)
- Start the workout with a short 5 minute light aerobic activity and 5 minute stretch.
- Fequency: 2 or 3 times a week (make sure to give your body rest in between each day. Muscles need the time to recover).
- Intensity: 8 to 12 repetitions at 60% of your 1RM maximum measured in the Personal Assessment.
- Duration: Start out with one set until you become accustomed to the routine. Build up to 3 sets a workout.
In tracking your progress, give yourself eight weeks to see significant change in muscle development. Enjoy the steady progress of increased repetitions or sets. After four weeks, you may want to reevaluate your weight load. Here are a couple of sites that provide pictures or details to help you set up a beginner strength training workout:
At Home:
Resistance Bands: Do this series of resistence band exercises for a good at home workout.
Dumbbells: Pick one exercise from each muscle group in the list of Dumbbell Exercises. The illustrations are great.
In the Gym: Basic Strength Training Program with pictures.
Flexibility Component
As it’s own workout, flexibility typically receives less attention. However, with the popularity spike in Yoga and Pilate’s, flexibility is being recognized for it’s important role to the development of a fit body. Flexibility programs are as diverse as cardiovascular and strength training exercises. Through DVDs, gym classes, or traditional stretching exercises, your workout is defined by your desires! There are many beginner yoga and Pilates DVDs out there. Check out your library or local video store to try out a few. Stretches can be done at any time, anywhere. Have a few minutes before dinner’s ready? Are you standing in the park watching the children play?
Pointers for a beginner flexibility program:
- Do not bounce when going into and staying in a stretch.
- To develop your flexibility you want to hold a stretch for 20-30 seconds.
- You should not feel pain.
- Stretch to the point of tension. Release, relax and repeat.
Here is a great Beginner’s Stretch Routine at WorkoutWomen.com. You can print the whole routine with or without pictures.
I provide a simple Fitness Journey Program template to help you design your workout. Have fun and enjoy the journey.
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Something is better than nothing when it comes to working out, and I think it is important to remember that everyone needs to start out at the appropriate level as to not injury their body in the process. Even the Olympic athletes’ needed to start with baby steps when they started their training process.