Designing Your Personal Exercise Program

Whether you’re just getting started on your fitness journey or looking to optimize your current routine, understanding some exercise fundamentals can help you get the most out of our workouts, track your progress, and ultimately, feel your best.

Each individual exercise program should consist of three components: stretching for flexibility, strength training, and cardiopulmonary exercise. What specific activities you do and how often you train are up to you, but you can learn how to measure your performance and track your progress over time. Read on to learn more and find training recommendations for each category from our own Big Fat Reference Guide.

Please consult your healthcare provider before starting a new exercise regimen.

Stretching for Flexibility

Stretching on a regular basis can help you to maintain your range of motion, improve your posture, relieve sore muscles, and reduce your risk of injury.

Training Recommendations 

Overview:
Frequency: Daily – three times per week
Duration: Hold each stretch for 10-30 seconds
Intensity: 3-5 repetitions per stretch

Warm up:
Before beginning, make sure to warm up your muscles by performing 5-10 minutes of light-intensity activity such as walking while swinging your arms in a circle.

When performing any stretch:
Start each stretch slowly, exhaling as you gently stretch the muscle
Try to hold each stretch for at least 10 to 30 seconds
Avoid these stretching mistakes:
Do not bounce a stretch — holding a stretch is more effective and there is less risk of injury
Do not stretch a muscle that is not warmed up
Do not strain or push a muscle too far — if a stretch hurts, ease up
Do not hold your breath

When to stretch:
Ideally at least 30 minutes three times per week should be spent on specific flexibility training, but even light stretches performed daily can help you reap benefits. Stretching before and after a workout is also highly recommended to help avoid injury and muscle soreness.

Strength Training 

The benefits of strength training are no longer in question. Research shows that strength and/or resistance training increases both muscle and bone strength and reduces the risk of osteoporosis. A safe strength-training program, combined with cardiovascular and flexibility training, will give you the benefits of a total fitness program.

A well-designed strength training program can provide the following benefits:

• Increased strength of bones, muscles and connective tissue (the tendons and ligaments), decreasing the risk of injury
• Increased muscle mass. Most adults lose about one-half pound of muscle per year after the age of 20. This is largely due to decreased activity. Muscle tissue is partly responsible for the number of calories burned at rest (the basal metabolic rate, or BMR). As muscle mass increases, BMR increases, making it easier to maintain a healthy body weight.
• Enhanced quality of life. As general strength increases, the effort required to perform daily routines (carrying groceries, working in the garden), will be less taxing.

Training Recommendations

Overview:
Frequency: 2 times per week
Intensity: Three sets of 12, 10 and 8 repetitions for major muscle groups at a resistance/weight that allows completion with rests between.
Progression: Increase to one set of 20 repetitions.

Once you are able to perform two sets of 20 repetitions for two consecutive exercise sessions, increase resistance/weight as outlined below. This is known as the 2 for 2 rule of strength training in which 20 repetitions repeated two times after a short rest on 2 consecutive workouts should progress to more resistance/weight.

Example:
• The next intensity of resistance bands in your set
• 1/2 to one pound in free weights
• 1/2 to one plate on weight machine

Where to train:
Health clubs, gyms, and recreational centers have workout rooms that include various machines and weights you can use for strength training. Machines and free weights are effective tools for strength training, and a combination of the two is often recommended. You can also purchase small hand-held “dumbbells” that weigh as little as 1-2 pounds that will provide excellent strength training opportunities for a beginner. You can also strengthen your muscles by using resistance tools, such as the TheraBand, or other devices that provide “resistance” to the pressure you apply to them.

Note: Many exercises work all the major muscle groups. Neglecting certain groups can lead to strength imbalances and postural difficulties. You may wish to consult with a certified fitness professional to learn safe techniques before beginning a strength training program.

Cardiopulmonary Exercise 

Whether you are participating in a program using a stationary bike, treadmill, or walking program, you should ideally spread several exercise sessions throughout the week; however, good fitness can be achieved in shorter bouts if needed. Other ways you can enhance your activity level include:

• Park further away at the mall or grocery store
• Take the stairs instead of the elevator
• Walk to complete errands that are close by when time allows
• It is important to consult your healthcare provider to see if you are on any medications that affect your heart rate before you start any cardio program.

Training Recommendations

Overview:
Frequency: 3-5 times per week
Duration: Total of 150 minutes per week of moderate intensity
Total of 75 minutes per week of vigorous intensity
Intensity: 50 to 70% of your maximum heart rate for moderate intensity
70 to 85% of your maximum heart rate for vigorous intensity

Target Heart Rate

In order to get the most out of your cardio workout, whatever activity you choose must be performed at a level or intensity that brings you to 50%-85% of your maximum heart rate. To determine your exercise intensity (workload), the target heart rate formula can be used. Use the following formula to determine your maximum and target heart rate zone.

How to Calculate Your Target Heart Rate

My age is: __________
My maximum heart rate is: 220 – age = __________ (maximum heart rate)
My moderate exercise target rate is: max heart rate X .50 = __________ (lower target)
My vigorous exercise target rate is: max heart rate X .85 = __________ (higher target)
My exercise intensity (target heart range) is between ________ beats per minute (bpm) and ________ bpm.

Example: A 35 year-old woman’s target heart rate range:
220 – 35 = 185 bpm would be the maximum heart rate
185 X .85 = 157 bpm
185 X .80 = 148 bpm
185 X .70 = 130 bpm
185 X .50 = 93 bpm
Target heart range = 157 bmp – 93 bmp

Track Your Progress

You can use this chart to keep track of your workout routine and measure your progress with each activity.
Stretching for Flexibility

Muscle strengthening

Cardiopulmonary Exercise

□Walking □ Cycling □Treadmill     □Other (specify):

For more information about designing your own exercise program, check out the Big Fat Reference Guide: https://bfrg.alphanet.org/s/article/5-26-5-designing-your-personal-exercise-program