I’m all about making a workout plan.  Its very important for my success at the gym.  Walking in there having no idea what you’re going to do is so un-motivating (been there, done that.)  There’s also a great chance you won’t put in much effort when your actually at the gym .

There are many methods to writing out a workout plan. First, go online or get copies of all the fitness schedules of the gym(s) that you go to.  If you don’t own a gym membership, go through all your available resources (fitness DVD’s, workout equipment).  If your wanting to get a membership, check out your local rec center in addition to the traditional gyms.  Sometimes they offer better classes.

In terms of where to record your fitness schedule, there are many places you can do it.

I record mine on paper and have it at my desk or on the fridge…

I won’t typically do every single one of these classes, but these are my options.  Eg.  On Wed morning, I have a choice of doing PT45 (Bootcamp) at 6:00am, or TRX at 7:00am.  The night before, I’ll decide which one I’m going to do.  For me, I like variety and options.  It keeps me motivated.

You’ll also see on the right had side that I’ll designate 3 days per week for weight training.  Spit being: Shoulders/Arms, Back/Triceps, Legs

Its so much easier to stick to a plan when its right in front of you all the time.

Another Option: iPhone Apps

If you have an iPhone, there is a HUGE variety of apps to help you stay on track and record your progress.  You can even get workout plans.  Here’s a great post from diettogo.com that tell you the top 5 paid iPhone apps, and the 20 best free ones!

Another Option: Online Template

I found this great workout calendar on TheWorkout.com

Workout Plans:

If your stuck on where to start, first determine how many days you can devote to weight training & cardio.  From there, you can determine how to split up the workouts.  If you can only do 2 days for strength, then you could do a Upper Body Day, and Lower Body Day.  3-5 days a week, you can look at a more complex split.  Eg.  Shoulders, Back/Chest, Legs, Back/Biceps, Biceps/Triceps.  There are so many combinations.  Push/Pull days are also very popular.

Don’t forget to include resistance training in your plan.  Many people get too hung up on cardio.  While cardio is great for the heart, to get that lean and defined, weight training is needed (in combination with a proper diet, of course).

Hope this helps you develop your own fitness schedule!

QUESTION!  What are some of your tips when setting up a fitness schedule??