I see it just about every day I step into the gym. People walk through the doors, hop on a piece of cardio equipment or maybe jump from machine to machine for 30 to 45 minutes, and leave. They have no purpose or no intent when they go into the gym.
I applaud and celebrate those who make it to the gym and get in their workouts, but it could be way more enjoyable and you could actually see progress with a structured plan. I used to be just as guilty of doing this too before I learned more about exercise and health. It wasn't until I wrote out a structured plan for myself that I began to see actual results relating to my goals. I started building muscle and losing bodyfat gradually, and in the meantime I noticed that my mood was improving, my sleep quality was getting better, I actually looked forward to go workout, and I felt like I had a lot more energy throughout the day.
Some of the biggest reasons people don't exercise are because they don't know how to, they aren't motivated enough, they aren't seeing results, or they don't enjoy exercising. A structured fitness plan can solve all of those problems and more. That's why I'm going to break down the importance of a fitness plan.
5 Reasons You Need a Workout Plan
1. Provides Structure and Variance
There's nothing worse than feeling like you are wasting time, or that you are stuck doing the same thing over and over again. A workout plan gives you structure so that you know exactly what you're doing next, and not just reverting back to that same treadmill, elliptical, ab routine, etc. Consider investing in yourself and your health with a workout plan that tells you which exercise to do, how many reps, how many sets, etc. where everything is all laid out for you.
2. Provides a Roadmap for Achieving Your Goals
A good workout plan uses the exercise principle of progressive overload to help you achieve your goals. An effective workout plan will also be designed to align with whatever your goals are by using proven exercise principles. This is why I recommend talking to a personal trainer about their plans, and having a program written out for you for a few months so you can pick up on those exercise principles, and learn how to structure your own workout program.
If you're unsure of what your specific goals might be, but you know you just want to get healthier and stay active in general, a structured workout plan can still get you headed in the right direction. Our Workout Warrior Programs are designed exactly for that: providing a structured plan for individuals looking to generally get healthier.
Related: Workout Warrior Program Series
3. Makes Working Out Enjoyable and Motivating
Let's be honest, who wants to just sit on that same exercise bike, or walk on that same treadmill every day at the gym? Just about nobody! A good fitness program will focus on providing a fun and structured routine, and it's motivating to watch yourself progress through a workout program! Another benefit of a structured workout routine is that it can serve as a checklist of things to get done, which is a great mental tool for staying motivated!
4. Provides Accountability
Whether you get your workout plan from a qualified personal trainer, or you write it out yourself, a good fitness plan holds you accountable. The same way a grocery list helps us remember what we need from the store, a workout plan helps us remember what exercises to do, how many sets and reps to do, how intense each exercise should be, etc. It provides a small additional amount of accountability!
5. Tracks Your Progress
Within a fitness plan that progressively overloads your body, you are able to look back at workouts that were once tough for you, and see how easy they were compared to what you do now. That feeling is empowering! You can also physically track the volume of your workouts, monitor how much weight you are able to lift, and see how long you can endure a cardio workout.
I hope that this article motivates you to start a structured workout program, and gave you some insight to the benefits of a workout plan. If you're interest in chatting more about starting a workout plan, fill out my questionnaire and I would be happy to talk to you more about it! We also currently offer our Workout Warrior Programs which takes the expensive personal training cost out of the personal training experience. Here at Jackson Ryan Fitness we off affordable, evidence-based personal training services. Get started today!