How to Plan Your Workout Routine | Dr. Andy Galpin
In a Nutshell
To build an effective workout program, first determine realistic training frequency, then select and order exercises based on goals and joint health rather than expecting specific adaptations from movements alone. After setting frequency and exercise choices, manipulate intensity, volume, and rest periods to control the training stimulus. Finally, review the full program to anticipate and correct potential problems like unrealistic volume or neglected corrective work before they cause missed sessions or injury.
These notes were generated by AI and may contain inaccuracies.
Program design is the way we consciously manipulate modifiable variables to get a particular result. This means determining what type of lifting exercises to do if the goal is to gain muscle without caring about strength, or what type of exercise, how heavy a weight to lift, or how many times to rest if specific results are desired but not others. Questions about hybrid training—wanting a little strength and a little endurance—are all related to program design. There are many methods, but few concepts. The variables to consider are the key to success. If exercising hard or moderately hard and regularly but not getting the desired results or getting unwanted results, mistakes have been made with these modifiable variables.
When designing programs, frequency is the first step. This means determining how many days a week exercise is possible. Exercise selection, ranges, heart rate, or other details should not be chosen before determining what is realistic based on lifestyle, goals, and background. Nothing can be done in program design without knowing whether training is possible 5 days a week, 2 days, 1 day, or 20 times a week. Many athletes train several times a day, resulting in planning for 15 to 20 training sessions per week.
A quick rule is that whatever the answer is regarding training days, subtract one day and use that number. If five days are stated, design the program for four days. If the fifth day is achieved, it becomes an added bonus that can be spent doing specific exercises like biceps or leg work. It is worse to set up a program based on four days a week while consistently missing one of them, whether that day is always the same or is a leg workout day or intensive training day. Choose the number of days that seems realistic, subtract one day, and build the program based on that number.
Once the number of training days per week is known, exercise selection begins. This involves deciding whether to use devices, body weight, resistance bands, or a bicycle, whether to exercise indoors or outdoors, whether to do only structured exercises, or whether to combine exercise with another physical activity. When choosing exercises, the goal should be considered first. Exercises themselves do not determine the type of adaptation. Jumping on a box does not necessarily make someone stronger. Squatting does not automatically make muscles grow. Running alone does not improve endurance. The way an exercise is performed determines the adaptation.
People have done squats, deadlifts, or hip thrusts and then said they have been trying to build their glutes without success, or that they are trying to build their shoulders and push-ups or overhead press exercises are not working. This occurs because exercises do not determine the type of adaptation. Technique, range of motion, the number of repetitions performed, and all other adjustable variables determine whether someone becomes bigger, faster, improves range of motion, flexibility, or anything else.
Exercise choice should be based on joint condition, what can be accessed, what is realistic, what is personally disliked, what hurts the wrist, what bothers the knee, which muscles are being targeted, and what range of movement is desired. These factors should be taken into account when choosing exercises, not the result itself.
Some exercises are not generally considered good for some types of adaptation and are much better for others. The deadlift is probably not very good for developing speed. Technically it can be done, but the leg or knee is more likely to be hit rather than achieving quick performance. This makes it not a good choice for speed training, though it may be good for muscle growth, lower back health, and many other things. Using a rowing machine or air ski machine may be great for many things, but it is probably not the best option for building muscle.
When choosing exercises, close attention must be paid to what is called balance. Asymmetry and muscular imbalances should be avoided. Exercise choice should not put someone in a bad position. This might mean choosing only upper body push-up exercises such as chest presses without doing any pulling exercises like rowing. This can be a common mistake when choosing exercises.
Next is the order of exercises, which is as simple as it sounds. This determines which exercise is performed first, second, third, fourth, and fifth. A common question about exercise order is whether cardio or weightlifting should be done first when both are scheduled on the same day. Either one can be started with. Start with what is most important. If the primary goal is to ensure cardio exercises are done, start with that. If weightlifting exercises can be done afterward, that is fine. However, if the goal is to increase strength and cardio is done first until the legs are tired, then attempting to strengthen the legs undermines the goals. Since strength acquisition requires skill and it is difficult to develop skill when tired, this should be considered.
What the main goal is and what is most important should be considered. The general rule is to start with that first. Training big muscles first and smaller muscles later is acceptable. Pre-fatigue can be used by doing biceps exercises before pull-ups to tire them out so the upper back can be targeted with greater focus during the pull-up movement. This works. A set of leg stretching exercises can be done before squatting if the goal is to fatigue the front thigh muscles beforehand. There is considerable research on this, and it has been applied in the field for decades. Practical evidence shows it is effective, training evidence shows it is successful, and scientific evidence proves its effectiveness.
The opposite approach can also be taken. If the goal is not to isolate the front thigh muscles but rather to become stronger or achieve another outcome, the big movement can be focused on first and then isolation exercises can be done at the end. All these options are possible. These are not rigid rules but choices that depend on context, circumstances, and goals.
After determining training days, exercise selection, and exercise order, intensity is chosen. In the gym, this is usually defined as a percentage of the maximum weight that can be lifted in one repetition, or a percentage of maximum effort. On a running track, this may be represented as a percentage of maximum speed. It may also be a percentage of heart rate reserve or maximum oxygen consumption. It is simply a way to determine the load or intensity—how difficult the work is in that context. It may look different depending on the context, but it is chosen at this stage.
Practically, once the number of training days, exercises, and their order are known, it can be determined that one exercise will be very strenuous while another will have lighter weight, and another will be a little easier.
After intensity is chosen, exercise volume is selected. The intensity of exercise will determine its volume anyway. If Wednesday is designated as a day of maximum effort and running occurs at maximum speed on the track, the largest amount of exercise will probably not be possible that day because of fatigue. This is why intensity determines the size of the exercise. If more than 90 percent of maximum weight is being lifted, 12 repetitions in one set will not be done. Volume is largely determined by the load, which makes these figures easy to determine.
Once volume is mastered, rest periods are chosen. This is the time taken between exercises. A track workout might involve running 800 meters, taking 3 minutes to cover that distance, then resting for 3 minutes and repeating that four or five times. This will be strenuous exercise but effective. If something different is desired, shorter or longer rest periods can be used. This involves trading volume and intensity. The shorter the rest period, the more fatigue accumulates, the less work can be done, or intensity must be reduced. The longer the rest period, the opposite happens.
This does not always mean longer is better. In sports like wrestling where the work-to-rest ratio is often one to one or less, training might involve 30 seconds of hard work with 15 or 20 seconds of recovery because a minute, two, or three will never be available during individual round or match periods. Certain sports and specific goals determine the work-to-rest ratio. From a fat loss perspective, any approach can be used. For strength and longevity, any approach can be used. A combination of all these styles can be done personally. They have different characteristics but tend to be very specific beyond this general level. Rest periods tend to heal themselves.
The last thing to do is try to predict problems. Once the entire program is finished, it should be reviewed to identify where problems will be faced. This might involve being unrealistic about workout volume, having too much strenuous exercise, having too much exercise in one day, or having many lower body training days. A realistic scenario should be considered and the question asked about where problems are most likely to occur. These should be dealt with now before three or four weeks have passed. If pelvic floor correction exercises are disliked but are known to be necessary because skipping them causes groin or back pain, the problem should be solved now. The program should be designed to be more realistic so that stopping does not occur in the third or fourth week and injury does not happen five weeks later.
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