Planning Your Workout (Splits)

Like most things worth doing, for maximum effectiveness workouts require good planning. But how to go about setting up a workout “split” (as fitness buffs call it) is not always obvious. A good plan will help insure you get to your fitness goal – here’s how to create a plan.

1. Create a Plan: Pick a day of the week to create, check in or reset your plan (I usually chose Saturday or Sunday and then start my week the day after). Build an actual calendar schedule that fits your workout schedule each week. Get your work calendar for the week out, and map out when you will go to the gym and what you will do each day. This insures you have a “plan” that you will more readily stick to.

2. Establish your fitness goal (weight loss, muscle build, health) and insure you have the right balance in your plan to meet the goal (e.g. for weight loss, concentrate on 30-60 minutes of cardio per day, with some weight training – see below for sample splits).

3. Insure proper rest. You may be gung-ho on your new goals, but remember muscle build occurs on rest days. Take at least 1 if not 2 days off each week. A great solution for you go-getters is ‘active rest’ such as a light walk or gentle yoga class (not hot yoga).

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Sample “Splits”

For Weight Loss:

Saturday: 30-60 minutes cardio

Sunday: Upper body (2 exercises (2 sets of 12 reps) each focused on biceps, triceps, shoulders, back) + 20-30 minutes cardio

Monday: REST

Tuesday: 30-60 minutes cardio

Wednesday: Lower body weight training (squats, lunges, leg extension, hamstring curl – do 12 reps each x 2 sets) + 20-30 minutes cardio

Thursday: Abs (15 minutes) + 30-40 minutes cardio

Friday: REST

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For Sculpting

Saturday: Shoulders (3-4 different exercises: 3 sets of x 12 reps) + Abs (15 minutes) + 20 minutes cardio

Sunday: Biceps + Triceps (3 supersets or 3 exercises of each (3 sets @ 12 reps)) + 20 minutes cardio

Monday: REST

Tuesday: Legs (squats, lunges, leg extension, hamstring curl, calves)

Wednesday: Abs + 45 minutes cardio

Thursday: Chest + Back (3 supersets or 3 exercises of each (3 sets @ 12 reps)) + 20 minutes cardio

Friday: REST

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For Muscle Build

Saturday: Legs 1 (Squats, lunges, leg extension) 3-4 sets each x 12 reps

Sunday: Shoulders (3-4 different exercises: 3 sets of x 12 reps) + 20 minutes cardio

Monday: Biceps (3-4 different exercises: 3 sets of x 12 reps) + 20 minutes cardio

Tuesday: Legs 2 (hamstring curl, dead-lift, calves) – 3-4 sets each x 12 reps

Wednesday: Triceps (3-4 different exercises: 3 sets of x 12 reps) + 20 minutes cardio

Thursday: Back + Chest (Superset x 3 -or- 3-4 different exercises each: 3 sets of x 12 reps)+ 20 minutes cardio

Friday: REST

Step up!

The 'step up' is a great move for both leg strength and cardio boost. Try this move in between 2 weight training exercises (such as a squat and lunge or leg extension and leg press), or anytime to challenge stability and strength.

Muscles worked: Legs, Cardio
You will need: A bench or stable chair
Time to complete: 2 minutes per set

1. Start by standing in front of a bench with arms to side (optional: hold 10-15 lb dumbells)
2. Keeping one leg straight, place the other foot on the bench insuring your heel is solidly placed
3. Quickly, squeeze the bent leg and raise yourself to a standing position on the bench
4. Return to the starting position keeping your back and hips straight up
Do 12 repetitions per leg, rest 30 seconds then repeat up to 3 sets total

Pyramid Run

Picking up from pyramid weight training, you can easily incorporate the technique into your cardio routine with interval running. Here is a great 30 minute cardio workout on the treadmill, especially if you are like me and get really bored easily!

Part 1 is a speed interval "pyramid," followed by Part 2, an incline inerval "pyramid." If you're short on time or want a quick 15 minute cardio blast following a weight session, you can split these up and do one or the other.

PART 1: Speed Pyramid
Minutes
0:00-2:00 - (2 minutes)Warm up by walking briskly at a 3.5-4.0 mph pace
2:00-5:00 - (3 minutes) Jog at a MODERATE pace (about 6.0-6.5)
5:00-7:00 - (2 minutes) Run at a FAST pace (about 7.0-8.0 mph)
7:00-8:00 - (1 minute) Sprint for a minute, at your near top speed (8.5-9.0 mph or higher)
8:00-9:00 - (1 minute) Walk briskly at 4.0 mph (this is your "summit", recover your breath)
9:00-11:00 - (2 minutes) Run at a FAST pace (about 7.0-8.0 mph)
11:00-14:00 - (3 minutes) Jog at a MODERATE pace (about 6.0-6.5)
14:00-15:00 - (1 minute) Walk briskly at 4.0 mph (as if returning to "base", recover your breath)

PART 2: Incline Pyramid
Minutes
15:00-17:00 - (2 minutes) Walk at a fast pace while setting the incline on the treadmill to 2.0
17:00-20:00 - (3 minutes) Jog at a SLOW pace (about 5.5-6.0) keeping the incline at 2.0
20:00-22:00 - (2 minutes) Continue jogging at a SLOW pace and INCREASE the incline to 3.0
22:00-23:00 - (1 minute) Continue jogging at a SLOW pace and INCREASE the incline to 4.0
23:00-25:00 - (2 minutes) Continue jogging at a SLOW pace and DECREASE the incline to 3.0
25:00-28:00 - (3 minutes) Continue jogging at a SLOW pace and DECREASE the incline to 2.0
28:00-30:00 - (2 minute) DECREASE the incline all the way to 0.0 and reduce speed to a 3.5-4.0 brisk walk (cool down)