Designing and Implementing Your Personal Fitness Plan
Designing Your Personal Fitness Plan
Designing you own personal fitness program can feel a bit overwhelming at first, especially if you are not currently physically active. Some people require a personal trainer to help them reach their fitness goals. Whether you seek help or design your own plan, it is important to understand how a personal fitness plan is created. In this interactivity, learn how to design a physical activity and wellness plan to help you maintain lifelong health and wellness. Click the player button to begin.
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Personal Fitness Plan Example
Now that you have learned about designing your own personal fitness program, take a moment to review an example of a physical activity plan in the table below. This table represents one week of a fitness routine. In this example, the long-term goal is to be able to run a mile in eight minutes in three months’ time. The short-term goals include increasing muscular strength and endurance of both the upper- and lower-body. If you were to adopt a similar plan, understand that you could adjust the plan for the following week. Each week does not have to be the same, as long as you include anaerobic and aerobic exercises, and the exercises you have selected are related to your fitness goals.
| Monday | Tuesday | Wednesday | Thursday | Friday | Saturday | Sunday | |
| Warm-up |
Five-minute brisk walk
|
Ten-minute jog | Rest | Five-minute brisk walk | Ten-minute jog | Rest | Five-minute brisk walk |
| Stretches | Stretch calves, quads, hamstrings, glutes, and groin |
Stretch calves, quads, hamstrings, glutes, and groin
|
Rest | Stretch calves, quads, hamstrings, glutes, and groin | Stretch arms, back, shoulders, and chest | Rest | Stretch calves, quads, hamstrings, glutes, and groin |
| Workout | Run at 60% of your maximum heart rate for 30 minutes | Weight lifting exercises for lower-body | Rest | Run on treadmill at 60% of your maximum heart rate for 30 minutes; include periods of short sprints | Weight lifting exercises for upper-body | Rest | Run on treadmill at 60% of your maximum heart rate for 45 minutes |
| Cool down |
Five-minute walk and re-stretch
|
Dynamic stretching of lower-body | Rest | Five-minute walk and re-stretch | Dynamic stretching of upper-body | Rest | Five-minute walk and re-stretch |
| Total Time | 45 minutes | 60 minutes | 0 minutes | 45 minutes | 60 minutes | 0 minutes | 60 minutes |
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Implementing Your Fitness Plan
Once you have designed your personal fitness plan, you should implement your plan. Choose a day that you want to start your fitness program. Once you have chosen the start date, prepare for your plan. Do you need any special equipment (shoes, athletic gear, gym membership, etc.)? Do you have to make an adjustment to your daily routine? For example, if you are choosing to work out in the mornings, you may want to start waking up earlier, so you also have time to complete your daily morning routine. Implementing a well-designed fitness plan will help you maintain lifelong health and wellness.
Designing and Implementing Your Personal Fitness Plan Review
Now that you designed your own personal fitness plan, check your knowledge by completing this non-graded interactivity. Click the player button to get started.