How to Create a Training Program

I recently published an article where I recommended following a training regimen as a helpful habit. In this article, I will offer more details for creating a training program. The information here is meant to get you started, but for further assistance, consider consulting a training coach or continuing your research on programming and training techniques. Here are the basics you'll need to get started:

Step 1: Set a Goal/Think About Why You Want to Train

When setting out to do a training program, it is good to ask yourself why you want to train because this will help you to choose exercises, frequency, etc., and keep you motivated. It is also okay to not have a clear goal. For example, maybe you just want to train because you want to exercise. Ask yourself why and you will see a goal start to take shape. Ask why as many times as you need to in order to have a reason to show up for training.

You can also have multiple goals!

Step 2: Choose the Type(s) of Training that Support Your Goals

In most cases, resistance training or lifting weights is going to support your goals. Resisitance training using progressive overload (which means improving on your training week to week) builds muscle, prevents muscle and bone density loss, helps with cardiovascular health, and with proper form and exercise selection, can even help correct and prevent injuries and improve posture and flexibility.

If your goals include cross training for a different sport or physical activity, this should be a type of training included in your program. For example, if you want to get better at dance or ultimate frisbee, you need to practice those sports. If you want to be better at lifting up your children or keeping up with your dog on walks, you need to practice those activities. More exposure to the activities you want to be good at is often better, but when cross training, it is also important to take time to rest.

Besides resistance training and activity/sport-specific training, you may also include cardio, flexibility/mobility, and/or balance training into your program. These can be achieved through resistance training; however, if being able to endure high intensity activities, being flexible and/or easing tension in your body, and/or balance is important to you, these modalities may need special attention and detailed programming.

Step 3: Create a Weekly Calendar for Your Training

By creating a calendar that reflects what a week of training looks like for you, you will decide how many days each week you will do each type of training, how many days you will rest, and how many training sessions you want to hold yourself accountable for.

In some cases, training days will change week to week, and this can be accounted for by including a make up day or flex day. Being flexible with training is important because life is busy, and training needs to support the activities of daily life, schedule included.

I will provide a sample calendar based on my training. My goals include training consistently for mental health, cross training for dance, building muscle, enhancing my physique (particularly quads, shoulders, core, and arms), and accumulating strength week to week. My training modalities include resistance training, dance, cardio, and flexibility training. My calendar looks like this:

Monday: Resistance training

Tuesday: Rest/Flex day

Wednesday: Resistance training + Dance

Thursday: Resistance training + Flexibility

Friday: Cardio/Flex day

Saturday: Resistance

Sunday: Resistance + Cardio

In creating my calendar, I had to decide that I want to do resistance training 4-5 times per week, cardio training 1-2 times per week, and dance and flexibility training at least one time per week. I aim to rest 1-2 days each week (which means I take a break from training and do gentle cardio or go for a walk), and I hold myself accountable for 6-9 training sessions per week. I am enthusiastic about exercise, so some weeks it's the 1-2 rest days I need to hold myself accountable for.

A training program does not need to include so many types of training. It may be resistance only and look something like this:

Monday: Resistance training

Tuesday: Rest/Flex Day

Wednesday: Resistance training

Thursday: Rest/Flex Day

Friday: Resistance training

Sarurday: Rest/Flex Day

Sunday: Resistance training

Whatever your calendar looks like, it will help you schedule your workouts and figure out the next step.

Step 4: Decide Your Training Split

A training split is the foundation for programming a workout. This term refers to the way you divide your workouts. Most commonly training splits are used to divide up muscle groups for resistance training, but you could also split up cardio training into different types such as interval training and steady state cardio, or how you are practicing cardio (i.e. a workout class, trail running, elliptical, rower, stairmaster, etc.).

Flexibility/mobility training could be split into muscle groups and type as well. You could do static versus dynamic stretching, different types of yoga or pilates, etc., and you could do some days upper and others lower, or focus on different muscles each day (i.e. quads vs. hamstrings vs. shoulders). Additionally, you could split up your flexibilty/mobility training into different goals, such as relieving sciatic pain by stretching glutes and hamstrings one day, and stretching hips and hamstrings to get your splits (the other kind) another day.

There are many many ways to split up resistance training, such as an upper-lower split, a push-pull-leg split, a body part specific split (chest, back, leg, shoulder, etc.), a full body split (training each body part every time), a lift specific split (squat, deadlift, bench press, Olympic lift, etc.), and intensity and volume based splits (heavier vs. lighter, higher reps lower weight vs. lower reps higher weight, etc.), plus more.

If your head is spinning, you may want to consult a coach, but also, fear not because you are reading an article written by one. Here are my basic recommendations (these would change based on your goals, strengths, and limitations, but anyways) for deciding a reistance training split:

-1-3 days/week: Full Body split  (train full body each session)

-2-3 days/week: Full Body or Lower-Upper split (train full body each session or alternate between lower and upper body)

-3 days/week: Lower-Upper-Full Body split (train lower body one day, upper another, and full body the other day)

-4-6 days/week: Lower-Upper or Upper-Lower split (alternate lower and upper body workouts, spending more time on the half that is most important to you or dividing the days evenly)

-3-6 days/week: Push-Pull-Leg or Body Part-Specific or Lift-Specific split (focus on the body part(s)/muscle groups or lifts each session that are important to you; push-pull-leg is an example of this; powerlifting or Olympic based lifting programs also reflect this type of split, but you could also choose other lifts that are important to you, such as shoulder press or hip thrust and then program related exercises around what you choose)

Here are two examples of training splits:

Chelsea's Training Program 

Monday: Lower 1/Squat+Hip Thrust+Quad and Glute Focus/Resistance

Tuesday: Rest/Flex Day

Wednesday:

-Upper 1/Overhead Press+Shoulder Focus/Restance 

-Dance Rehearsal/Class

Thursday:

-Lower 2/Romanian Deadlift+Leg Press+Hamstring and Quad Focus/Resistance

-Teaching Stretch Class/Flexibility Training

Friday:

-Cardio/Incle Treadmill -or- Rest

Sarurday:

-Upper 2/Pull Up+Chest Press+Back and Chest Focus/Resistance

Sunday:

-Full 1/Squat+Row+Lateral Raise+Make up lifts+Quad, Back, and Shoulder Focus/Resistance

-Cardio/Stairmaster

Example 2 Training Program

Monday: Full Body 1

Tuesday: Rest/Flex Day

Wednesday: Full Body 2

Thursday: Rest/Flex Day

Friday: Full Body 3

Sarurday: Rest/Flex Day

Sunday: Cardio + Mobility

Step 5: Design Your Training Sessions

Now that you know how many training sessions and what type of training you will do each week, the next step is to decide what you will do during those sessions. If taking a rest day is challenging for you, you can also plan out what you will do during your rest day.

Sport or activity-specific training days might be easiest to plan for, if they involve showing up to a class, practice, or rehearsal, but if you are training for something such as a race or walking your dog, you may have to do extra planning. For example, maybe you create a program to prepare you for the race where you run, bike, swim, etc. at a predetermined pace or predetermined number of miles or minutes each day. For walking your dog, maybe you plan your route for each session (it might sound odd to consider walking your dog as a training session, but if getting better at that is important to you, you might as well approach it as an athlete eager to improve your performance).

Some styles of cross training align with cardio training, so similarly, you could decide how many minutes, how fast, what heart rate you're aiming for, the different equipment or pacing styles you might use, etc. For example, if you train cardio 2-3 times per week, maybe you make a plan like this:

Cardio Program

Cardio 1: F45 Class

Cardio 2: 20 minutes interval training on stationary bike

Cardio 3: 3 mile jog

For flexibility/mobility training, you decide the body parts to stretch, stretches and/or mobility exercises, and type of stretching based on your split. You may also include myofascial release techniques, such as foam rolling. A program may look something like this:

Flexibility+Mobility/Full Body Program:

-Neck/Ear to shoulder stretches and Head Circles

-Shoulders/Thread the needle and Cable rotator cuff exercises

-Chest/Chest opener and Eccentric focused pushups

-Torso/Side stretches and Cat Cow

-Back/Plank and Bird Dog and Spinal Twist

-Quad and Knee/Quad stretch and Eccentric Step Downs and Foam rolling

-Hamstrings/Banded Hamstring stretch and Splits

-Hip Flexors/Hip Flexor Lunge stretches and Splits

-Adductors/Wall Stretch and Abductor Machine

-Glutes/Figure Four stretch and Isometric Glute Bridges

-Calves/Hanging calf stretch and Single Leg Calf Raises

-Feet/Myofasical Release using tennis ball

Finally for resistance training, you start with your split, choose the muscle groups that belong in each training session, and choose exercises that help you build strength and muscle mass for those areas. You will also need to decide how many repetitions you will do the exercises for and how many sets or rounds you will do that number of repetitions for. The number of exercises you choose depends on how much time you have. For a 30 minute workout, I recommend picking 3-5 exercises. For an hour long session, you could choose 6-8 exercises. And if you have more than an hour, you could choose 6-10 exercises. The number of sets and reps for each exercise will also come into play. I typically have my clients start with 3 sets of 10 repetitions for each exercise. As clients progress, the sets will be anywhere from 2-6 sets and the rep schemes include 1-4, 4-6, 8-10, 10-12, 12-15, and 15-30 repetitions. If you are just getting started, start with 3 sets of 10 repetitions for 5-6 exercises. Side note, I also encourage people to train core during each workout session as one of the exercises.

Here is an example of a basic reistance training program:

Lower Body

-Warm up: 5-10 min cardio equipment

-Box squats, 10 reps x 3 sets

-Split squat lunges, 10 reps/side x 3 sets

-Glute bridges, 10 reps x 3 sets

-Leg extension machine, 10 reps x 3 sets

-Leg curl machine, 10 reps x 3 sets

-Captain's chair knee tucks (core), 10 reps x 3 sets

-Cool down: 5 min stretching or foam rolling

Upper Body

-Warm up: 5-10 min cardio equipment

-Chest supported row machine, 10 reps x 3 sets

-Dumbbell chest press, 10 reps x 3 sets

-Dumbbell shoulder press, 10 reps x 3 sets

-Dumbbell biceps curls, 10 reps/side x 3 sets

-Cable triceps pushdowns, 10 reps x 3 sets

-Stability ball plank tucks (core), 10 reps x 3 sets

-Cool down: 5 min stretching or foam rolling

If you put all of those training styles together (minus cross training, sorry), your training program all together might look something like this (low key, free program; if you follow it, you will probably get pretty fit 😉):

Sample Training Program

Day 1: Lower Body Resistance Training

-Warm up: 5-10 min cardio equipment

-Box squats, 10 reps x 3 sets

-Split squat lunges, 10 reps/side x 3 sets

-Glute bridges, 10 reps x 3 sets

-Leg extension machine, 10 reps x 3 sets

-Leg curl machine, 10 reps x 3 sets

-Captain's chair knee tucks (core), 10 reps x 3 sets

-Cool down: 5 min stretching or foam rolling

Day 2: Flexibility/Mobility Training

-Neck/Ear to shoulder stretches and Head Circles

-Shoulders/Thread the needle and Cable rotator cuff exercises

-Chest/Chest opener and Eccentric focused pushups

-Torso/Side stretches and Cat Cow

-Back/Plank and Bird Dog and Spinal Twist

-Quad and Knee/Quad stretch and Eccentric Step Downs and Foam rolling

-Hamstrings/Banded Hamstring stretch and Splits

-Hip Flexors/Hip Flexor Lunge stretches and Splits

-Adductors/Wall Stretch and Abductor Machine

-Glutes/Figure Four stretch and Isometric Glute Bridges

-Calves/Hanging calf stretch and Single Leg Calf Raises

-Feet/Myofasical Release using tennis ball

Day 3: Upper Body Resistance Training

-Warm up: 5-10 min cardio equipment

-Chest supported row machine, 10 reps x 3 sets

-Dumbbell chest press, 10 reps x 3 sets

-Dumbbell shoulder press, 10 reps x 3 sets

-Dumbbell biceps curls, 10 reps/side x 3 sets

-Cable triceps pushdowns, 10 reps x 3 sets

-Stability ball plank tucks (core), 10 reps x 3 sets

-Cool down: 5 min stretching or foam rolling

Day 4: Rest/Flex Day

-Walk 10,000 steps

-Hit the sauna

-Protein shake treat or other gift to self

Day 5: Cardio/Resistance Flex Day

-3 mile jog (outside if weather is nice, inside on treadmill if not)

-or-

-Make-up reistance workout

Day 6: Rest/Flex Day

-Walk 10,000 steps

-Volunteer or help a friend

Day 7: Cardio/Resistance Flex Day

-Hiking -or- 20 min Stairmaster (5min 11 pace, 5 min 8 pace, 5 min 11 pace, 5 min 6 pace)

-Make-up reistance workout

Woohoo! Time to hit the gym!

Step 6: Track, Progress, and Periodize Your Training

Once you have your training schedule, a plan for each training session, and some sort of goal to motivate you, it's time to start training and getting results. Tracking your workouts on a calendar or app, in a notebook or word document, etc., provides extra motivation as you see yourself improve, and will also help you progress your training.

Each week, you want to try to push yourself a little harder than the week before. Keeping track of weight used for each set, miles or speed executed for each cardio session, and/or how good you felt or far you went for flexibility/mobility training can give you an idea of what you need to match or exceed the next training session or week of training. Improving week to week is how you progress your training program. Progress isn't always linear, and some weeks you may not improve your numbers, but you did put in another session, and that will yield results, if you are patient.

Tracking your workouts/training sessions will also help you to periodize your program, which means modifying the program every month or few months to keep it challenging and in line with current and/or changing goals.

Periodization and progression deserve their own articles, but to follow this 6th step, just make sure to track your training and results, try to improve session to session and week to week, and switch up your program every 1-3 months.

Step 7: Celebrate Every Victory

The goal that got you started with training may take a long time to achieve. Body recomposition, succeeding at a sport, improving cardiovascular endurance, losing weight, gaining weight, hitting the splits (both the leg one and the training one) is not easy, and the results may come immediately, but more likely, they will come slowly.

Keep track of results, such as weight change on the scale, body composition changes (as captured by photos, scans, or skinfolds), cardio progress (such as finsihing a race), or any other results that give you evidence of getting closer to your goal. And celebrate that evidence!

As you pursue outcome related goals, it is essential to celebrate and keep track of performance/process related goals as well. These process goals get you to the finish line and take you past it. Checking off another training session, hitting a personal best on a challenging lift, and actually resting on your rest day are all victories, and they contribute to a lifestyle. When an outcome goal is achieved, such as losing weight or winning a competition, it is normal to feel sad or at a loss. Outcome goals can be motivating, but when you achieve them, the question becomes, "What's next?" Having a training program that you follow gives you a routine to return to as you develop new goals and answer that question. Celebrating all success gives you a reason to continue training and can help you stay positive when you aren't quite sure why you are training anymore. The routine element is why following a training program is a helpful habit. It will produce it's own goals the better you get at your training and the more you rejoice in victories big and small."What's next?" will become exciting rather than anxiety-provoking (okay, maybe both) question.

So, What Is Next?

By now, you should have all of the tools you need to create a training program. It's okay to still be confused and need help as well! Go out and get help!!! Or if you have a plan together, start training! Your goals are too important to ignore.

If you need further motivation, check out my article on training as a helpful habit: https://chelstrainer.wixsite.com/chelstrainer/post/habit-4-follow-a-training-program

Best wishes for you and your training. Here's to you starting a new journey. It is a cause for celebration. 🥳