How to Design an Effective Workout Plan: Ultimate Guide for Beginners | Joanna Soh

Summary

This video script emphasizes the importance of a personalized and consistent workout program for achieving fitness goals. It outlines five foundational steps, including assessing lifestyle, choosing between strength training and cardio, determining workout volume, progressing effectively, and tracking workouts. The speaker also highlights the significance of nutrition and rest, and invites viewers to try out a structured training program on their fitness app for a comprehensive fitness journey.

Takeaways

• 📝 Having a clear and detailed workout plan is crucial for achieving fitness goals, as there's no one-size-fits-all solution.
• 🧘‍♂️ Consistency is key to seeing results from a workout program, requiring long-term commitment and discipline.
• 🕗 Assessing your lifestyle is the first step in creating a personalized and consistent workout program.
• 💪 Beginners should focus on total body workouts to burn fat and increase lean muscle mass.
• 🏋️‍♀️ Strength training and cardio are the two main types of exercises, with each serving different fitness goals.
• 🏃‍♂️ The best time to workout is when it's most convenient for you, ensuring you can stick to your routine.
• 🔢 Understanding sets, reps, and rest periods is fundamental to strength training and achieving your goals.
• 📈 Progression in workouts is necessary to avoid plateaus and continue seeing improvements over time.
• 📊 Keeping a fitness journal is important for tracking progress, holding yourself accountable, and making informed adjustments to your program.
• 🍽 Nutrition and diet play a significant role in achieving fitness results, complementing an effective workout program.
• 🌐 The speaker offers a structured training program through their fitness app 'Feel', which can be a helpful resource for those starting their fitness journey.

Q & A

Why is having an effective workout program essential for achieving fitness goals?

An effective workout program is essential because it provides a clear and detailed plan tailored to individual needs, ensuring that time and effort are not wasted. Without a plan, achieving fitness goals can be challenging due to the lack of direction and consistency.

What factors should be considered when creating a personalized exercise program?

Factors to consider include age, fitness goals, fitness level, lifestyle, and personal schedule. These elements help in creating a program that is both effective and sustainable for the individual.

Why is it important to understand the purpose of a workout rather than just blindly following it?

Understanding the purpose of a workout helps in ensuring that the exercises align with one's fitness goals, enhancing the effectiveness of the workout and preventing potential injuries due to improper form or intensity.

What are the five steps mentioned in the script for starting a simple yet effective workout program?

The script does not explicitly list the five steps but emphasizes the importance of consistency, assessing lifestyle, creating a personalized program, understanding the type of workouts, and the importance of progression and tracking.

How does consistency play a role in achieving results from a workout program?

Consistency is crucial as it ensures that the workout is performed frequently over a long period, leading to gradual improvements and long-term commitment, which are key to achieving desired results.

What is the significance of the timing and frequency of workout sessions in a personalized program?

The timing and frequency should align with an individual's schedule to ensure that the workout can be consistently performed without causing disruption to other daily activities. This increases the likelihood of adherence to the program.

What are the two main types of training mentioned in the script, and how do they differ?

The two main types of training are strength training and cardio. Strength training focuses on building lean muscle and improving strength, while cardio aims to build stamina, burn calories, and improve heart health.

How does the body's metabolic rate relate to the amount of lean muscle mass?

The more lean muscle mass an individual has, the higher their metabolic rate, which means their body burns fat more efficiently, even at rest.

What is the difference between performing high repetitions with lighter weights and low repetitions with heavier weights?

High repetitions with lighter weights are primarily for building muscular endurance and size, while low repetitions with heavier weights are for building strength and power, focusing on muscle hypertrophy.

Why is it important to track workout sessions and keep a fitness journal?

Tracking workout sessions allows individuals to review their progress, identify what works and what doesn't, celebrate successes, and hold themselves accountable to their fitness goals.

What is the role of progression in a workout program, and how can it be achieved?

Progression is vital to avoid hitting a plateau and to continue seeing results. It can be achieved by gradually increasing the workload, adjusting the volume of workouts, introducing tougher moves, or reducing rest time.

How does the script suggest maintaining motivation and interest in a workout program?

The script suggests making adjustments to the training program to challenge oneself, keep things fresh, and avoid monotony, which helps in maintaining motivation and interest in the workout sessions.

Outlines

00:00

💪 Building an Effective Workout Program

The first paragraph emphasizes the importance of having a structured workout program to achieve fitness goals. It highlights that there's no one-size-fits-all approach due to individual differences in age, fitness level, and lifestyle. The speaker outlines five steps to create a personalized and consistent workout routine, stressing the importance of discipline and long-term commitment. The audience is encouraged to assess their lifestyle, determine the frequency and duration of workouts, and choose the best time of day. The paragraph also discusses the significance of consistency over the duration of workouts for achieving results.

05:00

🏋️‍♂️ Understanding Workout Types and Progression

The second paragraph delves into the types of workouts, distinguishing between strength training and cardio, and their respective benefits for burning fat and increasing lean muscle mass. It advises on how to combine these based on personal goals, such as weight loss or muscle gain. The paragraph also explains workout volume, including sets, reps, and rest periods, and how to adjust these according to training goals. The importance of progression in a workout program is underscored to avoid plateaus, with suggestions to increase weight, reps, sets, or introduce new exercises every four to six weeks.

10:01

📝 The Significance of Tracking and Adapting Workouts

The third paragraph stresses the importance of tracking workouts to monitor progress and maintain accountability. It suggests keeping a fitness journal to record exercises, weights, sets, reps, and rest times, as well as subjective feelings about recovery and mental state. The speaker discusses the need for continuous adaptation of the workout program based on personal feedback and experience. Additionally, the paragraph mentions the availability of a structured training program on the speaker's fitness app, Feel, which offers workouts led by certified trainers and can be done at home with minimal equipment. The paragraph concludes by reminding viewers of the importance of nutrition and rest in achieving fitness results, and encourages them to subscribe to the channel for more content.

Keywords

💡Workout program

A workout program is a structured plan that outlines the types of exercises, frequency, duration, and intensity to achieve specific fitness goals. In the video, the importance of having a clear and detailed workout program is emphasized as a crucial step towards achieving fitness goals, rather than just setting a goal without a plan.

💡Consistency

Consistency refers to the regular and continuous practice of an activity, in this case, exercise. The video highlights consistency as the number one factor for achieving results, emphasizing the need for frequent training over a long period and the importance of discipline and commitment in a workout routine.

💡Personalized program

A personalized program is a workout plan tailored to an individual's specific needs, preferences, and schedule. The video script mentions creating a personalized program that is consistent for the individual, asking questions about the number of days and time one can dedicate to exercising, and the best time of day for workouts.

💡Strength training

Strength training involves exercises aimed at improving muscular strength and building lean muscle mass. The script explains that strength training is important for increasing metabolic rate, which helps the body burn fat more efficiently, even at rest, and provides examples of strength training exercises.

💡Cardio

Cardio, short for cardiovascular exercise, includes activities that increase heart rate and breathing for a sustained period. The video discusses the importance of cardio for building stamina, burning calories, and reducing excess body fat, with examples provided to illustrate different types of cardio exercises.

💡Total body workouts

Total body workouts are exercise routines that engage all major muscle groups in order to burn fat and increase lean muscle mass. The script stresses the importance of performing total body workouts for beginners to ensure a comprehensive approach to fitness and body toning.

💡Sets and reps

Sets and reps are fundamental concepts in strength training where 'sets' refer to the number of times an exercise is performed consecutively, and 'reps' refer to the number of times an individual movement is completed within a set. The video explains the significance of sets and reps in determining the intensity and type of muscle development.

💡Hypertrophy

Hypertrophy is the increase in muscle cell size, achieved through weight lifting. In the context of the video, hypertrophy training is aimed at toning up and improving muscle definition by lifting heavier weights with lower repetitions, allowing for muscle growth and enhanced definition.

💡Progression

Progression in a workout program refers to the gradual increase in difficulty or intensity to continue challenging the body and avoid plateaus. The script advises on the importance of progression, such as increasing weight, reps, sets, or introducing more challenging exercises, to ensure continuous improvement and prevent stagnation.

💡Workout volume

Workout volume is the total amount of work done in a training session, typically measured by the number of sets, reps, and weight lifted. The video explains how understanding workout volume is essential for setting appropriate training goals and ensuring effective muscle development.

💡Fitness journal

A fitness journal is a record-keeping tool used to track workout sessions, including exercises performed, weights used, sets, reps, and personal feelings about the workout. The video emphasizes the importance of keeping a fitness journal for accountability, tracking progress, and making informed adjustments to the workout program.

💡Nutrition

Nutrition refers to the process of consuming and utilizing nutrients for growth, maintenance of body tissues, and energy. The script mentions that nutrition and diet are crucial components of achieving fitness results, with 80% of results attributed to diet, highlighting the need for a well-balanced diet that aligns with one's fitness goals.

Highlights

Importance of having a clear and detailed workout plan for achieving fitness goals.

No one-size-fits-all workout plan due to individual differences in age, goal, fitness level, and lifestyle.

Understanding the purpose of each workout is crucial rather than just following blindly.

Consistency and discipline are key to achieving results from a workout program.

Creating a personalized workout program that fits one's lifestyle and schedule.

The significance of training frequency and duration in a workout session.

The best time to workout is when it's most convenient for an individual's schedule.

Total body workouts are essential for beginners to burn fat and increase lean muscle mass.

Difference between strength training and cardio exercises and their respective benefits.

Combining cardio and strength training for weight loss goals.

The concept of workout volume including reps, sets, weight, and rest time.

Adjusting workout volume based on training goals such as endurance, hypertrophy, or strength.

The importance of proper form during exercises to engage the right muscles and avoid injuries.

Progression in workouts to avoid plateaus and continue seeing results.

Gradual progression to prevent injuries while still challenging oneself.

Keeping a fitness journal to track workouts and monitor progress.

The role of nutrition and rest in achieving permanent fitness results.

Availability of a structured training program on the Feel app for home workouts.

Encouragement to put the knowledge into action and try out the workout program.

Transcripts

[Music]

having an effective workout program is

extremely important towards achieving

your fitness goals you can't just have a

goal and expect to achieve it if you

don't have a clear and detailed plan

without it you're probably wasting your

time and effort

here's what we need to know there isn't

a one plan fits all solution

that's because we're all different so

creating an exercise program varies

based on your age

goal fitness level lifestyle and more

even with tons of workout videos out

there you still need to have the

knowledge of knowing why you're doing

this workout rather than just blindly

following it so what i'll be sharing

with you today are the foundations to

start a simple yet effective workout

program it might sound daunting but once

you know the basics and build from there

it isn't difficult in fact it is a lot

of fun i'm going to try to keep it

really simple and break it down into

five steps

consistency is the number one factor

that will get you results you have to

train frequently across a long period of

time so let's get it right from the

beginning this is a long-term commitment

that needs discipline

there's no shortcuts in getting the

results you want hence the first step is

to assess your lifestyle and create a

personalized program that will be

consistent for you

ask yourself these questions

how many days in a week can i dedicate

to exercising

how long can each workout session be

what time of the day suits my schedule

grab a pen and paper and write it down

for instance i like to work out five

days in a week and have two rest days my

workout days will be monday tuesday

thursday friday and saturday my rest

days will be wednesday and sunday

for each session it'll be an hour long

and i like to get it done first thing in

the morning before i start my day

be specific and realistic because we

want this to be a doable plan

not something which you'll give yourself

excuses down the road

if you can dedicate one hour every day

that's great but if you're tied down to

work and family commitments and can only

spare 20 to 30 minutes a day that's

absolutely fine as well working out for

a longer period of time doesn't

necessarily equate to better or quicker

results rather it's about how consistent

and efficient your workout is in order

to achieve results

i've known of so many success stories

from people who can only spare 20 to 30

minutes a day doing the fear workouts

but because they were consistent they

saw results

another common question i get asked

often is when is the best time to

workout

the simple answer is there is no such

thing as the best time to workout

the best time is when it's most

convenient for you and fits your

schedule that way you're more likely to

stick to your routine instead of having

reasons not to train so if morning is

best for you then stick to the morning

if evening works better then keep your

workout to the evening once you have

figured out your training schedule make

a commitment to yourself and complete

the training no matter what

know that consistency is the most

important thing in creating a successful

program

[Music]

next part to figure out is what workouts

should i do there are so many workout

videos out there but you have no idea

where to start and what to do for

beginners it's important to know that

you have to perform total body workouts

focusing on all major muscles in order

to burn fat and increase lean muscle

mass

i've said this too many times but allow

me to say it once more we cannot spot

reduce fat typically there are two types

of training strength training or cardio

of course there are also workouts which

combines both such as hit interval and

circuit type training

these types of trainings are the most

efficient way to burn fat and to tone up

in a short period of time

let's look at the difference between

strength versus cardio

strength training or weight lifting are

exercises aimed at improving your

strength and to build lean muscles

strength training is important because

the more lean muscles you have the

higher your metabolic rate will be that

means your body will be burning fat more

efficiently even when you're at rest

here are some examples

cardio or aerobics are exercises that

are intense enough to increase your

breathing and heart rate at a continuous

and consistent pace

cardio exercises are important to build

stamina to burn calories and excess fat

from the body

here are some examples

which should you be focusing on that

really depends on your goal if your goal

is to lose weight then you need a

combination of both cardio and strength

training if your goal is to gain weight

then you need to incorporate a lot more

strength training into your program and

only perform cardio occasionally so

let's say my goal is to lose weight and

add more muscle tone

based on my workout days i'll split it

into 2 days of strength training 2 days

of heat conditioning workouts and 1 day

of low intensity or steady paced cardio

for example

monday can be lower body strength

training tuesday will be total body heat

and conditioning workout thursday upper

body strength training

friday total body heat and conditioning

workout and saturday can be bar yoga

pilates brisk walking swimming or hiking

go onto my channel and check out my

workout playlist for different types of

workouts

the third factor is to figure out your

workout volume how many reps and sets to

do how heavy to lift and how long to

rest in between exercises

these are mainly for strength training

i've received quite a number of

questions asking if 2 kilos is enough or

if 5 kilos is enough i can't give you a

straight answer because it comes down to

your own strength and goals

let's get to the basics of understanding

sets and reps

sets refer to repeating the same

exercise a certain number of rounds for

instance performing 10 squats in one set

and you may want to repeat it for

another two more sets with rest in

between sets for absolute beginners i

would suggest that you start with two

sets and as you progress increase to

three or four sets per exercise

repetitions or reps refers to the number

of times you perform an exercise during

a set so for instance it can be 10 reps

of squats how many reps should you

perform varies depending on your goal

and fitness level to give you a training

baseline 12 to 20 reps or more is

primarily to build muscular endurance

and size endurance means to train your

muscles to perform a certain move for an

extended period of time

doing high reps means you'll be lifting

lighter loads and because we want to

improve endurance that means shorter

rest between sets 30 to 60 seconds

6 to 12 reps is hypertrophy training

hypertrophy is an increase in growth of

muscle cells achieved through weight

lifting

this training is for all of you who want

to tone up and improve muscle definition

because you're lifting heavier with

lower reps the rest time between sets

will be about 60 to 90 seconds

less than six reps is to build super

dense muscle strength and power because

the wraps are lower that means you're

going to be lifting a lot heavier

weights focusing all your effort into

those few reps you'll also need longer

to recover and the rest time between

sets is about 3 to 5 minutes long hence

depending on your training goal you will

need to adjust the weight accordingly

for example if you're training for

hypertrophy and you can perform up to 20

reps then the weights are too light you

have to increase the load

you also have to adjust the weight

according to the body parts you're

training your leg muscles are a lot

bigger hence you can lift a lot heavier

compared to your shoulder muscles you

can't just stick to one weight and

perform the entire body and remember

proper form is extremely important in

order for you to engage the right

muscles and to avoid injuries every rep

should be a quality rep

now that you have a solid workout

program and you're consistent with it

the next important factor is progression

to keep improving and seeing results

your workouts need to get harder over

time you can't just stick to a beginner

workout which you've been doing for the

past two months and wonder why am i not

seeing results if you fail to progress

in your training that's when you'll hit

a plateau saying that however do not

make things harder too quickly i do

understand that some of us can get

really impatient and want to lift

heavier within the next few sessions it

takes time to build strength and

endurance

progress slowly and gradually this way

you will still create change but without

the risk of injuries which may cause you

to miss even more training days as a

rule of thumb you want to train for four

to six weeks at any given level of

difficulty before adding more challenge

to your training training progression

can be increasing the work load that

means lifting heavier weights or

increasing your running speed

increasing workout volume whether it's

more reps sets or intervals increasing

the workout time

reducing rest time or introducing

tougher moves there's no one straight

answer to how you can progress in your

workout but the longer you train and

understand your body you will start to

make adjustments to your training in

order to challenge yourself and to also

keep things fun fresh and not so

monotonous that way you will look

forward to your training sessions

we often take this for granted but

keeping track of your workout sessions

are extremely important

it's the only way where you can look

back review each session track your

progress and even celebrate your

successes along the way have a fitness

journal and keep track of every single

workout

your record should be both objective and

subjective

record the exercises weights

sets

reps workout duration and rest time

record how your body feels

recovery level and mental state having

these records will allow you to see what

works what's not working so that over

time you can create a training program

that's effective and efficient for you

it really does take time to figure out

your own body you can't just create a

training program and know that this will

work immediately

you need to consistently adapt and make

changes along the way besides that

having a record is also a great way to

keep you accountable to your goals for

instance you'll know if you manage to

fit in five days of workout as planned

this information is key to show you

results and to keep you going now that

you know the foundation of building a

solid workout program i want you to put

this into action and try it out for

yourself to get you through your fitness

journey i've also designed a

well-structured training program every

month on my fitness app called feel all

the workouts are effective easy to

follow with clear instructions and

they're led by internationally certified

trainers so you know you're in safe

hands plus the workouts can be done at

home with very minimal equipment

do check it out and sign up for free on

fieldlife.com or download on the app

store or google play

with all the knowledge and information

let's also not forget that nutrition and

diet is still 80 percent of the results

to see permanent changes it is a

combination of having an effective

training program eating a well-balanced

diet that fits in with your goal and

getting enough rest daily if you enjoyed

this video if you find this video to be

useful then do like this video and share

it on with your friends do also hit the

subscribe button check out a lot more

workout videos nutritional tips and

recipes on my youtube channel and i will

see you in my next video stay safe and

all the best