Three Things to Consider Before You Begin a Workout Program
By: Zack Harris
Tags: Wellness, Health, Self Improvement, Life, Fitness

I used to do the same exact thing at the gym, every single week — for years.

The same exercises, for the same number of sets. I would simply try to beat the amount of weight I did the week prior, which I would recall by memory. I absolutely didn’t bother to write anything down.

Technically, this is a form of progressive overload, and when you’re still a beginner, you can get away with that for a while. Because when you go from doing nothing at all to just about anything, progress will likely be made. But you can only do that for so long before you become stagnant, or worse, get hurt.

Once I began implementing proper workout programs, as opposed to just “winging it”, I was able to take my strength & conditioning to the next level. But if I had to do it all over again, I realize now that I could’ve made a lot more progress in a lot less time — if I had followed a properly structured program from the beginning.

But no single program is “one size fits all”, and it’s important to know exactly what you’re getting into before you begin one. Consider the following three things before selecting the program that’s right for you.

#1 — Assess your fitness level

There are many different programs available with varying degrees of difficulty, and the program that you want to do may not be the program that you should do. At least, not at first.

The core of every fundamentally sound workout program should be anchored around a few basic movement patterns: a push, a pull, a squat, a hinge, and a lunge. If you’re new to the gym and are unable to properly perform these movements with your bodyweight alone, you shouldn’t jump straight into a program that calls for heavy deadlifts, bench presses, and squats.

Rather, opt for a program that teaches you to properly execute these movements in their most basic form — exercises like bodyweight squats and push ups. Once you’ve developed mastery of those movements, then you can gradually progress towards loading those exercises up with additional weight.

A progression from a bodyweight push up to a barbell bench press may look something like this:

Push ups on an incline bench (note: If you can’t do a pushup, try these instead of doing push ups on your knees. It’s a more natural movement.)

(note: If you can’t do a pushup, try these instead of doing push ups on your knees. It’s a more natural movement.) Bodyweight push ups

Dumbbell floor press

Dumbbell bench press

Barbell bench press

This progression could be made over the course of several months or even years. It is entirely dependent upon the individual, and how quickly or slowly you progress isn’t important; what is important is that you’re able to “walk before you run”.

#2 — Be sure your program aligns with your goals

Before beginning a program, have a clear understanding of what and who the program was designed for versus what your specific goals are. If your main goal is to compete on a bodybuilding stage, then a program designed for Olympic weightlifters may not be ideal.

I had a friend whose number one goal was to add 50 pounds to his one rep max on the barbell back squat. He purchased the program, ran it for 12 weeks, and was sorely disappointed to find that he was barely squatting 10 pounds more than his previous max by the end of the training cycle.

What he didn’t read, which was clearly stated in the program’s description, was that this particular program was designed by somebody with chronic lower back issues, specifically for people who need a way to train their legs without incorporating any heavy barbell work — exactly what my friend was trying to improve.

Always have a clear understanding of exactly what you’re doing before you invest the time and the money into doing it.

#3 — Autoregulate your training

Think of any program you’re on as “written in pencil, not in pen”. That means if the program says that Monday’s workout will include 3 sets of 5 reps at 80% of your one rep max (1RM), understand that those numbers can always be subject to change.

For example, let’s assume your 1RM on the barbell bench press is 200 pounds. 200*80%=160, so according to the program, you’d be performing 3 sets of 5 reps with 160 pounds. You might feel great on week #1 and were easily able to crush that number. Awesome! But on week #2, maybe you’re overstressed from any of the countless variables that tend to sneak up in our lives at the wrong time — such as work or family issues.

Now, maybe 160 pounds doesn’t feel so light. Maybe 160 pounds feels more like 90% than 80%. At this point, you’ve got two options:

Option 1: You can “suck it up” and try to use the same weight anyway, which will cause a breakdown in technique and increases the risk of injury. (Hint: This is the wrong option.)

Option 2: You can autoregulate. You acknowledge that just because 80% of your 1RM is 160 pounds under ideal circumstances, that doesn’t mean it will feel that easy every day. So you adjust as necessary. Maybe for that specific day, you subtract 10% of the weight and see how 145 pounds feels.

The opposite is true for days that 80% feels abnormally light — because autoregulation is a two way street. If 160 pounds feels more like 70%, that’s great! Add 5–10 pounds and push yourself — as long as it can be done without compromising your technique or your safety.

The takeaway is this: When you’re training with percentages of your 1RM, that percentage is meant to be used as a guideline; it is not set in stone. When the heavy weight is there for the taking, take it. When you need to back off, do so. Much like saving or investing money, consistent effort will be the key factor in your long term success — regardless of what the exact amount is on a week to week basis.