How to Create The Perfect Workout Routine

18 April 2019

Let’s get straight into it. Not the exercise – we mean the article. If you get straight into the exercise, you’ve already annihilated your chance of creating the perfect workout routine. Before and after your exercises, you’re respectively going to need to warm up and cool down. In doing so, you can make your overall performance, in the long term, much more effective – and you’ll be less prone to injury.

What’s your favorite workout?

Regardless of whether you’re starting a new fitness journey or already a seasoned pro at a variety of activities, you’re bound to have a few favorite activities. It’s important to establish this because there’s no need to dramatically alter what you do, or at least enjoy, already.

For instance, if you regularly run, consider alternative workouts that will really work your legs. If you’re a weightlifter already, try switching to a time under tension workout or perhaps a push/pull alternative.

However, if you are just setting out and looking for a starting point, here’s how you can mix it up to great effect...

Try a bit of everything

This works for seasoned gym-goers, too. With a well-structured, full body workout, people of any fitness level can find a perfect workout for them.

Therefore, after stretching and warming up your muscles, which could even involve walking into the gym, spend a little time working out each muscle group. Both free weights and weight machines will work here – and a weight machine might even help the less experienced to develop good form.

Start with the bench press, working the upper body. Then, switch to a leg press, or squat with dumbbells in either hand, before moving on to the shoulders. Follow this with hamstring curls and calf raises, and you’ve already worked out your legs.

Everyone knows how to curl their biceps, and follow this exercise with a tricep pulldown, where either a rope or bar is attached to the cable machine. Start with 5-10 reps of each activity, performed 2-3 times depending on your fitness level, and you’ve almost worked out the whole body.

Push yourself through the pain

Then, and this is where it might start to hurt a little, perform a series of crunches and short planks to strengthen your core, before moving on to the final activity – cardio.

Now, many people opt to do cardio and weights on alternative days, which is great. However, by finishing your workout with several short bursts of intense cardio lasting no more than 20 seconds at a time, you’re following a strong, every-muscle workout with fat burning.

Alternate 20 seconds of slow pace with 20 seconds of high speed on any cardio machine – for as many repetitions as you can manage – and you’ve got a perfect workout.

You might find this much easier, at least initially, by taking part in a PT-led bootcamp. You can find these at gyms, some local parks, and even in dedicated, luxury facilities across Europe. Prestige Bootcamp in Portugal, for instance, is an excellent choice for not just the perfect workouts but also perfect getaways.