How to Set Up an Exercise Schedule
Cramming an exercise routine into your daily schedule can be challenging. You might think you don't have enough time to exercise due to major obligations. The best way to make an exercise routine fit your schedule is to become organized. Write down the days and times when you can exercise -- and plug in your workouts from there. Planning what type of workout you will do each day will also save you time.
Instructions
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Buy a notebook or a day planner to create your exercise schedule -- or use a calendar you already have. Having your workout times written down makes it less likely that you will skip exercises.
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Determine the best time of day for you to work out. Decide if it is appropriate for you to work out in the morning, at lunchtime or in the evening. Choose a time of day when you're free to exercise for at least 20 minutes, preferably 45 minutes. Factor in your job, children or other commitments, and what time of day you are likely to have the least amount of disturbances. You do not have to exercise at the same time every day -- adjust your workout time accordingly. However, it helps to know what time of day you will exercise, especially in advance.
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Design a resistance training workout. Resistance training involves working out with weights such as barbells, dumbbells, weight machines or resistance tubing. If you're pressed for time, try doing a full body workout on your weight training days. Train the major muscle groups of your chest, back and legs. By focusing on these muscle groups, you will simultaneously train smaller, secondary muscles, which will save you time. Write down the exercises in your notebook before you begin working out so you know the order in which you will perform each one.
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Write down cardiovascular exercises that you like to do. Cardio includes walking, running, jogging, using an elliptical machine, aerobics, jumping rope, hiking, swimming and bicycling. Pick a different cardio exercise from your list for each cardio workout. Switching which exercise you do each time will keep you from getting bored.
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Time yourself. Use a stopwatch to time yourself during your workouts. This will help ensure you do not exercise too long, especially if you have time constraints. You should also time yourself in between sets during your weight training sessions to make sure you are not resting too long. Try to rest for 30 to 60 seconds between sets to optimize your workout time.
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Keep track of your progress. Write down the weights you use during each workout. Use slightly heavier weights each workout, and note your improvements. Seeing your results go up each week will give your morale a boost.
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Rest at least one day per week. This will keep you from overtraining and burning out. A day of rest will also recharge your "batteries" and make you look forward to your next week of training.
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References
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