1. Fitness Plans: Good News for all

This blog is aimed at providing fitness information, fitness plans, fitness tips and a regular update on how to’s of fitness and healthcare including gym based fitness techniques and methods to achieve fitness without going to or obtaining a gym fitness plan. The blogger intends to provide continuous updated information regarding physical fitness plans and techniques and workouts starting from simple fitness techniques and plans and gradually explaining the advanced fitness techniques specialized for different body parts.

Fitness Takes Time!

So, as they say, slow and steady wins the race, get ready to move forward slowly but steadily to achieve your dream fitness and maintaining it with fitness tips and techniques throughout your life. Tell yourself that this is a long journey but the end physical fitness level will reveal that the journey was worth it. Beware that there is no shortcut towards obtaining and maintaining an ideal bodily and mental fitness either through gym fitness plans, diet plans or home based workout plans.

Moving forward, this blog provides a detailed workout plan or fitness plan for beginners, a workout plan at home, fitness plansfor beginners, fitness plans for intermediate level trainers and a detailed fitness plan or workout plan for the advanced level trainers.

Are Fitness Plans Free?

Once you have made you mind that you would need considerable time, consistency and effort on your part to achieve the desired fitness level by following any of the pre-designed or customized fitness plans, the question arises that would it be free. It would cost you in one way or the other. Say, for instance, that you are buying a gym fitness plan. Yes it would cost you a certain fee which varies from gym to gym and also varies from plan to plan within a gym.

Not so fond of gym, read this article for simple and tested ways to achieve the same results as fitness plans. Read Good News: Fitness and Health Geeks 

On the other hand, if you have decided to go for a free fitness plan at home according to your available time, it would not be free even then. Time and effort are your resources, remember that. Therefore, in any way, there would be a time cost. The good news is, you will get the desired physical fitness level if you consistently pay this time cost. Never ever think of putting off your workout till tomorrow or your fitness plans are doomed.

The most fitness plans fail because the people following these plans start putting them off. This is the beginning of an inevitable ending: the failure of the these plans. Many has met this fate and an infinite number will meet the same fate if they are not followed consistently and regularly. Note that, if you don’t want to be one of them and shatter your fitness plans either gym based or at home workouts.

Consistency is Key to Success in Fitness Plans

Good News!

If you have skimmed through the above sub-section, consider reading it again else you would be missing the key to success for your fitness plans. The good news is awaiting you if you control yourself and follow your plan consistently. In the beginning, you will be frequently fighting with yourself to become consistent. However, once you have ensured to win this fight for first month or so (keep in mind 40 days as the bear minimum), your body will be accustomed to the new routine.

To make a fitness plan successful, you must conquer your body and take in under your strong control. Read our blog 10 Tips for Effective Exercise for success of your fitness plan. The path is simple but not easy especially for the first 5 to 6 weeks. When you have followed your fitness plans for this period, your success will be guaranteed. Just remember to keep your heels high. Follow a strict routine and never give up.

Fitness Plans: Never Give UP

Different fitness plans utilize different modes and techniques based on scientific knowledge and practice over the time. Moreover, your body type, rate of metabolism, initial weight, your height, lifestyle and the structure of fitness plans are the key determining factors. Therefore, it is quite possible that one person with same age, weight and height gets better results in the same period as compared to another person.

Alternate Days Fitness Plan: For Men at Home

Welcome! Want to gain muscles? Or, add some mass to your body or want to shed some pounds of weight. This article will assist you to successfully achieve your health and fitness goals. It is a fact that the appropriate and tailored fitness plans with unique workout or strength training is vital when your aim is to achieve the desired physical appearance.

            Irrelevant of the fact that your aim is to get into a good shape by starting today or you are already training but planning to gear up your fitness plans a little bit for improved muscles, abs and core strength, we will walk you through a workout plan tailored for your needs.

A general definition of a beginner is who has been training for less than a year, an intermediate is one who is following a fitness plan or workout routine for at least a year and an advanced level is the one where a person has been following a workout plan or strength training for at least one and a half year.

Depending upon this categorization, you have to select one of the following workout plans for you and follow it with consistency. Never try an advance level if you do not qualify or you will end up failing miserably. Read the word “consistency” again and remember it as the key to the success of your selected workout routine.

Fitness Plans: For Men at Home

     Many of us can’t afford time for visiting a gym daily. Therefore, the home is the alternate gym where we can workout with the freedom of time, though Fitness Plan following a specific time always yield better results. With a few equipment, your home gym will be a great way to change pace and get an adorable shape.

Always add a cardio e.g., running or cycling if your ultimate goal is to shed weight. If you are starting now, do the following workouts at the weekends or on alternate days to start with and gradually make it at least six days a week to make it a successful fitness plan.

            You only need a strong flat weight bench and weight-adjustable dumbbells to start with. These are conveniently available at your nearby retail store or you could always grab the adjustable dumbbells online. So, let’s start with focus on the whole body.

1st Day: Fitness Plan for Shoulders, Abs and Legs

            Do ensure an interval of a minute at least between the following.

  • Start with legs: jumping jacks and squats @ 3 sets each with 5-10 reps (add dumbbells in squats)
  • Front lunges @ 3 sets with 5-10 reps (adding dumbbells is optional)
  • Calf raises in standing position @ 3 sets with 8-10 reps
  • For Shoulders: start with shoulder presses @ 4 sets with 5-10 reps (in standing position with a wall)
  • 2 sets of upright dumbbell rows @ 3 sets with 5-10 reps and,
  • Lateral dumbbell raises @ 3 sets with 5-10 reps each.
  • For Abs: start with simple abdominal crunches @ 2 sets with 8-12 reps each and move to crunches with legs raised @ 3 sets with 10-15 reps each. Read our blog on 10 Best HIIT For Abs: Get Six Packs.

2nd Day Fitness Plan: Focus on Back and Chest

  • For Chest: start with pushups @ 3 sets with 5-10 reps each.
  • Floor press @ 2 sets with 8-12 reps and move to bench press (Add dumbbells as you advance)
  • Add dumbbells fly @ 2 sets with 10-15 reps each. For detailed chest workouts, read 11 Best Chest Workouts for Men.
  • For Back: 3 sets of bent over rows (with dumbbells) with 5-10 reps
  • Then do dumbbell rows (one-arm) @ 2 sets with 10-15 reps each and,
  • End the 2nd day workout plan with dumbbell pull-overs @ 2 sets with 10-15 reps each. For detailed back workouts, read 13 Most Effective Back Workouts.

3rd Day Workout with Focus at Abs and Arms

  • For abs: the best way to start is the plank @ 3 sets with 20-30 second holds. It will make your core strong and will work your abs.
  • For biceps: start with bicep curls @ 3 sets with 8-12 reps for each arm, then seated arm curls with dumbbells and in the end concentration curls, both @ 3 sets with 8-12 reps. For detailed bicep exercises, read 21 Best Bicep Exercises.
  • For Triceps: start with triceps extensions overhead @ 2 sets with 8-12 reps each, then do bench dips @ 3 sets with 5-10 reps and lastly, perform dumbbell kickbacks @ 2 sets with 10-12 reps each. Read our blog 20 Best Tricep Workouts for Sculpted Arm for detailed tricep exercises. 

Summary

To summarize with, the above given fitness plan at home is for all and sundry and includes all the basic/essential exercises required for gaining strength and achieving sizeable muscles with minimum equipment. All the reps and number of sets are suggestive and can be customized according to your needs and goals. These are not hard and fast rules, therefore, feel free to allow to your body to become accustomed with your workout routine.

The Best Fitness Plan: Good News for Beginners

Setting out for gym, mostly, is intimidating for beginners but well-thought-out Fitness plan and necessary guidance can make this amicable and invigorating in the end. All exercises in a fitness plan are aimed at promoting strength and gaining muscles. However, overexertion at the onset of this endeavor will only result in less efficiency and poor results.

This workout plan is based on alternate day approach, you will be spending 3 days such as Monday, Wed and Friday in workout, either at a gym near you or at home with a little bit equipment. The focus will be on the full body exercises for each day. The rest day will allow your body to get accustomed to new routine, workout plan movements, avoid fatigue and to recover.

Considerations for Beginners: Fitness Plan

Do not Hurry! Keep your beginner’s mode on till there is significant improvement and your body is well accustomed to workout plan. It is ok to add sets of certain exercises or repetitions if you want to focus a certain area but never overdo it. Several factors such as your age, metabolism type, existing body weight, agility and consistency affect the outcome of the fitness plans. Some may see results in 3-6 months others have to work for 8-12 months to achieve similar results.

1st Day: Focus is Full Bodybuilding

Before you start, remember to add 60-90 seconds interval between steps and to use weights that comfortably allows you to perform prescribed sets and their repetitions. No need to overburden! Just go with the flow and listen to your body in order to make your fitness plans a success.

  • For legs: Start with simple squats @ 2 sets of 5-10 reps. Consider back squats. For detailed leg exercises, have a look at our blog 30 Best Leg Exercises: Get Strong and Toned Legs.
  • For Chest: front press using a flat bench @ 3 sets with 5 repetitions each. Add pushups.
  • For a strong back, start with cable rows in seated position @ 2 sets with 8-10 reps
  • For shoulders, start with 3 sets of shoulder press in seated position. Add dumbbells. Move to lateral raises @ 3 sets with 10-15 reps. Detailed shoulder workouts can be read here 35 Essential Shoulder Exercises: Master the Shoulder Workouts
  • For triceps development, start with 3 sets of cable rope pushdowns with 5-8 reps.
  • For abs: Start with Plank and cobra stretch @ 2 sets each of 20-30 seconds.
  • For calves: start with calf raises in seated position @ 3 sets with 5-10 reps

Congratulations! you have successfully completed the first day. Now, lets read what tomorrow awaits.

2nd Day of Beginners Fitness Plans

            Welcome to the 2nd day of your training either at home or a gym. Consider using a fully equipped gym near you to obtain maximum out of this fitness plan. You remember that full body is the focus on each day! start your fitness plan now.

  • For Back: start with 3 sets of trap bar deadlifts each with 5-8 reps. After an appropriate interval, perform pullups @ 2 reps with 8-12 reps
  • For Chest: after front press of the 1st day, perform incline press @ 3 sets with 8-10 reps. Add dumbbells if you feel comfortable in performing the same exercise with some weight.
  • For Shoulders: Shoulder press with machine are effective way to start working on shoulders or you can opt for reverse machine fly @ 3 sets with 5-8 reps
  • For Legs: Start performing standing calf raises @ 2 sets with 10-15 reps. Also perform front lunges @ 2 sets with 10-15 reps.
  • For Biceps: Bicep curls with some weight (Dumbbells) that is comfortable for you @ 3 sets with 10-15 reps. Therefore, you must opt for adjustable dumbbells from your nearest retail store or from a vendor online.  

At the end of the 2nd day, a reminder that don’t overdo it and ensure 90-120 seconds interval between sets for each and every exercise to make your workout plan a success.

3rd Day: Last Day of Full Body Fitness Plan

            Let’s start with the third (last day) of the weekly workout plan for beginners. Again, its focus is the full body training.

  • For Legs: Continue with the seated calf raises at the same rate and include leg press @ 2 sets with 8-10 reps each. Also repeat the lunges in order to train your legs. Leg strength will play pivotal role in the success of your workout in the long run.
  • For Back: Continue repeating the same exercises as day 1 and day 2 in order to strengthen your back. You can consider adding T-bar rows (Optional) but not necessary for beginners.
  • For Chest: Perform chest fly using cables, @ 3 sets with 8-10 reps. Continue pushups at the rate 15-20 reps and front press at the same rate as day 1 & 2.
  • For Shoulders: Shoulder press (with dumbbells), one arm at a time, @ 3 sets with 8-10 reps. Also perform front raises, also with dumbbells, at the same rate.
  • For Abs: Continue with the planks and crunches with leg raised. Moreover, the mountain climb @ 2 sets with 20 reps for each leg.

Summary            

As the fitness plan reveals, the 3 day/week program focuses the full body. It will stimulate your muscles to gain strength and mass where required and lose fats as well as weight where necessary. Always, remember that integrating a diet plan with a workout program ensures early and long-lasting results as far as fitness is concerned.

4 Days/Week Ultimate Fitness Plan: Intermediates

After you have sweated enough for 2 to 3 months as a beginner, either at home or a gym near you, you must be looking for an ultimate Fitness plan as an intermediate. You have a clear aim in your mind and the results you are looking for are crystal clear in your mind. You must be looking to step up your training and expecting gains. If so, you are at the right place.

            Get a quick review of the best workout plan 3 days/week here: https://geeksofhealth.com/the-best-workout-plan-3-days-a-week/ and beginner’s workout plan here: https://geeksofhealth.com/4-workout-plan-for-all-achieve-results/. The ultimate workout plan assumes that you have good grasp of exercise techniques and you can handle significant weights during exercise.

            Since this ultimate Fitness plan is for intermediates, it includes more sets and increased number of repetitions per set in order to stimulate more muscle growth. After few days, you may consider adding more reps, sets or weights as you deem fit. Follow this ultimate workout plan for at least a year or two in order to reach advanced level. You may get sore after some of these exercises but don’t worry, your body will adjust soon enough.

Select a Fully Equipped Gym Near You

            For the ultimate Fitness plan, it is recommended that you must use a fully equipped gym near you. You can easily locate/find a gym near you online, no matter wherever you are. However, look for the equipment available with the gym before joining the one. Fully functional equipment of all types must be available with a lot of gyms near you.

            You must ensure resting intervals of 2-3 minutes for main workout and a minute and half between accessories. Also carefully select the weights to use during different exercises in the ultimate fitness plan. In order to make the workout more intense, test your limits during the last set of each exercise by increasing reps. However, be careful and never overdo it since it may result in injury.

Let’s start the ultimate Fitness plan for intermediates.

Ultimate Fitness Plan: 1st Day Focuses Upper Body

  • For Chest: you have to start with dumbbells front press @ the rate 3 sets with 10-15 reps and flat bench press with barbell @ 3 sets with 8-12 reps. 
  • For triceps and Chest: at intermediate level, dips are ideal to start with @ 3 sets with 10-15 reps and 3 sets of triceps extensions in lying position (add dumbbells) with 10-15 reps. Perform inclined dumbbells curls for biceps @ 3 sets with 10-15 reps.
  • For Back: start with pullups @ 3 sets with 10-15 reps. Also, you may opt for lateral pulldowns at the same rate. Once you are into the ultimate workout plan, you may opt for both because back strengthening is vital for an adorable body shape.
  • For shoulders: Start with 3 sets (10-15 reps) of seated press with dumbbells. This will stimulate growth in shoulder muscles.  

2nd Day of Ultimate Fitness Plan: The Lower Body

  • For Legs: start with the leg press @ 3 sets with 10-15 reps each. Then perform back squats, 3 sets with 8-12 reps for strengthening leg muscles.
  • For Calves: Perform calves press along with leg press @ 4 sets with 10-15 reps. It will result in increased muscle mass in calves and will strengthen calf.
  • For Quadriceps: Perform seated leg extensions followed by bend over to toes @ 3 sets with 10-15 reps. Follow this with front lunges @ 4 sets with 10-15 reps.
  • For abs: Straight crunches, cross leg crunches and decline crunches @ 3 sets each with 10-15 reps will definitely provide you with good start for working your abs.

3rd Day: Again, Upper Body

By now, you are halfway through of the ultimate workout plan for intermediates. On day 3rd, all exercises will focus the upper parts including chest, shoulders, back, biceps and triceps.

  • For shoulders, start your 3rd day with cable lateral raises, weight is your choice. Perform the raises @ 4 sets with 12-15 reps. Also perform overhead press @ 3 sets with 12-15 reps. Isn’t it a good start?
  • Perform inclined bench presses @ 4 sets with 10-15 reps for your chest growth.
  • For back, perform cable rows with one arm @ 4 sets with 8-12 reps.
  • Perform face pulls @ 3 sets with 10-15 reps and dumbbell shrugs @ 4 sets with 8-10 reps for rear deltoids or traps.
  • For biceps, perform preacher curls on machine @ 3 sets with 10-15 reps each. Overhead triceps extensions are useful for triceps. Perform these @ 3 sets with 10-15 reps.

Congratulations at the end of day 3 of this ultimate workout plan. A polite reminder that the suggested sets and reps may be increased/reduced according to your own preferences.

4th Day: Lower Body Fitness Plan

  • Start day 4 with the focus on back and hamstrings. Perform barbell deadlifts @ 3 setts with 8-10 reps each. Dumbbells deadlifts and lying leg curls should also be performed @ 3 sets with 8-12 reps each.
  • For calves, continue performing calf raises while you are seated @ 4 sets with 10-15 reps each.
  • For abs, perform crunches with legs raised and mountain climb @ 4 sets with 10-15 reps each.

Summary

            From the ultimate workout plan given above, it is evident that this plan focuses on enhanced frequency (more sets) and intensity (more reps). It also includes complex workouts that require skill and technique but promise enhanced muscle growth.

The Customized Fitness Plan: Advanced Level

            For persons at advanced level, there are multiple options when it comes to the best workout routine but a customized fitness plan can serve the purpose. Once you are among the advanced level trainers in the gym, addition in frequency and extra intensity are the only ways to gain further muscles. The frequency, or you may say volume of training, is added by performing extra sets and repetitions while enhanced intensity is achieved by adding extra weight on the bar.

Thus, customized workout routine becomes essential for continuous muscle growth. This blog has already discussed workout routines for beginners The Best Workout Plan: 3 Days a Week and the ultimate workout routine for those who have been performing well enough at training to be considered at intermediate level 4-days-week-ultimate-workout-plan-intermediates/.

Please go ahead and visit these links if you are looking for the best alternate day workout plan for beginners or a more intense but customized fitness plan for intermediate level trainers.

Considerations: The Customized Fitness Plan for Advanced Trainers

Continue, of course, if you possess enough training and exercise techniques or you enjoy consistent experience of training/workout of at least two years.

At advance levels, you must acknowledge the fact that muscle gains do not come as fast as they come at beginner or even intermediate levels. However, with consistent workouts specified for each muscle, a significant progress can be made. Unlike the 3 days workout plan for beginners and a 4-day ultimate workout routine for intermediate level trainers, this customized workout routine wants you in your gym for six days/week.

Things to Remember!

Before moving forward to the exact description, know that this customized workout routine is based on pull-push scheme. You will focus a certain muscle or muscle group twice in 6-days and it incorporates supersets to achieve hypertrophy i.e., the muscle growth.

Always keep in mind, this routine is customizable. You are free to increase/decrease sets, reps, add/reduce weights or bars from day to day or on weekly basis in order to achieve maximum output from this customizable workout routine. There should be required respite between sets and reps  normally ranging from one to two minutes. Since this is the advanced level program, you will need a fully equipped gym near you with all the possible functionality.

1st Day of Customized Fitness Plan: Advanced Level

  • Call it Pull Day. The focus is back muscles, biceps and hamstring. For Back start with Pullups @ 3 sets with 12-15 reps follow it by barbell deadlifts @ 4 sets with 8-10 reps. Go for cable rows in seated position @ 3 sets with 12-15 reps. These can be added up with lateral pulldowns and face pulls @ 4 sets with 12-15 reps. So, customize it accordingly.
  • For biceps, start with hammer curls @ 4-5 sets with 8-12 reps and then perform a superset of dumbbells shrugs at the same rate. Perform standing cable curls in addition to the above if your focus is on the biceps growth.

2nd Day: Call it the Push Day

  • The focus is on the chest and shoulders on day 2. Start by performing bench press (with flat barbells) @ 4-6 sets with 5-7 reps each. After the interval, perform inclined bench press (with dumbbells) and finally perform cable crossovers @ 3-5 sets with 12-15 reps.
  • Now the shoulders! Start by performing 3 sets of seated dumbbell presses with 8-10 reps. Add 3-4 sets of triceps pushdowns with 12-15 reps and then superset of lateral raises @ 3 sets with 10-15 reps.

3rd Day: Pull Day

  • On the focus are the leg muscles: Start performing deadlifts with adequate weight dumbbells @ 3-4 sets with 8-10 reps followed by leg presses @ 4 sets with 8-12 reps.
  • Perform back squats @ 3-5 sets with 5-7 reps each. After the interval, go for seated calf raises in order to strengthen the calf muscles. Supersets of lying leg curls @ 3-5 sets with 10-15 reps.
  • Mountain climb and decline crunches should be performed @ 4-5 sets with 12-15 repetitions in order to complete the second pull day.

4th Day: Pull Approach

  • The focus on 4th day of the customized fitness plan will be Back and lower back muscles in order to strengthen the core and achieve required growth by performing at maximum limit. Start with pull ups (add weights: optional) @ 3 sets with 12-15 reps.
  • 3 sets each of one arm rows, barbell rows (bent position), barbell shrugs with 3-5 sets each and 10-15 reps.
  • For lower back, perform hyperextensions with dumbbells. Supersets of preacher curls @ 3-5 sets with 10-15 reps may be added if more focus is on traps and lower back.

5th Day: Push Approach

  • Again, focus the chest and shoulder muscles. Start performing overhead presses @ 5 sets with 5-8 reps. Go for dips after the interval (add weights: optional) for chest and triceps.
  • Machine fly and bench press with dumbbells @ 4 sets with 10-15 reps are ideal for chest.
  • For shoulders, lateral raises (single arm) and overhead extensions @ 4 sets each with 8-12 reps.

6th Day: Pull Approach

  • Start with 4 sets of hanging leg raises @ 10-15 reps. The interval! Perform walking lunges with dumbbells @ 3-5 sets with 10-15 reps. Supersets of standing calf raises @ 3-5 sets with 10-15 reps.
  • Moreover, front squats and glute ham raises @ 4 and 3 sets each with 5-8 reps for strengthening leg muscles. Make these a routine as they can fit into any fitness plans conveniently. 

Summary

            As evident from the daily routine, this customized fitness plan for advance level training is highly intense. It follows push-pull patterns by focusing certain muscles at a particular day and only provides respite for one day a week. Caution! Only have a go if you are having a certain level of skills in training and have sufficient experience as stated earlier.

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