Whilst 2020 hasn't exactly been what I (or anyone) imagined, one positive thing to come out of it is that I started working out!
I have always admired people who maintain some form of a fitness regime, whether that's weight training, running or yoga. But for some reason (that is obviously not laziness), I could never motivate myself to do the same. Although, I do have the convenient excuse that I live in a busy city and lead a relatively active lifestyle.
But, after staying home for almost 3 months, the lack of physical activities finally got to me. That is when I decided to pick up the dumbbells and just start.
Getting started
For the first few sessions, I just searched online for different exercises to try them out. I discovered that I enjoyed some and hated others. I knew I needed a simple way to plan my workouts and track my progress. This is where this planner insert comes in.
Here is how I use it.
Step 1: Research
First, I decide which area or muscle group that I want to focus on - this could be arms, shoulders, abs or legs. Then I search online for suitable exercises. Besides fitness blogs, I also like watching YouTube videos so I can see the proper form.
Since I will be workout out at home, I consider the equipments that I have on hand. In my case, its 2kg dumbbells, a resistance band and a jump rope.
During this process, I'll make sure to take notes and bookmark any helpful articles or videos.
Step 2: Plan and Execute
Now its time to plan!
As a newbie, I like to experiment with different combination of exercises to see what works best. This insert makes it easy for me to keep track of them since I can number my routines. This is also handy if you have favourite routines that you like to repeat.
Using the Routine page, I write down the exercises along with the number of sets and repetitions for each set. If the exercises are time-based such as planks or crunches, I'll write down how long I have to do it for and the number of repetitions (e.g. four reps and 30 seconds each time).
Having a plan written down makes it a lot easier to execute (and more difficult for me to make excuses).
Step 3: Track
To keep myself accountable, I use the Tracker page to write down which routine I did on a certain day. Since I try to do a workout every two days, I also make a note of rest days and any days where I skip. Tracking this way helps keep me accountable and consistent since I can see how I'm doing.
And there you have it.
That is how I plan my workouts and keep myself motivated. Being able to write down my routines in detail definitely makes exercising slightly less daunting. I am excited to see if I can maintain this momentum and also how my routine will evolve over time.
You can join in too - download this printable Workout Routine Planner and Tracker to get started on your own fitness journey!