Essentials for a Successful Workout Plan

First and foremost, you should know what you are going to do when you are going to do it by the time you enter the gym. Leave the improvising to jazz musicians and comedians. Starting to work out with a specific plan in mind, hopefully formed by a personal trainer you have consulted, will mean your workout will be more effective than you just wing it.

It is not only important to know exactly what you are going to do when you get to the gym, you should also know when you are going to do it. Set up a reasonable time frame that would allow you to complete each exercise. Knowing when you are supposed to begin and end sets can prevent distractions.

It is also important to be on time for any particular workout. Even if you are not meeting with a personal trainer or training partner, set yourself a specific time you plan on arriving at the gym. Over time, this will condition your mind to recognize a part of a day as "exercise time." Eventually, you won't know how to live without it. A major way to get fit is to make fitness as integral to your routine as brushing your teeth and taking a shower.

Always make sure you have specific goals before you pick up the weights. Don't just think you will do sets until you get exhausted. Know how many calories you want to burn, the distance you want to travel on a cardio exercise machine, or the number of reps and sets for weight training. Goals help give you purpose.

Always educate yourself on what muscles a particular exercise is supposed to work. While doing the exercise, pay attention to those muscles and make sure they are getting worked. It can sometimes be easy to mindlessly swing weights around without taking proper consideration into whether or not you actually feel those muscles burning.

In fact, your body naturally tries to do any difficult activity with the least amount of effort necessary, whether or not it leads to fat burning or muscle growth. Paying close attention will help you figure out if you are using the correct technique or adjust the amount of weight you are using.

Once your are finished working out for the day, take some time to reflect how well you did. Are there exercises you found to be too easy or too difficult? Is there anything in particular that made this workout easier or more difficult to get through? Do you feel totally energized or completely fatigued? Examining each workout can help you make small adjustments that lead to a more efficient and effective exercise program.

Chris McCombs is a Orange County health clubwith specialty in fat loss and muscle toning. He owns a successful company called Positively Fit Personal Training. His website www.socalworkout.com contains valuable tips on fitness and "how to" style exercise videos.