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 Exercise with less risk of injury! Feel more energetic throughout your day! Are you the type of person that randomly chooses resistance equipment everytime you go to the gym? Do you often choose equipment to what’s available? Are you keeping track of what muscles you’ve exercised each day and the previous days? Creating a custom program will allow you to reach your goals much sooner and safer. Things you should know before you design a fitness program. 1. Everyone is different – everyone must design a plan that meets the needs to that individual. Just because you’ve read a great workout in a magazine or seen on a TV show, doesn’t mean that it's best for you. Most particular workout programs may work for you and may bring you good results, however the program may not be the most efficient procedure to meeting your goals nor the routine may not be suitable to your ability. 2. Risk and Benefit- What’s a better exercise to build overall leg strength? Squats or Leg Presses? Should I use the treadmill or cycle for cardio? When I perform a bench press exercise, should I bring the bar down and touch my chest during every repetition? 
All types of exercises have risks. Sometimes it's difficult to draw the line between what is proper form and incorrect form, especially with all the new fitness equipment we have today. Even several certified fitness professionals may disagree regarding form and techniques. What we can do is to try and understand the RISK versus BENEFIT factor before we perform an exercise and to remember the facts found in studies done in the past. "Is the barbell squat exercise better than the leg press for overall muscle development?" With my opinion, the answer is yes. A squat exercise will create more neural demand on your nervous system while your body activates more synergistic muscles to perform the movement. However you must consider many factors such as: does that individual performing the squat have efficient back strength, proper posture, balance, coordination and neuromuscular conditioning? If not, I would NOT suggest the exercise. This scenario is a good example of high risk with moderate benefit, and perhaps the leg press would be the more ideal exercise in this situation.
3. Form – as mentioned earlier, form is essential to everyone that wants quality fitness results with minimal risk of injury. In this article, we will provide sample programs with multiple exercises, some are basic, some are not. If you are not aware of the exercise mentioned, you should consult a fitness professional or we advise you not to perform the exercise.
Step One: Fitness-Assessment 1. Medical Problems/ Injuries – Be aware of all medical problems, and injuries both past and present. Consult your doctor if you experience any type of pain in any areas of your body, and for any problems that may be relevant to exercise and diet. 2. Posture – If you have a posture deviation, you must implement exercises or stretches in your routine to fix this problem. 3. Core Strength – Assess your core strength and kinetic chain stability to determine your level of stress that you can place on your mid section. 4. Neuromuscular Functions – How well is your balance, coordination, and nervous system? 5. Muscle Imbalances – Muscle imbalances may lead to injuries. Determine major imbalances only and implement needed exercises accordingly. 6. Measurements/Composition – Record all circumferences, weight, and body fat percentages before you begin your program. (Ask your Fitness Professional for help if necessary) Once you’ve completed your assessment, and found no considerable problems that may prevent you from performing satisfactorily, you may now begin to design your program. Step Two: Goals, Intensity, Reps, Tempos and Rest Intervals Determine your Fitness Goal The most common goals are listed below See table below to determine your intensity, reps, tempo, and rest intervals. Intensity percentage is based on the maximum weight performed with no more or less than four repetitions.
Step Three: Rotation Technique/Schedule Choose a workout technique and rotation: Integrative resistance training: (suggest 3 times a week with 1 rest day in between workouts) : ideal for weight loss individuals that have limited time to get to the gym. This is a complete workout that involves the detailed factors and the needs of the individual. Push/Pull Split : ( suggest 4 times a week, Monday (push), Tuesday (pull), Wed (Off), Thursday (push), Friday (pull): ideal for hypertrophy and weight loss utilizing a two dimensional routine (resistance and cardio as two back to back workouts.) Triple Split: (suggested 5 to 6 times a week): ideal for hypertrophy, muscle gains, and body building. It will take 3 workout days to complete the full body workout. (not including days off) Other Split Routines : Upper/ Lower, High intensity and low intensity, endurance, sports conditioning.    Step Four: – The Exercise Program Choose your procedure based on your fitness and ability level. INTEGRATIVE Workout Procedure 1. Choose a warm up 2. Stretches 3. Posture exercises (if necessary) 4. Core exercises (if necessary) 5. Functional (Balance) exercises 6. Reactive (power) exercises 7. Strength exercises 8. Cool Down Repeat cycle every other day or every other two days Sample Integrative Program  PUSH/ PULL SPLIT Procedure 1. Choose a warm up 2. Stretches 3. Strength Training 4. Cardio 5. Cool Down Day one- core (if necessary) , Chest, Shoulders, Triceps Day two- core (if necessary) , Back, Biceps, Legs Day three – Off Day four – (Repeat Cycle; back to day one) Sample PUSH program  Sample PULL Program  TRIPLE SPLIT ROUTINE Procedure 1. Warm up 2. Stretches 3. Strength 4. Cardio 5. Cool Down Day One – Core (if necessary) Chest, Biceps Day Two – Shoulders, Triceps Day Three – Off Day four – Back, Legs Day five – Chest, Biceps Day six- Off Day seven – Shoulders, Triceps Day Eight - (continue to follow pattern) Sample TRIPLE SPLIT Program  
Because each individual's fitness goals and capability level is different, please consult a fitness professional to help you design a personalized program that meets your needs.
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