How to Structure A Workout
Welcome back to the Total Performance Newsletter! If you are a new subscriber and did not receive previous editions, let me know and I will send them over right away! This month, we will continue to take a look at some specific movement, training, and injury-related issues that commonly arise and how to deal with them.
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Getting back to today's newsletter, we will focus on a simple way to structure a workout.
Before we dive into the details, it is important to note that there are countless ways to structure a workout, but the method we are going to focus on in this newsletter is a simple, effective, efficient, and adaptable way to get in a well-rounded training session.
Let's dive in.
The Warmup:
Every workout should start with a warmup. The newsletter from May, entitled "The Ins and Outs of a Warmup" explained the why, the how, and the what of how to structure a warmup-check it out or let me know if you want me to resend it if you are interested in a more in-depth explanation. For this newsletter, we'll keep it brief. Pick 2-3 exercises that address specific mobility limitations you may have and prepare you for the work you are going to do later in the workout. Most common areas to address are hip mobility, thoracic mobility, and core strength. Perform these exercises as a circuit for 2-3 rounds. After this circuit, your body should feel loose and you should have a light sweat going. Look below under "Sample Workout" for some examples of exercises to choose from.
Power:
Everyone, regardless of age, ability, or goals, should be training power to some extent. The only exception to this is during the early to middle phase of rehab, in which we are still monitoring tissue healing parameters. You do not need to jump or sprint like a world-class athlete, but your training should always include some element of making your body produce and/or accept for quickly. This is the first quality that degrades as we get older, so it is imperative that we train it consistently and build a large foundation.
This part of a workout will vary the most amongst individuals based on abilities, limitations, and goals. It can include things like jumps, hops, medicine ball throws, running drills, and other agility-based exercises. The list under the "Sample Workout" below is far from exhaustive, but the main idea is find things that fit your abilities and goals and force you to move your body quickly. Pick 2-3 exercises and perform 2-3 rounds. Keep the reps low so that you can focus on producing high amounts of force with minimal fatigue.
Strength Circuit 1:
Here is where we get into the meat and potatoes of the workout. This circuit will contain your main lifts of the day-one for the upper body and one for the lower body. Reps will stay on the lower end, between 5-8, so the weight you use for each lift can be heavier. Most frequently, I like to pair exercises that emphasize opposing sides of the body. So, if you choose quad-dominant (front of the body) exercise for the lower body, I would pair that with a back exercise for the upper body. If you choose a glute/hamstring (back of the body) exercise for the lower body, I would pair that with a pressing exercise for the upper body. This helps to limit any "interference" each exercise has on the other and allows you to get the most out of each exercise. Check out the "Sample Workout" below from some examples.
Strength Circuit 2:
This part of the workout is where we get our accessory work in, which helps to supplement the main exercises in the previous circuit and distribute force across the entire body. Here, we are going to pick three exercises; one upper body, one lower body, and one core exercise. The upper and lower body exercise will emphasize the opposite muscles that we worked during the main work. For example, if you choose a squat (quad focused exercise) for your main lower body lift, then you will choose an exercise that works the glutes/hamstrings in this section, and vice versa. If you chose a 1 Point DB Row (back exercise) for the main upper body lift, then you will choose a pressing exercise in this section, and vice versa. The core exercise can be something stationary, like a plank, or more dynamic, like a cable chop. In this section, reps will be higher, more in the 8-12 rep range, and weights will be a bit lighter. Check out the "Sample Workout" below from some examples.
Finisher:
This part of the workout is where we can have some fun. You can get a pump and do some arms/shoulder work, you can do extra abs and mobility work, or you can do some conditioning. Whatever you choose here should leave you feeling like you had a great workout. Check out the "Sample Workout" below from some examples.
Sample Workout:
Here is the sample workout. Click on the names of the exercises for video links. The exercises listed are far from an exhaustive list-they are meant to show you the types of exercises that fit into each category.
Warmup: 2-3 rounds
*pick 2-3 exercises
-Airplane Windmill (8-10 reps per side), Hands Supported Toe Taps (6-8 reps per side), Hands Supported Pushup ISO Rotation (6-8 reps per side), Modified Side Plank (15-20 sec per side), Pushup ISO Knee Drive (6-8 reps per side), Hands Supported Reverse Lunge (6-8 reps per side), Lateral Squat (6-8 reps per side)
Power Circuit: 2-3 rounds
*pick 2-3 exercises
-Box Jump (4-5 reps), Pogo Hops (10-15 yards), Snapdowns (5-6 reps), Skips (20-30 yards), Shuffles (15-20 yards), Carioca (15-20 yards), MB Drop Squat Catch (5-6 reps), MB Slam (6-8 reps), Offset MB Slam (6-8 reps), Rotational MB Slam (6-8 reps), MB Shotput (5-6 reps), MB Rotational Scoop Toss (5-6 reps)
Strength Circuit 1: 2-4 rounds
Quad and Back exercises to pair together (pick one of each)
-Quad: Goblet Squat (5-8 reps), Split Squat (5-8 reps), RFE Split Squat (5-8 reps)
-Back: 1 Point DB Row (5-8 reps), 2 Point DB Row (5-8 reps), Chest Supported Rows (5-8 reps)
OR
Glute/Hamstring and Pressing exercises to pair together (pick one of each)
-Glute/Hamstring: KB Deadlift (5-8 reps), 2 DB RDL (5-8 reps), Reverse Lunge (5-8 reps)
-Pressing: DB Bench Press (5-8 reps), Incline DB Bench Press (5-8 reps), DB Floor Press (5-8 reps)
Strength Circut 2: 2-4 rounds
*if you picked quad and back above, pick 2 exercises from this grouping here:
-Hands Supported SL RDL (8-12 reps), Shoulders Elevated Glute Bridge (8-12 reps), Eccentric Hamstring Curls (8-12 reps), Kickstand RDL (8-12 reps), Lateral Squat (8-12 reps), Alternating DB Bench Press (8-12 reps), SA DB Bench Press (8-12 reps), Pushups (8-12 reps)
*if you picked glute/hamstring and pressing above, pick 2 exercises from this grouping here:
-Step Up (8-12 reps), Walking Lunge (8-12 reps), Lateral Step Down (8-12 reps), Split Stance Single Arm Cable Row (8-12 reps), 1/2 Kneeling Single Arm Pulldown (8-12 reps), TRX Rows (8-12 reps)
*add a core exercise to complete this circuit
-Bear ISO Hold (20-30 sec), Mini Squat Stance Palloff Press (6-8 reps), Split Stance Cable Chop (6-8 reps), Split Stance Lift and Press (8-12 reps)
Finisher:
*Arms/shoulders idea
-2-4 rounds of Bicep Curls (10-12 reps), Tricep Pushdowns (10-12 reps), Lateral Raises (10-12 reps)
*abs/mobility idea
-2-3 rounds of Hollow Hold KB Crunch (12-15 reps), 1/2 Kneeling Adductor Rockback (8-10 reps)
*conditioning idea
-10 rounds of 30 sec work, 30 sec rest stationary bike
Hopefully this information provides some insight into how to develop a well-structured workout that will keep you moving better, feeling better, and performing better!
Stay tuned for next month’s newsletter, where will we continue to look into some common issues that arise and practical solutions to deal with them! Also, if you have any topics that you want to see covered in a future newsletter, please let me know!
Brett
