Fitness Training at BMS
example of a well designed program.
APPROPRIATE FITNESS PROGRAM
The American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM) recommends the following exercise session for an apparently healthy individual starting an exercise program. This is a basic exercise program for someone starting out. More involved, specific, or health concern programs can be designed by your trainer, but all of the following phases should be followed in some fashion.
Exercise Session
There are five phases to a basic fitness program and they proceed in the following order:
1. Warm Up Phase
2. Flexibility Phase
3. Cardiovascular Training Phase
4. Strength Training Phase
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5.Cool Down Phase
The Warm Up Phase prepares the body for physical activity. Appropriate activities are light and rhythmical body motions such as walking, exercise bike, or calisthenics (marching in place), at a low intensity, for 2 to 5 minutes.
The Flexibility Phase is done before the aerobic phase or after the cool down phase, or both. All the major muscle groups should be stretched in a slow and cautious manner (chest, shoulders, abdomen - mid torso, low back, quadriceps - front legs, hamstrings - rear legs, inner thigh, outer thigh, and calves). Stretches should be held for 15-30 seconds for 1-3 repetitions.
The Resistance Training Phase uses activities-weight machines (hoist, universal, nautilus, cybex, precor, or body master selectorized, weight stack machines), free weights (such as dumbbells and barbells), bands, kettlebells, or ones body weight. These are all considered strength training activities. Each body part should be exercised through an activity (chest, shoulders, biceps - front of arm, triceps - rear of arm, abdomen - mid torso, low back, quadriceps - front legs, hamstrings - rear legs, and calves, through a multi-joint, compound exercise (squat) or one that isolates an individual muscle (biceps curl). See a fitness instructor for proper use of machines or exercises.
Frequency is 2 to 3 times per week.
Intensity for strength development, the resistance of the exercise should allow 2 to 8 repetitions of an exercise and for muscular endurance greater than 15. To increase both muscular strength and endurance, use weights that will not allow more than 12 repetitions and perform at least 8 to 10, we recommend 10-12 reps. Effort is the key to strength training. You must put out an effort at the end of each set where another couple of repetitions would not be possible, momentary muscular fatigue.
Duration, 1 to 3 sets of an exercise for each body part.
1 set for novice exercisers and 3 sets for advanced exercisers.
In addition to resistance training we highly recommend stabilization training for the spine at least 1 to 2 times per week. This includes performing 1 to 3 sets of planks, sidebridges, bridges, and crunches. There is a form of each that most people can perform from a novice exerciser to an advanced exerciser. See a fitness instructor to learn how to perform stabilization exercises.
Cardiovascular Training Phase
Mode is the type of activity that is performed. It should be continuous, rhythmic activities such as walking, running, swimming, biking, elliptical training, and hiking.
Frequency is the number of times per week that the activity is performed. Typically, aerobic activity should be performed 3 to 6 times per week. If weight loss is your goal perform up to 7 times a week.
Intensity is the degree of effort put forth. Someone starting a fitness program should work at a fairly light to somewhat hard intensity. Learn how to measure RPE and heart rate to judge intensity (heart rate and RPE measuring).
Duration is the time spent performing aerobic activity. The ACSM recommends at least 15 to 20 minutes a day for healthy adults. I prefer at least 20 minutes. Approach 45 minutes if weight loss is your goal. Splitting sessions into two is perfectly fine. An example 10 to 20 minutes in the morning and then 10 to 20 minutes in the afternoon.
The Cool Down Phase is performed at the end of the aerobic session. Its purpose is to bring the body back to a resting state in a gradual manner. Instead of stopping completely at the end of an aerobic session it is very important to slow down gradually by lowering aerobic intensity for 3 to 5 minutes. Light stretching is recommended at the end of the cool down.
Progression
An important point to make about exercise is that if you perform the same activity at the same duration and intensity you will most likely remain at the same fitness level. To prevent this you need progression. This is where you challenge yourself periodically by increasing your speed and/or duration when cardiovascular training and increasing the amount of weight lifted or number of sets when strength training. Eventually you will reach a point of fitness that you desire. At this point you can continue the same program understanding that you will maintain the level of fitness that you wanted to achieve.
Want a Simple Program that can be done at BMS or at Home.
