4 Stages of a good workout routine
Have you ever walked into the gym and not known exactly what to do? Or maybe you had a general idea of what you wanted to get into that day, but not the best idea where to start. Let’s dive deeper into the 4 stages of a good workout routine.
When you walk into the gym to start your routine, you should start off with your Prep. Some will label this as movement prep for the more performance based goals. So what goes into your prep? In this part of your workout, you want to, well, prep. Get ready for the major movement of the day. For this example, let’s say you plan to squat today. You will prep by first doing your mobilization of your hips. Then any “prehab”, which is hitting a couple exercises that target the supporting or even major muscle groups used in a squat. Here is where you will also get your core work in so that you can prepare your spine to accept and control load throughout your squat range of motion.
Then you will move onto your Primary. Any compound movement that is the basis of, or most important in your program/routine for that day should go here. In this example, your primary movement is your squat. This includes your warm up sets, as well as your working sets. Don’t rush through these sets as this is the section of your workout that will likely get the most adaptation from.
Next is your Secondary or Accessory movements. Some people will hit another compound lift in this section. In this example, you are hitting legs today, and you decide to squat AND deadlift on the same day. In this case, we’ll call the deadlift the secondary. First because it doesn’t have as much importance or emphasis in today’s workout as the squat does, and secondly because the volume and intensity will likely be lower because of this. When there is no secondary major lift, we add accessory movements here. These are movements that help support the main movement. In our squat example, let’s say the accessory lifts are some single leg work, and a couple machine exercises. This is where they will go in most cases.
Lastly, you have your Conditioning. Any conditioning, or as most call it cardio, will come after your lifts are all done. The type of conditioning you do should match the goal of the day. So if you are lifting for volume to build muscle, you’d likely want to add lactic style conditioning to your routine for that day. Followed by a cool down.
By laying out a game plan each day when you walk in the gym, you not only make yourself more efficient, but you are also more likely to reach your target. To get the most out of your routine with easy to follow programs just for you, click here to find out more about how you can work with one of our premium coaches.
