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For anyone in the realm of strength training, learning how to create a workout plan can be both exciting and daunting. After all, there’s a wealth of information out there — all of which can look different based on your body type and goals for strength and fitness.
Let’s explore some of the exercises that could be in your plan, how to structure your workout routine, and vital insights like recovery and frequency to ensure your training takes you to new levels of strength. Plus, we’ll reveal the one surefire way to make a workout plan that’s truly effective and leads to real results.
Make a workout plan with clear and attainable goals
The cornerstone of any successful venture is clear goal-setting. When you make a workout plan for strength training — or any health and fitness journey, for that matter — it’s about understanding what you want to achieve. For example, you might be looking to:
- Build bulk
- Be able to do 10 pull-ups
- Increase endurance in a specific muscle group
- Be able to lift your bodyweight
- Burn fat and tone up
Setting SMART (Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, and Time-bound) goals not only gives you direction but also serves as a benchmark.
Related: The Best Muscle-Building Diet Guide to Fuel Your Growth
Stay committed for the long run
The most successful strength-training programs are those that you can do — and do consistently. You likely won’t be bench-pressing twice your bodyweight in one week, and that is OK! With each session, you’re one step closer to reaching your goals. Celebrate your victories, no matter how small they may seem, and use them to keep pushing forward.
Related: 10 Ways to Stay on Track with Your Fitness Goals
Create a lifting routine for strength: 5 steps
When you build a workout plan, there are a few things to keep in mind. We’ll dig into all five of these throughout this blog:
- Essential exercises: The exercises that should be the backbone of your plan
- Structure: Sets, reps, and rest periods
- Schedule and frequency: How many days a week to work out, and how long the workouts should be
- Rest and recovery: The importance of rest days, and how many you should have
- Adjustments: Taking stock of what’s working — and making adjustments to keep progress moving forward
Now, let’s break down these five steps.
1. Essential workout routine exercises
When it comes to a workout plan structured for strength, the point isn’t just to do a random assortment of exercises at the gym. It’s about layering your sessions with compound lifts (moves that hit multiple muscle groups at once), along with isolation movements (those that focus on a particular muscle).
The following exercises can form the pillars of your training, but of course, don’t be afraid to mix it up every so often.
Squats
Squats aren’t just about leg strength; they engage your core, back, and stabilizing muscles. This makes squats an excellent choice for a full-body workout. Variations like front squats, back squats, and overhead squats can keep your workout routine diverse.
Deadlifts
Deadlifts work your hamstrings, glutes, lower and upper back, and core, making them another powerhouse movement. Ensure you maintain proper form, as deadlifts can put a strain on your back if not performed correctly. A coach or personal trainer is a great retarget to help with technique.
Bench Press
The bench press targets your upper-body muscles, including your chest, shoulders, and triceps. It’s a cornerstone for upper body strength and is often a favorite among those looking to build a formidable physique.
Pull-Ups and Chin-Ups
These are incredible for grip strength, work your upper back muscles, shoulders, and biceps, and provide a benchmark for true upper body strength.
Overhead Press
The overhead press, also known as the standing press, targets the shoulders and triceps, offering a compound lifting solution for upper body strength and stability.
Cardio
Depending on your goals, you may want to balance your strength training with cardio. If you’re aiming to build muscle and increase the amount you’re able to lift, focus primarily on weight training, and save cardio as a secondary focus.
Related: Gym Equipment 101: How to Use Leg Press, Curl, & Lift Machines
2. Workout routine structure: Reps, sets, and rest
How you structure your sets, reps, and rest can impact the results of your strength routine. Striking a balance is key.
Sets and repetitions
Reps (the number of times you perform an exercise) and sets (a group of reps) are where the details of your workout routine start to take shape.
For general strength training, aim for 3–5 sets of each exercise. Reps will depend on your goal and the weight you’re using. For strength, aim for lower reps (6–8) with heavier weights, encouraging maximal force exertion.
Higher reps and lower weight are more suited for toning and endurance while lower reps and higher weight are better to increase strength. Always ensure that you’re lifting a weight heavy enough that the last rep of each set is challenging, but still allows for proper form.
Rest periods
Allow rest between strength-training sets. For some heavier lifts, two to three minutes might be necessary to fully recover and perform the next set optimally.
Shorter rest periods (around 60–90 seconds) can promote muscular endurance and hypertrophy. However, the strength focus necessitates slightly longer rests (2–3 minutes) to allow for adequate recovery between heavy sets.
Related: Train Smarter, Not Harder: The Power of Periodization Training
Progressive overload: Lifting routine for strength
One key principle in strength training is progressive overload. This means gradually increasing the stress placed on your muscles during exercise. You’ll want to find ways to challenge your muscles as they adapt and grow stronger. This can be achieved by increasing the weight, reps, or sets over time.
Tip: Keep a training log to record your progress to track performance and maintain motivation as you see the improvements week by week.
3. Workout plan schedule and frequency
How often someone works out each week will vary based on goals, but a standard blueprint for a weekly strength-training workout routine might include something like targeting different muscle groups each day. For example:
- Mondays: Back and biceps
- Wednesdays: Chest, shoulders, and triceps
- Fridays: Legs
Ensure you have rest or active recovery days in between to give your muscles time to recover and grow.
Related: The Best Workout Split for Muscle Gain
4. Rest and recovery days
Rest days are an important part of your overall strength-training routine. It’s during the recovery phase that your muscles repair and grow. Not to mention, overtraining can lead to injury and hinder the great progress you’re making.
Rest days
When you build a workout plan, consider having one full rest day a week, and listen to your body for signs of fatigue or overtraining. This is where you don’t do any low- or high-impact activity.
Active recovery days
You can also incorporate active recovery workouts when you build a workout plan, which use low-intensity exercises to help your body release tension and decrease muscle soreness.
Related: 7 Yoga Poses for Stretching After a Workout
5. Workout routine adjustments
To keep things interesting and continue challenging your muscles, it’s important to add variety when you make a workout plan. This could include changing the order of your exercises, the type of exercises themselves, or the number of sets and reps.
By providing your body with new challenges, you can avoid plateaus and keep making progress. This doesn’t mean starting from scratch each time, but rather making incremental changes that keep your muscles guessing.
The secret to making a workout plan that actually works
Ok, so now you have the pieces to consider when making a workout plan. But here’s the catch: Even the most detailed guide can’t replace the expertise and guidance of a personal coach.
The investment in a trainer can save you time and possible detours down less effective paths along your fitness journey. They can help create or refine your workout routine, suggest adjustments, and provide support and expertise right when you need it most.
Personal coaches offer so many benefits, including:
- Effective workouts that are personalized to your specific goals
- Accountability and motivation on days when you might need a little boost
- Long-term knowledge that you can use for years to come
- Guidance both in and out of the gym
- Lesser risk of injury
A final word on how to build a workout plan
Knowing how to create a workout plan is as much an art as it is a science. The most effective workout plan is the one that takes into account your individual goals, body composition, and lifestyle. It should evolve as you do, continually challenging you and promoting steady progress.
Remember, while guides like this provide structure, there’s no one-size-fits-all approach for how to create a workout plan. If you’re in doubt, seeking the advice of a qualified personal trainer can provide invaluable support.
5 strength-training workout routines to try
- Ultimate Flex: Pull Day Workout Routine for Max Muscle Gains
- 5 Push Day Workout Exercises for Stronger Arms and Chest
- 15-Minute Beginner Bicep Workout to Tone and Strengthen
- The Full-Body Conditioning Workout Everyone Should Try
- E.M.O.M. Strength Builder Routine
If your goal is to boost your power, muscle mass, and overall physical longevity, having a Coach that can make a workout plan that suits YOU is a game-changer. Find the Anytime Fitness gym location nearest you for a FREE fitness consultation.
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