These 5 elements belong into your training plan

Rocky did it in the movie, Arnold Schwarzenegger did it in real life. Usain Bolt, Dirk Nowitzki, and all successful athletes can’t afford not having it: a training plan! Use the ultimate training tool and reach your goals.

If you fail to plan you plan to fail – these 5 elements are crucial

Take a good look at your training plan. If you can find the contents described below there is not much that can stop you from reaching your goal. Check your plan and make sure these 5 elements are part of your training. You are training like a beast for months now: your arms should become bigger, your back stronger and wider or your abs should look more impressive but – nothing happens. Have you ever really questioned your strategy that you use to turn your wishful thinking into reality? A reasonably planned training is a basic requirement for individually set goals. The more ambitious your individual goal is the more important it is to have a fitting and indicatory training plan. For even the biggest motivation and modern training equipment won’t help you if your planning isn’t right.

Your route planner to success

You could compare your way to success to traveling: with a good travel guide or navigation system you can find your way much better in a foreign city with a foreign language and you will reach your goal much faster. You will have to take less detours and can enjoy the path more because you can be sure that you will reach your destination in the end. And just like with traveling, it is important to know where you want to go in the first place. This is already the first element that must not be missing from your training plan:

• Know your goals! The goal of your training should be known and phrased exactly. ‘Becoming fitter’ might sound good but it isn’t measurable and it isn’t a feasible goal that you can strive for. Clearly formulated goals are much better: I want to be able to do 5 pull-ups, I want feel satisfied when I look in the mirror and fit into my old jeans again, or I want to run the 5k in under 35 minutes in the fun run. Your goal is the foundation for your search for and the realization of a training plan. Check whether your goals are the same goals of your training plan.
• Target group check: are you included? A endurance plan for Kenyan top runners will definitely overstrain you in your endurance performance. The same can be said in terms of strength training and dieting and is worth looking into: for whom is this plan actually designed? If you are, for example, more of a beginner in the pull-up department a plan with easier variations with the aeroSling sling trainer is a better fit for you than a high intense program with additional weight on the pull-up rack. Try to assess your fitness level realistically and determine your target group. Is the training plan appropriate for your age and can it motivate you long-term or do you need a short-term plan to fix pressing issues? The same goes for your diet plan. Whom is this diet designed for and is it suitable for you? When in doubt consult professional help.
• Don’t forget the training principles This item should usually be self-evident in all training plans. Unfortunately, it isn’t… All coaches, experts, and athletes that have ever designed a plan should know the training principles and use them skillfully. I will list the most important training principles for you in short next:
  • Create optimal impulses: The intensity of your training has to exceed a certain threshold. If the impuls is lower than this ‘barrier’ there will be no desired reaction of the body. But be careful! The training impulse mustn’t be too high unless you want to risk injuries and overloading symptoms. Sprinting or jumping with heavily overweight clients is a prime example of choosing impulses way too high for the individual clients (even though certain weight loss tv shows might propagate that but that’s a topic for another blog post…). The impulse should, however, challenge the system reasonably. Increasing maximum strength won’t be possible with 1.5 kg dumbbells. Check your training plan if the impulses fit your fitness level and don’t demand too much or too little from you.
  • regular training sessions & rising loads: ‘Once doesn’t count.’ The best training in the world will show almost no result when you just do it once. Repetition and regularity create champions. Additionally, it is important that the loads are increased the longer you follow your training plan in some form or another. Are there variable and challenging parts in your training plan? Does it challenge you anew every time? Is there a realistic estimate how long it will take you to reach your goal? If you can answer all of these questions positively you will be able to enjoy the results of your training soon.
  • Individualisation of the training: A very exact individualisation of the training is increasingly more important with professional athletes. A universal training plan is often not specific enough to coordinate the number of training sessions (often more than 7 sessions per week). One central training principle is the interplay of training and regeneration. Never underestimate this aspect when you are a highly ambitious athlete.
• Let experts help: Use the vast knowledge and many experiences of experts. Experts can come from various areas: doctors, sports scientists, personal trainers, former professional athletes or even hobby athletes can be the perfect company on your way to your goal. A shiny homepage and a few transformation pictures don’t necessarily mean that the training plan will work perfectly. Take a close look at the experts before starting with a training plan. Unfortunately, not every self-proclaimed expert has the required experience or knowledge to get you where you want to be. Maybe you can get the opinions of others that have already worked with the plan or the expert in the past.
• Health first: Sadly, there are more than enough examples of how not to do it but even with the most challenging goals one thing should be your priority: use your intelligence and keep your hands off methods and means that will harm your health. ‘Win clean: say no to doping!’

I hope you are already training with a good plan and you can find all basic elements in your training plan. Then it is all about staying motivated and recommending the positive training plans. If the basic elements shouldn’t be reflected in your plan at all, pay close attention to the next lines:

‘So test therefore, who unsucessfully train forever, if no better plan be found altogether’

This rather free reimagining of a line by Friedrich Schiller is my advice to you. In addition to using motivating training equipment by aerobis, get some help by real experts for your training plan. Look at the opportunities with experienced coaches in your area or directly search for your best training plan on plan-planet.de. Weight loss, sixpack, muscle growth or a new best time? Plan-Planet gives you the proper plan – independently and easily. We are looking forward to your reaction and, hopefully, lots of positive training plan examples. Gregor Akkermann