Northwest Arkansas Democrat-Gazette
Use a personalized workout plan for best results
Designing an exercise program that is customized to one person’s goals, experience and current fitness level is more difficult than many people realize.
Anyone can pluck a program out of a magazine, but a high-quality fitness plan requires a great deal of consideration.
Before I give you this week’s exercise, which is designed for an advanced exerciser, let’s look at how to go about designing a personal program.
All too often we stroll into the gym with only a faint idea of our workout plans. We hop on a cardiovascular machine for a little while, then choose a smattering of strength exercises, then roll around in the abdominal area, and we’re done. I’m certainly guilty (this describes last Monday’s workout), and I’m sure many readers can also identify.
Exercise programming takes some time initially, but the dividends will pay off over time. It’s important to consider one’s goals, injury history, available equipment, schedule, current fitness level and preferences. As in a great chili, each individual ingredient isn’t particularly noteworthy, but the culmination of them can create a special experience.
A good program stipulates the exact activities to be performed on certain days of the week for a given period (or number of sets) to serve a specific purpose related to the exerciser’s own goal structure. Every exercise is placed in the program for a reason; there are no accidents within a professionally developed exercise program.
Consider, for example, the rest period between sets. Rest periods are rarely looked at as a separate variable, but they are a powerful element of a program.
Most people arbitrarily select a rest period of 1 minute between sets, but then their actual rest periods stretch out to two or three minutes. For a simple challenge, try shortening or eliminating the rest period. This will require more focus and determination, but the workout quality usually increases exponentially.
This week’s exercise method eliminates the rest period by adding a unilateral isometric contraction. It sounds complicated and daunting, but Dumbbell Hell is really just an innovative take on rest-period manipulation.
1. Select a pair of light or medium dumbbells and lie face-up on an exercise bench.
2. While holding the dumbbells, extend your right arm over the chest as you would in the “up” phase of a chest press.
3. Leave the left arm bent so that the dumbbell in your left hand hovers a couple inches over your left shoulder. This is your starting position.
4. From here, simply perform a one-arm chest press with the right arm for 2 1/2 minutes, straight.
5. At the end, switch arms and repeat with the left arm for 2 1/2 minutes.
Sometimes, a little tweak in programming can make all the difference in the world. While I’ve likely performed millions of chest press repetitions in my life, this exercise always forces me to dig deep.
Dumbbell Hell is a great challenge, but also one that is modifiable for those less experienced. Try starting out with 90 seconds on each arm and work your way up. You’ll be glad you did. Whew, it’s tough!