People looking to get in shape and improve their fitness will inevitably face the question – do I need to follow a workout plan? There is no right or wrong answer to this question. It depends on the characteristics of the individual and their fitness objectives. However most groups of people will find advantages in following a workout plan. Before we dive into these advantages, let’s explore what you can expect to find in a home workout app.
Training Plans in Workout Apps
Workout plans (or training plans as they are often referred to in many apps) are usually scheduled over a period of several weeks, with a focus on a particular goal. For example, Nike Training Club’s Lean Fit, or Skimble’s Lower Body Booster. Most workout apps will come with at least a basic training plan function, combining some of the workout routines already available into a multi week schedule. The best apps will tailor a custom training plan to your goals, your ability, and your availability to work out.
A workout app training plan will never replace the experience of having a personal trainer draw up a personalised plan for you, however you will get a lot of the benefits for a fraction of the cost.
So lets get stuck into the pros of following a workout plan.
Advantages of a Workout Plan
Somewhere to start
Beginners looking to get fit will often struggle with how to get started. Questions like what type of exercises should I be doing, and how many sessions should I complete a week, can combine and form a mental blocker which stops you from even starting your fitness journey. The great thing about a training plan is it answers a lot of these questions for you and gives you an entry point to kick off your new workout routine.
Having a goal to complete
Are you the type of person who likes to tick boxes and get stuff done? If the answer is yes, having a training plan to complete, over a fixed time frame with a set number of sessions per week, will give you a big motivational boost to go out and exercise.
Expert knowledge of professional coaches
The best workout apps will feature training plans developed by professional coaches who have expert knowledge in all things fitness and exercise. By signing onto these training plans you are tapping into this knowledge, and can steer clear of classic mistakes such as over or under training, or performing the wrong kind of workout for your desired objective.
Focus your workouts on a specific objective
If you want to achieve something specific (improve your strength, lose body fat, get toned abs) you need to train specifically to match your goal. A lot of training plans will have a specific focus allowing you to concentrate your efforts in the correct places.
Removes the opportunity for excuses
This is a hugely underrated advantage of using a workout plan. Anytime there is a decision to made (what workout should i do today? How many times a week do i need to workout?), there is an opportunity to make an excuse and slack off. This could be substituting a hard session for an easier one, or even ditching a session altogether. Following a structured training plan means there are less decisions for you to make, and less decisions removes the opportunity for excuses!
Conclusion
In summary, everyone can find advantages from following a workout plan, and some groups of people will especially gain from the structure and focus on a schedule. The decision to use one will depend on your fitness level, knowledge, and desired fitness goals. Check out our workout app reviews to see what training plans are on offer.
