It's important to recognize a balanced fitness regime consists of cardiovascular exercise, resistance training and flexibility. A cardio workout should be performed three to six times per week. Resistance training should occur two to four times per week. Finally, flexibility exercises should be performed five to seven times a week. When designing programs for clients, I first look at their needs, short-term and long-term goals. Extensive information is gathered, regarding their past and present health status and fitness history. Close attention is also paid to their resting heart rate, which indicates the strength of their heart prior to introducing physical exertion.

If a client's goals are endurance and/or toning, then both the cardio and resistance training programs should reflect low-moderate to moderate intensity over a long duration of time per workout. Here, muscles are involved in mostly a "slow-twitch" state. With such goals, it's best if a cardio workout is performed five or six times per week. In resistance training, a full-body workout would be designed, targeting the larger and smaller main muscle groups of the body. Repetitions would be 10-15 for one to three sets with a lighter load.This type of workout is referred to as a "Straight Set Program". A rest period of 24 hours between workouts would be required for tissue rejuvenation.

If, however, a client's goals are focused on greater muscle growth and "bulking up", then the resistence workout needs to include exercises demanding a heavier load, a moderate-hard/hard/very hard intensity. It's at this higher intensity that muscle fibers experience "Fast Twitch". Here, fewer reps for one or two sets with a heavier load would occur. (The number of reps is based on the maximum amount of weight or resistance they're successfully able to lift once. Often, the resistence workout plan would be set up as a "Split Training Program". Workouts are advanced, focusing on one to four muscle groups only per workout and occurring on alternating days (Lower vs. upper body muscles is a common "split".) If the intensity is hard, very-hard, then approximately 48 hours are needed for muscle rebuilding.

Results in a fitness program can vary greatly. For example, a beginner can experience significant progress or change in their physical appearance and health compared to someone who's already been routinely working out for a long time. In a beginner, muscles are "waking up" from a less-active lifestyle when introduced to fitness. In fact, within the first six to eight weeks of a resistenc program, the rate of change can be amazing -- and very motivating! However, muscle "awakening" or involvement significantly decreases after this initial period. It's at this point that a workout change would be required.

It's important to stress that, regardless of a program's frequency, intensity, time and type, a balance must exist between proper, healthy nutrition and exercise in order to achieve success.

Next week, we'll look at other questions that I've received, regarding programs and training.

* * *

Katherine Preston is a registered personal trainer and aqua-fitness instructor as well as a nutrition and wellness specialist. Contact her via e-mail at absfit@cogeco.ca You can also visit her website at http://home.cogeco.ca/~absfit.