There is a lot of information out there when it comes to workout programs. The norm seems to be people getting overwhelmed and giving up before they ever give any program an actual shot. This is sad because the fact is, doing something is better than doing nothing. And even if you are a seasoned fitness person, switching things up and not being so dogmatic and rigid is important as well.
The main variable with any pre-made program is not it’s hopeful effectiveness, but the structure it provides for any individual. Structure is key in fitness and achieving goals, especially for a person who is new to working out.
When you have no idea what to do in the gym, you need a game plan. If there is no game plan, there is no structure. When there is no structure it gets harder and harder for a person to find a reason to come back to the gym. Imagine going to the mall and you know what you want to buy, but you do not know what stores carry those items or where the stores are located. Day after day you keep coming to the mall spending the day walking around, no one is helping you and you are just wasting time. Eventually, you will stop coming to the mall and say, “forget it”
Having a pre-made program gives you that map, structure, and game plan to at least know what you can do when you get into the gym. Does it need to be the best plan out there? No. That is not what you are looking for. You are looking for something to stick to just to simply get comfortable and acclimated to the fitness lifestyle.
As stated before, if you are already comfortable and acclimated, a new or different pre-made program will add more tools to your toolbox and more weapons to your arsenal. That’s not so bad, right?
A big hurdle for many folks who are no stranger to fitness is trying something new. What they have always done has always worked. The issue is our bodies change as we age. We lose strength, we lose muscle mass, and we lose flexibility. The objective is to be as fit as possible for as long as possible. Do not let the inability of letting old ineffective habits die hinder you from making progress in the gym.
So, pre-made programs are great and effective because they provide what many folks lack in the gym these days; structure. Structure leads to progress and progress leads to staying in the gym.