Gym Workout Programs - Which One is for YOU?

Are you wondering which gym workout programs out there work and which ones to try out?

With too many workout routines to list here (although I will get to some) let me say that many exercise programs do work.

What??

I can hear you screaming at me as I write this.

Haven't we been told to stay away from all the hype about this new fan dangled fitness program now on sale for just $49... or that celebrity exercise routine as advertised on TV?

Well yeah, I'd stay away from those... but there are many free online workout programs available across the web that will work.

Depending on your goals, several of these work out programs will get the job done, however, only if you actually follow the program and keep at it.

The problem with most gym goers is their need to jump from program to program every week, determined to fill their OCD needs to find the best workout program EVER.

How on earth do you ever expect to track your progress, tweak necessary changes (weight used, reps, diet changes, etc.) if you are changing workout routines like you change your underwear?

Want to know the secret to successful bodybuilding? It is CONSISTENCY.

Showing up to your scheduled workouts, working out with intensity, keeping track of your progress in a journal, getting sufficient rest, eating like a bodybuilder every 2-1/2 to 3 hrs... doing all these things on a consistent basis will amount to progression.

So my advice to those of you who have e-mailed me with requests for which gym workout programs are right for you is this: Pick one and DO IT.

Try it out. Test it out. See if it's right for you. But give it some time. Rome was not built in a day and neither will your body.

Check out these weight lifting programs first and go from there.

A good one I always recommend for a beginner workout is the 5x5 program. Look for it in the weight lifting programs for beginners section. It's a good basic muscle building work out routine aimed at using core lifts.

Whatever you do, try to stay away from following muscle magazine workouts. These can lead to over training as they often mirror the workout routines that professional bodybuilders do. Unless you have their genetics (and supplementation) I would opt for a program from the above list.

Another way to narrow down good gym workout programs is to check out the exercise journals (like this one) of others and see what they are doing. Chances are they may just be onto something that works.

Remember, everyone is different. Every program out there may not be right for you. Some work out programs require a lot of volume, which is not for everyone.

I spent years spinning my wheels with high volume programs, working out 6 days a week. Results? Nope. Over training instead.

It took me a while to figure out the types of exercise routines that work best for ME. Low volume / high intensity programs work best for me. Like the program I'm on now... DC training. I workout a maximum of 3 days a week, that's it. This gives me lots of time for recovery and I have found that I need LOTS of rest. Working out more is not necessarily better. Remember you grow away from the gym, not in it. Rest between workouts is crucial.

I hope I have taken away some of the mystery of the many gym workout programs out there and which ones to follow, if not e-mail me at muscle.building.workouts.journal [at] gmail.com and I'll see if I can help.