So you’ve got your training split in place, you know how much time you can spend per session and now the time has come to start choosing exercises. However, you don’t want to simply select popular exercises you can find online. Below are some of the things to keep in mind when putting together a balanced exercise routine.
1. Safety and technique
Making sure your body is capable of performing a movement safely should be your number one priority. There is no shame in starting with basic bodyweight exercises, mastering technique and gradually preparing your body for more challenging variations. You can successfully exercise and achieve progress without attempting complex exercises that require mobility and strength prerequisites.
2. Space and equipment
One of the first things to consider before choosing exercises for your programme is what equipment you will be able to freely use most of the time. If you go to a large gym with one squat rack chances are you won’t be able to use it on every leg day. However, there are plenty of other brilliant ways to train legs. Get familiar with what your gym has to offer and plan your routine accordingly. Similarly, if you train at home, it is good to consider what equipment you can realistically invest in to achieve progress in your training and select exercises accordingly.
3. Machines, free weight and bodyweight exercises
All three types of exercise can be successfully implemented in a gym routine. The key is to select exercises from each category that are suitable for your level and goals.
Machines can be a good place to start if you are intimidated by free weight equipment (barbells, kettlebells, dumbbells). They are easy to learn and generally safer than free weights. However, your body won’t always move in its natural way when using machines. Machines can also be beneficial if you want to isolate certain muscles. If you, for instance, had knee surgery and lost muscle mass in that leg, machines can be a useful tool to rebuild the muscles in the affected leg.
On the other hand, free weight exercises help you learn to move better and build functional strength that translates into daily life. Furthermore, free weight exercises target more muscles at the same time, and when done correctly can be a great tool to improve stability and core strength. Finally, you can train your entire body using a pair of dumbbells as opposed to several machines. This gives free weights an advantage over machines, since you can perform free weight exercises at home or outdoors.
Bodyweight exercises can be very useful to learn movement patterns, build strength, and develop a strong core. Just like free weight exercises, they are very functional and target a large number of muscles and stabilizers in your body. Similarly to free weight, you can perform bodyweight exercises anywhere as opposed to machines that would require a gym visit.
Each of the three will allow you to build strength and muscle, but the free weight and bodyweight exercises will build your functional fitness and translate into your daily life. If you ever had to lift something heavy off the floor or place something on a top shelf – it’s the free weight exercises such as the deadlift and overhead press that will help you perform those movements without injuring yourself.
4. Compound vs isolation exercises
Compound exercises are the ones that target multiple muscle groups and joints (squats, deadlifts, pushups). Isolation exercises target one muscle group and joint at a time (leg extension, tricep extension, lateral raises, bicep curls). Both have their place in an exercise programme.
Compound exercises are great to build strength, gain muscle and teach your muscles to work together. They are time-efficient and would ideally make up most of your session.
Isolation exercises are beneficial when targeting a specific muscle group. You can use them to build size and strength or help with recovery from an injury. Depending on your needs and goals you can add a few isolation exercises at the end of your session.
A good session should be built around compound exercises. However, you can add a few accessory exercises at the end of your session. When you perform isolation exercises, try prioritising muscles that weren’t targeted as much through compound exercises. For example, rear delts don’t get worked as much during most popular compound shoulder exercises. Therefore, adding an isolation exercise that specifically targets rear delts would be beneficial.
5. Unilateral vs bilateral exercises
Bilateral exercises are the ones where both sides of your body are working (squats, deadlifts, push-ups, pull-ups, military press). These types of exercises are better for increasing overall strength. However, if you have strength imbalances between your left and right side, performing only bilateral exercises might worsen the situation. For example, your dominant side might overpower during exercises like bench press or push-ups.
On the other hand, unilateral exercises only target one side of your body (lunges, single-leg deadlifts, single-arm overhead press, single-arm bent-over row). They are an essential tool for addressing strength imbalances as well as improving stability and coordination.
Unilateral exercises are also a very useful tool when you have limited equipment available but want to increase the difficulty.
When choosing exercises for your programme, it is important to include both unilateral and bilateral ones. Make sure to perform 1-2 unilateral exercises per session. This will help with balanced strength and muscle development.
6. Movement patterns
There are six basic movement patterns you need to remember when planning your workout routines. These are horizontal pull (inverted rows), vertical pull (chin-ups), horizontal push (push-ups), vertical push (shoulder press), knee dominant (squats), hip dominant (deadlifts). When choosing exercises, it is important to include a variety of movement patterns to achieve balanced muscular development.
Unless you have a push/pull based split, you want to ensure your session has a good mix of movement patterns. For example, if you are doing an upper body day try including an exercise from each push/pull category. If you perform a full-body workout, make sure to include at least one exercise from each category.
A good well-rounded training programme is an important foundation for achieving a strong healthy body. When researching new exercises for your programme, have a think about how those exercises fit in each of the above categories. This will help you assess whether there is enough variety and structure in your fitness regimen.
Apart from the technical aspects of choosing exercises, it is important that you feel comfortable performing them. If you feel that something isn’t working for your body, don’t force it just because it’s considered to be a good exercise. There are always alternatives available that might be better suitable for your build and mobility. Last but not least, make sure you actually enjoy doing the exercises you’ve chosen!