What Makes Up a Complete Fitness Program

Let me preface this with my general feelings on fitness. I truly believe that any movement is good movement. As a society, we have gotten really good at doing very little. As a species, we are designed to move. Our attachment to chairs, computers, TV, video games, and phones is doing our physical body no favors. However, for some of you that love to workout, your uniformed, 1 dimensional programs are causing you just as many problems. Yes, I said all movement is good, but I did not say it is complete. So, What makes up a complete fitness program?

The simple answer is to create a program that is half what you want to do, and half what you need. How do you know what you need? Again, the simple answer is, Do what you really don’t want to do. Example: Most lifters need to stretch and play, Most runners need to stretch and lift, Most “movers” need to strengthen and stabilize. So what’s the big deal? 

The more limited your style of exercise is, the more limited your movement patterns become. Runners tend to get very tight through the hips, Strength training can limit joint range of motion, Yoga can create hypermobility and joint laxity. Is this always true? Of course not. But if you are only doing 1 style of movement, it is only a matter of time before you run into an imbalance or injury. 

So let’s lay out a simple formula. You gravitate to some exercise because you like it, maybe love it. That’s great! You’re exercising! Let that exercise make up 2-4 days of your fitness. Now what is the opposite of what you do? Is it Metabolic training opposite of powerlifting, is it Yoga opposite of bodybuilding, Is it functional training opposite of cycling? Seek out what feel opposite of what you do, and add that to at least 1 day a week. Now add a cross training component that is different, but along similar lines. If you are a traditional bodybuilder, add a day or incorporate a handful of Strongman lifts or functional circuits. If you are a cyclist, try swimming. Finally, add 1-4 days a month to just play. Games with your kids, basketball with the boys, playing around at the playground, martial arts, or just rolling around and being ridiculous. 

Simple recap: your stuff 50-70%, Opposite stuff 20%, cross training 10%, and Play 5-10%. We are movers by nature, so move! And if your current routine is playing Assassin's Creed, Then get off your ass and go outside! Move, Train, Play. You need it.

Ryan Golec, BA, ACSM, Chek P2

Director of Movement and Education at Performance EDU