The Training Session

Anyone who is new to training would appreciate some sort of structure. What exactly is the structure of a workout?

From a general perspective, all training is cyclic. This is known as the principle of periodization. Periodization is the planning of a training programme into yearly, monthly, weekly, and daily cycles or periods.

This post is about the single training session. How are training sessions structured?

A session is typically structured as follows:

  1. Warm-up: Cardiorespiratory Exercise

  2. Movement Preparation: Dynamic Stretches

  3. Main Workout: Resistance Exercise

  4. Cool Down: Cardiorespiratory Exercise

  5. Tissue Restoration: Static Stretches

In sum, a workout is basically a cycle from low intensity to high intensity and back again. Much like the structure of a good story.

Below is an example of a basic weight training session.

Warm-up:

  1. Cardiorespiratory Machine 1: Rowing Machine

  2. Duration: 10 minutes.

  3. Intensity: 13 Borg Scale.

Movement Preparation:

  1. Exercises:

    1. Dynamic Stretch 1: Inchworms

    2. Dynamic Stretch 2: Squats

    3. Dynamic Stretch 3: Lunge Twists

  2. Sets: 3

  3. Reps: 10-12

  4. Tempo: 2/1/2/1

  5. Intensity: 13 Borg Scale

  6. Rest: 10 sec

Main Workout:

  1. Exercises:

    1. Free Weight 1: Tricep Extensions

    2. Free Weight 2: Flies

    3. Free Weight 3 (Alternative Functional Modality): Kettlebell Squats

    4. Resistance Machine 1: Shoulder Press

    5. Resistance Machine 2: Chest Press

    6. Resistance Machine 3: Squats

    7. Bodyweight: Push-ups

  2. Sets: 3

  3. Reps: 10-12

  4. Tempo: 2/1/2/1

  5. Intensity: 10-15 kg to start.

  6. Rest: 60-120 sec

Cool Down:

  1. Cardiorespiratory Machine 2: Treadmill

  2. Duration: 30-60 sec

  3. Intensity: 13 Borg Scale

Tissue Restoration:

  1. Exercise:

    1. Maintenance Stretch: Standing Quad Stretch

    2. Maintenance Stretch: Child’s Pose

    3. Developmental Stretch: Standing Adductor (Side Lunge)


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