Getting you the body you deserve takes figuring out what style of fitness works best for you. Ultimately, the exercise program that provides the best results is the one you’ll do consistently and intensely. For some, the best exercise program might be running and yoga, while a combination of swimming and strength training works best for others. There’s little benefit to prescribing a one size-fits-all exercise program, because you get the best results when you figure out what you’ll stick to.
I could tell you what I think works for most people, but I genuinely believe you need to learn the most effective exercise parameters and then blend them into your own program.
Exercise Principles
In the study of exercise science, there are several universally held principles scientifically proven to provide optimal physical and mental health. Phew, that made me sound super smart. I get like that when I talk fitness. Let me backup and present this in understandable terms.
When I set out to create an at-home exercise program, I always start with science as my foundation. Adding trendy, exciting components to an exercise program is simple, provided you let science be your guide. These components can reduce to three basic fitness facts that your customized exercise program must include. So, consider them as you create the workout plan that gets you to the body you deserve!
1. INDIVIDUAL DIFFERENCE
Everyone is different. One size does not fit all. Individual variables that affect exercise include: age, weight, dietary history, genetics, medical conditions, injuries, and gender. With this in mind, when I create at-home exercise programs, I spend a boatload of time developing options that include instructions for beginners, differing directives for athletes, and special considerations for those with knee and back issues. Regardless of how many concerns I devote to individual variables, there is still a pretty good chance that the workouts might not be the right fit for every person who tries them.
Your exercise plan must take into consideration your personal fitness objectives and your unique variables.
2. THE OVERLOAD PRINCIPLE
The overload principle is a process of training that addresses how your body responds to change and incorporates exercises you must do to create improvement. When the systems of your body take on more “load” (greater intensity, longer duration, or anything that’s tougher, more stressful, or even just different from what you’ve done in the past), the body says, “In the event you do this again, we’ll be ready!” In other words, to improve your fitness, strength, or endurance, you need to challenge your body accordingly. In order for a muscle (including your heart) to strengthen, gradually push it to work harder. By working against a load greater than it is used to (via greater intensity, longer duration, or both) the muscles get challenged and rise to the occasion.
If change is what you desire, your regular exercise routine must be something that is tougher, longer or more challenging than what you are doing right now.
3. ADAPTATION AVOIDANCE
Adaptation refers to the body’s ability to predict what’s coming next. Your magnificent body adjusts intuitively to meet increased or decreased physical demands. So doing the same exercise, or practicing the same skill or physical activity, makes it easier to perform. To avoid experiencing adaptation, you can add elements, expand duration, increase intensity, and generally create a change of intensity or duration every 30 days.
Change elements of intensity, duration, or overall challenge in your regular program to avoid exercise adaptation.
Consider these 3 components when creating your exercise program. Using these components to your benefit will just help you get to the body you deserve faster and more efficiently.
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Hi Chalene! I am on week 3 of PiYo and I am LOVING it. It is intense, but low impact so I can do it. I am on chemotherapy treatments, and the stretches help my body aches and increase my appetite so I am able to eat a little more than I would if I wasn’t moving around. I love this blog post because I have to tailor the exercises to my body’s capabilities, but also push my body and not let it use chemo as an excuse to just do the modified versions.
I can follow what you do (at least so far) about 95% of the time, and use the modifiers the other times when I start feeling weak because I have to be careful not to overexert myself.
My question (I always think ahead, I’m a planner) is what should I do next after the 8 weeks of PiYo are complete? I need something low impact like PiYo but I really want to develop muscles like you have.Because of my illness I’ve always been soft but not overweight. I’m short at 5’3″ and 118 pounds currently. Do you have any recommendations for the next step? Or how I can use the PiYo DVDs in a modified version to keep up the strength and muscles I hope to gain (and I AM getting stronger) past the 8 week mark?
I would love to stick with your workouts, you are SO fun to workout with! And I always say thank you with child’s pose 😉
Thank you so much for creating this workout and making me feel like I CAN even though I am sick.
Stephanie
You just summarized my Exercise Physiology class in one blog post! Thanks for all your info and help with my fitness and life goals 🙂
HELLLP!!
HOWDIE….just found about your blog via ur facebook post and 5 seconds later m here!…i discovered turbojam while googling one random night 4 years ago….i believe strongly ur the reason i fell in love with working out..i would hear celebrities talk about how they loved working out and i would be like pssttt…but u gal made me fall in love hard so thanks for that!…i have been trying to get my msg of thanks across to you for sometime and thats the main reason i came to this blog but after reading the material i have found more reasons!…i was going through a tough time living with my old grandparents taking care of them and completing medical school and got really lonely in my room each night. Turbojam got me through a tough time!…i would just play it and i felt i had a friend..i was no longer feeling miserable abt myself and started feeling the best i ever had. It really changed my life! Now i love to work out! I was in the best shape ever
But now 4 years later…being married and having moved to a new country..i am finding it hard to be in that shape again…i exercise more than i ever did and i do watch what i eat..being a doctor i know what a balanced diet should look like…i just cant be in that shape again(i stopped focusing on the scale a month back when i had an epiphany hence m not gona mention the words my weight here). The nutritionist at my gym told me it was probably becuz i wasnt eating too much but i think 1400 calories most days…with an hr workout 5 days…isnt bad is it? Would love to have ur input chalean! plz help me once more!
With love,
the gal who owes u her love for working out
Hi Zainab! Not eating enough can effect weight loss, or I guess I should say, If your not eating enough, you CAN have trouble losing weight. Here is my recommendation. Use an app or site such as myfitnesspal.com. What’s so great about this, is you input all of your info, your activity level and whether you want to lose weight, maintain weight, or gain weight and in what time frame. It will then calculate out how many calories you should be consuming. A good rule of thumb is to eat a small meal every 2-3 hours. This helps regulate your blood sugar and will help increase your metabolism! I am also re-launching my 7 day Eat Clean Train Mean Challenge very soon! Keep checking back for the new release 🙂 Hope that helps! Keep in touch!
Will do! Xoxo