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You are here: Home / Fitness For Women / How To Make A Workout Plan For Busy Moms In 4 Easy Steps

Last Updated on Nov 12th, 2020 fitasamamabear

Disclaimer: Always keep in mind that these are techniques and exercises I have used in my own training programs as well as those of my clients. What is right for us, may not be right for you depending on your health history! Always consult with a certified professional or doctor before jumping into a new type of program. You know your body best so don’t forget to show it some love by taking care of it

Pinterest image with text: woman in light shirt and bright pants holding a red resistance band smiling at the camera

How To Make A Workout Plan For Busy Moms In 4 Easy Steps

Learn how to make a workout plan to lose weight, build muscles, tone up, and generally get fit in just five simple steps! Finding time for exercise can be hard as a busy mom and when you have the time you’re not sure what to do with it! Learn the best way to create a workout routine you’ll both enjoy and stay consistent too.

Pinterest image with text: woman in pink shirt and black pants sitting on a workout bench in the gym with text about how to make a workout routine

Most moms struggle to find time to exercise! But even more moms struggle knowing which exercises they should be doing and how to make workout routine!

As with so many styles of fitness to choose from, how do you know how to find the best fit for your lifestyle? However, instead of jumping into the first workout routine, you stumble upon, learn how to make a workout plan. And then reap the benefits of knowing it’s the best one for you.

 

How To Create A Workout Plan

When you’re just beginning to get started with creating a workout routine, there are four areas you need to focus on:

  1. Equipment 
  2. Time/Frequency
  3. Style/Goals
  4. Exercises

Then, once you organize these areas you’re on your way towards making a workout routine.

Moreover, there really are so many ways to design a new workout plan. Which means that sometimes it takes a bit of trial and error to find the best system for YOU. And one of the key components to long-term results is enjoying your workouts. Learn more about the secret to being fit.

Therefore, work hard to make a workout routine that you somewhat look forward to. I promise, there’s no “one style fits all” approach.

There are, however, a few aspects to consider when developing a new workout plan.

 

 

Equipment For Home Workouts

When learning how to create a workout plan, equipment is one of the biggest things to consider. In summary, what do you have access to?

For most moms, hitting the gym multiple times per week isn’t practical. Which is why I suggest working out at home.

Indeed if you’re at home, will you be doing only no-equipment workouts? Or will you make use of bands? Dumbbells?

Learn more about the best pieces of workout equipment and why I think that resistance bands are the biggest bang for your buck.

Knowing what you’ll be working with is what will help determine your exercise selection when figuring out how to create a workout routine.

 

Frequency Of Workouts

The next thing to consider is how often you’ll be working out. Three times per week is what I recommend most people start with because it’s practical.

Three times each week is also easier to commit to. Likewise, it’s much better on your mental state to be able to do more versus feeling bad about not hitting your goal. Make it practical.

And if you do have extra time in the week, that’s a great time to use active recovery, mobility drills, or some yoga.

Once you know how often you’re going to be working out each week you have a better idea of how many exercises you can use each session.

As for the duration of each training session, keep it quick (30 minutes max). Not because working out more isn’t great but because of busy mom life. Be practical.

Ideally, you want to hit all muscle groups a couple of times per week. And for this reason, full-body workout routines are the best way to go.

 

Style Of A Workout Plan

Always keep in mind that there’s no one perfect way to work out! Your workout routine should be based around what you enjoy as well as what you’re capable of.

Some common workout styles are:

  • HIIT training
  • Tabatas
  • Circuit training
  • strength training (slow and controlled).

You also need to consider your personal goals when learning to create a workout plan. Strength training is a great way to build muscle while losing weight. But HIIT training will give you a bigger burn at the moment.

Using a blend of systems is fine too. Gear your workout routine to your goals. For example: learn how to use bodyweight training for your goals).

For beginners, starting with bodyweight exercises in groupings of three is a great start.

Or if you’re short on time, fast-paced circuits can be done in 10-20 minutes. Here’s an awesome 10 minute circuit workout you can do with a couple of dumbbells!.

Pinterest image with text: woman in pink shirt and black pants in a gym holding a barbell with text about how to create a workout plan

Choosing Exercises For Your Workout Plan

Based on your equipment, knowledge, injuries, and goals you also need to choose exercises! This can be the most fun as well as the most challenging part.

There are five exercises all moms should be strong in which lead to other exercises. Also, I believe that all moms should place their focus on posterior chain exercises. These exercises are what will help reduce back pain, get strong, and play with your kids easier.

When you’re learning how to create a workout plan, my advice is to start each workout with two of the main pillars (a squat, a hinge, a pull, and a glute dominant or unilateral exercise). From there you can add in isolation work, core work, and anything else.

 

Some examples of the main exercises are:

Squats: banded squats, goblet squats, squats to a bench, single-leg squats, paused squats

Hinge: Romanian deadlift, band deadlifts, pull through single leg hinge

Pull: inverted row, band row, face pull, one-arm row

Glutes/ Unilateral: banded bridges, single-leg hip thrust, lunges, Bulgarian split squats

 

After you choose your main exercise of the day, work in other beneficial exercises to your goals. Here is a great list of no-equipment exercises. However, there are a ton of options out there.

Keep in mind that your secondary choices should ideally target the back of the body (glute bridges) more often than the front of the body (push-ups).

 

Why Moms Need To Focus On The Back Of the Body

 Because as a mom you’re constantly rounded over or holding something in front of you. And thus need strength in the back of your body to help keep you balanced and strong. 

A mom in a yellow bikini and blue hat on the beach holding a toddler with poor posture

In general, though, start with doing two back of body exercises to every front of body exercise. Some of my favorite exercises I use frequently in my workouts are:

  • Hamstring curls
  • Face pulls
  • Tricep extensions
  • Narrow grip push ups
  • Crossack squats
  • Deadbugs
  • Superman
  • Sumo walks
  • Plank row
  • Inverted press
  • Stability ball ab pass
  • Band pull aparts
  • Donkey kicks
  • reverse hyperextensions
  • Plank abductions

 

Example Workout Plan

So, taking what we just spoke about, if you were to create a workout plan from the information above it could look like this.

Here’s a 20-minute circuit, no equipment required and it’s effective for multiple goals.

 

A1. Squat with pause x10 reps

A2. Single-leg glute bridge x12/repsa

A3. Inverted Pike x5 reps

A4. Hamstring Curls x10

A5. Deadbug x10

 

Need some help? I have lots of at-home workouts for busy moms. If creating a workout routine is a bit overwhelming, grab a pre-done one, and tweak it to your abilities. Or, follow me on YouTube and join into the workouts I post on Thursdays where you can follow along and get some form tips!

 

Last Tips For Learning How To Create A Workout Plan

Remember, there’s no perfect system or plan! The best workout routine is the one you’ll stick to. And, us fitness crazies are actually pretty nice. So, never hesitate to reach out and ask questions.

Also, don’t forget that your body does need to recover. Going from sedentary to six workouts each week is a bit extreme. Rest, mobility work, and active recovery are important in the overall approach. 

Need A More Done For You Approach? Get Strong At Home… In Just 16 Weeks!

If you’re looking to get fit, strong, and be able to keep up with your kiddos, check out How To Get Strong At Home – Busy Mom Edition.  My 4 month, easy to follow, full-body workouts, perfect for busy moms.

Pinterest image with text: woman in dark workout clothes performing a side lunge in front of a kettlebell

This strength training will program take you through basic full-body workouts and slowly builds upon the routines over a sixteen-week period to progressively boost strength.

These workouts:

  • can be done at home (you’ll begin using just your bodyweight and then progress to resistance band training)
  • are broken up into four workouts each week
  • are completed in 20-30 minutes (most under twenty)
  • come with full video demonstrations and a step by step breakdown of how to perform them, exactly like being in the studio with me!

The difference between these workouts and other at-home workout routines is that these full-body workouts are progressive.

Meaning, they build on one another. Every four weeks the workouts change, and the exercises are slightly more advanced than they were before. This is crucial to developing strength.

The best way to see results is to have a plan. And this one is easily set out for you – no thinking required!

Because being strong isn’t optional when you’re a mom. Grab your copy of the How To Get Strong AF E-Book  (when you click on the button a new window will open that will take you to securely process payment)

Buy Now

Don’t forget to pin these tips on How TO Create A Workout Plan

Pinterest image with text: woman in pink shirt and black pants sitting on a workout bench in the gym with text about how to make a workout routine

Creating a workout routine can be a bit daunting. Take the time to figure out a plan and you’ll be better off and well on your way towards achieving your goals. And if you need help- ask! You don’t necessarily need a customized training program but templates more geared towards your specific goals are a great place to start!

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  • 20 Minute Full-Body Workout At-Home For Women20 Minute Full-Body Workout At-Home For Women
Last updated on 11/12/2020

Filed Under: Fitness For Women Tagged With: fitness

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About Me

Hey There! I’m Shelby, a Certified Strength Coach (CSCS) and certified nutrition coach (PN) in everyday life as well as mama to two beautiful girls! I’m a chronic foodie, workout junkie and feeder of stray cats. I love heavy lifting but am a firm believer that as a mama you’ve got to do whatever the hell that works FOR YOU and I’m here to give you a few ideas. I believe food is fuel but indulgences are a must because well, as you’ll see… I’m a chocolate fiend!

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DISCLAIMERS As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.The content on Fit as a Mama Bear is provided for educational and informational purposes only, and is not intended as medical advice. Please consult with a qualified health care professional before acting on any information presented here. Statements on this website have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. No products mentioned are intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent disease.
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