5 Advantages of Following a Structured Exercise Program

Disclaimer: This is post is not intended to discount athletes who workout for fun or solely for the mental health benefits. At the end of the day what is most important is that you find a routine you want to stick to. For those who workout for physical goals, read below:

Listen, I get it, you want to try ALL THE FITNESS but there is only so much time in a day, money in your account or cartilage in your knee. When athletes come to me and ask “How many times should I be doing Cut, taking into account the 2 other gyms I go to?” my brain hits auto response and I say, “Shoot me and email,” which rarely comes. I’m not trying to be a dick, it’s a long answer and so many factors like goals, injury history, and comfortability play a huge role.

I can only speak to what Cut Seven is doing. If it’s HAMMY week at [Solidcore] but you won’t miss a Cut Leg Day, that’s on you.  All I can do is tell you what we do at Cut, why we add structure to our program and how we think it can support you on your fitness journey

The Importance of Structure

Simply put, a structured exercise program is one that is planned and systematic. The specific exercises, sets, reps, and rest periods, progress over time and is all planned out for you. How you ask? We got a blog on that.

Diametrically opposed to structure is ClassPass. But it’s not just ClassPass, it’s you too, because you don’t know what you’re doing. Listen, randomized/unplanned workouts are hard. Athletes used to make fun of me for showing up to the roof and making a workout on the spot (Shoutout Trashcan Fire Workouts) but here is a dirty secret no one but your buddy, Chris will tell you: Unplanned workouts are harder because you don’t have time to consider anything but the difficulty, you can keep upping the ante until you’ve broken everyone. “ Yeah, Dan is such an amazing trainer! I almost throw up every session and I can barely walk most weeks! It’s Awesome! “

But I get it! Workout ADD!!! Variety is the spice of life and mixing it up a ton has the potential keep you engaged. The sad truth is it may not offer the same benefits as a structured exercise program.

Benefits of a Structured Exercise Program

1. Progression and Adaptation

When you follow a structured exercise program, you are more likely to see progress. This is because these programs are designed with progression in mind. As your body adapts to the demands of your workouts, the program is gradually adjusted to become more challenging, promoting further adaptation and growth.

This goes for Every. Fitness. Goal. Want to run a marathon in a certain amount of time, what’s the plan? Trying to add muscle definition to your legs, what’s the plan? The list goes on and on. You don’t luck into many things in life and fitness goals are no different.

2. Consistent Tracking

I’m not going to say, “Remember your weights,” “Go to the combine,” or “Is something injured because that weight is too light for you.” I’ve said these things enough.

What I will say is, with a structured exercise program, it’s easier to track your progress. By consistently performing the same exercises (Sled Push, Chest Press, Pull-Up, Deadlift, KB Swing, Split Time, Mobility), you can measure improvements in strength, stamina, and flexibility over time, providing you with objective feedback on your fitness journey.

3. Injury Prevention

A well-designed structured exercise program considers balance and rest, reducing the risk of overuse injuries. It also ensures that all major muscle groups are worked evenly, preventing imbalances that could lead to injuries.

Ask yourself, what would I do if I couldn’t exercise for 7 days? How about 7 weeks? How about 7 months? After a year of dealing with torn meniscus that I got from saving babies, I wouldn’t wish an injury or health ailment on my worst enemy.

5. Efficiency

Structured exercise programs are more efficient than randomized workouts. They target specific areas and objectives in each session, ensuring that your time spent exercising is maximized. If it ever feels like your F45 workout was created in a workout generator, you’re probably right.

Not only that but you also learn exercises that target specific muscle groups. Why is that important? Well let me ask you, have you ever wanted to workout ON YOUR OWN? Repetition is the mother of learning. From a deadlift, to a single-leg DL, to a kickstand DL, to any variation, the point is to perfect the deadlift and create a stronger posterior chain.

If the reason you workout is to “get in shape” but you can’t put your finger on what that means, rest assured because you are not alone. The first step to finding out what “get in shape” means to you is to ask yourself why you do this. After you find your why, then it’s time to reach out to us to find out how.

Nuff Said

While randomized workouts can provide variety, they typically lack progression and balance. The bottom line is without a systematic approach, you might end up overworking some muscles while neglecting others, leading to imbalances and a potential increased risk of injury. Moreover, randomized workouts can make it more difficult to make progress and reach specific fitness goals, as there is very little consistency to build upon.

Remember, the most effective exercise program is one that suits your personal needs, goals, and preferences. If you’re uncertain about the best approach for you, consider seeking guidance from a certified personal trainer or shoot us an email. Just because your journey to fitness is a personal one, doesn’t mean you have to do it alone.  Whether it’s CUT SEVEN or elsewhere, there is a community of like-minded athletes out there who WANT to help you.