After ringing in the New Year, it's likely that you are setting goals and making resolutions. This is a great time to refine your workouts to help you achieve your goals. Starting out the year with a plan in place will ensure that you are one step closer to reaching your ultimate goal.

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Train Smarter, Not Longer - Nobody wants to be in the gym longer than they have to be. The ability to train effectively and efficiently is the goal, but can be difficult if you are not organized. That’s why it’s important to:

Determine your training goals in advance, and design your program around these desired outcomes. Pick goal related and-specific exercises that translate to your desired outcome.

Then use the following guidelines to implement your plan:

1. Perform Compound Exercises

Multi-joint compound lifts, such as Deadlifts, Presses and Squats, target multiple muscle groups at a time, increasing the bang for your buck. Because of the higher caloric demand from more active muscles, they also increase natural testosterone levels, increase lean body mass and burn fat.

2. Phase Your Workouts

Periodization and phasing is the process of controlling specific training variables to progress through a program safely and effectively. There are many schools of thought on which phasing is best. Do your own research and decide which one best fits your program goals. A properly phased program can have you making dramatic strength gains and building muscle without getting hurt.

3. Train to Be Explosive

Perform explosive movements, such as Medicine Ball Slams, Kettlebell Swings, and Plyometrics, during each workout. These will increase your power and improve your strength for those compound exercises. They also have a high metabolic demand, helping you burn more calories while building muscle and improving strength!

4. Build a Strong Foundation

Select exercises that train these essential planes of motion and joint complexes. Here are some general guidelines:

• Horizontal Push

  • Pushing a load horizontally from the shoulder joint through the extension of the elbow

    • (Dumbbell Press, Cable Chest Press, Plank to Push Up)

• Horizontal Pull

  • Pulling a load horizontally from the shoulder joint through the flexion of the elbow

    • (Dumbbell Row, Cable Nose Pull, Inverted Row)

• Vertical Push

  • Pushing a load vertically with shoulder flexion and elbow extension

    • (Dumbbell Arnold Press, Dumbbell Single Arm Overhead Press, Z-Press)

• Vertical Pull

  • Pulling a load vertically with shoulder extension and elbow flexion

    • (Neutral Grip Pull-Up, Chin-Up)

• Knee Dominant

  • Pushing into the ground to extend your knee and hip. Perform both single- and two-leg exercises

    • (Rear Foot Elevated Split Squat, Step-Up, Bulgarian Split-Squat, Front Rack Squat)

• Hip Dominant

  • Pulling a load off the ground with an extension of the hip

    • (RDL, Deadlift, Good Morning, Stability Ball Leg Curl)

• Core Stability

  • Resisting movement and stabilizing the spine

    • (Slider Knee-to-Elbow, Slider Body Saw, Stability Ball Rollout)

• Rotational Core

  • Rotational movements that work both up and down and side-to-side

    • (Cable Chop, Medball Side Toss, Cable Twists)

• Explosive

  • Rapidly moving a weight load under control

    • (Squat Jump, Medball Slam, Kettlebell Swings)

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