How to Build a Training Plan That Actually Works for You
Updated: Aug 28
The best training programme isn’t necessarily the hardest one — it’s the one that fits you.
When it comes to fitness, there is no shortage of training programmes, workout plans and advice telling you what you should be doing.
Train five days a week.
Lift weights three times a week.
Do more cardio.
Try HIIT.
Follow this programme for six weeks.
The problem is that none of these approaches take into account you.
Your goals, experience, lifestyle, available time, preferences and current fitness level all influence what type of training is going to work best.
At DMPT, I believe a good training programme starts with the individual — not a template.
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Start With Your Goal
Before deciding what exercises to do, you need to understand what you’re trying to achieve.
You might want to:
Become stronger
Improve your fitness
Change your body composition
Improve mobility
Build confidence
Increase your energy
Return to exercise after time away
Simply feel healthier and more capable
Different goals can require different approaches.
That’s why your training programme should have a clear purpose behind it rather than simply being a collection of exercises.
Know where you’re going before deciding how you’re going to get there.
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Be Honest About Your Starting Point
Your current fitness level matters.
Someone who is new to exercise will have very different needs from someone who has been training consistently for years.
That doesn’t mean one person is doing better than the other.
It simply means the training needs to start at the right level.
Good coaching isn’t about making everyone train as hard as possible from day one. It’s about finding the right starting point and building from there.
As your fitness, strength and confidence improve, your training can progress with you.
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Make Your Training Fit Your Life
One of the biggest reasons people struggle to stay consistent isn’t necessarily a lack of motivation.
Sometimes the programme simply doesn’t fit their life.
Work, family, holidays, social commitments and unexpected changes can all affect how much time you realistically have available.
A training programme that requires five sessions every week isn’t going to work if you can realistically commit to two or three.
That’s why I believe consistency is more important than perfection.
The best programme is one that you can actually stick to.
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Choose Training You Enjoy
Training doesn’t have to mean doing something you hate because you’ve been told it’s the “best” way to get results.
If you enjoy your training, you’re far more likely to keep doing it.
That might mean strength training, cardio, boxing, cycling, circuits or a combination of different approaches.
The right balance depends on the individual.
At DMPT, I aim to make training challenging and effective while also making it something you can enjoy.
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Progress Doesn’t Always Mean Doing More
A common mistake is thinking that every workout needs to be harder than the last.
That’s not necessarily how effective training works.
Progress can mean lifting a little more weight, improving your technique, completing more repetitions, moving better, improving your fitness or simply feeling more confident performing an exercise.
Sometimes progress means pushing forward.
Sometimes it means maintaining your current level.
And sometimes the right decision is to reduce the intensity and allow your body to recover.
Good training is about knowing when to push, when to progress and when to adapt.
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Your Programme Should Evolve
Your training programme shouldn’t be something you follow blindly for months.
As you change, your programme should change too.
Your strength may improve. Your fitness may increase. Your goals may change. Your schedule might become busier.
All of these things can influence your training.
That’s why I regularly assess how you’re progressing and make adjustments where needed.
The programme you start with doesn’t necessarily need to be the programme you finish with.
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Don’t Forget Recovery
Training is only one part of getting results.
Your body needs time to recover and adapt to the work you’re doing.
Sleep, nutrition, hydration, rest and managing your overall workload can all play a role in how you perform and recover.
More training isn’t automatically better.
Better training is better.
Learning when your body needs to work and when it needs to recover is an important part of making long-term progress.
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Tracking Progress Beyond the Scales
Progress isn’t always reflected by your weight.
You might notice that:
You’re lifting heavier weights
You’re fitter than you were a few months ago
Your mobility has improved
Your clothes fit differently
Everyday activities feel easier
You’re more confident
You’re more consistent with your training
You simply feel better
These are all meaningful signs of progress.
That’s why I believe it’s important to look at the bigger picture rather than relying on a single measurement.
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What This Means at DMPT
When you train with me, I don’t expect you to fit into a pre-written programme.
I take the time to understand where you are, what you want to achieve and what will realistically work alongside your lifestyle.
From there, your training is structured around you and adapted as you progress.
Whether you’re training 1-to-1, with a partner, in a small group or remotely through the DMPT app, the principle remains the same:
Your training should be built around you.
You don’t need the perfect programme.
You need the right programme for you — and the support to stay consistent with it.
Start Where You Are
You don’t have to be fit before you start.
You don’t have to know what exercises to do.
And you don’t have to completely change your lifestyle overnight.
Start where you are, set realistic goals and build from there.
With the right approach, consistent training and the right support, you can make progress that lasts.
Your goals. Your training. Your journey.
That’s what personalised training is all about.
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