What does a good training plan look like?
It depends.
A plan designed to help someone complete an Ironman might be technically perfect, but if your goal is to build stronger legs and get your first pull-up, it’s not a good training plan for you. A good training plan is only “good” if it lines up with your goals, your available time, and your level of experience.
At FIIT Project, we help people build real strength, gain muscle, and improve their fitness with plans that are personalised and sustainable. Whether you train with us or not, here’s what to look for in a plan that actually works.
1. Start With the Goal
You should always begin with the end in mind.
Are you training to get stronger? Lose body fat? Run a 10K? A good training plan will be built around that goal, not the other way around. If you’re following a program that looks impressive but doesn’t move you toward your specific goal, it’s not the right one.
If you’re not sure where to start, check out The Shortcut to Results? Find the Right Help Early.
2. Fit It Into Your Life
Consistency beats intensity. Even the best plan won’t help if you can’t stick to it.
A good training plan should fit your schedule. If you can realistically commit to 3 sessions per week, your plan should make those 3 sessions count. If you travel, have kids, or juggle work commitments, the program needs to work with that, not fight against it.
For more tips on making fitness work with your lifestyle, read Finding time for fitness: How to exercise with kids.
3. For Most People, General Fitness is the Goal
Unless you’re training for a specific sport, most people want to:
- Gain some muscle
- Lose some fat
- Get fitter and stronger
- Not feel puffed walking upstairs
That means the best plan is a General Physical Preparedness (GPP) program—a well-rounded mix of strength training, bodyweight movements, and conditioning.
Your training should include:
- Lifting weights to build strength and lean muscle
- Moving your own body (push-ups, pull-ups, etc.)
- Getting your heart rate up (running, jumping, burpees, circuits)
- Progressively doing more over time (heavier, faster, more reps, etc.)
4. Good Plans Include Variety and Progression
Doing the same workout every Monday might feel easy to remember, but it can stall your progress.
Look for a plan that varies movement patterns and targets different areas across the week. It should also allow for progression—you want to be able to increase weights, reps, or difficulty as you improve.
At FIIT Project, we rotate workout formats and focus areas so members aren’t stuck doing “Squat Day” every Monday or “Bench Day” every Thursday. It keeps things fresh, balanced, and fair for all schedules.
5. Red Flags to Watch Out For
Be cautious of training plans that:
- Use complicated exercises with no clear purpose
- Don’t allow for individual modifications
- Leave you sore and exhausted every day with no recovery
- Have no way to track or measure your progress
A plan that leaves you burned out or injured isn’t effective. Neither is one that feels too easy or vague.
6. What Training Looks Like at FIIT Project
Our group training blends focused strength and weight work with high-energy conditioning finishers. Most days start with a strength component, followed by a MetCon (metabolic conditioning) workout that gets your heart rate up and builds endurance and power.
We use training blocks that last a few weeks so members can improve a specific focus while still getting exposure to a wide variety of movements. Exercises and weights are customised to each person’s ability, experience, and goals.
Our team tracks progress through an app, celebrates personal bests, and checks in every 90 days with goal setting sessions. Every workout starts with a tailored warm-up and includes movement progressions for all levels.
Want more detail? We cover it all in our blog [How to Get the Most Out of Group Fitness at FIIT Project] (coming soon).
Final Thoughts
A good training plan doesn’t have to be fancy—but it does have to be right for you.
If you want help building a personalised plan that fits your life, goals, and fitness level, book a No Sweat Intro with us. We’ll chat about your goals and help you create a plan that works.
