So, what exactly is a good workout? Television is loaded with infomercials hawking "the best" workout system. There are television programs like "Workout," "The Biggest Loser" and "Celebrity Fit Club" that highlight professional trainers providing "the best" workouts. So, what is "the best"? What should you be doing?
In short: buyer beware. Commercials are made to sell products, period. Realize that as a general consumer who does not have a degree in exercise physiology, you may have difficulty separating fact from fiction and may only end up separating money from your wallet.
Also, be leery of the television programs that have popped up, highlighting people working with personal trainers and losing vast amounts of weight; TV programs are made to get ratings and advertising dollars; they do not always portray safe, reasonable workouts, but focus on intense programs not suited for most people.
Most TV promoted workouts go to either one extreme or the other. They either show a ridiculously intense workout routine or promote the "no effort at all and amazing results" workout.
My problem with the overly intense workouts, seen on a few infomercials and almost all of the TV reality programs, is that they are just too intense for most people. The workouts shown on TV, with trainers screaming "push it" and "keep going" to their clients while forcing them to do tasks better geared for a Navy Seal, are discouraging and downright dangerous. That kind of high intensity training program may be good for the competitive athlete, but not for someone who is just trying to get healthy and lose some weight.
My complaint with the "great results with no work" infomercials is that they are totally misleading. Workout has the word "work" in it for a reason; that's what it is: work. Not that it has to kill you, but exercise is work.
Now, for some guidelines: first, determine if your workout is going to focus on cardiovascular training or strength training. Don't try to get both of these in together; it is better to separate them.
If you are trying to design a cardiovascular workout, you have to determine if your goal is to only get in better condition or to get in better condition and lose weight. There is a big difference between the two. Getting in good cardiovascular shape can be accomplished by walking or jogging 20-30 minutes three to five times per week, at a moderate to hard (but not crazy) intensity. However, this level of work will not burn enough calories to have a significant effect on your body weight without dieting as well. Cardiovascular workouts designed to aid more in weight loss need to be 45 - 90 minutes per session, four to six times per week. You can perform these workouts at a very low intensity and still have success in losing weight.
If your goal is to design a strength-training workout, then the biggest concern is that you have a workout that addresses each of your body's muscle groups. No matter what exercises you choose, you should have at least one or two exercises for each of the following muscle groups: legs, back, chest, shoulders, biceps, triceps, abdominals and overall core. As long as your strength-training program addresses all of these muscle groups at a moderately challenging intensity and you do this workout two or three times per week, you will see results.
The best workout is always the one that you will engage in on a regular basis. Research has shown that moderate workouts are the ones that people stick with. These are workouts that make you feel as if you have worked, but leave you feeling energized and not defeated. That way you are willing to wake up day after day and do it again and again. It is this consistency that truly makes "the best" workout.