01-12-2006, 10:56 PM | #1 (permalink) |
Junkie
Location: South Carolina
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Be gentle, it's my first time (gym)
Hey all, i'm doing orientation for a new gym (omni gyms) tomorrow and apparently, they do a 'fitness eval" that i'll probably fail horribly, orientation to the gym, shown around and shown how to work out on the machines and set up a system for me. I'm just wondering if htere is anythign specific i should ask about/anythign specific i should know first.
Thanks greatly all you buff gurus
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Live. Chris |
01-12-2006, 11:05 PM | #2 (permalink) |
... a sort of licensed troubleshooter.
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If it's a good gym you'll be welcomed, made to feel completly comfortable (no matter what your physical condition), you'll be tested and they'll explain what you can do to improve your health. If not, then take your buisness elsewhere. My first gym was freaking wonderful. It was tiny, full of the most knowledgable men and women in the world, and it had a family feel to it (I ended up working ther in hs, and training with Ken Shamrock's dad). I'm not sure Omni can recreate the family feeling, but you should be treated really well.
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01-12-2006, 11:50 PM | #3 (permalink) |
Psycho
Location: so cal
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I too am signing on to a new gym. I've tried a few other gyms before but it felt so..so..what's the word...corporate.
Like Will said, the most important thing is that you're comfortable with them, after all, you are paying to use the facility. Be aware of your own expectations so when you meet with a rep, or even a trainer, they can curtail a fitness plan for you. Also try not to get suckered into buying anything you don't want...Some of these gyms sell supplements and will more than likely recommend a few if you're working with a trainer. Make sure you check with your doc first!!
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The hardest thing is to be honest with yourself, especially if that means completely redefining the world you've come to know. Don't look too hard, I'm right in front of you. |
01-13-2006, 02:10 PM | #4 (permalink) |
Junkie
Location: South Carolina
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So, i went, i joined, i like it...
Sooo now, to lose weight and trim up, they suggested about half cardio and half circuit. Any other suggestions? they have a nice stretching room, sauna, cycling class, pilates, etc...
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Live. Chris |
01-13-2006, 03:34 PM | #5 (permalink) |
Psycho
Location: so cal
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yoga, or Pilates... yeah I know it sounds a bit strange..
__________________
The hardest thing is to be honest with yourself, especially if that means completely redefining the world you've come to know. Don't look too hard, I'm right in front of you. |
01-13-2006, 04:03 PM | #6 (permalink) |
Junkie
Location: South Carolina
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actually
oh, you haven't been around exhibition before last year but yeah, i love pilates and yoga. i do both regularly and the gym has a class set up for it two or three days a week that i hope to make. should be fun to try it in a classroom.
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Live. Chris |
01-17-2006, 03:00 PM | #9 (permalink) |
A Storm Is Coming
Location: The Great White North
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They were right to tell you 1/2 cardio and 1/2 lifting on a circuit. Yoga & Pilates are also great as they improve your flexibility and help the mind-body connection. I personally love spin classes. That said, you should do whatever you will stick with.
You need to work your heart, teach your body to process fat and build muscle mass. those are the three key things to focus on. Here's a good link to help you begin to understand the big picture for heart rate training and heart monitors: http://www.duathlon.com/articles/1460 And here is a link to a great chart to help you very specifically use your monitor: http://www.lifetimefitness.com/heart_rate/ Just click on the link to the pdf file. It has two pages, a chart and an explanation page on how to determine your AT. That's a teaser for you and the answer is in the files! Good luck!! I've also found learning how to use a heart rate monitor to be very effective. It gives you a very specific way to measure and monitor your progress.
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If you're wringing your hands you can't roll up your shirt sleeves. Stangers have the best candy. |
01-18-2006, 02:24 AM | #10 (permalink) |
Junkie
Location: South Carolina
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ok, soooo, lemme get this straight:
i can : work less during cardio to reach a certain heart rate where more fats are burned than carbs/glucose...(roughly 145 if i do the math correctly, or really, barely above a walk, about 2-3 mph on an elliptical) but this doesn't burn as many calories period, just that more of the calories burned are from fat.. i can go above this rate to the anaerobic state and burn more calories, but it's mostly from glucose/carbs, but the same amount of fat is burned as in the lower intensity workout, just not as high of a percentage.. right now, i'm working between 160 and 170 bpm for 30 minutes and 5 minute cooldown (28 yrs old, max heart rate should be about 180-190, but at 160-170, i am not panting for air, just breathing slowly and deeply, sweating a good bit, but can still talk/hold a convo, so i'd consider it fairly safe based on what i've read) after that, it's circuit stuff for 30 minutes, with the weights set in each cat so i can do 3 sets of 10-15 with my muscles totally failing near the end of hte third set. so far, i'm still not really sore, though. Also, should it be cardio first then circuit or circuit, then cardio? ....this is all just so new to me thanks for everything, you've given me a lot to read/absorb..
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Live. Chris |
01-21-2006, 07:21 AM | #11 (permalink) |
A Storm Is Coming
Location: The Great White North
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If you read through the Lifetime Fitness instructions and chart to find your AT, you'll see that you may have a higher AT than the age calculation. For example, my AT is usually 160 (it can change based on sleep and other things from the past day or so). By the chart it would be 130 since I am 50. the point is that the math only system doesn't account for individual fitness levels and is just a starting point. Also note...if yo work out and are panting the whole time, at some point you will run out of carbs for fuel. That's the point where your body will draw from muscles for fuel. Kind of counter-productive!
Just try this...start out on a machine and slowly work up intensity for about 10 minutes, watching your heart monitor and increasing your rate about 10 bpm or so every minute. YOu'll get to a point where you have trouble breathing in through your nose and out through your mouth. You'll actually have a dropped jaw, you'll be mentally focused and you will feel a little burn in your legs. You are at your AT at that point. From there you can use the chart to ID your zones. You are using equal amounts of fat & sugar between your AT and 10 bpm or so below your AT and mostly sugar above that. It's good to work above some because that is how you improve your heart fitness and grdually raise your AT. I try to get one hi-intensity workout each week, spending perhaps 10-15 total minutes above my AT during a 60 minute workout. Working below trains your body to do a better job of processing fat for fuel, even when you go above during training intervals. However, it takes several months to really build that fat burning base. You can almost think of it as if you are building conditioning for a sport so you can next work on the skills of the sport, with working above your AT the skills portion. Jordan couldn't do the things he did if he didn't build a base. Working in zone three will not require that you pant for air...that's a zone four or five function. You should be able to breathe in through your nose and out your mouth on a regular pattern. Your goal here isn't so much to burn calories as it is to burn fat and train your body to do so. Obviously calories will be used if your are using fat. Sounds like from above you are doing that part right. It's also good to push up to zone five for 15-30 seconds during the last few minutes as it gives you a residual benefit for 10-20 minutes after you are done. As far as the circuit, I think two trips around are fine. 10-15 reps with the last 2-3 at the failure point is good. If you are doing enough movements that should tak eyou about 45 minutes. I personally feel cardio is better after you lift. I try do do 30 minutes on lift days and an hour or more on non-lift days. So lifting, cardio and stretching would take you about 1.5 hours or so with just a lift and stretch an hour. Key movements: flat bench incline bench chest flys pull over seated row bicep curl tricep push shoulder press lateral shoulder press leg curl leg extension leg press You can add more to those as time goes on (these are just a basic guide), or to get more specific results as you begin to develop. Then you can decide to move to free wieghts as you understand the proper techniques. One last thing: listen to your body. It will tell you a lot! Good luck!!
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If you're wringing your hands you can't roll up your shirt sleeves. Stangers have the best candy. Last edited by thingstodo; 01-21-2006 at 07:28 AM.. |
01-21-2006, 10:32 AM | #12 (permalink) |
Upright
Location: N.Y.
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Hello, i've never posted on this site before, but i'll share my opinion anyway. A gym is a good place to start. However, you will probably soon outgrow it. Gyms are also full of people who either have no idea what they are doing, think they know everything about working out, or are just there to find someone to sleep with.
When i started, i just did pushups and sit-ups in my room at night. After a while i started to do weight training (about 2 months). about a month after that i realized that for the most part all of those machines are a waste of time. They only work prime mover muscles. To gain real strength you will need tendon strength, plyometric strength, and static strength (from stabilizer muscles). I think just buying a set of dumbells would be a cheaper option. Most people today love being on the machines because they are shiny and hightech looking. Machines are ideal for bodybuilders because they use isolation techniques, however, most people are not bodybuilders. I've started to use oldschool strongman style workouts. If you can, please buy "the underground guide to warrior fitness" and "dinosaur training". Both focus alot on techniques for real strength without any real equipment (besides dumbells). Sandbag training (50 pounds of sand can be bought at home depot for 3 dollars) is amazing. It works the entire body. You can add more weight to any exercise with a sandbag. its like dragging a dead body. Great exercise. You may also hear alot about creatine monohydrate and certain protein products in the gym. I don't recomend splurging on these products, creatine can be dangerous and most of those protein shakes are terrible. If you insist on putting on weight then i suggest trying the protein shake named "grow". it is the best one i've tried. If you are looking for overall fitness don't forget cardio and don't forget the number one mistake people make, DON'T FORGET TO TRAIN THOSE STABILIZER MUSCLES. Thats all i can think of at the moment. Goodluck, Tobias |
01-21-2006, 12:44 PM | #13 (permalink) |
Junkie
Location: South Carolina
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well, actually, i'm intent on taking the weight off and just becoming stronger. I don't want to LOOK stronger, i jsut want to be stronger
i also do a good bit of core training, abs, back, etc, pilates/yoga style stuff, just bc it does wonders for my lower backa nd flexibility....
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Live. Chris |
01-21-2006, 04:11 PM | #14 (permalink) |
A Storm Is Coming
Location: The Great White North
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To gym or not to gym, that is the eternal question. I think it comes down to personal preference.
Some gyms are "meet" (get the humor?) markets. Some are insanely serious. Others offer a broad range of lifting equipment, cardio machine and classes - sometimes the classes are even free! I personally like the atmosphere of a nice gym; it motivates me and gives me another place to work out, along with clean showers and steam rooms/sauna, etc. I also have a spin bike at home along with a Nordic Track I've had for 15 years (yes, I still use it, too) and a set of Power Blocks that go up to 90 lbs. each. It's nice to have a choice in working out at home or the gym. I do believe that the more variety you have, the more interesting working out can be. That makes it fun and keep you at it. And I also believe that you have to do what is right for your own individual tastes!
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If you're wringing your hands you can't roll up your shirt sleeves. Stangers have the best candy. |
01-21-2006, 09:44 PM | #15 (permalink) |
Junkie
Location: South Carolina
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speaking of which
the sauna...what is common etiquette for the sauna. I never did the dorm thing, so showering with flipflops is different to me, but necessary...what do you wear/do for the steam room? and yeah, this gym has classes, etc, but you really only talk to people whom you already know and that's about it. There isnt' much interpersonal interaction, which is JUST FINE with me. i'm nervous enough about my own self image in there, i don't want anyone taking undue notice of me, and i think a lot of others feel that way.
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Live. Chris |
01-22-2006, 01:29 AM | #16 (permalink) |
Upright
Location: Long Beach, CA
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In my experience, most gyms tend to be social clubs for meeting people, particularly at certain times of the day. That's why I prefer working out at the off hours. I can get in my workout regimen without having to worry about other guys taking up time on the machines, preening and posing, in order to attract the attention of the women in the room.
I usually workout in the early morning before work or just after primetime, which ends around 8pm. Think of it like you would Happy Hour and the local bar. 4:30pm to 7:30pm is when most people are at the gym to see and be seen. It's also most crowded at that time. You can tell by the parking lot. Those who are serious about their workouts avoid these times as they can get more quality time on the equipment, instead of standing around waiting in lines, and cooling down too quickly between sets. |
01-22-2006, 01:55 AM | #18 (permalink) | |
Kick Ass Kunoichi
Location: Oregon
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Quote:
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If I am not better, at least I am different. --Jean-Jacques Rousseau |
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01-22-2006, 10:35 AM | #19 (permalink) |
Insane
Location: Georgia
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Do whatever you feel comfortable when it comes to the sauna. Just remember to protect yourself, namely your feet. You don't want to get athletes foot or any other type of fungus.
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I have to exercise in the morning before my brain figures out what I'm doing. ~Marsha Doble |
01-22-2006, 11:11 AM | #20 (permalink) | |
Go Cardinals
Location: St. Louis/Cincinnati
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Quote:
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Brian Griffin: Ah, if my memory serves me, this is the physics department. Chris Griffin: That would explain all the gravity. |
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01-22-2006, 04:10 PM | #21 (permalink) |
A Storm Is Coming
Location: The Great White North
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Some saunas are nude. I've often heard that you can never be overdressed, so a towel is fine. I use swin shorts if I'm heading to the hot tub or sauna from the steam room. I'd never sit on a wood sauna seat without a towel or something. And EVERY is right about flip flips or some other kind of shower shoes.
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If you're wringing your hands you can't roll up your shirt sleeves. Stangers have the best candy. |
01-26-2006, 10:55 PM | #22 (permalink) |
Junkie
Location: South Carolina
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i'd probably wear shorts and a towel and flipflops or soemthing like that, mainly bc it's guys...all guys...
but anyway... So i'm on my 2.5 week dealio and i've run into a slight observation: Let's say i go in and do cardio...like 30-40 minutes, level ten of 25 and burn roughly 300-350 calories...then go on to weights...and on weights..let's say i start off with 2 sets of 12-15 reps with muscle fatigue setting in near the end...which is fine... but after 2 weeks or so, i've probably bumped the weights up a good 20% in order to keep hitting the fatigue mark, but i'm mainly interested in trimming down and getting a leaner look. I don't wanna keep pushing more and more weight, honestly. what should i do?
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Live. Chris |
01-26-2006, 11:23 PM | #23 (permalink) |
Go Cardinals
Location: St. Louis/Cincinnati
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Weight lifting will give you a leaner look as well.
Simply, combined with a diet plan, cardiovascular exercise will reduce your body fat, giving you a leaner look. Anaerobic exercise (weight lifting) will increase your muscles, also giving you a leaner look.
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Brian Griffin: Ah, if my memory serves me, this is the physics department. Chris Griffin: That would explain all the gravity. |
01-27-2006, 04:45 PM | #25 (permalink) |
A Storm Is Coming
Location: The Great White North
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You will only increase to a point unless you dramatically change what you are doing. Don't worry about that. Many women, for example, worry that they will bulk up. They won't. It's all genetics.
Just keep doing sets of 15. If you drop below that you would have more of a chance of bulking up. Staying the course you're on will help you become strong, firm and lean, especially with the cardio.
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If you're wringing your hands you can't roll up your shirt sleeves. Stangers have the best candy. |
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