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at the gym
15/f
I just got a membership at a local gym with my mom. They have all kinds of machines, so many that I don't know what to do. I'm planning on going 3-5 times a week for about an hour. What are some routines I could try? Like if I should stay on one machine the whole time or alternate and switch machines a few times. I want to have an efficient and effective workout while I'm there.
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Well Wallflower; Sorry to say it but:
You're wrong.
High reps doesn't tone. Cardio and clean eating do.
The treadmill is just as effective as running on pavement.
Doesn't matter if you're doing reps with 300 or 30; weight training builds muscle.
Al's answer was well balanced and a full body workout not a recommendation of doing curls (and what curls do you recommend? Scott curls?, Zottman curls?, Body Drag curls?...and the list goes on) and one kind of advanced triceps exercise in Skull Crushers. Where's the recommendation for Back and Shoulders?
Listen to Al.
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heh, alin75 gave a good answer, if you want to become an all american football player. If you're a girl, i doubt you want to put on muscle mass, and alin's workout would do that to you(no offense to alin). Unless if you plan to do a contact sport, i wouldn't recommend follwing his workout
By the way, the workout im telling you is assuming that you just want to look good and be healthy, not to become some crazy ripped muscle woman.
First of all what are you goals? If it is to be healthy and have nice abs, I'd recommend going on the treadmill and run for 30 minutes. Then after that, I would recommend doing 100 crunches, 4 sets of 10 repetitions of LEG LIFTS. After that, another 100 crunches.
If you want toned arms, I would recommend using dumbells and doing CURLS and SKULL CRUSHERS with them. I'd recommend using an easy weight, but doing a lot of repetitions(around 20) in sets of 3 or 4.(so a total of 60-80 repetitions put together, take 1-2 minute rest before each set). You want to do less weight and more repetitions because that makes your arms toned. If you do more weight, which will make you do less reps, you will build muscle mass.
If you want toned calves and quadraceps(upper leg), I'd recommend picking up two dumbells and holding them down and doing CALF RAISERS with them. Again, do about 4 sets of 20 repetitions if you want toned calves. If you want a toned upper leg, I'd recommend SQUATTING. Pick a weight you feel comfortable with and once again, do many reps. Squats will also make your butt more toned.
Basically, stick to low weight and many reps. The main key to looking good and being healthy is cardio, which is basically running. Although the treadmill is good, nothing beats putting on a pair of shoes and running on real terrain(treadmill isn't nearly as effective)
Stay away from DEADLIFTS, they'll screw up your back when you get older. Also, stay away from MILITARY PRESS, it's harmful to your shoulders as you get older.
Basically
Treadmill 30 minutes
100 crunches
4x10 leg lifts
100 crunches
4x20 or 3x20 curls and skull crushers
4x20 or 3x20 calf raisers and squats
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Ok pretty much whatever your goals are, stay away from the machines. The best things in that gym... in any gym, are free weights. Machines are designed to isolate specific muscles and this is counterproductive particularly for a beginner. I know the temptation is to use all the fancy equipment, but bottom line you get worse results with them, and you dont hit all the stabilizer muscles.
So, good solid gym routines should be based around compound free weight exercises. Compound moves involve multiple muscle groups, and will get you the best results. Here are a list of a few good exercises:
Chest:
Bench press
Chest dips
Flat or incline dumbbell press
Shoulders/ traps:
Military press
Dumbbell press
Upright rows
Back:
Deadlift (this hits most of your upper body actually... essential exercise)
Rows (dumbbell, barbell)
Pullups (or pulldowns)
Legs:
Squat (the king of all exercises)... comes in many variants
Romanian or stiff leg deadlifts
Biceps:
Barbell or dumbbell curls
Hammer curls
Triceps:
Narrow grip bench press
Skullcrushers
Tricep extensions
Ok now here is a site that will show you how to do them:
[Link](Mouse over link to see full location)
As for how to train, well first you need to decide how to divide your body up. That will determine the frequency and intensity of training. You can do full body routines, two day splits, three day splits etc etc. Here is a generic two day split example. Such a routine would be trained twice a week for a total of 4 days:
Day1: Chest, Shoulders, Triceps
Day2: Back, Legs, Biceps, Abs
Once you have decided how to split the body (and I encourage you to seek guidance in this matter), then you need a light intro program. I would recommend for the first 8 weeks or so training not to failure, and doing 8- 12 reps per exercise. So Day1 in the above split might be:
Bench press: 3x 8- 12 (in other words 3 sets of 8 to 12 repetitions each... with a break of 1.5- 2 mins or so between each set)
Incline Press: 2x 8- 12
Military press: 3x 8- 12
Upright rows: 2x 8- 12
Skullcrushers: 3x 8- 12
This is just a suggestion where I used two exercises for each of the big muscle groups (chest and shoulders) and one exercises for the triceps. Its pretty non intensive and it leaves a lot of freedom to learn the movements and hopefully avoid injuries. Im not saying this is gospel mind you, I do not have much experience with beginners.
Anyway, best of luck. Hope this is of use to you. It probably seems confusing as hell, but ease into it (maybe get some help as well), and you will soon learn the ropes.
EDIT: Btw, what the person above who criticised me said is absolutely incorrect. This is perfectly good for a girl. Most girls at the gym waste their time (as can be seen by the routine above). This routine will not make you beef up. It takes years to put on pounds of muscles... you wont wake up tomorrow and realise you are a bodybuilder.
The routine above neglects the major muscle groups and focuses on small muscles that are of little use to you. Believe me on this, I can show you stunning looking, fit women, who train the major compound exercises.
And deadlifts do not screw your back. None of these exercises will, unless done with incorrect form. What you are getting above is a gym myth, made by people who trained poorely their whole lives. The fact is that people who deadlift, squat and do romanian deadlifts, will have stronger healthier backs. Its the exact opposite way around ffs.
You get nothing from the routine above, apart from the cardio. Almost literally nothing. And btw, you cannot "tone" anything without putting on some muscle. Thats what the routine above tries to do, it just neglects everything that might be useful/ healthy.
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Good afternoon. In order to answer "What should I do with my 60 minutes at the gym?" one should know what your goals are. If you have goals to lose weight the workouts will be completely different than if you had goals to compete in an athletic event. So, what they'd basically ask you at "the gym" is ...
1. Where is your fitness now?
2. Where do you want it to be?
3. Do you have any health concerns?
4. How much time do you have?
5. What equipment/access do you have?
There are more detailed questions they might ask in those categories but for the most part, these should do it. If you and your mom have similar goals, you've got your workout buddy...and that's half of getting to the gym!
Good luck and ask more questions if needed.
~Coach
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if you go to a worker at the gym, they can ask you what areas you want to work, and they will create a plan for you. I would cycle for 10 minutes to get you started. If they have an elliptical, i would go on that for 20 minutes. I would then go the the big rubber ball things, and put your feet on it white laying on the floor, and push up, and do crunches in that position for awhile. Hope i helped<3
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