Is anyone here a workout instructor or know alot bout working out

[rockmehard]

Hey So im going to try and workout daily at my local gym and the problem is I really do not know a THING about working out So I was wondering if someone here can give me a workout routine for the week or whatever.

I know I have to workout a new section of body every day But im a TOTAL gym newb and Ill be lucky to even walk in without messing something up.
So if anyone has time they can spare just pm me or post a workout that will get me in shape and get my sleeping patern into shape as well.


Thanks

[surfanimal]

Actually, your best bet would be to do a total body workout 3 days a week for 2-3 months to let your body acclimate to cardio/weights/etc, on the days you dont lift weights do cardio. I'm headed to the gym right now, so when I get back, I'll post a workout for you to try out. Also, don't forget that nutrition is KEY in all of this. You can workout harder than any pro athlete in the world, but if you eat like a pig, and put nothing but garbage bag after garbage bag of food, your results won't even be half as good as they would be if you were eating right.

[James707]

IMHO opinion the BEST thing for physical fitness is body weight calisthenics (think I spelled that right). I'm not a trainer but I did stay at a Holiday Inn Express last night. Seriously though mastering your own body weight will get you in the best shape of your life! Check out www.mattfurey.com

[Mottern Man]

If you pay for the membership they should have a consultant or personal trainer that you can have tailor your work out.

I have not paid for any gym memberships but i think a good gym would subscribe to this.

Even the Hulkster used a trainer

[rockmehard]

I will see.I just get like idk embarrased about walking in a gym and asking for like help every second..So idk what to do

[Jack Bauer]

I used to work out 5 days a week, but have since cut back (don't have the time). I have been able to maintain my physique and strength though by a simple 1 day a week 40 min workout. However, I think it is important to get to a point where you can be able to do this. Initially it will take longer and more work for you to gain muscle. I occasionally will do Yoga as well and run, but not weekly.

My workout is: 3 sets of bench not a machine 8, 6, 10 reps (+1 warmup set), 3 sets of incline press on a machine 10,10,10 reps, 3 sets of shoulder presses on a machine 10,10,10 reps, 3 sets of butterfly machine 10,10,10 reps, 3 sets of leg extensions, 3 sets of bicep curls 10,8,10 reps, 3 sets of shoulder shrugs 15,15,15 reps and finally ab workouts (which vary).

It is important to note that with each set I increase the weight.

Chris

[TstebinsB]

Most people who work out a lot but never seem to get the results they want usually fall into two categories: long workout, little resistance and heavy weights, poor form. In the first group, you essentially waste your time. In the second, you waste your energy.

I am a strong believer in High Intensity Training (HIT) by Dr. Darden*. It is a system based on using the most amount of energy and the best form while miniziing the length of the workout. Basically, you work out for 20-30min (usually 30min) 3X a week - if you're doing more then you're probably doing too much because your body needs to rest. For example, let us take two subjects where everything is equal except the workout: Subject A runs for 30min and Subject B walks for an hour. Over a 3 month span, there is no doubt Subject A will burn more fat and calories than Subject B.

Relating this to a gym workout... You do 10-12 exercises a workout, 8-12 reps an exercise, 1 set of each exercise. In HIT, each rep should get harder to complete so that by rep 10-12, it's almost impossible to finish. If you can do 12 reps in proper form, you add more weight the next time. Form is important because without it, you might still lift the weight but you might not be working your intended muscles, thus rendering your workout futile. You only do 1 set because by doing each exercise so intensely, you couldn't possibly do more than one set in proper form (nor would you need to). You'd start to cheat. Lastly, you do FULL BODY workouts. Not arms, back, chest on Monday then legs, abs on Tuesday then etc. Muscles don't work independently so trying to work them singularly doesn't make much scientific sense. Also, by doing full body workouts you can do everything 3x a week as opposed to 5-6 days a week.

I know it seems congested but it really isn't that much. I believe in it so much because my friends and I (we're all young 20 somethings) were all a little heavy after college (SU Orange). We followed an HIT routine for 3 months and got AMAZING results. It does take discipline and this is just one choice of hundreds but like everyone else, I was looking for something that would work for me and this was it. Good luck.

*The site has a lot of info about heavy bodybuilding but it's mostly about losing fat and building muscle to get lean and defined.

[surfanimal]

Rockmehard -

Don't be embarassed to ask anyone for help at your gym. Almost everyone is there for the same reason - to workout. Most people at the gym are too involved in their workouts to take time to heckle a newbie, and don't forget that at some point in time, they were in the same situation you were. Most people would be glad to help you out with a few quick pointers. Sorry I havent posted that workout plan for you yet, I'll have it to you sometime tomorrow. I ended up going out for dinner and drinks after

[19george]

If you have never worked out, or know very little about working out, I would suggest hiring a personal trainer for a couple of weeks who can teach you the ins and outs of weight training. If money is tight you should pick up some magazines or a book. I subscribe to Muscle and Fitness, which is quite good. The main reason to use these is that people who first start working out invariably have horrible form which leads to ineffective workouts and may lead to injury. Inform yourself before you lift.

As a beginner you should concentrate on basic workouts such as bench press, military press, sqauts and deadlifts. Don't be afraid to use freeweights, they are your friend. At first concentrate on your form and don't worry about how much weight you are lifting. That will come in time.

Oh, and don't believe in fad workouts - they're crap.

As a beginner you should go maybe four days a week (ideally two days on, one off, two on and two off). Try to hit one major muscle group per workout (back) and follow it up with a smaller muscle group (biceps).

[wildman]

i've done a bit of working out in my time. my advice would be to do a 'split' this involves hitting a main muscle group first using compound moves which target a main muscle group, but also uses synergists and then the smaller groups. an example workout would be something like:

monday: back and biceps
wednesday: chest and triceps
friday: legs and shoulders

the main compound moves would be deadlifts for back, benchpress for chest, squats for legs. aim for around 4 different exercises per body part. never work the same muscle group on consecutive days. on heavy days you would aim for 3-4 sets of 6-12 reps per exercise and, but you also want to shock your body, by introducing variation such as relatively low weights at very high reps and sets.

i would suggest using free weights such as dumbells and barbells because they incororate more muscle fibres (keep away from things like the 'chest press machine').

you can find exercises here: http://www.exrx.net/Lists/Directory.html

arnold schwarzenegger's book is also very good but a little dated

prior to a workout make sure you get some complex carbs down you and make sure that you protein intake is equivalent to 1 gram of protein per pound of target bodyweight (thats a lot of protein).

obviously this is a very brief overview, but i hope this helps somewhat and not too confusing! if you want more help feel free to ask.

[MJB]

If you are justing starting, its time to hire an experienced trainer if you can afford this important personal investment in yourself. At first you might workout just once a week for a month with the trainer. The workout twice a week, once with the trainer and once on your own and finally you should be able to get a routine that you could use the trainer less less frequently.

So why a trainer--form, form, form and correct breathing. I am currently recovering from a C7 disk herniation (a mild one) and let me tell you a mild one sucks. I had horrible pain especially at night, some of my fingers went numb, and I have been out from lifting for about 5 weeks now. I am much better but not without a short course of Prednisone, and Celebrex (which I am now able to stop). I will start lifting again hopefull in December but now shoulders and only light weight until 2007 at the earliest--and this is a mild one. The reason for the injury--stupidity and poor form. Breathing techniques are also key if you want to avoid post workout headache. Sure most gyms can guide you through a workout but there is nothing like a good trainers personal attention.

Obviously money can be an issue but if possible personal training is a great investment. When working out, I did weight three times a week, cardio 5 to 6 times a week and trainer now every other week. Reason for the trainer is variety (I actually use several trainers all who know me now and each have their own style and set of exercises) and I feel a bit safer testing my limits with the trainer than on my own--I now realize the consequences of going too far on my own.

[TimmyBoston]

I'm not in great shape now, but I played a couple of sports in college and I would be happy to make you a workout, but not seeing you, knowing what you want to accomplish or knowing anything about your current fitness level, I really can't make a good or accurate one.

Everyone has given you good advice. Start with a trainer, they'll measure your fitness level and detemine the best routine for your body and what you want to accomplish.

But, IMO, once you get a routine and establish the basics, if you have the discipline dump the trainer. They can be quite expensive and if you know what to do and can do in on your own, save the money. In the meantime, start with pushups, crunches and some light jogging.

[rockmehard]

lots of advice.give me a few to read am all.But TimmyBoston I would think youd be in the best shap with that Avvy of SUPERMAN!!!!:-()

[rockmehard]

WOAH ok from what I have gathered is first get a personal trainer.
It wish I could get one.But I dont have the 50 bucks a session that my local gym offers.:-( And the worst part is I know I dont have a good form.Second I read about the HIT program but that comes back to the issue of me being a total gym idiot! I know that everyone has been in my shows before (at the gym) but now that they are set they wont help out younger generations if you want to say that.One thing that I really want to take is some sort of martial arts class that gets you fit.I really want to be able to defend myself and family while getting a boost in self confidence because of my body.The only problem with that is I dont knwo where to start searching.Anyone have any site on lets say a 411.com for thses types of things?


Now back to the gym
What do you think the best thing for me to do now that you know I cant get a personal trainer.I met up with some kid who has been working out and in the past month he ahs gotten phenomenal results.He told me its cool if I go with him to the gym but for some reason I get the feeeling he was just saying yes to be nice.....dont you love that feeling!

Ok enough for now keep it up with the awsome post

later

[wildman]

you'd probably learn more from that kid than from a personal trainer. start off with light weights and get correct form. ask some experienced people if it looks correct, that lad you asked will know and watch his form. in a couple of months you will be lifting like a pro. no need for a personal trainer.

[FriscoSoxFan]

Many good bits of advice on weights. Let me add to the discussion by discussing cardio.

Most fresh newbies absolutely burn themselves out on cardio or do it so easily that they don't get anything out of it.

If you are driven, you are likely to "try to run a mile" - You might make it. Gasping for air, hurting, dizzy, an altogether unpleasant experience. If you actually checked your heart rate, it might be north of 200. Yikes.

To make your cardio "skill level independent", highly effective, and an altogether more pleasant experience, go to Walmart and buy a heart rate monitor such as this: http://www.walmart.com/catalog/produ...uct_id=4256163 Don't trust the cardio machines with the heart rate check. They suck.

Use the following 24 minute routine adjusting your speed and/or resistance to get your heart rate to the following levels for one minute each:

<135
<135

135
145
155
165

135
145
155
165

135
145
155
165

135
145
155
155
172

<135
<120

Note that I didn't say to use a bike, treadmill, elliptical, or whatever. Just do whatever it takes to put your heartrate at these levels. For an overweight newbie, a recumbant bike on light resistance might be all it takes. This is what I had to do 65 pounds ago. Now, I am on a treadmill and alternate between 4 MPH and 8 MPH with various inclines.

That's just cardio. You MUST add weightlifting into the routine. Research show that weightlifting is actually pretty simple. Where 80% of people go wrong is choosing the wrong weight. Bump it up, your mind will quit WAY before your body.

The last thing (I promise):

The most important rule to remember with weight loss is that your body always seeks to lose muscle and gain fat. It does this for survival. When you go on a diet, it detects less food and cannibalises muscle to save the fat. It cleverly does this in order to slow your metabolism in order to preserve your life. When you eat too much, it stores the excess as fat for a rainy day, which it doesn't want to use unless there is no muscle left. This is why most people pack on the weight after they get off thier diet. The muscle has been lost and thier metabolism has slowed.

The key to forcing your body to lose fat and not muscle is by forcing it to build muscle. You do this in two ways: strength training and ensuring adequate protein in the diet (1-2 grams of protein per pound of body weight - a 200lb man should eat about 200 grams of protein. This is much easier than it sounds.)

[Justso]

rockmehard,

I don't know what your personal goals are with regards to the gym, but almost every personal trainer I've come into contact with recommends the same thing: set attainable goals and write them down. Also, a good personal trainer is going to take your measurements: waist, thigh, biceps, neck, chest. He/She will also give you your BMI (body mass index). Then they will design a workout to suit your needs. This is extremely important, and I would do everything in my power to approach one of them, tell them your situation and see if they'll work with you even just once a month. Just something to get you going. The basis for all this information is to find out where you currently are, meaning, what exactly is your state of physical condition? Many trainers, and I did it at their behest, recommend getting a full blood lab work done to get your blood sugar level, cholesterol, lipids, etc. Find out where you are internally and what you have to work on.

Also, another thing that I think surfanimal is 1000000000000% right on is watch what you're eating. Even if you don't need to lose a bunch of weight, diet is everything to a healthy lifestyle. You don't need a trainer or a BS nutritionist to do that for you. You can evaluate your current diet and begin making changes to it. It's very important, when designing a new diet (and I say design because there's a tremendous amount of thought that goes into it) to determine exactly what you've been eating. Find out your likes & dislikes and find out what's keep weight on you. Compare and contrast that to your lifestyle; is your job sedentary? Do you exercise at all currently? Do you participate in any sports?

Another important thing regarding the diet aspect is to not make a bunch of major changes at one time. For example, cut out the sodas, breads & pastas and stay on that regimine for 2-3 weeks to where your body gets used to it. Instead of drinking sodas, drink tons of water and begin to add fruit into your diet. I know that sounds nowhere near as good as the garbage you've been shoving down your grill, like we all do, but you'll be amazed how going without sodas for two weeks begins to make you feel. Anyway, with those small changes, that's enough of a change for 2-3 week period of time. Once you get used to that, then remove sweets/snacks (non-fruit)/rice and other high carb stuff. Begin eating lots of salads. I make salads and make them very delicious. I go to the store, get fresh romaine (don't buy iceberg, it's garbage) I put sliced turkey, ham, olives, etc. Start putting more fish into your diet. Get a foreman grill and grill chicken breasts. If you have a grill outside, start grilling things like chicken breasts, steaks, etc. Another thing for you: STOP EATING OUT. I made a hard and fast commitment to not eat anything that comes through the window of my car.

The bottom line here is that you must view this as a lifestyle change. It takes discipline. Don't overwhelm yourself, make your changes slow and organic and take the advice and professional expertise of people who are in the industry and who really can help you and care for your individual needs.
Make sure to talk to us on here and keep up with how things are going. Remember, Rome wasn't built overnight. It's going to take time, patience, effort and energy to get your body in shape, but you can do it.

[AandW]

IMHO opinion the BEST thing for physical fitness is body weight calisthenics (think I spelled that right). I'm not a trainer but I did stay at a Holiday Inn Express last night. Seriously though mastering your own body weight will get you in the best shape of your life! Check out www.mattfurey.com

You have received a lot of advice. All of it is good. You just have to decide what is good for you. Most importantly, listen to your body. If you hurt or ache, then rest. Very important, rest between workouts. Working everyday like a madman will not get you anywhere. Your body needs to rest to build muscle. Yes, your heart is also a muscle.

Also, the link provided above for Matt Furey is definitely a great place to start. Many people says his book is a lot of crap and hype. However, as someone who has gone through 8 weeks of Navy boot camp and 13 weeks of Officer Candidate School, pushed by Marine DI's, I can tell you that "mastering your own body weight" will do you wonders. Drill instructors live by this crap(i.e. calesthenics). Matt Furey just gives different names to alot of good body weight excercises. Just ignore his hype.

God luck and NEVER be afraid to ask for help here or at the gym.

[ouch]

I've had good results doing one rep with three million pounds. I also find adrenalin to be very helpful in hitting my target heart rate.

[jduffy]

Here is a great book you can check out. I bought it and it's very sensible. Check out the reviews.

http://www.amazon.com/Getting-Strong...e=UTF8&s=books

I lift weights on Monday, Wednesday, Friday and do cardio on Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday. Sunday is a rest day and not to be overlooked. Your body actually gets stronger when it's resting, not when you're working out.

And at a club, find a trainer there who suits your personality. Beware of the crazy gung ho ones unless of course you are gung ho yourself!