Ok, I just started going back to the gym. I’m still developing my general schedule for such things, and I was wondering if anybody had any hints or places I can look for things like what makes a good exercise regimen (assuming one doesn’t wish to be a bodybuilder, and is mostly going to get lean and fit), what to avoid when doing exercise in general (I hear arching your back is bad, although one of the trainers at the gym seems to think it’s a good idea, in certain situations), dietary tips when starting out, and just some general stories about what people have found works and doesn’t work for them.
Oh, and should one alternate cardio and weights by day? (ex: cardio on monday, weights tuesday, etc.)
Ignore all the stuff about it being for women–it’s all very good advice and well-written, without all that boozy testosterone heavy crap that crowds most exercise sites.
Follow the training and dietary advice and do one of her beginner’s full body workouts 3 days a week with another 3 days of cardio (alternated) and you’ll get in shape pretty fast. Unless you’re on steroids or you’re a genetic mutant of some sort, you won’t generally get huge lifting weights (and by huge, I mean like those freaks on the cover of muscle mags). If you do, losing muscle gains is ridiculously easy.
One thing that I’ve learned in my own personal experience is regarding warm ups and stretching. I’ve come across many people who insist that muscles need to be stretched prior to workouts–and indeed, I learned this in gyn class. However, I’ve also more recently heard that muscles need to be warmed up prior to stretching.
For me, I’ve found that I ache afterwards (long afterwards) if I stretch prior to warming up, and actually do better if I don’t stretch until after I completely finish my work out. Plus, it makes stretching much easier and actually feels good to do stretching afterwards.
Also, in my personal experience, I’ve found that my body responds very well (and relatively quickly) to aerobic activity. Right now, I’ve been hooked on the Gazelle Glider and this works for me in many respects. 1) I can do it at home whenever I want. This includes right before I go to bed (lets me sleep solid afterwards), 30 minutes after I eat (not a problem for me) or when my kid is upstairs watching television. This also means that everytime I walk past it in my house, I get a subtle mental jab to work out. 2) I’m not subjected to the “contrast and compare” of a gym. I’m not a spry 110 lbs. and have no desire to workout where other people can see me. 3) it’s relatively inexpensive. Less than $200 for the equipment and I’m set. 4) It’s almost Klutz proof. My coordination is such that I can’t walk and chew gum at the same time, so the “Step Left and two and three! Now, Right and Front and Side and Turn” of a traditional aerobic workout is sheer torture. With this, I simply get on and go. I set the pace and the intensity. Plus, I get to choose my own music (no disco, rap crap). I did try doing it while watching television, however, I found myself not working out as intensely.
If you want and if it won’t make you too burned out, you should be able to do cardio safely every day as long as you don’t overdo it (I’d say about 30 minutes at a time, especially if you haven’t worked out for a while, even as low as 20 if it feels really difficult). As for weights, I’ve heard you should skip a day between weightlifting days, and definitely make sure to use proper form. And make sure that, when you lift the weight, you’re moving slowly and smoothly in a controlled motion. Many people tend of fling weights around or lift way too quickly, which can result in injury or may prevent you from getting as much out of the workout as you could if you’re not going too fast or flinging the weights.
Also, if you use a stairmaster or elliptical, or even a treadmill, if you’re working so hard you’re holding yourself up by leaning on the bars or clutching the treadmill console to prevent yourself falling off while going uphill, slow down or reduce the incline. You shouldn’t have to hang on to a machine for dear life to get a workout. In fact, you’ll get very little benefit in your legs if your arms are doing all the work for you. You should work out in such a way that your hands rest on the handles only for balance, not to hold you on the machine.
Oh, yeah. Muscle soreness after lifting weights is normal, especially if you haven’t done it for a while. Also, it’s good to work out at a challenging pace. But if something hurts a LOT while you’re doing it, stop doing it. As someone said to me in an earlier thread, the “no pain, no gain” philosophy is incorrect. If it hurts, you’ll be less likely to continue working out, and more likely to hurt yourself.
Rock n Roach’s tip about getting in and getting out is right on. Make going to the gym part of your daily routine. I’ve found that it’s so much easier if I go at the same time every day. If I skip a couple of days, it’s really tempting to skip a whole week.
I like this site, scroll down to Specific Bodyparts And Exercises. There are some good articles amongst the chaff. And it is rather testosterone filled. But it still has good information.
I’ve read this here many, many times, and it is by far the absolute best advice anyone has ever given on exercise routines:
The best exercise routine in the world is the one you will actually do.
Walking 20 minutes a day every day for the next year will be far, far better for you than working out really, really hard for the next 4 weeks then quiting.
That doesn’t mean you need to find something fun. Exercise being fun is a myth. No one has fun working out. If they say they do, they’re lying.
What this means to me to is that if you find yourself dreading your workouts, find a different routine. Your routine and diet don’t have to be perfect. Anything you do to get yourself moving more than you do now is good for you.
If you start slow and keep at it, I think you will find yourself naturally wanting to increase intensity and time as you progress. Just be sure that no matter what you do, it is something you can stick with and not dread. You don’t even need to build up a sweat to get a decent workout.
As one guru once said to me, do a little, but do it every day.
I agree that varying your routine is a good way to prevent boredom, but I currently am “forced” to work out at home on a Nordic Trac machine. My schedule is such that I have to work out early in the AM, and I live in an area without streetlights. In the summer I can vary my cardio routine by running and Nordic Tracking, but in the fall and winter I’m stuck on the damn machine. For me the only salvation is music. Working out is about the only time I get to really listen to my tunes so I try to make this the “draw”.
Dividing your days between weight lifting and cardio is also a great way to break the monotony. In the long run you really should do both for optimal health. First lose any excess poundage you want by concentrating on cardio, and then add the weight lifting to add muscle mass. Don’t worry about looking like a body builder - this takes years of dedication to lifting which is not what I’m proposing.
I just had to pop in and say that I sort of combined the thread title and the username, and I swear I thought this topic was, “Ninja excercise program.” And I thought to myself, “AWESOME!!!”
Seriously, if someone invented that, it’s totally the exercise routine I would actually do.
Ok, carry on.
