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Just joined a gym - help

Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
in Health & Wellbeing
Hi guys

I just joined a cheap gym round the corner - and from what I can tell so far its one of those body building type ones :p. But the people are friendly enough.

I went the other day, did 15 minutes running, resistance machines for shoulders / back / stomach, then 15 minutes more running. But I was finished in about 40 minutes, and want to be spending I guess about 1hr 15 or something each time and do a 'proper' work out. I have no real idea where the balance is, and looking on the internet, some people go into crazy amount of detail.

So really I just want a "Newbie guide to gym training - general fitness". Also want all over toning, but nothing 'serious', just a little bit here, there, and everywhere.

I'm sure there are others who have been going for years and know what they're on about and probably see the clueless newbies all the time. So help me out :D.

I also am going to get something more appropriate to wear, I thought I'd be ok in an old t shirt and shorts but I felt like I stuck out like a sore thumb with everyone else wearing proper sportswear lol.

Thanks.

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    Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    I do roughly the same thing, probably about 10mins running machine, 10mins bike, 2500meters on rowing machine or 2000, weights twice round then 10mins running and bike to cool down but I've also started doing free wieghts to bulk myself up a bit more

    Think that helps
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    Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    So do you go on all the different resistance machines? There are probably about 8 or 9 in total, and to be honest I don't know how to use them all!
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    Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Find your nearest CrossFit centre and go beyond gym fitness :)
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    Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    i only spend about 40 mins at the gym otherwise i get bored
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    Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    ShyBoy wrote: »
    So do you go on all the different resistance machines? There are probably about 8 or 9 in total, and to be honest I don't know how to use them all!

    pretty much, the abs one, all the arms/back ones and the leg one, theres 2 other leg ones I don;t use but their always used by old grannies
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    Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Split your major muscles in different groups, like legs + back + stomach, and chest + arms + shoulders, and do 10-15 minutes running and on one day, one of those groups and on another the other one. There is nothing wrong with being done in 30-45 minutes. 30 Minutes is plenty of time to have a very hard work out. It's actually better going more times a week instead of one time very long. Make sure to take in enough carbohydrates 30 to 120 minutes before the work out and you are all set.

    Btw. I would advise you to train with free weights as much as you can, instead of machines.
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    Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    StrubbleS wrote: »
    Split your major muscles in different groups, like legs + back + stomach, and chest + arms + shoulders, and do 10-15 minutes running and on one day, one of those groups and on another the other one. There is nothing wrong with being done in 30-45 minutes. 30 Minutes is plenty of time to have a very hard work out. It's actually better going more times a week instead of one time very long. Make sure to take in enough carbohydrates 30 to 120 minutes before the work out and you are all set.

    Btw. I would advise you to train with free weights as much as you can, instead of machines.

    I think this is true, the more often you exercise you easier it becomes. Using the major muscles groups together will use more energy which will help you with weight loss if that is your goal but will also improve your functional fitness. I comply agree with the last sentence, machines give your muscles and joints an unnatural form of exercise that doesn't improve your functional fitness any where near as well as exercising with free weights. Make sure you are doing intensive exercise, because that is what will improve your fitness; jogging on the treadmill every other day isn't going to change your body composition.

    I keep banging on about this CrossFit stuff, but take a look at this page http://athletics.wikia.com/wiki/CrossFit_Named_WODs and see if you can adapt any of workouts for the gym environment. The are very challenging but the more you put in the more you get out.
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    Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    The free weights are the way forward. Why not ask the gym to make you two weights routines that you can alternate?
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    Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    One thing I would say with free weights though is that its easier to injure yourself doing it wrong, so unless you've got someone good to go through the exercises with you there's nowt wrong with sticking to the machines.
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    Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    katralla wrote: »
    The free weights are the way forward. Why not ask the gym to make you two weights routines that you can alternate?

    I think I will do this :) I think I was just a bit nervous at first because I was a bit shy / never been to a gym before!
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    Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    If they ask you to pay for a personal training session, I would pay £10-£15, but then I am pretty tight. The last session I had I blagged for free. Take a notebook, write down the names of exercises, draw a stickman picture to jog memory. Then, each time you go to the gym you can write a note in your notebook what exercises you did and the weights, reps, and sets for each.
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    Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    I spend anything up to an hour down the gym...

    Spending longer does not mean your work out will be any more effective.

    I have heard kettlebells are very effective.
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    Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    http://www.exrx.net/Lists/Directory.html

    lift slowly is the best advice i can give never fully extend so you lock and just take it easy so you dont over do yourself and cause injury.
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    Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    badboy4life wrote: »
    http://www.exrx.net/Lists/Directory.html

    lift slowly is the best advice i can give never fully extend so you lock and just take it easy so you dont over do yourself and cause injury.

    That website is amazing!
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