Gym and Exercise Q & A for beginners and advanced

It takes NO energy for the body to hold onto fat. That's why it won't budge unless you work it off through exercise.

However, it takes energy to keep muscle. For every pound of muscle you put on, the body burns an approx. extra 50 calories AT REST! This means your metabolism is working fast and burning more calories. This will enhance weight-loss along with a proper nutritious diet.


Why am I not losing? you may be doing too much cardio. This is all to common. People take classes and do cardio, cardio, cardio and never lift a weight. This works initially but eventually leads to a Plateau.  I go in-depth later in the Q & A.

What happens : eventually you start to burn off the little muscle you have which LOWERS your metabolism. Doing the opposite of what you really want. This is why weights are very important. For every pound of muscle you put on you increase your metabolism by approx. 50 extra calories AT REST through out the day not just during exercise! wahoo
***Just by adding muscle your body's metabolism runs faster. 

I DON'T want big muscles. This will NOT happen ladies. We don't have enough testosterone. 

We all have a certain muscle that gets bigger faster. It's based on your genetics. Embrace this~ show that muscle off proud;)
After time you will lose the fat surrounding the muscle. This will result in a TONED tight look.



Why should I lift weights? There are many benefits to lifting weight. Especially as we age.

YOUR HEART RATE WILL RISE DURING EXERCISE . Especially when doing a leg workout. 
THIS IS NORMAL AND BENEFICIAL  
YOUR HEART IS A MUSCLE AND NEEDS TO BE CHALLENGED!

How often should you work out? 3-6 days a week.

How long should a workout take? 30- 60 minutes. Unless your training for something you should be done with weights within 30-45 minutes. (Depending on fitness level). Then cardio for 30 minutes.

Should I do cardio first or last? It doesn't matter. If you find you'll skip it at the end then do it at the beginning of your workout.  It gets complex with an advanced sport specific routine.
How much cardio? 30 minutes is ideal. you can do more but no more then 60 minutes. Unless your outside running/hiking or riding a bike. You risk burning your hard earned muscle down.

You want to workout and be out of the gym in a realistic time. If you are there for hours you are over training. Remember it is the quality of your workout not excessive time that makes a difference.

What should I do? If you are new to exercise you should do an OVER ALL body workout.
If you are more advanced then you should start a split routine.

What if I've been doing and overall workout? Initially, I would advance you to a 2 day split routine. One day multiple upper body workout. Then the next day follow a lower body multiple workout. Followed by a rest day or light cardio day. Repeat

More advanced: I would do a 4-6 day split routine depending on dedicated days allotted. You can email me personally for help.

TIP: You should start with an every other day weight routine (MWF) (T,TH).You need to let the muscle rest/repair and grow.
~Cardio can be done everyday with one day of rest. Remember this can be done outside the gym.

Where do I start? with the largest muscles LEGS Most circuits start with leg press and end with triceps. working the largest muscles to the smallest.
EX: you don't want to start with triceps and then move to chest. Your arms will be fatigued already which will result in poor chest exercise performance.

Typically the machine you hate to use is the most beneficial. This muscle is probably weak which is why you find it difficult. This is the machine you need the most!

TIP: Ask the guy behind the counter to show you the machines. It's his job. Or he can direct you to someone who can. Most gyms give a complimentary Personal training session USE it. Even if you don't plan to buy sessions.
 Knowledge is POWER my friends!!

All the machines have a picture and directions. You will see highlighted muscles in picture. These are the muscles you should feel working during exercise. Note:  this doesn't guarantee good form.

Should I do circuit or free weights? if you have no idea what you are doing. Stick with the circuit you will get an overall workout. Later you can progress to free weights.

My weight is not budging? The body adapts. What does this mean:  initially when you first started to exercise you might of burned 250 calories. Weeks later still doing the same exercise the body has adapted. This now becomes your NORMAL and you burn LESS calories doing the same exercise because your body is burning more efficient now. This leads to a plateau.

DON'T GIVE UP OR GET FRUSTRATED. This is a positive thing you have increased your fitness level. Now it's time to challenge yourself to the next level. 

What is a Plateau? A plateau is when you've been exercising for a few weeks 6+ and weight loss or stamina starts to slow down

.Initially you are successful when you first start exercising. However, after time the body stabilizes and you may feel "stuck" 

How to get over a plateau? Every 4-6 weeks you  have to challenge the body and start a new routine. We are creatures of habit and don't typically like change. Challenging yourself will result in change.

Change up your normal routine.  take a new class,  start free weights, start a split muscle routine, increase intensity/ level, cross train (swim or cycle instead of running), tweak your diet, or start introducing  interval training.
 ****This is not recommended for a newbie! Interval training is taxing on the cardiovascular and muscular system. It can lead to injury and burn out if performed incorrectly! You should have a minimum base of 3 months before preforming.

NO EXERCISE should hurt or cause pain. If it does, you may be doing it incorrectly  Stop and ask the trainer for assistance.

Burning sensation is normal but not actual pain! Some people are sore the night of exercise, some the following day and others two days after a tough workout. This is normal but should not be crippling.  If it is you did to much and need to lessen the intensity next time.

How many reps and sets should I do: Initially you want to do 10-12 repetitions of the exercise followed by 30 second or more if needed rest. Repeat 3x's

Intermediate or advance: You can increase weight and do less reps 8-10 reps/4 sets. For muscle building. For stamina you can do an active rest. Between sets you can do burpees,  jump rope, or ballistic exercises. No rest between sets. This is a challenge!

How do I know if the weight is to heavy or light: If you can't finish a set with PROPER form the weight is to heavy. If you can do more then 12-15, the weight is to light. Ideally 3/4 of the way through the exercise you should feel the muscle start to burn making the last few reps difficult while maintaining form.

A few tips:
You should eat before you workout. You risk getting light headed and passing out. Ideally you should eat 2 hours before a workout to avoid indigestion.

You do NOT need anything more then WATER unless you workout last more than 60 minutes. You don' t want to waste your calorie intake on a unnecessary sports drink.

Everyone is different. Experiment with different foods. I try to keep it bland and simple.

YOU MUST EAT WITHIN 30-60 MINUTES AFTER A WORKOUT. You need to refuel the body after you just depleted all of your stored glycogen. IF YOU DON'T you risk the body metabolizing the hard earned muscle you just started to build. I drink a water based(it's to hot here to keep anything else in the car) protein shake along with a banana or other fresh fruit. Followed by a balanced meal with in 2 hours.

Don't be that person who gets on the same machine everyday. 

Don't be that person who leans on the arm rails of the cardio machine. Stand tall and look ahead! Your legs/glutes should be doing the work.  If you are slumped over you are wasting energy and not using the correct muscles.

Don't leave your mess for the next person to clean up.

RE RACK YOUR WEIGHTS!!