Fitness for dummies?

[oma]

Originally Posted by newguy888

Seriously, get out and build up to jogging/running 6 days a week anywhere from 30min to over 1 hour. Then do sets of push ups and sit ups, 10 to 20 at a clip rest and continue until you cannot do anymore. Sometimes its 300 sit ups and 100 push ups. sometimes more or less. But If IF you can keep at it and motivated you do not have to spend one second in a health club.

This is outstanding advice. No need for costly memberships.

[newguy88]

Originally Posted by Alan

Over doing things is a very common mistake for people first starting on a training program. (been there, done that )

As the authors of Younger Next Year say - the target is "younger next year", not "younger tomorrow"

Over doing... Ohmy. I ran 20 miles yesterday and just ran 3 miles in 25 mins just before heading out to work today. Legs feel get this GREAT!! I did get 8 hours of sleep last night and 600 mgs of Advil!

[lets-retire]

I would second? third? the recommendation to have a personal trainer help you. The books would be great reading for the background information, but they normally do not set up a routine specifically for your body type and goals, where a personal trainer should talk to you and get an idea what you are trying to do before setting up a plan for you. The books would be of great help after you have already set up a plan and need to vary your workout to maintain interest. The books would work, but you'll have a longer trial and error period until you figure out what your body responds to the best.

[Want2retire]

Originally Posted by lets-retire

I would second? third? the recommendation to have a personal trainer help you. The books would be great reading for the background information, but they normally do not set up a routine specifically for your body type and goals, where a personal trainer should talk to you and get an idea what you are trying to do before setting up a plan for you. The books would be of great help after you have already set up a plan and need to vary your workout to maintain interest. The books would work, but you'll have a longer trial and error period until you figure out what your body responds to the best.

I got one free session with a personal trainer with my gym contract. In my case, I am just looking for overall improvement in fitness and activity level. I didn't really end up incorporating much of what he told me to do at all, probably because of a combination of obstinence and not being too impressed.

It is important to me to do what is FUN for me, which in my case would be a lot of work on the weight machines. That is what gets me there. Just GOING to the gym is so much more important to my health than what I do there. Once I'm there, I will do a little cardio (which I do not really enjoy as much), just to do it.

My workout: I need a lot of variety in my workout to enjoy it. So, I generally start by walking 1/2 mile on the indoor track to warm up, do 10 specific stretches at the stretching station, then walk 1/4 mile on the treadmill. Then I do 2 sets of 10 reps on 17-20 weight machines, which I get a huge kick out of and actually enjoy a whole lot. I love the fact that almost every week, I can increase the weight by five pounds on at least one of those machines (which is visible progress). I try to move from machine to machine fast enough that I keep my heart rate up and keep perspiring because that is what my body tells me I need to do. Afterwards I do just a few minutes on the elliptical because I hate it (but it is extremely good for me), and then walk 1/4 mile for my cooldown. That one hour routine seems to keep me going there over the past couple of years.

The trainer's idea of my workout: 20-30 minutes on the treadmill at a much slower speed than I like, and 10 reps on each of only 3 weight machines (!). What a cr*ppy, boring workout. I guess that must be the standard one for us out of shape boomer gals.

[lets-retire]

Originally Posted by Want2retire

The trainer's idea of my workout: 20-30 minutes on the treadmill at a much slower speed than I like, and 10 reps on each of only 3 weight machines (!).

I would have to agree that doesn't really do much for you.

[Want2retire]

Originally Posted by lets-retire

I would have to agree that doesn't really do much for you.

My gray hair must have frightened the trainer - - he was pretty young.

[Alan]

Originally Posted by Want2retire

My gray hair must have frightened the trainer - - he was pretty young.

The trainer at our place is also pretty young and we are both in our 50's but the workout he created for us is pretty good. We told him that we'd take care of the aerobics ourselves - don't need instructions on how to use a treadmill - we wanted strength training using free weights.

His workout plan consists of upper and lower body, doing upper one day and lower on another day. Each group of exercises is ten different types which take us about 80 - 90 minutes to complete allowing for a 10 minute warm up and cool down period.

[Insanity]

Originally Posted by brewer12345

I joined a gym at the start of the yer and am now going 5 days a week (although getting up 4:45 AM to do so is less than wonderful). Realized today that I really don't know much about this, especially what I should/shouls not be doing as I try to get in better shape. . . .

I don't know about the area you live in, but our local community has a couple handy resources I cold suggest. One is the various Life Fitness programs offered through the parks and recreation department community gyms. I haven't taken their classes, but have talked with many of their instructors, and find them to be both well-learned fitness pros and sensitive to the training needs of those who are older than some or more out-of-shape than one should be.

Another resource we have here is a community college that offers both physical education classes and degrees for Fitness Trainers and Fitness Therapy Specialists . . . which means they're a great place to find Fitness Trainers in Training for cheap.

[Insanity]

Originally Posted by newguy888

Seriously, get out and build up to jogging/running 6 days a week anywhere from 30min to over 1 hour . . .

NewGuy, that works for some people, but jogging isn't something my knees do well anymore. One alternative to jogging that I do enjoy is bicycling, which gives me the opportunity to explore parts of the county I wouldn't otherwise ever see. Riding a bike doesn't do damage to my knees like running does, which is good, because I'd really rather save my knees for 20-mile hikes in the Columbia Gorge than pound them to death on the streets of the Portland metropolitan area.

Fitness training, when done right, is both art and science. A good fitness trainer doesn't present their client with a cookie-cutter approach, but designs a program that suits the client's immediate needs, abilities, limitations, and interests. A successful program isn't merely one that, if the client sticks with it, will help them reach their fitness goals. A sucessful program is one they can see results from and enjoy enough that they want to stick with it, and which can be grown and changed as they improve or grow bored of the routine.

[newguy88]

Originally Posted by Insanity

NewGuy, that works for some people, but jogging isn't something my knees do well anymore. One alternative to jogging that I do enjoy is bicycling, which gives me the opportunity to explore parts of the county I wouldn't otherwise ever see. Riding a bike doesn't do damage to my knees like running does, which is good, because I'd really rather save my knees for 20-mile hikes in the Columbia Gorge than pound them to death on the streets of the Portland metropolitan area.

Fitness training, when done right, is both art and science. A good fitness trainer doesn't present their client with a cookie-cutter approach, but designs a program that suits the client's immediate needs, abilities, limitations, and interests. A successful program isn't merely one that, if the client sticks with it, will help them reach their fitness goals. A sucessful program is one they can see results from and enjoy enough that they want to stick with it, and which can be grown and changed as they improve or grow bored of the routine.

Have you seen this one??

Video - Breaking News Videos from CNN.com

101 years old and still running and drinking!

Come on now this is a great uplifting story!!! From Newguy!

[clifp]

Although, I have had weight training instruction at various times in my life, I've gained a lot from my small group (4-6 people) class with good (read expensive) personal trainer. Even with machine there are a heck of a lot of ways of lifting weights incorrectly. Having somebody that watches you and corrects it is helpful.

The other thing that I've really benefited from is core training, we typically do 40-45 minutes of weight training (with short cardio work) followed by 10-15 minutes of core (sit ups, holds, toe touches, balance work etc.) training. I found that my core muscle/balance never good to begin really needed work and damn it hurts. As I told my instructor I probably could get to a gym 3 times a week to lift weights but no way would subject myself to painful core exercises.

My instructor and I are also pretty excited about the upcoming Wii Fitness program, which includes and innovative balance mat and 40 fun looking fitness programs. The cool thing is the WII can actually sense when you are doing an exercise wrong and correct you. Not as good as a 5 mile jog for fitness but a less intense workout that people actually do beats the heck out of one people think about while surfing the net/watching TV/reading ...

[Alan]

Originally Posted by Insanity

NewGuy, that works for some people, but jogging isn't something my knees do well anymore. One alternative to jogging that I do enjoy is bicycling, which gives me the opportunity to explore parts of the county I wouldn't otherwise ever see. Riding a bike doesn't do damage to my knees like running does, which is good, because I'd really rather save my knees for 20-mile hikes in the Columbia Gorge than pound them to death on the streets of the Portland metropolitan area.

Fitness training, when done right, is both art and science. A good fitness trainer doesn't present their client with a cookie-cutter approach, but designs a program that suits the client's immediate needs, abilities, limitations, and interests. A successful program isn't merely one that, if the client sticks with it, will help them reach their fitness goals. A sucessful program is one they can see results from and enjoy enough that they want to stick with it, and which can be grown and changed as they improve or grow bored of the routine.

I completely agree. DW and I both have knee problems so seek out alternatives, cylcling being one of our favorites. Today we explored a new place and it was great. Drove to Covington in St Tammany Parish where we had heard about a new biking trail - 26 miles long with lots of places to visit on the way. We spent over 2.5 hrs cylce time and rode part of it - 28 miles (14 each way). Stopped for lunch at a fabulous Bistro and had New Orleans Style poboy (me), and VooDoo Chicken wrap (DW).

[Insanity]

Originally Posted by newguy888

Have you seen this one??

Video - Breaking News Videos from CNN.com

101 years old and still running and drinking!

Come on now this is a great uplifting story!!! From Newguy!

Ahhh, a man who believes that life should be bitters to the end!

That was really great, NewGuy

[Insanity]

Originally Posted by clifp

Although, I have had weight training instruction at various times in my life, I've gained a lot from my small group (4-6 people) class with good (read expensive) personal trainer. Even with machine there are a heck of a lot of ways of lifting weights incorrectly. Having somebody that watches you and corrects it is helpful.

This brings two things to mind. The first is why I enjoy working out at the community college here in town, the one with the fitness trainer's program. We swap tips, training techniques and critiques of each other's form at the college gym. It's a handy thing to be reminded that you need to flatten out your back more when doing the dumbbell bench row or to be able to show someone else an appropriate exercise for strengthening weak or damaged rotator cuff muscles. (Both things that happened this week.)

The other thing that comes to mind is how poor the quality of weight training my son gets at his high school is. His weight training instructor doesn't really do any teaching, he just give a basic safety talk and lets the kids loose on the equipment. These same kids show up at the local college a year or three later thinking they know all about weight training now, and it takes a long time to get the message across that what they've been doing was dangerous, damaging or not achieving the results they were after because they're doing it so badly.

[newguy88]

Originally Posted by Insanity

This brings two things to mind. The first is why I enjoy working out at the community college here in town, the one with the fitness trainer's program. We swap tips, training techniques and critiques of each other's form at the college gym. It's a handy thing to be reminded that you need to flatten out your back more when doing the dumbbell bench row or to be able to show someone else an appropriate exercise for strengthening weak or damaged rotator cuff muscles. (Both things that happened this week.)

The other thing that comes to mind is how poor the quality of weight training my son gets at his high school is. His weight training instructor doesn't really do any teaching, he just give a basic safety talk and lets the kids loose on the equipment. These same kids show up at the local college a year or three later thinking they know all about weight training now, and it takes a long time to get the message across that what they've been doing was dangerous, damaging or not achieving the results they were after because they're doing it so badly.

Most high schools do not hire a strength coach. They use the coaches for wresting or football during their off season and sit in the weight rooms of said high schools. I would get him involved with a real good strenght coach at the college you talked about or find one and pay for a few sessions with him to set your son up a real good program.

[donheff]

Originally Posted by Insanity

NewGuy, that works for some people, but jogging isn't something my knees do well anymore. One alternative to jogging that I do enjoy is bicycling, which gives me the opportunity to explore parts of the county I wouldn't otherwise ever see. Riding a bike doesn't do damage to my knees like running does, which is good, because I'd really rather save my knees for 20-mile hikes in the Columbia Gorge than pound them to death on the streets of the Portland metropolitan area.

+1 I get all kinds of joint problems from running but I love biking.

Insanity: is Portland as bike friendly as I have heard? In a couple of years DW and I plan to spend a month or so each year renting a place in interesting towns around the country. Portland is on the list.

[chinaco]

Brew.

When you say better shape... what do you mean. Could you elaborate. For example trying to lose weight, bulk up, build stamina... or just want to be healthy and live longer (eg., keep cholesterol down and get exercise).


Over the years better shape has meant different things to me. For example when I was in the Military it meant running miles and lifting weights on a regular regimented program. Anymore, it is walking... perhaps some moderate resistance exercises with some weight.

[Dawg54]

Originally Posted by brewer12345

I joined a gym at the start of the yer and am now going 5 days a week (although getting up 4:45 AM to do so is less than wonderful).

Getting up at 4:45 AM can't be good for you. I would stop immediately. My golf buddies have decided that it has warmed up enough to start playing at 8:00 AM on weekends. How crazy is that? I work all my life to get to the point of being able to get up when ever I want, so why would I want to get up early on a weekend to play golf? I have other buddies I can play with later in the day.

I told the guys to let me know when they decide to move it back to late morning.