Group: Beginners to Exercise

Created: 2012/01/01, Members: 968, Messages: 18927

Share and offer advice to beginners to the fitness world!

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Having a hard time getting started.

pointforpoke
pointforpoke
Posts: 3
Joined: 2009/03/12
United States
2009/04/29, 03:52 PM
Long story short, I've been told I must go to the gym twice a day 6 times a week (sundays off) but without a work out partner I'm having a hard time starting.. and I never know what to do in the PM since I worked out in the am. Not quite sure if its ok to work the same body part both in the AM and the PM?

As for cardio I cant use the treadmill or the stair stepper (I have compartment syndrome) and the eliptical all the time gets fairly boring so I'm also having a problem staying to that.
SeriousSam
SeriousSam
Posts: 2
Joined: 2009/04/27
United Kingdom
2009/04/29, 04:24 PM
Why so much time in the gym?! What are your goals?
returnofplex
returnofplex
Posts: 801
Joined: 2007/10/26
United States
2009/04/30, 10:52 AM
No you don't have to go to the gym 6 days a week unless you're a body builder. Depending on what your goals are, you could do a full body workout(like a circuit) 2-3 days a week, or do a program that splits your muscle groups up into 2-3 days worth of workouts(the idea being that each muscle group gets worked once per week).
This is what my week looks like right now:
Monday, Wednesday, Friday, I lift, followed by a short cardio session(10-20 minutes).
Tuesday and Thursday I do longer cardio sessions just on their own.
That's five days a week. I keep weekends open for whatever.
Cardio is a huge help for fat loss. If you WON'T use a treadmill or any other equipment, do it outside or on a track, or around the block.
Also I have left out the most important component to fitness: Proper DIET. Make sure you are eating properly for your goals.
pointforpoke
pointforpoke
Posts: 3
Joined: 2009/03/12
United States
2009/04/30, 04:05 PM
I'm in the army deployed to iraq. My company thinks its a good idea to go to the gym 6 days a week twice a day. so 12 times a week. I have no idea how to fill that time safely.

And Returnofplex, it is not a matter of "won't" use the treadmill, I said I cannot. I have compartment syndrome and will have a fasciotomy in both legs when we return to garrison. So until then, I cannot run or walk fast (or use the stair stepper) or work out my calves.

As for my goals, I personally have none. I just am trying to do as I am told, I am happy with my body size and weight. My goal is to not get injured any further, which I think is happening because my legs constantly hurt now and not just the muscle containing compartment syndrome, but my knees and ankles too.

I have a tendency to do a leg workout every other day since I don't know what else to do, so I probably should stop that.

Right now what I'm doing is a 10 min warm up on a stationary bike, then 10 mins of stretching (or longer.. I take stretching seriously cause of my legs)
After that I either lift (for legs I do hip abduction and the other hip one, leg press, and lunges)
or do 30-40 mins on the eliptical or 30-40 on a bike.

Think I might switch to the bike more often since I need to get down 6.2 miles in 25 minutes with 20 newtons of resistance.

And diet, I am eating correctly. (Not hard to do while deployed :D) lots of water, turkey wraps and watermelon for dinner, and whatever the healthy bar has for lunch. (ok maybe I'm not since I only eat 2 meals a day..)

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Quoting from returnofplex:

No you don't have to go to the gym 6 days a week unless you're a body builder. Depending on what your goals are, you could do a full body workout(like a circuit) 2-3 days a week, or do a program that splits your muscle groups up into 2-3 days worth of workouts(the idea being that each muscle group gets worked once per week).
This is what my week looks like right now:
Monday, Wednesday, Friday, I lift, followed by a short cardio session(10-20 minutes).
Tuesday and Thursday I do longer cardio sessions just on their own.
That's five days a week. I keep weekends open for whatever.
Cardio is a huge help for fat loss. If you WON'T use a treadmill or any other equipment, do it outside or on a track, or around the block.
Also I have left out the most important component to fitness: Proper DIET. Make sure you are eating properly for your goals.
=============
returnofplex
returnofplex
Posts: 801
Joined: 2007/10/26
United States
2009/05/01, 01:21 PM
Okay I've got some ideas for you. Since you're in the gym 12 times a week, how about working one specific muscle group group every time to go in. Like working say back in the morning, and biceps at night. Chest in the morning, triceps at night, and legs in the morning and shoulders at night. Each muscle group would get hit twice per week on that schedule. Or working one muscle group per day in the morning, and doing your cardio separate in the evening(or vice-versa).
As far as the diet goes, try to make it at least three meals a day with a few small snacks in between. You'll have better workouts and your muscles will heal a lot faster. Eating twice a day is a technique that Sumo wrestlers use to gain weight.
Oh, and I didn't know that you are deployed. So on behalf of the people who appreciate you risking your neck I'd just like to say thank you.