Your local gym provides an array of equipment for you to use to improve your health and fitness. You will find dumbbells, barbells, benches, machine weights, pulley machines, balls, treadmills, elliptical machines and core-strengthening equipment. The group fitness classes range from your basic aerobic dance to a total body conditioning class. Whether your goal is to get stronger, build muscle or lose weight, you can use the equipment at your local gym to reach your goal.
Step 1
Decide on your immediate fitness goal. Your goal determines your primary exercise mode, the frequency at which you work out, the intensity you use and the duration you spend exercising. If you are looking to improve muscle tone and general health, circuit training is a good start to lifting weights. Building muscle means you must do four to five exercises per muscle group, completing six sets of six to 12 repetitions. If your primary goal is to lose weight, you need to do 60 to 90 minutes of moderately intense exercise--weight training and cardio--six days a week.
Step 2
Print a monthly calendar. Determine which days you will lift weights and which days you will do cardio. Identify a specific time of day you will reserve for your exercise training. Perhaps on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays you can work out at 6 a.m. but on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays you have to exercise at noon. Schedule your workout sessions on the monthly calendar and check them off as you complete each session.
Step 3
Make your weight-training log. Workout logs are available online or at a bookstore. You can also make your own log using a graphing notebook. For instance, if you will be weight training three days per week, designate one page for chest and back exercises, a second page for legs and shoulders and a third page for biceps and triceps. You must know what your workout is before you enter the parking lot of your gym. Include exercises, weights, the number of sets and the number of reps. Track your routine to ensure you are making progress. Use fitness magazines to get ideas of different ways to pair your muscle groups and your exercises.
Step 4
Record your cardio sessions. This is particularly useful when using cardio machines. Use one page per machine, per type of workout. For example, if you like to walk and run on the treadmill, you can do so using several types of routines. You can have an endurance routine, a high-intensity sprint routine and a moderately intense routine. Each type of the routine should have one page in your logbook. Record the total distance covered, the speed you used, the calories burned and the length of the session. Use this data to make your next treadmill workout slightly more challenging.
Step 5
Get your things together. If you work out in the morning before you head into work, you will need to pack your work clothes and other necessary items. Prepare a lunch bag so you have healthy choices for breakfast, lunch and snacks.
Tips and Warnings
- If you are unsure of how to use the gym equipment, take advantage of the free introductory personal training sessions most gyms offer. There are also weight training videos available showing how to do exercises properly.
- Check with your doctor prior to engaging in a new workout program, especially if you have a known disease such as diabetes, high blood pressure or heart disease. Unsupervised exercise can worsen your condition.
Things You'll Need
- Gym membership
- Graph notebook
- Pencil
- Gym bag
- Lunch cooler
References
- “Personal Trainer Manual”; American Council on Exercise; 1997
- “Essentials of Strength Training and Conditioning”; Thomas R. Baechle and Roger W. Earle; 2000
- “Guidelines for Exercise Testing and Prescription”; American College of Sports Medicine; 2006
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