Those of you that exercise regularly..


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I signed up for the gym recently so I needed some advice on how to get started best.

For those of you that do can you give me some advice at what machines or exercises I should work on if I want to tone my stomach?

Also, the guy there said that since i'm not use to it not to overly exercise.

Now I thought I wasn't overly doing it earlier today, but now my legs are killing me.

So the question is if i'm not feeling my legs killing me while there how do I know when i'm over-doing it or not doing enough and such?

Also is it normal for my legs to be hurting a lot ?

will it go away after I get use to exercising regularly?

Should I only go every other day?

I'm signed up to go 4 days a week but

2 of the days are right next to eachother - sat and sun

Is that okay?

I thought you needed a day inbetween for your muscles to do something or other?

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Also is it normal for my legs to be hurting a lot ? At first yes, then it may go away, but it is normal if it doesn't.

will it go away after I get use to exercising regularly? Maybe, usually no, if you keep moving the weights up that is.

Should I only go every other day? Yes, unless you do upper body one day and lower the next. You could do it every day later on, but it's best to do it every other day still.

I'm signed up to go 4 days a week but

2 of the days are right next to eachother - sat and sun

Is that okay? Yeah, you could do lower 1 day and upper another.

I thought you needed a day inbetween for your muscles to do something or other? Yeah, you're actually ripping the muscle and it needs to fill in. That's how you gain muscle mass. You need to eat lots of protein foods too. Meat or soy.

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Also is it normal for my legs to be hurting a lot ?

will it go away after I get use to exercising regularly?

Should I only go every other day?

I'm signed up to go 4 days a week but

2 of the days are right next to eachother - sat and sun

Is that okay?

I thought you needed a day inbetween for your muscles to do something or other?

yes and yes it's perfectly normal in the first days/weeks

i'm no expert but the times a week you go depends on your body recuperation rate and when i was in the gym i went about 2/3 days a week, 1/2 hours a day and that suited me fine and i started noticing results right after a week but it all depends on your body and what you feel comfortable with.

try to go 4 days and if it turns out to be too much reduce to 2/3.

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stomach....hrm, first of all, gainign some condition aint bad at all. if you wanna train your stomach you gotta burn fat first before getting it in shape otherwise il'll become all bloated.

you legs may hurt after the first 1-2 times because youre not used to it, if they still hurt after that youre doing somethign wrong. go see a coach/trainer then.

then you gotta decide if you wanna just gain mucles, define them or wanna gain condition.

for me its like 2 months of each of the above mentioned.i'm starting to look handsome now, only need to get rid of my small beerbelly.

oh ya, i'm doing workout 3-5x a week.

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Also is it normal for my legs to be hurting a lot ? At first yes, then it may go away, but it is normal if it doesn't.

will it go away after I get use to exercising regularly? Maybe, usually no, if you keep moving the weights up that is.

Should I only go every other day? Yes, unless you do upper body one day and lower the next. You could do it every day later on, but it's best to do it every other day still.

I'm signed up to go 4 days a week but

2 of the days are right next to eachother - sat and sun

Is that okay? Yeah, you could do lower 1 day and upper another.

I thought you needed a day inbetween for your muscles to do something or other? Yeah, you're actually ripping the muscle and it needs to fill in. That's how you gain muscle mass. You need to eat lots of protein foods too. Meat or soy.

what happens if you don't eat protein foods much.

cus i'm a vegetarian... so the meat parts out and I don't have much soy either.

How important is it?

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yes and yes it's perfectly normal in the first days/weeks

i'm no expert but the times a week you go depends on your body recuperation rate and when i was in the gym i went about 2/3 days a week, 1/2 hours a day and that suited me fine and i started noticing results right after a week but it all depends on your body and what you feel comfortable with.

try to go 4 days and if it turns out to be too much reduce to 2/3.

results after a week

woah I didn't know results could come that fast.

Were you already in good of shape and just wanted it more toned?

cus if not that would be great.

were you working your stomach area too?

which machines worked best?

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what happens if you don't eat protein foods much.

cus i'm a vegetarian... so the meat parts out and I don't have much soy either.

How important is it?

Not very important if you don't care about muscle mass. They'll just remain the same size and you'll lose weight.

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protein is really needed when you wanna GAIN muslcemass. for getting in shape/condition you dont need any special treatment, plain water/l-carnitin/mineraldrinks are just fine.

my trainer told me that the human body can only handle 30mg of protein per day (that about one big piece of fish), the rest gets turned into fat 1:1.

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stomach....hrm, first of all, gainign some condition aint bad at all. if you wanna train your stomach you gotta burn fat first before getting it in shape otherwise il'll become all bloated.

you legs may hurt after the first 1-2 times because youre not used to it, if they still hurt after that youre doing somethign wrong. go see a coach/trainer then.

then you gotta decide if you wanna just gain mucles, define them or wanna gain condition.

for me its like 2 months of each of the above mentioned.i'm starting to look handsome now, only need to get rid of my small beerbelly.

oh ya, i'm doing workout 3-5x a week.

well I put on a bit of tummie fat.

That's what made me decide it was time to go to the gym since it hasn't went away like it use to do.

What can you do to help your legs not hurt as much at the end of the night?

How much time do you spend for your workout each time?

hour?

what's ideal or best?

and should you increase the workout time to longer as you get more use to exercising?

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I signed up for the gym recently so I needed some advice on how to get started best.

For those of you that do can you give me some advice at what machines or exercises I should work on if I want to tone my stomach?

Also, the guy there said that since i'm not use to it not to overly exercise.

Now I thought I wasn't overly doing it earlier today, but now my legs are killing me.

So the question is if i'm not feeling my legs killing me while there how do I know when i'm over-doing it or not doing enough and such?

Also is it normal for my legs to be hurting a lot ?

will it go away after I get use to exercising regularly?

Should I only go every other day?

I'm signed up to go 4 days a week but

2 of the days are right next to eachother - sat and sun

Is that okay?

I thought you needed a day inbetween for your muscles to do something or other?

1. Do a full ab set and hit each part of your midsection. There should be guides around your gym, or ask an employee to show you where to find this info.

2. You should always warm up a little and then really work it. You are a beginner so you shouldn't work yourself too much in the first few weeks. Let your body get used to the strain with moderate weight and then work your way up over the next few months.

3. General rule of thumb, if its painful, stop. Use less weight next time or don't work urself too hard. Once again, know your limits and build up to break them later. Don't be a hotshot or you could really hurt yourself.

4. Perfectly normal to be sore as hell after you exercise, especially if you are a beginner. It will go away. However, if you are really feeling extreme painful soreness or aches, then this is an indication that you need to slow down next time.

5. Three days a week is good. 4 days is for real muscleheads. Always have a day in between workouts to let your body relax and build muscle if that is what you are looking for.

And here are my tips which I have learned.

1. Drink lots of water. Its a must if you want to get toned up as well as to have great skin. Its essential for building muscle. Don't drink too much though. A liter a day is enough for most people.

2. Moderation is key. Don't kill yourself by going for 200 lbs benchpress when you should be doing 175. However, if lifting is too easy for you, move on to more weight because you're wasting your time.

3. Don't just depend on weightlifting. Get a decent cardio regimen going too, as it burns fat and keeps ur heart healthy. 30 min for 2 times a week is more than enough for most people.

4. Hit all your muscle groups. You don't wanna be lopsided. I knew a guy that was too focused on his arms and he looked creepy.

5. Think Think Think. Use your common sense or you run the risk of getting hurt.

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results after a week

woah I didn't know results could come that fast.

Were you already in good of shape and just wanted it more toned?

cus if not that would be great.

were you working your stomach area too?

which machines worked best?

i started getting hard muscles after a week, but only noticed a real "visual" diference after a month or two and i was already in good shape but not muscle wise so it was easier for me to do the exercices.

before going to the gym i used to do some running, crunches and that kind of stuff.

as for exercices i did everything the coach threw at me :laugh: and that included almost every machine in a 2 month trek

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well I put on a bit of tummie fat.

That's what made me decide it was time to go to the gym since it hasn't went away like it use to do.

What can you do to help your legs not hurt as much at the end of the night?

How much time do you spend for your workout each time?

hour?

what's ideal or best?

and should you increase the workout time to longer as you get more use to exercising?

i spend like 2-4 hours in workout. 1 hours for riding the bike only to burn fat. best thing to do is cardiotraining so the bike handles the speed/level and youre always in a certain range so the fat melts away @ max :D

trust, the legs dont hurt anymore after a certain time, you only need some condition/endurance.

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well I put on a bit of tummie fat.

That's what made me decide it was time to go to the gym since it hasn't went away like it use to do.

What can you do to help your legs not hurt as much at the end of the night?

How much time do you spend for your workout each time?

hour?

what's ideal or best?

and should you increase the workout time to longer as you get more use to exercising?

Yeah, go for ab excercises and cardio. However, its nice to have some muscle because it keeps your metabolism up and lets face it. Untoned is ugly. Here is a guide to foods with protein for your diet.

http://www.vrg.org/nutrition/protein.htm

I do 30 min with weights, 30 cardio, 3 days a week. I'm getting back into shape for summer and fall.

Best isn't a good word to use when talking of exercise. Experiment to see what works for your body.

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trust, the legs dont hurt anymore after a certain time, you only need some condition/endurance.

:yes: What he said. In the mean time, a nice hot shower (or if you have the time - a hot bath) will take care some of the soreness with your legs. You can get some alcohol leg gel from some shops as well, and that will help.

Congratulations on the lost weight, by the way! ;)

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First, I would recommend conditioning before you ever do any weights. You can obtain some very serious results with running and other cardio workouts, especially if you are just starting out and/or have some weight to lose.

This is just an example, but this is what I have found productive:

Mon, Wed, Fri - 1 mile run at 7.5mph. This will increase your respiratory rate and muscles, allowing for greater lung capacity. Running short distances at a sprint is very good for quick condtioning.

Tue, Thu, Sat - 1 1/2 mile run at 6.5mph. This is more for strengthening leg muscles, burning fat/calories, and building on the conditioning area.

I am 5'10''. When I first started this program, I weighed 183lbs. and was out of shape. I used to play basketball in high school, and while away for college I got lazy. When I moved back home for the summer I was bored, so I started this. Within 2 months I was down to 171lbs. I gave up soda, fatty snacks (chips, etc.), ice cream...all of the crap stuff. That was 1 1/2 years ago...I now weigh 160lbs. and am in the best physical shape of my life. I also play basketball Mon, Wed Fri for 2 hours, which the sprint training really helps.

One thing I would say for someone in your situation is this: change your diet. Drink water, give up soda. Cut down snacking, unneccesary eating. Run as much as possible and walk as much as possible. Use stairs instead of elevators. At home, do pushups and situps (only takes about 10 minutes, do it while watching TV). I guarantee you will see results just by this. Screw Atkins diets, low carb meals, all that mainstream crap. It only takes self-confidence, responsibility, and a will to do it. Yes, you will hurt, which is good. It means your muscles are working in ways they aren't used to. It will go away after a time. MAKE SURE TO DRINK PLENTY OF WATER before and after workouts...basically, anytime you are thirsty, drink water.

Once you feel you have a good base going, and you're running is becoming easier, then start a little weight training. Start small. Don't be worried about using 10lb. dumbbells. You want to tone your muscles, not rip them. If you want to go for the buff Hans and Franz look, then you should get a personal weight trainer. But the basics are easy. RUN RUN RUN. Cardio workouts are the best.

If you have any more questions, don't understand quite what I wrote (I'm kind of tired) or anything else, feel free.

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One thing I would say for someone in your situation is this: change your diet. Drink water, give up soda. Cut down snacking, unneccesary eating. Run as much as possible and walk as much as possible. Use stairs instead of elevators. At home, do pushups and situps (only takes about 10 minutes, do it while watching TV). I guarantee you will see results just by this. Screw Atkins diets, low carb meals, all that mainstream crap. It only takes self-confidence, responsibility, and a will to do it. Yes, you will hurt, which is good. It means your muscles are working in ways they aren't used to. It will go away after a time. MAKE SURE TO DRINK PLENTY OF WATER before and after workouts...basically, anytime you are thirsty, drink water.

Once you feel you have a good base going, and you're running is becoming easier, then start a little weight training. Start small. Don't be worried about using 10lb. dumbbells. You want to tone your muscles, not rip them. If you want to go for the buff Hans and Franz look, then you should get a personal weight trainer. But the basics are easy. RUN RUN RUN. Cardio workouts are the best.

If you have any more questions, don't understand quite what I wrote (I'm kind of tired) or anything else, feel free.

Wow, truer words were never spoken, IMO.

Eat as well as you can (also try making sure to get some protein in you after muscle workouts) and exercise as regularly as you can. Expect it to be hard for a few weeks, but after that, it just gets easier and easier once you're in the habit. If you want defined muscles, cardio work is even more important, as you need to burn the fat which would otherwise hide them.

Only other bit of advice I can give is try and find an exercise or sport that you really enjoy if possible. Whilst I've been semi-active for most of my life, it wasn't until I started wushu that I really enjoyed 'working out'...simply because you don't even notice you're doing so. Any muscle pain and aches are just secondary, and the enjoyment I get out of it easily overcomes that. And for the first time in my life, I can actually SEE my abs, biceps and triceps, so yeah, do the above and find something you love doing. :)

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Seeing your a vegiman like me, to get protein what I've been suggested to use is just three straight up eggs with a dash of dutch chocolate Isotope mix and milk. Works for me.

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I agree with all the advice people has posted here. I am one of the people exercising. I weight about 120 Kg and I workout at the pool by walking through the water. Hell yes, my leg hurts but I do about 20 minutes walking in the water, no stopping (only to turn around to go the other way).

I also do 20 minutes walking around the (extremely hilly) block. This afternoon, I was walking up the hill for ahout 5 minutes, my heart was beating hard and my legs hurt like hell but I did not stop, because I think about other things like going to the show or thinking up anything I can think of. That will take my mind off the legs and allow me to contuine on walking. When I get home, I feel refreshed! :) A nice hot shower does help to make you more refreshed like someone posted up above. And don't forget water is vital for your body! Drink lots of it!

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:rolleyes: Rent one of the Ab/arm videos like I did. You should start out like Mon. Wen. Fri. to build up your body. Your body is supposed to need a rest between excercise days. You can do lots of ab excercises right at home, with no equip. or just a simple dumbell weight.

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Well i've read every post.

Got useful info from all of them.

I will keep all that in mind.

( I was thinking about printing the topic out so I could have a little guide for me and my friend )

Thank you all for your advice

it was very helpful !

I appreciate it.

Although I must warn you I might come along a couple more questions about things have to post them in this thread again.

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Well if you're a vegetarian, I'm sure you eat healthy already :p. I get my protein in-take from Vector cereal and I drink ProSoy after I workout, and my dinner usually consists of meat and vegetables, such as beans. About your legs hurting, when I started Gym this semester in school and had to run a few laps everyday, my legs hurt for weeks not just days. It eventually went away.

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