Workout 101: What You Need to Know Before You Hit the Gym
Workout Glossary
- Aerobic Training:
Low-intensity, endurance exercises such as running, jogging and rowing that temporarily increase the heart rate and strengthen the lungs to promote efficient use of oxygen in the body. - Anaerobic Training:
Quick, explosive exercises, such as sprinting, which require short bursts of energy for a short time. - Bodybuilding:
Exercising to achieve maximum muscle mass and strength. - Free Weights:
Non-machine equipment, including dumbbells, barbells and plates. - Power Lifting:
Exercising to maximize the amount of weight one can lift. - Repetition:
One complete movement of an exercise. A set is a series of repititions. - Spot:
Assistance given to someone attempting to exceed his or her known lifting capability. - Weight Training:
Exercising with free weights, machines or a combination to achieve overall fitness, strength and endurance.
August 2002 - So, it's finally time. You're ready to slim down, shape up and replace the flab with firm, lean muscle. Eating right is half the battle, but exercising is just as important. Exercise builds muscle and stamina, increases your flexibility and metabolism, and improves strength, tone and balance.
For most people, fitness training can be excellent exercise. Memorial Regional Hospital Fitness & Rehabilitation Center and Memorial Hospital West Fitness & Rehabilitation Center offer memberships for ages 12 and up. (The Memorial Hospital West center also has programs for younger children, such as Cardio Kids for ages 6-12, which is supervised and more play- like than formal fitness training.)
On the other end of the age spectrum, beneficial programs can be designed around an older person's limitations. To be safe, talk to your doctor before you begin a program, especially if you are pregnant, obese, elderly or have a medical condition.
Other than that, fitness is all education, dedication and diversity. If your routine becomes routine, you'll get bored, stop making gains and stop going. OK, let's begin.
Finding the Right Gym
Some important things to look for in a gym are convenience, experience and variety.
"You want to have fairly easy access. If the gym is too far away, you're not as apt to go," says Beth Jones, exercise physiologist at Memorial Hospital West Fitness & Rehabilitation Center. "You also want a facility that has an educated, friendly staff. Ask if they have degrees or certifications. Make sure the gym has a good variety of equipment - treadmills and stationary bikes tend to be easier for a beginner, but you also want to have equipment you can advance to, so you have room to grow."
Before joining, visit the gym at the time of day you plan to work out. That way, you can see how crowded it is and what the clientele is like at that time.
Working with a Trainer
Almost every gym offers up to three free "get started" sessions with a staff trainer, and some require that rookies be supervised. Typically, you'll start with an interview, where your trainer will ask about your physical abilities, medical history, diet and fitness goals. Notice how many questions he or she asks you; a good trainer will want a lot of information to tailor a program to your limitations, commitment and realistic expectations.
The trainer should give you a tour of the gym, let you try out equipment and write a program for your first months of training. He or she should emphasize the need to start slowly, to do basic exercises, to work with light weights about three times a week and to increase the weights by small increments when you can do so safely. The trainer should also stress the benefits of proper form to maximize effect and minimize injury risk and the importance of working all major muscle groups: legs, chest, shoulders, back, arms and abdomen.
The right gym and the right trainer can make all the difference in your enjoyment of getting fit. If you give some time and thought to the process, you'll be much more likely to maintain a regular workout schedule and meet your fitness goals.
Get Fit For Life
If you're looking for a personalized approach to fitness, Memorial Healthcare System's Body Quest program, a 12-week strength, fitness, conditioning and program offered at Memorial Hospital West Fitness & Rehabilitation Center may be just what you need. For more information or to register for the Body Quest program, call (954) 844-7125. Memorial Regional Hospital Fitness & Rehabilitation Center also offers a range of programs and services. For more information, call (954) 265-5800. Check with your physician before beginning an exercise program. For a referral to a physician in your area, please call the Memorial Healthcare System Physician Referral Service at (800) 944-DOCS.
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