Here are some tried and true tips for gym goers. Did you know?
1. You can't rely on the calorie counter on the machine.The calorie counter on the machine is automatically set for a 200 pound male when you hit "Quick Start" on the equipment. And not everyone burns the same amount of calories when working out. Everyone has a different metabolism. The best way to know your actual calorie burn? Use a fitness tracker, like an Apple Watch. (Click Here to read my post on the Apple Watch) Because you program in your statistics in your fit tracker it is more accurate. Yes, when you program your age and other numbers in the machine it will be closer but still not totally accurate. The good news? You more likely burn more calories than is stated on the machine!
2. When you watch what others are doing, it may not be right for you. What 90% of the people in the gym are doing could be wrong for you. say, “ To be on the safe side, use machines first. All machines in the gym have pictures on them demonstrating how the exercise is done. The pictures also show you what muscles are being used. It is a great idea to study the picture, practice the exercise, and make sure you feel the muscles being worked (the ones in the picture). This is mind-muscle connection.
3. To get the best workout you must calculate your heart rate. Everyone should know what their heart rate should be during their workout. It should not exceed 220 bpm minus your age. And during your workout it should stay between 65-85% of that number to get adequate caloric burn or “heart work” as I like to say. So if you are 40 years young, your max heart rate is 180 bpm.
4. Rest is just as important as working out. Some people start working out and think that they have to work out every single day for hours on end. This is NOT the way to perfect health. It is all about balance. What is good for you is individual. But on average, a good cardio workout would consist of 15-20 minutes of exercise 3-4 times per week. And add some strength training in there too. Everyone ought to include some strength training as good muscle tone is good for many reasons whether you are 15 or 90 years of age.
5. Remember good etiquette in the gym. This is often overlooked. Be sure you do not hang out on the equipment if others are waiting. It is probably best to not hang out on the equipment at all, you may not know if others are waiting. Do not stand around and talk to friends or play on your phone (this is rude🤬 ) while you sit on a piece of equipment. And remember to re-stack your weights when you are finished!! It can be difficult for some to have to take those 45 pound plates that the "strong" guy left on the leg press or bench press.
6. It is ALL ABOUT POSTURE!! Fitness is all about posture! Try your best not to lean on the equipment when doing your cardio. Not only are you training your muscles wrong but you are putting your spine out of alignment and setting yourself up for injury. If you are leaning too much, perhaps the settings are too high, maybe you need to try another piece of equipment, or maybe you need to just stop. Whatever the issue, be sure to stand up straight and focus on re-training good posture!
Happy Training, Kathie
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