Who here works-out? (gym equipment)

[mad1]

okay, if you do, are you member going how many times a week?
was it hard to keep up with?
is it becoming hard?

did you get results?

maybe, do you have equipment at home and use it as well as going to gym or do you just have one at home? is it set up in a room, or do you have to set it up and its a pain to do?



we have one to set up, just an all-in-one job and feck sake ya have ta wheel it in and it takes 5 mins but its a pain in the butt because if either of us want to work out on it, we are actually too lazy to want to set the thing up because it would be so much better to walk into a spare room and it set up! funny that, eh?

anyhow I plan to go speak to a guy next week, fiver each session for as long as I want, but I need his help to bulk me up in places. so that by Spring I look (if I can at my age!) and feel much better than how I am (due to how Ive been the past year) - so really. I mean, being naturally thin sucks!

but that said, does someone know, is working out faster and pushing yourself to the point of pain and a bit more the way to gain muscle?


thanks.

 

[europop2005]

i just got back into working out, i have a machine at home...its been about a week and a half now,

i do 30 bench presses
40 incline presses
30 reps on the rowing machine
and about 40-50 crunches a day
(total about 20 minutes)

additionally i walk/run about a mile and a half every day
(about 45 min)

i'm starting to see results already

 

[mad1]

do you do lower cruches as well? boy are they hard!

 

[Liesje]

I have an elliptical at home. Haven't used it lately since the pup has kept me up and running and I haven't yet trained him not to attack it hehe, but before I got him I used it 5+ times a week. Yes, I got the results I wanted. I started at 152lbs and got to 124lbs in a few months, pant size 8/10 to size 2/4. It was not hard to keep up with. I sleep a lot better when I'm working out every day and feel much better in general. Now it is hard with the pup and being so busy with other work projects, but being so busy I've still been able to lose weight without organized work outs. I don't lift weights any more, just don't have time and the facility where I work is under construction right now. The nature of how we train the German shepherds is really a full body workout, it's been better on my arms and shoulders than the weight routine I used to do!

 

[Mrs. Garrison]

I work out with free weights 3 times a week approximately 90 minutes each session, also 2-3 times a week i get up at 0400 hours and run 3 miles before work. I do this at home and in my neighborhood. I have a dedicated weight room in my house just for this. Do i get results? Yes...and i feel them too...and i turn a lot of heads so apparently im not the only one seeing results.

Running is a total high, and it's great for a hangover. Of course how would i know, i dont drink

but that said, does someone know, is working out faster and pushing yourself to the point of pain and a bit more the way to gain muscle?

Yes...but working out is only half the battle. You must eat right as well if you want to see results. Everybody is different though. When i was younger i worked out furiously and never saw any kind of results so i gave up. But now that my metabolism has leveled out a bit i eat better and work out and the results are there. I think it also depends on your goals, do you want to bulk up and gain a lot of muscle or do you just want to stay in shape and be toned and fit? Personally i would rather have a swimmers build than be Mr. Universe. I think you will have to kind of see who and what you are once you start a regimen and go from there.

Also, i should add, you need let your muscles rest a day before working them out again. Some people would do upper body M W F and lower body T T and then alternate that.

Good Luck to you

 

[lauramullen]

I try to go to the gym at least 3 times a week. Sometimes I'm lazy and go 2 times. I mainly lift weights. I'm naturally thin too and ever since I started going to the gym my butt has grown and I have gained 10 pounds.

 

[Liesje]

^ That's what I need! My butt is too flat these days.

 

[lauramullen]

I think it is from the weight machines I use at the gym. I noticed the change shortly after I started going to the gym.

 

[zuropa_fit]

okay, if you do, are you member going how many times a week?
was it hard to keep up with?
is it becoming hard?

did you get results?

maybe, do you have equipment at home and use it as well as going to gym or do you just have one at home? is it set up in a room, or do you have to set it up and its a pain to do?



we have one to set up, just an all-in-one job and feck sake ya have ta wheel it in and it takes 5 mins but its a pain in the butt because if either of us want to work out on it, we are actually too lazy to want to set the thing up because it would be so much better to walk into a spare room and it set up! funny that, eh?

anyhow I plan to go speak to a guy next week, fiver each session for as long as I want, but I need his help to bulk me up in places. so that by Spring I look (if I can at my age!) and feel much better than how I am (due to how Ive been the past year) - so really. I mean, being naturally thin sucks!

but that said, does someone know, is working out faster and pushing yourself to the point of pain and a bit more the way to gain muscle?

2-6 times a week depending on current goal - losing weight I go 6 times. Maintaining? 2 times a week. Training for a race? 3-5 times a week.

I had family health concerns that sort of scared me into going about 2 years ago and it hasn't been hard to keep up. I think of it as MY time, not working, not family, nobody else gets that time, just me

I had an elliptical trainer at home but didn't really use it. I never thought I would, but I love running outside - on trails is the best.

I'll be interested to hear what your trainer says about bulking up. I gained a lot of muscle doing 6 reps heaviest I could (do that twice) then 10 reps of something a little lighter, then 12 reps with easy weight. It's sort of time consuming, but like I said, my arms, legs and back are more muscular than they've ever been. Now if only I could do something about the 'soft' stomach!

Good luck!

 

[angelordevil]

^ That's what I need! My butt is too flat these days.

I've got flat-butt, too. The only reason I know this is because a family member recently pointed it out.

I used to hate going to the gym, but I've warmed up to it in recent years. I probably go three times a week, with the rest of the days spent doing something outside, like hiking.

For me, the hardest part of weightlifting is the free-weight element. I've got the machines down, but I tend to have horrible form with dumbbells. I'll normally do three sets of 9-12 reps, with a full-body workout, with at least 48 hours rest in between. Cardio-wise, I'll switch from the stepper and the rowing machine, depending on what day it is, and whether or not I've gone for a hike the day before.

Sounds corny, but exercise can be the ultimate stimulant, if you do it correctly and get plenty of rest.

 

[cobl04]

Being naturally thin does suck, and I'd like to go gym, my mates do it, but I just can't be bothered. I don't enjoy it, per se. Eventually though I'm gonna have to bite the bullet.

 

[anitram]

I have a membership and I do all of my work outs at the gym (except for some ab work I do at home on my yoga mat).

Last year when I wanted to lose weight I went 6-7 days a week. This year I would say I average 4 days a week. I do lift weights, and for women it's a great idea for a hundred different reasons. I do free weights for my arms, shoulders and some upper body muscles, and squats. The rest I use machines for. I have a very regimented workout, starting with the legs since those are the largest muscles.

If you are a runner or a cyclist, you likely have very large and well developed quads. It's really, really important that you work on your hamstrings to balance out your upper legs, because it's this imbalance that causes a lot of knee problems and knee injuries.

My cardio routine is mainly cycling (I do 3-4 one-hour cycle classes per week). Mixed in with that, I play squash and use the elliptical.

 

[lauramullen]

I don't like being naturally thin either. Sometimes I just don't like the way I look in some clothes.

 

[cobl04]

I don't like being naturally thin either. Sometimes I just don't like the way I look in some clothes.

Tell me about it. I hate looking at a lot of photos because I just look so thin in them, like my school class photo, sitting in the middle of two kids I look like a bloody stick, even though I'm tall. I grow up, not out, y'see.

I'm also really self-conscious when buying clothes, I needed some good shirts to go out clubbing in, and I decided not to get this really good shirt because the sleeves were a bit short, so my arms were exposed.

 

[Cin]

^ David Tennant is thin and he's

 

[RedRocksU2]

Gym memberships are a sure way of wasting your money.
Except for the first few weeks you actually go to the use the gym, most people just do not use it. *guilty*

 

[anitram]

Gym memberships are a sure way of wasting your money.
Except for the first few weeks you actually go to the use the gym, most people just do not use it. *guilty*

Maybe it's true for most people.

But it's sure some of the best $ I've ever spent. (Or that my employer has spent haha)

 

[RedRocksU2]

I get $100 a year from my employer.

 

[Diemen]

Gym memberships are a sure way of wasting your money.
Except for the first few weeks you actually go to the use the gym, most people just do not use it. *guilty*

The reason I held off on joining a gym for so long was because I thought I'd fall into this group. I'm glad I don't - the money has been well worth it. I've been going to the gym since March, and with a few exceptions have gone at least 3 times a week, and usually 4. I've definitely seen results, too. MUCH better endurance, and much better muscle definition (though there's still miles to go there...). I do much more cardio than weights, but thanks to a sprained ankle from basketball, I'll be switching that around for the next week or 2.

 

[Liesje]

I'm really lucky my employer has benefits for working out. I work at a college, so as staff I have full access to the gym and health facilities like any student. The only problem is that we have been constructing a new arena and gymnasium for over a year now. Before that, the "weight room" was a joke. It was so small and busy, it was hardly worth it unless you actually went DURING the students' usual meal times. The cardio machines had to be reserved, lol. I went when I was a student and took a lifting class and then continued for a bit after that. I'm not sure how much longer I'll be around but if I am, I'll try out the new facility when it's finished in the spring. We also get quarterly cash incentives from our health insurance provider. We have to do stuff like take workout classes they offer, get yearly physicals, participate in their programs (for example we did Walk to the Moon where you wore pedometers and got points based on your steps). So I get $75 every 3 months that I suppose I could use towards a gym membership but at present I don't have time for structured workouts. I do better with my machine in my home, I can use it whenever I have time and not have to deal with a commute.

 

[anitram]

How much are you guys paying for your memberships?

I've been to a variety of gyms. The cheapest membership I had was $32/month (no fee), the average I would say was about $60/month. I would also take the one my employer covered on top of the one I had, and that was a super nice gym at $180/month - I certainly wouldn't pay for that out of pocket.

I think it's worth paying a little more for a well equipped gym where you don't have to wait for machines, and also 24/7 is a must. Everything else (like free towels, robes, etc), I could pass on.

 

[Diemen]

I'm paying about $30/month with 24hr Fitness. The gym I use has an indoor basketball court, a 4 lane swimming pool and jacuzzi, a large cardio area (treadmills, stairmasters, ellipticals, cycles, rows...) and a pretty large weights area (I never have to wait), as well as a couple group-x rooms. And I can use any 24hr location, too, even their super-duper mega gym locations. It's a pretty sweet deal for me.

 

[redkat]

Costco right now has two year membership to 24 hour for $200 which is a really good deal.

I get my money's worth from my membership without a doubt. I'm a regular at 3 different locations, having them everywhere is so convenient.

For at home workouts, I think you can do quite a bit with an exercise ball and some free weights. If you can learn good form you'll make better use of your time with free weights which incorporate more muscle groups. A session or two with a trainer to make sure you're using proper form, is a good use of money

 

[anitram]

That's super cheap, there's no way you'd find gyms around here for that price or anywhere close to that.

 

[phillyfan26]

They just built a brand new gym right across from my high school, but I cannot afford a membership there.

I have some free weights that I lift on occasion to make me feel like I'm doing something about being extremely thin.

 

[lauramullen]

They don't have a weight room in your high school. Mine did. You can use that for free.

 

[phillyfan26]

It's only open for a half hour after school, and is always taken up by sports teams. On top of that, most days I could not even go in that time period anyway.

 

[BAW]

We pay $59 per month at LA Fitness (for both of us) but we just mailed in a cancellation request because the facility closest to us just sucks. We enrolled in 2000 when the gym opened and it was great but 8 years later, they haven't updated anything but the ellipitcal machines. Rick has been to a few other locations when he travels for work and they are all updated and modern but ours has 8 year old machines with cracked pads, missing pins and way too many non-working displays on the treadmills and stationary bikes. In one visit recently, I had 2 non-working ellipticals and a treadmill with a collapsed belt.

We are going to look for an elliptical and a stationary bike to use at home, along with the free weights and exercise balls we already have. We've also considered joining the YMCA or community center gym near us, depending on the equipment.

 

[RedRocksU2]

Look for used gym equipment on Craigslist....they have dozens there.

 

[RedRocksU2]

Also, if I could recommend something that really works; Yoga.