Creating a working regimen and sticking to it.

August 2, 2004 6:50 AM

Looking to get in shape… absolutely no idea where to start. [mi]

I’m not overweight, or even close… probably underweight for my height but I would like to increase my strength and my overall physical health. I have access to a gym, and wouldn’t object to going regularly, but whenever I do go I end up feel like an idiot because I’m never really sure what to do or how to do it. So if anyone can provide suggestions about how to get motivated, how to create a workout regiment, and how to stick to it, and how one learns the proper way to get started and other overall resources in this area, I would greatly appreciate it.

posted by mhaw to health & fitness (16 comments total)

First off, there's another recent thread along similar lines, although it was a little more specific than yours. So, be on the alert for possibly snarky responses ;)

Second, as was probably suggested in that prior thread, have you looked into martial arts? Any time I hear a discussion about getting into shape / exercising, martial arts come about, and for good reason. They're fairly easy to get into (you're guaranteed to be one of at least a bundle of people at the same skill level, so you don't feel as much of a dolt for not knowing what to do) and if you are lucky enough to find a good instructor, they will be just that--good at instructing you, helping you learn without making you feel stupid or anything.

Just about any martial art will be an excellent workout, although depending on the art it will be for different reasons (Tae Kwon Do focuses a lot on building strength, and kicking/punching, which is a great workout; Aikido focuses more on flexibility and (at first) you're mostly learning how to fall and roll...and this is a MUCH better workout than it sounds!).

I personally have taken the two above arts, albeit for single semesters as college classes (caveat: both instructors, as with most college martial arts courses, are actual bona fide instructors in their art who practice nearby) and they both helped me get into shape, at least a little bit, considering I only took them for a few months.

Now that I've graduated and have a job, I've been looking into where I might like to go to continue--I am way out of shape now! Sadly, they're generally expensive--looking for various forms of kung fu near me, the cheapest one was $40/mo and the most expensive was something like $120/mo!

But, usually, I'd expect it to be worth the money, especially for those of us who have a hard time motivating ourselves to exercise on our own--a good sensei/sifu will strike a balance between being 'kind' enough not to push you too hard or make you feel uncomfortable, and pushing you hard enough and applying enough in-the-spotlight pressure that you learn as well as you're able.

Finally, if you find an art you enjoy, it generally will not be that hard to convince yourself to keep it up, time and money constraints notwithstanding. Because unlike most general lifting-weights-or-treadmilling regimes, you have a clear sense of advancement (belt system or no) in martial arts. Something aside from being able to do 10 more pushups or lift 5 more pounds than last week :)
posted by cyrusdogstar at 7:42 AM on August 2, 2004

Swimming - a great workout. If you don't know how to swim you can learn a couple basic strokes. Swimming will tone your entire body, and its near impossible to hurt yourself (aka do it wrong).
posted by xammerboy at 7:55 AM on August 2, 2004

Almost any gym you will join will offer you a free session with a personal trainer. Take advantage of this, and get them to give you some suggestions tailored to your specific goals. It sounds like all you need is someone to show you around the gym, demo the equipment, and show you all the different stuff you can do as a workout.

If your gym doesn't have a free session, just pay for one.
posted by josh at 7:56 AM on August 2, 2004

It's common to feel out of place in a gym, especially when you find the equipment unfamiliar or uncomfortable. Remember that probably 90% of the people in there are in the same boat. Unless you've joined Globo Steroid Bodybuilder MaxGym by mistake, it's unlikely that the other 10% will be annoyed by your slow, sign-reading, warning-label-following self. They, after all, were once in your position.

The best way to build your confidence is to ask a gym employee how to use the machines. Consider paying for one session with a personal trainer (they might even give you a session for free as a marketing ploy), and have them design and take you through a basic full-body workout. There are also many excellent books that can give you a decent workout plan using mostly dumbbells (which the pros will tell you are the things to use, rather than machines). This one is good (if you don't mind subtly homoerotic photography).

As for motivation, the best thing to do is set a goal of some sort. For most people this is weight loss, but for you it might be measured in terms of athletic performance ("I want to be able to bike 10 miles in 20 minutes" "I want to be able to lift a 50 pound suitcase above my head into the airplane storage bin without fear") or physical appearance ("I want to look like an underwear model"). Without a clear goal, you're more likely to slack off.
posted by profwhat at 7:59 AM on August 2, 2004

i'm not sure it's what you're looking for - it doesn't improve your physique that much, but it does make you "feel" better and improves aerobic fitness (which, i believe, is supposed to lower risks to some diseases etc) - but running is another option. i like it because i can do it almost anywhere with hardly any special equipment, and because i can do it alone. a watch with a "stopwatch" and one of bob glover's books would help (as would getting a pair of running shoes from a specialist running store).
posted by andrew cooke at 8:10 AM on August 2, 2004

The best motivation is finding something you enjoy. Swimming, cycling, working out at the gym, a team sport, climbing, whatever. For some reason, there seems to be an assumption amongst many folk that getting fitter = gym, but I'm convinced what you choose to do is far less important than that you're doing something physical - anything - whatever gets you smiling.
posted by normy at 8:39 AM on August 2, 2004

mhaw, I was in the same situation, as I was always thin for my build/height, but terribly out-of-shape. No muscle-tone or endurance at all.

My advice is to start with athletic walking. A year ago, I found that walking for one hour was like the "gateway drug" of exercise. I would either walk around my neighborhood and find a few good hills, or head out to the reservation for light climbing/hiking. Soon enough, walking wasn't challenging enough, and I started running/jogging the same courses. Now I'm at the point where I need to get high cardio for at least an hour a day to feel proper.

But I recommend you start with walking, because it is low commitment, low impact, and will get you into the pattern of putting time aside to work-out. It's also good because you shouldn't start with something too strenuous or regimented, because if you fail, it might be difficult to get motivated again.
posted by naxosaxur at 9:26 AM on August 2, 2004

Read this article.

Someone who is just starting to exercise and who wants to "increase (his) strength" doesn't need to learn many exercises. Concentrate on the three major compound lifts: squats, deadlifts, and bench presses. Learn to do each of them with safe and correct form. If you are unfamiliar with them, a trainer (at your gym) can show you how to do them.

If you'll be working out alone, you'll need to make some sacrifices. Use dumbbells for your bench presses. Do your squats in a Smith Press, et cetera. It's better to find a partner, but it's not always easy to find someone reliable to go to the gym with you.

You'll only need three 40-minute workouts per week to start building muscle.

And don't forget to eat!
posted by trharlan at 9:27 AM on August 2, 2004

I'm with normy on this one: the best exercise for you is the one you'll actually stick with. There are lots of good suggestions for specific activities here--try several.

I'll go a step further and say if you can find a few exercises you like, so much the better, so if you don't feel like activity A sometimes, you can fall back on B.
posted by adamrice at 9:44 AM on August 2, 2004

Ugh. Stay away from Squats, deadlifts and bench presses.

All three are great exercises...if you have no other tools available...and are lousy exercises if you're trying to get into this gym thing.

Keep it simple; make it regular; else you will not continue.

Ask for help. If the gym doesn't have help on the floor...they're asking for a lawsuit. Better yet, find a buddy to help you with the commitment, and to keep your form decent.
posted by filmgeek at 9:46 AM on August 2, 2004

I just got back into working out after a bit of a break and I guess the most important thing is don't slack. Decide how often you are going to work out, and when, make a schedule and STICK to it. The more consistent you are, the better you will feel and the more likely you are to enjoy and continue your program.

I agree with the "do what you like" camp. Find a sport you like and join a rec league to play once or twice a week. I find that playing soccer motivates me to want to be in better shape, so I work out more.

If you are going to do weights / cardio check out John Stone Fitness. The main site is interesting, but the forums are amazingly helpful (like a workout askme), nice (no flames) and motivational. I am sure they would have plenty of advice about puttin on healthy weight.
posted by jopreacher at 11:12 AM on August 2, 2004

All three are great exercises...if you have no other tools available...and are lousy exercises if you're trying to get into this gym thing.

Come on, that's simply untrue. Some people really, really like big compound lifts, and don't like anything else (that's me!). If you're trying to figure out what you like, it's worth a try.
posted by uncleozzy at 11:41 AM on August 2, 2004

some rambling tips...

On compound lifts: when you are working multiple muscles at once you will always be limited by the weakest one(s). If you aren't self-aware enough to realize which muscles are hindering you, you may be cheating the strong ones out of a complete workout. e.g. I have very strong legs but my back can't support a ton of weight, so when I do squats I can't really use enough weights/do enough reps to give my legs much of a workout. If all you care about is overall fitness, this might be ok (i.e. my legs don't need to be worked that much since they are already strong); personally I prefer to work all of my muscles (approximately) equally. Just something to be aware of as you try to figure out what works for you.

This reminds me of a general rule that is particularly important when trying out new exercises/equipment: focus on the muscle(s) that you are trying to work with the exercise. It seems obvious, but it's easy to get distracted by music/that hot girl on the treadmill/that looming deadline at work/etc. If the wrong muscles are getting tired out, it probably means some combination of poor technique, wrong amount of weight, or simply the wrong exercise. Also, as you use more and more weight the importance of staying focused dramatically increases, just for safety's sake.

A tip for avoiding embarassment: take note of who's at the gym (and what equipment gets crowded) at various times and adjust your workout times accordingly. This will greatly depend on your gym, but some general trends I've noticed at mine: early AM tends to mostly be filled with businessmen/women trying to get in light cardio and machine weights before work. Later AM tends to be more housewifes who tend to do heavy cardio (both on machines and with light weight training). The afternoon tends to have lots of high school kids that do everything, wrong. Early evening is mostly business people who don't like to wake up early, and late evening tends to have a lot of bodybuilder types. Find a time of day that's not too crowded and take your time getting oriented; now would also be a good time to ask the staff for help. Alternatively, for motivation/instruction, find a time when people who know what the hell they are doing are there to give you tips. I've found that most of the scary looking bodybuilder types are more than happy to wax poetic on the best way to crush your glutes, rip your bi's, cut up your abs, etc. (though they might make fun of you a little for being a girly man)

One final suggestion that no one has mentioned is to check out fitness magazines. Go to your library and look at a year's worth of just about any fitness/weightlifting magazine, and you'll likely find detailed instructions for nearly every exercise in your gym.
posted by rorycberger at 1:28 PM on August 2, 2004

A technique for getting back into shape that was recommended (though not adopted by sad, flabby old me) is circuit training. Seems like it would be worth considering.
posted by filmgoerjuan at 1:57 PM on August 2, 2004

1. Compound lifts GOOD but form very important - get someone trustworthy to help you.
2. Good online resources are the newsgroup misc.fitness.weights, Krista's site. Actually, her links page is way better than what I can throw together in one post.
3. Try and think about what you like to do. If lifting turns you off, it's not going to work for you. If martial arts turns you off, it's not going to work. Etc. When you've achieved that strength and overall health you talk about, what will you be doing with it? That's where I'd be directing my training efforts.
4. Don't forget eating right. Exercise will work much better for you if you are well-nourished.
5. Try and have some concrete, achievable goals.
- put on 15 pounds of lean.
- be able to stand on my head.
- 50 pressups.
- bench press 150lb

or whatever. Not only does this give you something to aim for that you can work towards in measurable steps, it gives a steer to people who are trying to help you.
posted by i_am_joe's_spleen at 3:22 PM on August 2, 2004

the best site i've seen for this is Exrx. It has more information than you'll know what to do with, but at least it's organized. I follow a 2 day split workout, which basically means i work out upper body one day and lower body on another day. And i do each twice a week. Exrx gives you advice on what exercises you should do on each day, what muscles each exercise uses, and how much you should do. It also has fancy little pictures of how to do each lift so you know the proper form and whatnot. If you want an extended answer, lemme know.
posted by escher at 4:48 PM on August 3, 2004