Yesterday I had some pretty vicious rants. I decided to be a little nice and give out some advice specifically to the NY fitness migration. I dont know all the reasons why the failure rate is so high, but here are a few with pieces of advice to navigate around it and a few gym decorum tidbits. 1. Once an athlete, always an athlete. While I feel this statement is true, realize you have the heart of a lion but the body of sloth. There is a slow adjustment period needed to get your body ready for a heightened activity change. Dont go HAM on the first day/first month, you will hurt yourself and be really sore to the point you have to miss a day at the gym or say its not worth it. The idea is consistent activity over time. 2. Vigorous, erratic motions do not equal results. If you want lasting results (hopefully your goal) strength train. Cardio is great for leaning you out. Building shape and definition you need strength training. If your not sure about strength training, hire a trainer! Even if its only for a week. In that week you will at least learn proper form so you dont hurt yourself, as well as basic movements that target major muscle groups that can be modified by grip changes. Not to mention a cheerleader/ personal ass kicker! Mike and Tracy are amazing trainers right hear in STL. 3. Gym people are family. Not ass holes. Yes the regulars get a bit of an attitude Jan-March because the respect level for the equipment changes drastically. Keep your belonging clean and tight. Basically put your weights back where they belong. If personal belonging have to be on the floor, keep it tight to the equipment. Please move your belongings with you, when you move. Never leave home without a lock. I will forget my towel but never my lock. It keeps the place clean. Gyms are dangerous places without any additional obstacles. Imagine tripping over a duffle and falling head first into a 600+ lb piece of equipment. Ive seen it happen and an ambulance was needed. 4. Gym people are fairly friendly and usually ready to help, as long as the request is appropriate. Dont go there to pick up guys or chicks, its bad form. If you must, wait till they are leaving. Dont throw someone out of the zone because you want to flirt. The reason you probably feel like flirting in the first place is because the gym is full of pheromones. Honestly, if you met the same person outside the gym when they werent sweating, you would probably be surprised. If you have a request for someone to spot you, 99.9% are always happy to help. Rule of thumb wait till that spotter is done with their set and walk into their direct line of sight ad just ask. Dont go around touching people. 5. If you want to use a piece of equipment next, its easy! Firstly if two people are currently using one piece of equipment automatically assume that your looking at 10 combined sets. Pick a different piece of equipment. If some one is on it, wait off to the side, not in their line of sight in the mirror. Theyre using that to monitor their form. When they rack the weight, try to be directly in line of sight when you ask how many more sets do you have? When you get an answer put your water bottle or towel, clean and tight against the equipment. This is a universal sign for I got next. You dont need to stalk the equipment, go bang out some curls or crunches. The person who is currently on the machine has your back because they know you have next. 6. Manage your soreness! People are all to happy to workout but the workout does not stop when you leave the gym. If you do not manage your soreness, you will be less likely to return. I will give you my patented recipe for managing soreness. •Drink lots of water! Before, during, and after your workout. I weigh 177lbs so I try to drink 177oz of water per day. •Stretch! Know the difference between dynamic and static stretching. All my warms up begin with a 20min dynamic run followed by static stretching then my workout. I close out my workout the same way. •1/2 time this is something I exclusively do. It works for me in managing soreness, so take it with a grain of salt. Basically, if I had a brutal workout the day before and I am really sore I use 1/2 time. What it is is one half set of half the workout that you did before. Example: earlier this week I had an extensive leg day. 3x15 Hack Squat 180lbs, 3x12 front squat 100lbs, 3x12 weighted squat 100lbs. If you use the half time method thats 1x7 hack squat @90lbd, 1x6 squats @50lbs, 1x7 front squat@50lbs. For me it just warms up and stretches all the sore muscles. I then go about my workout for the day. Cooling off the same way I warmed up but slower. •Drink a bottle of coconut water after your workout. It helps. 7. Dont stare. We are at a gym not a circus. If you have questions ask. If you want to know how to use a piece of equipment, ask. If the equipment you want has a ridiculously long wait for it, ask the staff. Believe it or not there are other pieces of equipment that probably do the same job. Or the staff might show you a free weight movement that can take its place! Good luck!
Posted on: Thu, 08 Jan 2015 14:51:39 +0000
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