Developing Your Own Workout Plan

Spend any amount of time in a gym and you will be sure to spot a specimen of the not-so-rare and not-elusive-enough Irritatemus Maximus. Oh you know, the typical guy who racks up a few 45lb steel plates on the bench press and reps out about 10. Then he chit-chats (loudly) with as many other members as possible for about 30 minutes. Don't forget the obligatory flirting with any and all gym hotties in the vicinity. Oh yeah! Better get back and bust out another set. No wonder he isn't seeing any results.

Clearly Irritatemus Maximus lacks a plan. So, to prevent any of you FIG’s from becoming this gymnastic abomination the GymAdvisor presents our simple but effective guide to developing your own exercise routine. Using our guide will produce a basic beginner workout routine intended to be modified as you become more comfortable in the gym. All it takes to get that body you have been looking for is some hard work, dedication and a plan.

Step 1: Do you even have a gym membership? Go get one. Refer to the GymAdvisor's guide for selecting a gym, pick one, and join---there can be no more excuses about not having a place to workout. (Note: If it has been years since you have stepped foot into a fitness club we strongly recommend scheduling an appointment with your doctor for a physical. You never know what problems you may have with your body so make sure you are clear to do rigorous exercise).

Step 2: Make a 4 day a week resistance workout routine that will keep you in the gym for 45-60 minutes of continuous exercise. Any longer and chances are you are wasting time or over training your body. When, is up to you, but we urge balance throughout the week with ample time to rest. One possibility is lifting Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday.

Step 3: Make sure that you work your entire body each week. The major categories to hit: chest, back, shoulders, arms, legs, abs. Example: Monday – back, chest. Tuesday – shoulders, abs. Thursday – biceps, triceps, abs. Saturday – legs. You should incorporate abdominals multiple times per week. Plan out all the exercises you will be doing and carry your workout plan with you at all times. Doing so will ensure an effective workout because you will know what you need to do and will be less inclined to chat it up around the weight room with friends.

Step 4: Schedule 30 minutes of cardio first thing in the morning at least 3 times a week. This will allow you to kick start your metabolism while tapping into stored energy reserves early in the day. Using an Elliptical Machine, stationary bike, treadmill, or any physical activity works. At least one of the cardio days should be on a day without resistance training.

That is all you need to develop a solid workout routine. We recommend you prepare a plan that you like and follow it for one month. At that point it will be up to you to further develop what has been working and what hasn't, but you will have built a solid fitness foundation.

Who might you be?

In the Gym Advisor's continuing quest to bring you hard-hitting analysis of all things “gymly”, we think it is appropriate to comment on an oft heard criticism of "gym culture." The complaint is as follows: "I hate going to the gym, it has all those huge guys preening and looking at themselves in the mirror, and it really bothers me." (Refer to previous post for importance of investigating demographics before choosing a gym).

There are several things to be said here. The first is that we have found that the majority of people who offer this critique seem to be offering it as an excuse for why they don't go to the gym more regularly. As the Gym Advisor has noted, being comfortable in a gym is important, but we don't want to overstate the necessity of having everything just so---far be it for us to provide you with any excuses. In our experience the majority of these hulk-haters embrace this excuse a little too eagerly.

Secondly, making this complaint says more about your own workout than it does about anyone else's. If you have the time and energy to not only notice when other members are constantly looking in the mirror, but also to be irritated by it, turn the treadmill speed up, rep out another set, and cut your rest times in half because you aren't working hard enough.

Many FIGs (Fresh In the Gym) wonder why all gyms even have mirrors everywhere. Please allow us to enlighten you as to the threefold purpose. The first is a fairly obvious interior design reason: mirrors open up a room and gyms have a vested interest in making their space look as big as possible. The second and typically offered reason is so that members can check their exercise form to ensure proper execution (we advise that you use this feature). The third reason is psychological and can also be the most important. During exercise, watching yourself can provide you with the concrete perception that you are really doing something and this can inspire you to work even harder. In the longer term having mirrors allows gym-goers to see themselves going through physical changes (the ostensible goal of most fitness programs). Yes, looking at the physical manifestation of your accomplishments will fill you with pride; after all you are looking at the result of weeks, months, and years of effort. But most people we talk to admit that they constantly check the mirror to see where they are still lacking so they can continue to improve and meet their goals. We don't ask artists to sculpt while wearing blindfolds, so why do we expect that others working toward aesthetic improvement not be able to look at their work?

Next time you go to the gym try looking at yourself in the mirror, take notes, plan improvements, and don't worry what everyone else is doing. In a few months, you may find yourself constantly checking out your successes and planning your next goals.

Joining a GYM

So you have just had "the moment." It is the first time you notice you are winded after walking up a flight of stairs. Or maybe you notice that after being seated for awhile you use your arms to lift yourself up, rather than your legs. That's it. The last straw. You are going to start working out and join a gym damnit! Start taking care of business! If you want to do this right you are going to need to choose from the virtual schmorgasboard of fitness facilities. But how? The Gym Advisor is here to help with a few handy tips on what to look for when deciding where to do the hard work of fitness.

1. Location: Where is your gym? This one may seem obvious, but we find it to be the most crucial factor to consider. If your club is not conveniently located you have just given yourself another excuse to not work out. It must be easily accessible---even to the degree of avoiding driving from point A to point B because it is infested with traffic and takes you 20 minutes to get there even though it may only be half a mile of distance. As we see it there are three options: by home, by work, or on the way from one to the other. Which one you choose depends entirely on when you are going to be working out. If you like the concept of tossing some iron around for a while and then downing a protein shake during your lunch break then obviously you need a fitness club by work. We have found that many different schedules work just as well so choose a gym that suits your preferences. One thing to note is that having a gym by your home allows you the option of using it when you aren't at work or if you change/quit jobs.

2. Facility: Does the gym you are considering have everything you need? For example, if you are training for the Ironman and need a pool we wouldn't recommend joining Fitness First (which has no pool). If you love taking Pilates classes does this club offer them at the right times, or even at all? Even if your fitness needs are simple having a variety of equipment and classes can be beneficial when you need to change up your routine. Also, some people say that “a treadmill is a treadmill”, but quality can vary; equipment that is comfortable and you enjoy using will make you more likely to use it. Another thing to consider is the upkeep of the equipment. If you see chipped weights, frayed cables, and out of order signs on equipment tells you a lot about how the gym is run. Maybe you don't need all state-of-the-art equipment, but it is still nice to know your gym is willing and able to update your equipment when needed. Finally, make sure you check the hours for your gym. On the one hand, we find 24 hour gyms to be absolutely ridiculous both from a member and operational cost perspective. Unless you drive a truck for living or work very unusual hours there is no reason to look for a 24 hour gym. That being said, if the only time you can find to exercise is really early in the morning before work you need to make sure that the gym will be open. Just make sure that your club accommodates your schedule.

3. Demographics: Who will you be working out with? We have found this to be one of the main factors in establishing a comfort level in a gym, although largely subconscious. If you are not comfortable in your gym it will crush your motivation to go. As in everything in life, birds of a feather flock together. In the fitness world, this means that people who take fitness very seriously like to see others who do also. Many times this means that certain gyms will have a large community of painfully athletic people and overweight individuals (or just newbie’s to the gym scene) feel very nervous around a large room of muscular guys and toned girls. We recommend visiting the gym during your preferred workout time and check to see who the other members are. Can you see yourself fitting into the spectrum of members? If so, then you shouldn't worry. Also, consider using fellow gym travelers as inspiration (and sometimes eye candy) and not worry too much about how you compare. After all you are there for you.

4. Price: And finally, how much is this going to cost? What most people consider to be the most important consideration is, in our mind, the last thing to worry about. If you join a gym for $5/month and don't use it, you are still wasting your money. Make sure the gym has everything that you are looking for and if it costs a little more than you wanted to spend think about adjusting your budget. Eliminating one trip a week to Starbucks or even one night out at bars a month saves enough money to pay for most gym memberships (and certainly saves enough to make up the difference between a cheaper gym and the more costly, but better alternative). That old adage is true: "you get what you pay for." To a point. There is zero reason why, if like many we have spoken with, you get everything you need from a Gold's gym you should be paying Sports Club LA prices...period. Also, talk to your sales rep about monthly specials and certainly about waiving initiation fees (some clubs don't waive them, but most do). We advise you to do comparison shopping, find a reasonable price without skimping on needed quality, make sure you can afford it, and go ahead and join.

There are of course other things to ask about, ease of contract cancellation being one (although going into a gym worrying about how easy it will be to quit is not a good start). For things like this, most places are more or less the same in that in Virginia they are required by law to release you if you move, etc. At the end of the day the important thing to remember is that you want a club that you will actually use. There is no reason to make a commitment to fitness and then set yourself up for failure by joining a club you don't much care for.