Surprised at how unpopular express workout is at the gym

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  • Packerjohn
    Packerjohn Posts: 4,855 Member
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    allmannerofthings wrote: »
    Packerjohn wrote: »
    CarvedTones wrote: »
    Packerjohn wrote: »
    I couldn't imagine a 30 minute trainer led abs session. Doesn't seem very productive.

    They mostly teach and don't push people hard unless they ask to be pushed. I don't know which machines in what order will help me the most with abs.

    Congrats for starting an exercise program. To be honest, diet helps the most with abs. If you want to use the machines for a while, that's fine. If you thing about it though when you sit on some machine that is supposed to work the core, you are actually supporting the core with the bench of the machine. You will most likely be better served regarding core strength if you wean yourself away from core exercise that use machines. If it's too hard as shown you could use a bench or stool to support yourself as needed until you build strength to do without the bench.

    This is a fun exercise that is a great total body warm up and develops practical core strength:

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o0_DoicHg2E

    Love this video - this would be great with kids

    Yep, did this with a jr high track team I helped coach. Beauty of this is it works will all levels/ages. My 80+ year old mother in law did it (with aid of a bench to help support her) and a HS football team could do it for time.
  • Packerjohn
    Packerjohn Posts: 4,855 Member
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    CarvedTones wrote: »
    Cherimoose wrote: »
    CarvedTones wrote: »
    It makes a lot of sense to me because I don't have to remember what 10 machines in what order and the next one will always be available as I need it

    It's like how some people only eat packaged, pre-made meals, because they don't have to think about their nutrition.
    A freeweight-based program can be easy to follow too, and more functional for everyday life than machines that do the form for you. Just saying. :+1:

    I am not sure why you think staying in shape one way makes you more functional than another but your are certainly entitled to your opinion. I can flip your analogy around and say that those people eating prepackaged food are better off than people who are making poor decisions about what to eat for themselves.

    If your program helps you meet your goals then it's a good program for you but that doesn't meant it is the best for everyone. Just sayin'...

    How often the real world do you sit in a chair and push a weight away from you with your legs as opposed to say moving a bag of fertilizer, groceries, furniture, picking up a child, etc using a squat/deadlift motion that is very similar to the exercise done with free weights or bodyweight resistance?

    Any resistance training (as long as not being stupid and injuring oneself) is better than no resistance training. If you do some research though you will find that most high level trainers/coaches will use more freeweights in their programs vs machines. Just take a look at pictures of a major college or pro training facility. You will not see anything like what is the in the express workout area at Planet Fitness.
  • CarvedTones
    CarvedTones Posts: 2,340 Member
    edited October 2018
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    Packerjohn wrote: »
    CarvedTones wrote: »
    Cherimoose wrote: »
    CarvedTones wrote: »
    It makes a lot of sense to me because I don't have to remember what 10 machines in what order and the next one will always be available as I need it

    It's like how some people only eat packaged, pre-made meals, because they don't have to think about their nutrition.
    A freeweight-based program can be easy to follow too, and more functional for everyday life than machines that do the form for you. Just saying. :+1:

    I am not sure why you think staying in shape one way makes you more functional than another but your are certainly entitled to your opinion. I can flip your analogy around and say that those people eating prepackaged food are better off than people who are making poor decisions about what to eat for themselves.

    If your program helps you meet your goals then it's a good program for you but that doesn't meant it is the best for everyone. Just sayin'...

    How often the real world do you sit in a chair and push a weight away from you with your legs as opposed to say moving a bag of fertilizer, groceries, furniture, picking up a child, etc using a squat/deadlift motion that is very similar to the exercise done with free weights or bodyweight resistance?

    Any resistance training (as long as not being stupid and injuring oneself) is better than no resistance training. If you do some research though you will find that most high level trainers/coaches will use more freeweights in their programs vs machines. Just take a look at pictures of a major college or pro training facility. You will not see anything like what is the in the express workout area at Planet Fitness.

    Did you see my other post in the same line of discussion a little further down?
    CarvedTones wrote: »
    I haven't seen data on how the choice of free weights versus machines affects your likelihood of being injured outside the gym, but would be happy to look at what data you have. I have seen data that indicates that using free weights drastically increases your odds of being inured inside the gym:

    Weight-Lifting Injuries on the Rise
    More than 90 percent of the injuries occurred while using free weights rather than weight machines.

    This makes me more than a little reluctant to switch when I see no great benefit. I will turn 60 before the end of the year, BTW. I am not going to be under the tutelage of any high level trainers/coaches. I have gotten in good shape from paddling SUP/kayak and walking/hiking in the real world and want to stay in good shape year around.
  • Packerjohn
    Packerjohn Posts: 4,855 Member
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    IHaveMyActTogether wrote: »
    Packerjohn wrote: »
    CarvedTones wrote: »
    Cherimoose wrote: »
    CarvedTones wrote: »
    It makes a lot of sense to me because I don't have to remember what 10 machines in what order and the next one will always be available as I need it

    It's like how some people only eat packaged, pre-made meals, because they don't have to think about their nutrition.
    A freeweight-based program can be easy to follow too, and more functional for everyday life than machines that do the form for you. Just saying. :+1:

    I am not sure why you think staying in shape one way makes you more functional than another but your are certainly entitled to your opinion. I can flip your analogy around and say that those people eating prepackaged food are better off than people who are making poor decisions about what to eat for themselves.

    If your program helps you meet your goals then it's a good program for you but that doesn't meant it is the best for everyone. Just sayin'...

    How often the real world do you sit in a chair and push a weight away from you with your legs as opposed to say moving a bag of fertilizer, groceries, furniture, picking up a child, etc using a squat/deadlift motion that is very similar to the exercise done with free weights or bodyweight resistance?

    Any resistance training (as long as not being stupid and injuring oneself) is better than no resistance training. If you do some research though you will find that most high level trainers/coaches will use more freeweights in their programs vs machines. Just take a look at pictures of a major college or pro training facility. You will not see anything like what is the in the express workout area at Planet Fitness.

    I agree with you, but people have to start somewhere. Give the guy a break. He just joined a gym and is doing the hardest thing they have available there. They don't have free barbells at PF.

    I agree, that is why I said any resistance training is better than none. The poster asked why one form of resistance training makes the trainee more functional. Just trying to explain that with a real world example.
  • intrigame23
    intrigame23 Posts: 193 Member
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    I use it when I don't feel like an intense cardio-only workout. I skip the cardio and do weight machines 2x, sometimes do all the machines as hard as I can, sometimes skip around until I reach 30 mins and leave.
  • Cherimoose
    Cherimoose Posts: 5,209 Member
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    CarvedTones wrote: »
    Cherimoose wrote: »
    CarvedTones wrote: »
    I am not sure why you think staying in shape one way makes you more functional than another but your are certainly entitled to your opinion.

    Machines are like a bicycle with training wheels, since they do much of the coordination & stabilization for you. That can leave people lacking in those skills, potentially causing injuries outside the gym. A machine workout is fine for someone who does lots of heavy lifting in their daily life, since their lifting skills are regularly practiced. But most people don't do that, so they'll benefit from freeweights. The exercises can be easy to learn, and listed on a phone or on paper, so there's nothing to remember. :+1:

    I haven't seen data on how the choice of free weights versus machines affects your likelihood of being injured outside the gym, but would be happy to look at what data you have.

    I doubt any studies have been done on that. My post was based on my knowledge of kinesiology. But even if you haven't studied it, it shouldn't be surprising that untrained movements tend to be riskier than trained movements.

    Regarding injuries using freeweights vs. machines, here's the original study. Since more people use freeweights, naturally the number of injuries is higher. And 2/3rds are from weights falling on them, which is generally from stupidity, and almost always preventable. As someone who worked in a gym almost 2 decades, i rarely witnessed injuries among people who learned good form, and didn't lift with their ego.

    I don't think machines are always bad though. They're excellent for hypertrophy, since less energy is wasted on non-target muscles. But somehow freeweights got associated with bulking up...

    Anyway, your main reason for using machines was convenience, which i already addressed. If you ever decide to lift, there's a simple program in my profile. Although not as simple, a great program for your age group is New Rules of Lifting for Life. :+1:
  • Packerjohn
    Packerjohn Posts: 4,855 Member
    edited October 2018
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    CarvedTones wrote: »
    Packerjohn wrote: »
    CarvedTones wrote: »
    Cherimoose wrote: »
    CarvedTones wrote: »
    It makes a lot of sense to me because I don't have to remember what 10 machines in what order and the next one will always be available as I need it

    It's like how some people only eat packaged, pre-made meals, because they don't have to think about their nutrition.
    A freeweight-based program can be easy to follow too, and more functional for everyday life than machines that do the form for you. Just saying. :+1:

    I am not sure why you think staying in shape one way makes you more functional than another but your are certainly entitled to your opinion. I can flip your analogy around and say that those people eating prepackaged food are better off than people who are making poor decisions about what to eat for themselves.

    If your program helps you meet your goals then it's a good program for you but that doesn't meant it is the best for everyone. Just sayin'...

    How often the real world do you sit in a chair and push a weight away from you with your legs as opposed to say moving a bag of fertilizer, groceries, furniture, picking up a child, etc using a squat/deadlift motion that is very similar to the exercise done with free weights or bodyweight resistance?

    Any resistance training (as long as not being stupid and injuring oneself) is better than no resistance training. If you do some research though you will find that most high level trainers/coaches will use more freeweights in their programs vs machines. Just take a look at pictures of a major college or pro training facility. You will not see anything like what is the in the express workout area at Planet Fitness.

    Did you see my other post in the same line of discussion a little further down?
    CarvedTones wrote: »
    I haven't seen data on how the choice of free weights versus machines affects your likelihood of being injured outside the gym, but would be happy to look at what data you have. I have seen data that indicates that using free weights drastically increases your odds of being inured inside the gym:

    Weight-Lifting Injuries on the Rise
    More than 90 percent of the injuries occurred while using free weights rather than weight machines.

    This makes me more than a little reluctant to switch when I see no great benefit. I will turn 60 before the end of the year, BTW. I am not going to be under the tutelage of any high level trainers/coaches. I have gotten in good shape from paddling SUP/kayak and walking/hiking in the real world and want to stay in good shape year around.

    In case you would happen to come back. The American College of Exercise specialized continuing ed class for trainers on older individuals suggests the trainer move the individual away from chair based exercises to more functional exercises when the individual is capable. BTW, the ACE certifications are one of the more common certifications held by trainers in commercial gyms.

    Movement patterns like the squat, deadlift, lunge push/pull twist, mimic things a person does in everyday life. Can you do these motions sitting, sure, but probably not as helpful in building/keeping one's ability to pick up a grandchild as if one is standing.

    As someone mentioned upthread, most of the injuries happened when someone dropped a weight on themselves and pointed out many of these instances is carelessness. The article reported 114 deaths from weightlifting over 18 years. I'm pretty sure the vast majority of those were someone bench pressing in their basement by themselves (not smart) without the proper stops and they were crushed suffocated under the bar.
  • CarvedTones
    CarvedTones Posts: 2,340 Member
    edited October 2018
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    Packerjohn wrote: »
    CarvedTones wrote: »
    Packerjohn wrote: »
    CarvedTones wrote: »
    Cherimoose wrote: »
    CarvedTones wrote: »
    It makes a lot of sense to me because I don't have to remember what 10 machines in what order and the next one will always be available as I need it

    It's like how some people only eat packaged, pre-made meals, because they don't have to think about their nutrition.
    A freeweight-based program can be easy to follow too, and more functional for everyday life than machines that do the form for you. Just saying. :+1:

    I am not sure why you think staying in shape one way makes you more functional than another but your are certainly entitled to your opinion. I can flip your analogy around and say that those people eating prepackaged food are better off than people who are making poor decisions about what to eat for themselves.

    If your program helps you meet your goals then it's a good program for you but that doesn't meant it is the best for everyone. Just sayin'...

    How often the real world do you sit in a chair and push a weight away from you with your legs as opposed to say moving a bag of fertilizer, groceries, furniture, picking up a child, etc using a squat/deadlift motion that is very similar to the exercise done with free weights or bodyweight resistance?

    Any resistance training (as long as not being stupid and injuring oneself) is better than no resistance training. If you do some research though you will find that most high level trainers/coaches will use more freeweights in their programs vs machines. Just take a look at pictures of a major college or pro training facility. You will not see anything like what is the in the express workout area at Planet Fitness.

    Did you see my other post in the same line of discussion a little further down?
    CarvedTones wrote: »
    I haven't seen data on how the choice of free weights versus machines affects your likelihood of being injured outside the gym, but would be happy to look at what data you have. I have seen data that indicates that using free weights drastically increases your odds of being inured inside the gym:

    Weight-Lifting Injuries on the Rise
    More than 90 percent of the injuries occurred while using free weights rather than weight machines.

    This makes me more than a little reluctant to switch when I see no great benefit. I will turn 60 before the end of the year, BTW. I am not going to be under the tutelage of any high level trainers/coaches. I have gotten in good shape from paddling SUP/kayak and walking/hiking in the real world and want to stay in good shape year around.

    In case you would happen to come back. The American College of Exercise specialized continuing ed class for trainers on older individuals suggests the trainer move the individual away from chair based exercises to more functional exercises when the individual is capable. BTW, the ACE certifications are one of the more common certifications held by trainers in commercial gyms.

    Movement patterns like the squat, deadlift, lunge push/pull twist, mimic things a person does in everyday life. Can you do these motions sitting, sure, but probably not as helpful in building/keeping one's ability to pick up a grandchild as if one is standing.

    As someone mentioned upthread, most of the injuries happened when someone dropped a weight on themselves and pointed out many of these instances is carelessness. The article reported 114 deaths from weightlifting over 18 years. I'm pretty sure the vast majority of those were someone bench pressing in their basement by themselves (not smart) without the proper stops and they were crushed suffocated under the bar.

    I have still been reading, just not debating. Squats and lunges are out, except for partial ones that don't go deep at all; bad knees. Because of herniated discs and spinal stenosis, I avoid lifting heavy things from the floor. I can get away with using my knees for that IRL since I will only do it a small number of times at once and not often. I can't load my hands over my head pushing up due to bursitis.

    SUP paddling works within these limitations almost perfectly and I enjoy it a lot, so I got in pretty good shape doing ~20 miles a week in the summer. The issues are not bad enough to keep me from ever doing things I shouldn't, but if I started doing them frequently by incorporating them into an exercise routine i would be hobbled pretty quickly.

    ETA - Been through PT a few times; after shoulder and knee surgeries and after bad arthritis flares, one of which had me using a cane for a while.
  • mreichard
    mreichard Posts: 235 Member
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    Sorry to hear about the knee and shoulder injuries. I’m 51, and have knee and shoulder problems that don’t sound as severe as yours. What I have found is that single leg exercises like split squats and weighted step ups, heavy back squats, and leg machines have transformed my knees from being painful whenever I walked to being mostly pain-free. A big part of that has been learning to pay attention to how I am moving, which I had to learn in order to squat without knee pain. Weirdly, I find myself using some of the same mental cues that I use for squats when going up stairs and even sometimes when walking (e.g. remembering to use my glutes).
  • Packerjohn
    Packerjohn Posts: 4,855 Member
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    CarvedTones wrote: »
    Packerjohn wrote: »
    CarvedTones wrote: »
    Packerjohn wrote: »
    CarvedTones wrote: »
    Cherimoose wrote: »
    CarvedTones wrote: »
    It makes a lot of sense to me because I don't have to remember what 10 machines in what order and the next one will always be available as I need it

    It's like how some people only eat packaged, pre-made meals, because they don't have to think about their nutrition.
    A freeweight-based program can be easy to follow too, and more functional for everyday life than machines that do the form for you. Just saying. :+1:

    I am not sure why you think staying in shape one way makes you more functional than another but your are certainly entitled to your opinion. I can flip your analogy around and say that those people eating prepackaged food are better off than people who are making poor decisions about what to eat for themselves.

    If your program helps you meet your goals then it's a good program for you but that doesn't meant it is the best for everyone. Just sayin'...

    How often the real world do you sit in a chair and push a weight away from you with your legs as opposed to say moving a bag of fertilizer, groceries, furniture, picking up a child, etc using a squat/deadlift motion that is very similar to the exercise done with free weights or bodyweight resistance?

    Any resistance training (as long as not being stupid and injuring oneself) is better than no resistance training. If you do some research though you will find that most high level trainers/coaches will use more freeweights in their programs vs machines. Just take a look at pictures of a major college or pro training facility. You will not see anything like what is the in the express workout area at Planet Fitness.

    Did you see my other post in the same line of discussion a little further down?
    CarvedTones wrote: »
    I haven't seen data on how the choice of free weights versus machines affects your likelihood of being injured outside the gym, but would be happy to look at what data you have. I have seen data that indicates that using free weights drastically increases your odds of being inured inside the gym:

    Weight-Lifting Injuries on the Rise
    More than 90 percent of the injuries occurred while using free weights rather than weight machines.

    This makes me more than a little reluctant to switch when I see no great benefit. I will turn 60 before the end of the year, BTW. I am not going to be under the tutelage of any high level trainers/coaches. I have gotten in good shape from paddling SUP/kayak and walking/hiking in the real world and want to stay in good shape year around.

    In case you would happen to come back. The American College of Exercise specialized continuing ed class for trainers on older individuals suggests the trainer move the individual away from chair based exercises to more functional exercises when the individual is capable. BTW, the ACE certifications are one of the more common certifications held by trainers in commercial gyms.

    Movement patterns like the squat, deadlift, lunge push/pull twist, mimic things a person does in everyday life. Can you do these motions sitting, sure, but probably not as helpful in building/keeping one's ability to pick up a grandchild as if one is standing.

    As someone mentioned upthread, most of the injuries happened when someone dropped a weight on themselves and pointed out many of these instances is carelessness. The article reported 114 deaths from weightlifting over 18 years. I'm pretty sure the vast majority of those were someone bench pressing in their basement by themselves (not smart) without the proper stops and they were crushed suffocated under the bar.

    I have still been reading, just not debating. Squats and lunges are out, except for partial ones that don't go deep at all; bad knees. Because of herniated discs and spinal stenosis, I avoid lifting heavy things from the floor. I can get away with using my knees for that IRL since I will only do it a small number of times at once and not often. I can't load my hands over my head pushing up due to bursitis.

    SUP paddling works within these limitations almost perfectly and I enjoy it a lot, so I got in pretty good shape doing ~20 miles a week in the summer. The issues are not bad enough to keep me from ever doing things I shouldn't, but if I started doing them frequently by incorporating them into an exercise routine i would be hobbled pretty quickly.

    ETA - Been through PT a few times; after shoulder and knee surgeries and after bad arthritis flares, one of which had me using a cane for a while.

    You have a lot of issues going on. Could you get some time with s physical therapist to perhaps help with your movements? Sometimes because of the way insurance works a therapist is somewhat limited, i.e., has to work on rehabbing the shoulder as opposed to working on more global mivement patterns
  • CarvedTones
    CarvedTones Posts: 2,340 Member
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    Packerjohn wrote: »
    CarvedTones wrote: »
    Packerjohn wrote: »
    CarvedTones wrote: »
    Packerjohn wrote: »
    CarvedTones wrote: »
    Cherimoose wrote: »
    CarvedTones wrote: »
    It makes a lot of sense to me because I don't have to remember what 10 machines in what order and the next one will always be available as I need it

    It's like how some people only eat packaged, pre-made meals, because they don't have to think about their nutrition.
    A freeweight-based program can be easy to follow too, and more functional for everyday life than machines that do the form for you. Just saying. :+1:

    I am not sure why you think staying in shape one way makes you more functional than another but your are certainly entitled to your opinion. I can flip your analogy around and say that those people eating prepackaged food are better off than people who are making poor decisions about what to eat for themselves.

    If your program helps you meet your goals then it's a good program for you but that doesn't meant it is the best for everyone. Just sayin'...

    How often the real world do you sit in a chair and push a weight away from you with your legs as opposed to say moving a bag of fertilizer, groceries, furniture, picking up a child, etc using a squat/deadlift motion that is very similar to the exercise done with free weights or bodyweight resistance?

    Any resistance training (as long as not being stupid and injuring oneself) is better than no resistance training. If you do some research though you will find that most high level trainers/coaches will use more freeweights in their programs vs machines. Just take a look at pictures of a major college or pro training facility. You will not see anything like what is the in the express workout area at Planet Fitness.

    Did you see my other post in the same line of discussion a little further down?
    CarvedTones wrote: »
    I haven't seen data on how the choice of free weights versus machines affects your likelihood of being injured outside the gym, but would be happy to look at what data you have. I have seen data that indicates that using free weights drastically increases your odds of being inured inside the gym:

    Weight-Lifting Injuries on the Rise
    More than 90 percent of the injuries occurred while using free weights rather than weight machines.

    This makes me more than a little reluctant to switch when I see no great benefit. I will turn 60 before the end of the year, BTW. I am not going to be under the tutelage of any high level trainers/coaches. I have gotten in good shape from paddling SUP/kayak and walking/hiking in the real world and want to stay in good shape year around.

    In case you would happen to come back. The American College of Exercise specialized continuing ed class for trainers on older individuals suggests the trainer move the individual away from chair based exercises to more functional exercises when the individual is capable. BTW, the ACE certifications are one of the more common certifications held by trainers in commercial gyms.

    Movement patterns like the squat, deadlift, lunge push/pull twist, mimic things a person does in everyday life. Can you do these motions sitting, sure, but probably not as helpful in building/keeping one's ability to pick up a grandchild as if one is standing.

    As someone mentioned upthread, most of the injuries happened when someone dropped a weight on themselves and pointed out many of these instances is carelessness. The article reported 114 deaths from weightlifting over 18 years. I'm pretty sure the vast majority of those were someone bench pressing in their basement by themselves (not smart) without the proper stops and they were crushed suffocated under the bar.

    I have still been reading, just not debating. Squats and lunges are out, except for partial ones that don't go deep at all; bad knees. Because of herniated discs and spinal stenosis, I avoid lifting heavy things from the floor. I can get away with using my knees for that IRL since I will only do it a small number of times at once and not often. I can't load my hands over my head pushing up due to bursitis.

    SUP paddling works within these limitations almost perfectly and I enjoy it a lot, so I got in pretty good shape doing ~20 miles a week in the summer. The issues are not bad enough to keep me from ever doing things I shouldn't, but if I started doing them frequently by incorporating them into an exercise routine i would be hobbled pretty quickly.

    ETA - Been through PT a few times; after shoulder and knee surgeries and after bad arthritis flares, one of which had me using a cane for a while.

    You have a lot of issues going on. Could you get some time with s physical therapist to perhaps help with your movements? Sometimes because of the way insurance works a therapist is somewhat limited, i.e., has to work on rehabbing the shoulder as opposed to working on more global mivement patterns

    I have had PT a number of times. Yes, they are usually focused on a shoulder or knee or low back. I don't let the problems stop me, I just work around them. Well, I did let the knee issues stop me from running; that was the only major thing I gave up. Not throwing overhand is not a huge deal; I didn't exactly have an MLB caliber arm to start with.
  • AudreyJDuke
    AudreyJDuke Posts: 1,092 Member
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    Very interesting info!!!!
  • midlomel1971
    midlomel1971 Posts: 1,283 Member
    edited October 2018
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    I've been using the express circuit at YouFit pretty regularly (every other day) for the past couple years. I could count the times I've seen other people use it (the entire circuit the way it's designed to be used) on one hand. I don't get it. It works for me. When I go to the gym, I need to be in and out and the circuit is a good way for me to stay on track. Ain't nobody got time to be waiting for free weights. I find the timing intervals to be perfect. I lift heavy, too. I notice that a lot of people skip the cardio part of the circuit. Like, they just move from machine to machine. Youfit has a step bench in the middle of the circuit and you are supposed to do that in between machines. I do a variety of high-intensity cardio in between machines to keep my heart rate up. I'm pretty sweaty about 2/3 of the way through the entire circuit. And I've seen results. I've lost 30 pounds and my upper body, my arms in particular, are pretty cut. The bottom half? Well, I can see definition in my thighs, but that's a problem area I continue to work on. I will say that after the circuit, I throw in a few more machines from the floor for extra leg-work.


    Also, don't understand the comment about Planet Fitness not being a real gym. You could probably lump YouFit into the same category as PF (low-cost, convenience) and I can assure you, I work very hard there and I'm very serious about getting fit.

    Edit: Maybe PF is different than YouFit. YF has a wide range of free weights and barbells and I see serious lifters there. I haven't heard any grunting, though! PF really bans you for that?
  • CarvedTones
    CarvedTones Posts: 2,340 Member
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    midlomel1971 wrote: »
    I've been using the express circuit at YouFit pretty regularly (every other day) for the past couple years. I could count the times I've seen other people use it (the entire circuit the way it's designed to be used) on one hand. I don't get it. It works for me. When I go to the gym, I need to be in and out and the circuit is a good way for me to stay on track. Ain't nobody got time to be waiting for free weights. I find the timing intervals to be perfect. I lift heavy, too. I notice that a lot of people skip the cardio part of the circuit. Like, they just move from machine to machine. Youfit has a step bench in the middle of the circuit and you are supposed to do that in between machines. I do a variety of high-intensity cardio in between machines to keep my heart rate up. I'm pretty sweaty about 2/3 of the way through the entire circuit. And I've seen results. I've lost 30 pounds and my upper body, my arms in particular, are pretty cut. The bottom half? Well, I can see definition in my thighs, but that's a problem area I continue to work on. I will say that after the circuit, I throw in a few more machines from the floor for extra leg-work.


    Also, don't understand the comment about Planet Fitness not being a real gym. You could probably lump YouFit into the same category as PF (low-cost, convenience) and I can assure you, I work very hard there and I'm very serious about getting fit.

    Edit: Maybe PF is different than YouFit. YF has a wide range of free weights and barbells and I see serious lifters there. I haven't heard any grunting, though! PF really bans you for that?

    I haven't heard of anyone actually being banned, but they do have rules prominently posted and don't have free weights. They do have barbells at a couple of stations but I think they are set up to do something specific. It really isn't a problem because no one that wants the free weight and wants to make a lot of noise would join.

    yes the circuit has steps platforms; little ones that are numbered stations themselves that are alternated with machines. I am not as crazy about those because it is really easy to get lazy on them. Yesterday I tweaked my ankle a little trying not to be lazy and doing a sidestep routine at a good clip.

    Yesterday there were actually a couple of other people using them as intended, though one of them bailed about halfway through.
  • midlomel1971
    midlomel1971 Posts: 1,283 Member
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    CarvedTones wrote: »
    midlomel1971 wrote: »
    I've been using the express circuit at YouFit pretty regularly (every other day) for the past couple years. I could count the times I've seen other people use it (the entire circuit the way it's designed to be used) on one hand. I don't get it. It works for me. When I go to the gym, I need to be in and out and the circuit is a good way for me to stay on track. Ain't nobody got time to be waiting for free weights. I find the timing intervals to be perfect. I lift heavy, too. I notice that a lot of people skip the cardio part of the circuit. Like, they just move from machine to machine. Youfit has a step bench in the middle of the circuit and you are supposed to do that in between machines. I do a variety of high-intensity cardio in between machines to keep my heart rate up. I'm pretty sweaty about 2/3 of the way through the entire circuit. And I've seen results. I've lost 30 pounds and my upper body, my arms in particular, are pretty cut. The bottom half? Well, I can see definition in my thighs, but that's a problem area I continue to work on. I will say that after the circuit, I throw in a few more machines from the floor for extra leg-work.


    Also, don't understand the comment about Planet Fitness not being a real gym. You could probably lump YouFit into the same category as PF (low-cost, convenience) and I can assure you, I work very hard there and I'm very serious about getting fit.

    Edit: Maybe PF is different than YouFit. YF has a wide range of free weights and barbells and I see serious lifters there. I haven't heard any grunting, though! PF really bans you for that?

    I haven't heard of anyone actually being banned, but they do have rules prominently posted and don't have free weights. They do have barbells at a couple of stations but I think they are set up to do something specific. It really isn't a problem because no one that wants the free weight and wants to make a lot of noise would join.

    yes the circuit has steps platforms; little ones that are numbered stations themselves that are alternated with machines. I am not as crazy about those because it is really easy to get lazy on them. Yesterday I tweaked my ankle a little trying not to be lazy and doing a sidestep routine at a good clip.

    Yesterday there were actually a couple of other people using them as intended, though one of them bailed about halfway through.

    Keep up the good work! I know some people find the circuit boring, but that's what earbuds and podcasts are for! I look forward to my 30 minutes of podcast/audio-book listening while I do my weights! It keeps me going.
  • cwolfman13
    cwolfman13 Posts: 41,874 Member
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    midlomel1971 wrote: »
    I've been using the express circuit at YouFit pretty regularly (every other day) for the past couple years. I could count the times I've seen other people use it (the entire circuit the way it's designed to be used) on one hand. I don't get it. It works for me. When I go to the gym, I need to be in and out and the circuit is a good way for me to stay on track. Ain't nobody got time to be waiting for free weights. I find the timing intervals to be perfect. I lift heavy, too. I notice that a lot of people skip the cardio part of the circuit. Like, they just move from machine to machine. Youfit has a step bench in the middle of the circuit and you are supposed to do that in between machines. I do a variety of high-intensity cardio in between machines to keep my heart rate up. I'm pretty sweaty about 2/3 of the way through the entire circuit. And I've seen results. I've lost 30 pounds and my upper body, my arms in particular, are pretty cut. The bottom half? Well, I can see definition in my thighs, but that's a problem area I continue to work on. I will say that after the circuit, I throw in a few more machines from the floor for extra leg-work.


    Also, don't understand the comment about Planet Fitness not being a real gym. You could probably lump YouFit into the same category as PF (low-cost, convenience) and I can assure you, I work very hard there and I'm very serious about getting fit.

    Edit: Maybe PF is different than YouFit. YF has a wide range of free weights and barbells and I see serious lifters there. I haven't heard any grunting, though! PF really bans you for that?

    I belonged to a PF years ago when I was just getting back into fitness...I'd put PF in the "fitness center" category rather than a traditional "gym"...basically something you would find at a hotel, only on a much larger scale. I associate traditional gyms with barbells and plates and power racks and platforms for deadlifts and cleans and such and PF doesn't have any of that...

    I started back in Sept of 2012 and mostly needed a place to do cardio with the weather cooling down and PF was perfect for that. I also monkeyed around with the machines and did a bit of resistance training, but it certainly wasn't my focus at that time. I was a competitive athlete for much of my young life as a track and field sprinter and I played football in high school as well...it was all about squats, deadlifts, cleans, etc and I ultimately wanted to get back into that so I switched to a gym that would allow such movements in January 2013. I definitely grunt when I'm pulling a heavy clean...not to mention that you drop the weight with a clean and it makes a loud boom.

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