Gym

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Replies

  • atamrowski
    atamrowski Posts: 417 Member
    Wow you really have that much time to spend daily at the gym? Three hours? I am lucky to get 1 in 3 x a week.

    Treadmill and all that cardio jazz is BORING but gotta do it. I spend 10 minutes stretching, 20-25 walking on the treadmill, and 20-25 minutes circuit training (if I have the time). So maybe an hour.
  • MG_Fit
    MG_Fit Posts: 1,143 Member
    I hit the gym for around 90 minutes in the morning before work. Usually my routine is:

    10 min. streaching

    5 min. cardio (to get my hr up)

    45 min. strength training

    35 minute run
  • FoxyFran21
    FoxyFran21 Posts: 12 Member
    I upped my workout to little over an hour. I joined my first gym in January and was surprised at how boring the cardio workout can be. I was on the treadmill 30 to 40 min, that had to stop because I know I would just be unmotivated to even get up and go. So now I do 20 min Elliptical, 20 treadmill 30 Min Circuit training. I try not to spend more than 20 min on a machine that's been working out great.
  • lazydaydays
    lazydaydays Posts: 66
    Thanks for all your replays (been Intreasting reading them)

    A bit more about me
    Firstly- I use the gym in the mornings when I have dropped the kids off school and as I'm a part time worker I have more time then most people, I also work in the leisure centre where I go so don't actually pay for my time there ( I'm a swimming teacher)

    Secondly- when I work out I work hard but not too hard as I'm an asthmatic and have eczema which flares up when I'm hot and sweaty :( and its so so sore.

    I try and get to the gym 3 times a week ( in the mornings ) and try to fit in all of the bits I like doing, so treadmill is mixed walking at 5.5 kwh and jogging at 6.5kwh.
    Cross-trainer I'm usually doing this at one pace on level 10.
    Swimming to me is a bit like a cool down feel really relaxed to end my workout swimming so this part is more for fun then a callourie burn.

    Edited to add I'm tired when I'm done but not in an that I have overdone it, and I'm really loving my time there but I'm still really new to gym sessions, so any advice on improving things would be appreciated .
  • shirleygirl910
    shirleygirl910 Posts: 503 Member
    Things to remember. You want to do the weight training first after a 5-10 min warm up. That way if you run out of energy you end up cutting your cardio short and not the weight training. Also, weight training causes you to burn after your work out is done, cardio is done burning the minute you stop. For me I'd rather spend time with weights.
  • noKTdidnt
    noKTdidnt Posts: 61 Member
    If I'm doing my own thing, I do around 45 minutes to an hour. Usually, I'm there for a class or two and will spend an hour or two. Any workout less than 45 minutes, I do in my own home so I don't have to worry about getting changed or driving for such a short period of time.
  • agggie550
    agggie550 Posts: 281 Member
    Monday through Friday

    5am - 5:45 weights (Differnt Muscles Groups everyday, and Wednesday is Stretching only)
    5:45-6 am Abs
    6:30 Cardio

    12 noon - 12:35 Weights (Differnt Muscle group then the morning)
    12:35 - 12:50 Abs
    12:50 - 1:15 Cardio

    Outdoor Cardio Tuesday afternoons - Running 3+ Miles

    Saturday and Sunday are usually rest unless im feeling froggy, but even then one of those days is rest.
  • NRBreit
    NRBreit Posts: 319 Member
    I believe it's more about intensity than time. I spend a maximum of 1 hour lifting weights, not including warm up or stretching. One hour lifting weights to failure every set with minimal rest between sets is a LOT of training. On the days I work out with my trainer, she can destroy me in 30-40 mins. I usually limit cardio to 30-40 mins. I rarely lift and do cardio on the same day.
  • pucenavel
    pucenavel Posts: 972 Member
    I rarely get all of these in one week, but this is my "target schedule" during the winter

    MonAM: 45-60 minutes on bike trainer at home
    MonPM: 45 minutes weights, arms/shoulders/abs - 15 min easy run on treadmill
    TueAM: 60 minutes interval lap swimming
    WedAM: 45-60 minutes on bike trainer at home or 5km run outdoor at 80-90% effort
    MonPM: 45 minutes weights, legss/abs - 15 min easy run on treadmill
    ThursAM: 60 minutes interval lap swimming
    Thurs PM: 45-60 minutes on bike trainer at home
    FriAM: 45 minutes weights, arms/shoulders/abs
    FriPM: 45-60 minutes on bike trainer at home
    SatAM: Long run (8-12 miles) - 75% effort (not doing this right now due to injury)
    SunAM: 6000m swim (about 2 hours) - straight swim at E2/E3 pace
  • Confuzzled4ever
    Confuzzled4ever Posts: 2,860 Member
    wow.. 3 hours is a long time...

    I do weights there.. for like an hour.. or an hour long class with and hour of weights or 30 minutes of cardio wtih about 30 of weights. I go with someone for everything but the classes, cause he wont' do classes. I do my abs/calethestics and stuff at home while dinner is cooking. We bike ride too when it's warm that's probably about 30 minutes to an hour too. An hour is really all I want to be in the gym for anyway.

    Shower at home. lol.
  • ThePinkPenguin
    ThePinkPenguin Posts: 138
    I usually spend about an hour, give or take a few minutes. I like to do 30-40 minutes of cardio, then the rest on strength training. Sometimes, I'll just go for Zumba, which takes up an hour, and other times, I've gone for 30 minute swims. I like to mix things up, so it depends...albeit I haven't been in the pool in a while because I need a new bathing suit. Plus, the cold weather is not good to my wet hair!
  • whitelaurel
    whitelaurel Posts: 162 Member
    Wow... I don't know the specifics, but I've always read that...

    The body can only burn so much fat in one day, so after a certain period of time, your workout is ineffective;
    Doctors recommend half an hour a day to reduce the threat of heart disease, etc., so even an hour is more than enough;
    The body requires rest, so you should only do cardio 4-6 times a week, and weight training about 3 times--rest well;
    A workout loses effectiveness after you do it a million times over without changing anything up.

    SO many hours at the gym just seems extreme to me. Even if exercise is just something you enjoy--which, I can relate, I love running--going outside is so nice. Being active in different ways in different places throughout the day seems so much happier. I'm sorry, I probably sound preachy, I just don't want anybody to think that 3 hours + at the gym is necessary or necessarily healthy.

    When I run outside in the summer months, I'm sometimes out for an hour and a half. These winter months, I walk to the gym, which takes about 20 minutes, then I do the stair stepper (which I HATE, but my gym partner loves it... And I think it's doing something to my legs, so I tolerate it); elliptical at a high resistance at variable incline at 4~5mph for 15 minutes, then maybe 30 minutes strength training (each day, I target a different muscle group)--Sometimes it takes 45 minutes to get through the lifting, but I'm alternating with a partner.

    All told, maybe an hour~hour and a half at the gym (6 days a week), plus the walk there and back. And by the end of it, I'm sweating and tired! My body feels so strong and I'm dropping inches like a boss. :) (I need to work on my diet to drop pounds faster, haha...) Anyway, my point is--

    The philosophy I subscribe to is 'work hard and short.' Torturing yourself at the gym for hours on end just seems like a pity! There's better ways. :)

    Edit: You thought I was getting off my soapbox finally, didn't you? ;D I just wanted to add, there's really no need to fit swimming, biking, running, elliptical, stairs, crosstraining, lifting, a class--EVERYTHING into one day. Spread it over the week! I'm sure you'll get great results! :D
  • elainecroft
    elainecroft Posts: 595 Member
    I'm not sure if I'm jealous that some people have a lot of time to spend at the gym. I do 20-40 minute circuit training b/c the only time I have to go to the gym most days is if I get up early, thus cutting into my sleep (and I like my sleep!!!!)
  • Tyggress73
    Tyggress73 Posts: 104 Member
    My typical week:

    Monday, Tuesday, Thursday: 45 - 1 hour strength training (split routines) + 24 minutes HIIT cardio, then shower....out in 2 hours
    Wednesday: 34 minutes HIIT cardio, abs, then shower...out in about 1.25 hours
    Friday: 30 minutes with trainer, usually cross-fit/tabata type training, then shower...out in about 50 minutes
  • JamieM8168
    JamieM8168 Posts: 248 Member
    70 minutes. Thats the max time limit for the child care at the gym. What I do while im there varies
  • MaddiGirl
    MaddiGirl Posts: 4 Member
    I certainly agree with this respond.
    Mix things up as well as I use even / odd days...I do a different routine...
    In order not to get tired of what I do each time. Total workout should be 1.5/hrs (average)
    plus a shower...should be done just over the 2/hr mark.
  • HMVOL7409
    HMVOL7409 Posts: 1,588 Member
    You do way too much cardio. I spend 60-70 mins/day lifting only, 3 days a week. Cardio wise, I run and it's all outdoors regardless of weather.
  • HMVOL7409
    HMVOL7409 Posts: 1,588 Member
    Can't believe some of the numbers I'm seeing here.

    Do you people seriously plan on spending 8+ hours in the gym every week of your life for the rest of your lives?

    While mine is not 8 hrs in the gym, I certainly plan on doing my routine here on out. If people sat down and calculated how much time they waste watching tv or being inactive, it's a far better option!
  • EEfromJersey
    EEfromJersey Posts: 219 Member
    Time is such a factor but I've been going 4days/wk usually anywhere from 1hr to hr/half, always start with 30min to 45min on either bike or treadmill or reverse the two then in between I do some lifting and sometimes lift after i'm done an on the occasion some swimming & whirlpool at the end those days usually 2hr workouts and only on the weekend.
  • lazydaydays
    lazydaydays Posts: 66
    Wow... I don't know the specifics, but I've always read that...

    The body can only burn so much fat in one day, so after a certain period of time, your workout is ineffective;
    Doctors recommend half an hour a day to reduce the threat of heart disease, etc., so even an hour is more than enough;
    The body requires rest, so you should only do cardio 4-6 times a week, and weight training about 3 times--rest well;
    A workout loses effectiveness after you do it a million times over without changing anything up.

    SO many hours at the gym just seems extreme to me. Even if exercise is just something you enjoy--which, I can relate, I love running--going outside is so nice. Being active in different ways in different places throughout the day seems so much happier. I'm sorry, I probably sound preachy, I just don't want anybody to think that 3 hours + at the gym is necessary or necessarily healthy.

    When I run outside in the summer months, I'm sometimes out for an hour and a half. These winter months, I walk to the gym, which takes about 20 minutes, then I do the stair stepper (which I HATE, but my gym partner loves it... And I think it's doing something to my legs, so I tolerate it); elliptical at a high resistance at variable incline at 4~5mph for 15 minutes, then maybe 30 minutes strength training (each day, I target a different muscle group)--Sometimes it takes 45 minutes to get through the lifting, but I'm alternating with a partner.

    All told, maybe an hour~hour and a half at the gym (6 days a week), plus the walk there and back. And by the end of it, I'm sweating and tired! My body feels so strong and I'm dropping inches like a boss. :) (I need to work on my diet to drop pounds faster, haha...) Anyway, my point is--

    The philosophy I subscribe to is 'work hard and short.' Torturing yourself at the gym for hours on end just seems like a pity! There's better ways. :)

    Edit: You thought I was getting off my soapbox finally, didn't you? ;D I just wanted to add, there's really no need to fit swimming, biking, running, elliptical, stairs, crosstraining, lifting, a class--EVERYTHING into one day. Spread it over the week! I'm sure you'll get great results! :D

    Lol no any advice may help me to get things right, I love my workout and do feel guilty if I haven't fitted everything in, going to think about juggling it up a bit and mabe altonate days when I use treadmill and croos trainer, and see what happens.
  • lazydaydays
    lazydaydays Posts: 66
    In total I'm actually only doing about 2 hours of cardio, and 30 mins weights then the rest is getting changed and showered up, so not really as bad as first thought.
  • HMVOL7409
    HMVOL7409 Posts: 1,588 Member
    In total I'm actually only doing about 2 hours of cardio, and 30 mins weights then the rest is getting changed and showered up, so not really as bad as first thought.

    Still excessive if you are doing 2 hrs of cardio multiple times a week. Very good way to burn up LBM instead of maintaining it. Likely to lead faster to plateauing also but to each their own.
  • pucenavel
    pucenavel Posts: 972 Member
    I find it funny that you asked what other people do at the gym, but the average response was people telling you what you should do or what's wrong with what you do.

    I'm here to say: If it makes you feel good, do more of it. If it makes you feel bad, don't do it (or do less of it). It's about how you feel and what you want to do, not meeting the ideals of somebody else.
  • Hellbent_Heidi
    Hellbent_Heidi Posts: 3,669 Member
    I find it funny that you asked what other people do at the gym, but the average response was people telling you what you should do or what's wrong with what you do.
    This is just like.........ummm, EVERY OTHER thread on MFP :laugh:
  • lazydaydays
    lazydaydays Posts: 66
    Just did a swim today as I forgot my gym shorts lol
  • da_bears10089
    da_bears10089 Posts: 1,791 Member
    I roughly spend 1 - 1.5 hours there 6 days a week.
  • manhn1
    manhn1 Posts: 137 Member
    I find it funny that you asked what other people do at the gym, but the average response was people telling you what you should do or what's wrong with what you do.

    I'm here to say: If it makes you feel good, do more of it. If it makes you feel bad, don't do it (or do less of it). It's about how you feel and what you want to do, not meeting the ideals of somebody else.

    But he's getting parking tickets for staying too long at the gym. So, other posters suggesting that he can have just as good a workout and still ensure he's within the allotted time is fine in this instance, IMO.

    During the week, I workout during my break. My break is an hour. I have to drive to and from, change, and then workout (30 minutes treadmill--I do things likes pushups and curls at home for 10-15). And I have to get coffee after I workout. On the weekend, I do a class and do about 45 minutes of weights before the class. If I shower at the gym or I am going to a fancy function right after the gym, I will take a longer time at the gym to make myself look more presentable.

    When I am training or my half and the weather sucks, I run on the treadmill for 1.5 hours. I do weights 45 minutes beforehand. And I always shower after these workouts because I stink so bad. So, I could see myself pushing 3 hours there.

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