questions about excercising????

wildrose957498
wildrose957498 Posts: 24 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
:grumble: I've tried asking people on my list, but I'm getting no where with them so I've slowly been taking those who aren't talking off my list, but anyhow...I recently joined our local YMCA and have questions about all the machines there and don't know who to ask or what to even call them. I don't know what "reps" are or basically anything and can't afford a personal trainer. I'm so frustrated!! I want to lost this weight, but it seems after the originally 24 I lost I can't lose anymore. I tried reaching out for help, but nothing..
What can I do? I want to continue this YMCA membership but don't want to waste my time going there when I don't even know what I'm doing. I mean this is a big deal to me, for the first time in many, many years I have ventured outside my home. This is due to my agoraphobia (a HUGE fear of public places) so this is a big deal like I said.
So how do I know what exercises I'm doing and how do I record them? There's only a few things I can add to my page for exercise after that I'm lost. At the YMCA there's this machine it's suppose to help you work out your core the lady said and took off. You have a seat you sit on, buckle yourself in like a car seat belt and you bend forward and backwards. I like it and think it would help me out a lot if I truly knew what I was doing. I know the treadmill, somewhat. and then there's other machines, some I've tried others I can't because of my bad back.
Any help??

Replies

  • DavPul
    DavPul Posts: 61,406 Member
    buy and read one of the New Rules of Lifting books
  • cuinboston2014
    cuinboston2014 Posts: 848 Member
    A lot of the gyms, including the Y, will do an orientation for new members. It is wiht a personal trainer to introduce you to the equipment. Have you asked them about this and if they have this? It should be a free introduction to the gym.... they may try to sell you training later but you can politely decline.

    A rep is one time of doing the movement. So, if you are doing a pull up, every time you complete one pull up that is one rep. So on the machine you mention, every time you complete the forward and back motion you completed one rep.

    You can bring a pad of paper and a pen to the gym and write them down in there.... and try to find matching exercises on MFP if you want to upload them into here.

    most machines also have pictures and instructions on them. Try to pick one or two every couple of weeks to learn. The more comfortable you get with one or two the more likely you are to try new ones. However, I'm not sure how your agoraphobia will play into that....

    I do observe a lot of people in the gym to see how some machines work when I'm not sure and I take a risk of looking like an idiot if I can't figure it out right when I sit down. but nobody cares. It is a process of trial and error.

    Congrats on joining the gym :)
  • WonStepAtaTime
    WonStepAtaTime Posts: 101 Member
    I am a memeber at the Y too and you should be able to ask ANYONE that works there who is the best person to direct these questions to. They have people that oversee the gym area and are supposesd to train you on the machines. Ask the front desk. They will sign you up for training.
  • alienaliens
    alienaliens Posts: 64 Member
    I don't know if its because they don't get funded much at the Ys but they really don't tell you anything. I joined ours about a year and a half ago and still have yet to have someone show me how to use the machines. you have to pay for it and its called "personal trainers". But on the opposite end, I went to a $10 a month center and they spent over an hour explaining all the things that I was not in my lifetime going to use. The next day, I had forgotten everything. I blamed it on my age. I hope you get some help, because once you get accustomed to everything, you forget about your dislike to be around people and outside the home (I'm one of them, ok?) and the workout centers and the Y can be lots of fun.
  • moment_to_arise
    moment_to_arise Posts: 207 Member
    a "rep" is one complete movement. a "set" is a group of "reps" so for example let's use sit ups. Let's say you do 1 situp. That is 1 rep. Let's say you you want to do 5 situps. So you do 5 complete situps, that is a set.

    So when people say do 5 sets of 5, you do
    5 situps, rest,
    5 more situps, rest,
    5 more situps, rest,
    5 more situps, rest
    and then 1 more set of 5 situps.

    You just finished doing 25 total situps, but you broke them up into 5 sets of 5. make sense
    as far as using the machines go, many machines actually have a picture on them that illustrates how they are supposed to be used. if not, you can kinda scope out how other people are using them and then try and copy that. if not, try and talk to one of the people that work there, that's what they are there for! to help! :)

    do you have a smart phone? if so, there are LOADS of apps that you can download that have workout routines and ways of keeping track of your progress. if not, buy a notebook and bring that with a pen to the gym with you and record your progress that way! i see lots of people at my gym with notepads that they use to record progress.

    if you have anymore questions, feel free to friend and/or message me and i can help you out more! :)

    good luck with your forward progress!
  • 1princesswarrior
    1princesswarrior Posts: 1,242 Member
    You can probably find videos on YouTube about the machines and how to use them. Also ask about an orientation, I'm surprised it's not a requirement.

    You will also hear about sets. A set is a predetermined number of repetitions, or reps.

    Congratulations on getting out of the house.
  • Ainar
    Ainar Posts: 858 Member
    Find a beginner lifting program online, there are many free ones what works good. Google.com is your friend. There's a random one I found on one of my favorite fitness websites - http://www.muscleandstrength.com/workouts/jason-blaha-ice-cream-fitness-5x5-novice-workout

    You can google name of exercise and find video examples how to do it (or in this case just click name of exercise for video example) and then do the same thing in gym on same machine when you find it. Don't worry about other machines, ignore them, just use the ones you have in your program.

    Rep = how many repetitions of exercise you do in one set. For example you bending 4 times forward in a row on that machine you mentioned is 4 reps.
    Set = how many times you do exercise. For example bend 4 times in a row on that machine then rest. Then go back and bend 4 more times in a row. You did 2 sets of 4.
  • KeViN_v2pt0
    KeViN_v2pt0 Posts: 375 Member
    :grumble: I've tried asking people on my list, but I'm getting no where with them so I've slowly been taking those who aren't talking off my list, but anyhow...I recently joined our local YMCA and have questions about all the machines there and don't know who to ask or what to even call them. I don't know what "reps" are or basically anything and can't afford a personal trainer. I'm so frustrated!! I want to lost this weight, but it seems after the originally 24 I lost I can't lose anymore. I tried reaching out for help, but nothing..
    What can I do? I want to continue this YMCA membership but don't want to waste my time going there when I don't even know what I'm doing. I mean this is a big deal to me, for the first time in many, many years I have ventured outside my home. This is due to my agoraphobia (a HUGE fear of public places) so this is a big deal like I said.
    So how do I know what exercises I'm doing and how do I record them? There's only a few things I can add to my page for exercise after that I'm lost. At the YMCA there's this machine it's suppose to help you work out your core the lady said and took off. You have a seat you sit on, buckle yourself in like a car seat belt and you bend forward and backwards. I like it and think it would help me out a lot if I truly knew what I was doing. I know the treadmill, somewhat. and then there's other machines, some I've tried others I can't because of my bad back.
    Any help??

    Last time I was a member of the YMCA they all wore Tshirts and nametags which indicated they were employees there. If I was a paying member I would approach someone there and ask for assistance. They also have people who work there who are personal trainers. They should be able to answer anything you want to know related to your health and fitness goals.
  • cwolfman13
    cwolfman13 Posts: 41,865 Member
    I'm not a big fan of machines, but if that's all you have the that's all you have. Go to bodybuilding.com and look at some of their beginner routines. I know that have some that are pretty much all machines. There are numerous books and programs out there for beginners as well.

    "reps" is short for repetitions. If you do 10 reps of something then you are doing that particular movement 10 times. Sets are how many times you will do those repetitions...i.e. 3 sets of 10 repetitions is a common combination.
  • MercenaryNoetic26
    MercenaryNoetic26 Posts: 2,747 Member
    Go to bodybuilding.com and there's a bunch of workouts there you can scope out. LiveFit is one. They give you trainers, diet... and of course the supplement recommendations.

    And yes, asking someone there for help or paying a few training sessions is not a bad idea. There is no straight, short, individualized answer.

    Beginner programs include Stronglifts & NRoLfW.
  • ninerbuff
    ninerbuff Posts: 49,077 Member
    There should be someone at the YMCA that can give you an introduction to the machines without cost. From there, you can get an idea of how to count reps and sets and a very basic workout.
    If weight loss is your goal, exercise shouldn't be your sole focus...............your intake should. Exercise is for fitness and health, so include it, but there isn't any requirement to do certain workouts to achieve it.

    A.C.E. Certified Personal/Group FitnessTrainer
    IDEA Fitness member
    Kickboxing Certified Instructor
    Been in fitness for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition
  • wildrose957498
    wildrose957498 Posts: 24 Member
    thank you all for your fast replies!! I have been seeking people who could help me, encourage me and show me what I'm doing right and wrong. Now as for the Y....well the girl is nice there, but there doesn't seem to be almost no one else there for help, it's like a no man's land there. Could just be the holidays or something, again IDK. I reckon I'm the shy type so I looked around today and found the pics on the machines as some of you suggested and brought a notepad with me to write things down as others suggested. That helped a lot, but when I got home to add it to my page I only found a few things to add to my exercise part, a lot of the stuff I wrote down the search thingy said nothing found, nothing found. Anyone who wants to add me and help me please do. I didn't realize how complicated adding working outs was. The rest I think I got under control, but I am lost on the rest of the site. again thxs for all the help, April:smile:
  • wildrose957498
    wildrose957498 Posts: 24 Member
    thxs, I haven't seen many on here that know about ACE. No I don't want exercise to be my sole focus, I'm not a bigh fan of it lol, but as I try to lose more weight I also want to get in shape to. I'm so tired of all the aches, pains, tiredness and popping noises I make. I shouldn't be in this bad of shape at 39, but here I am....Now I just want to feel better and look better and be healthier. Just where to start....
  • wildrose957498
    wildrose957498 Posts: 24 Member
    There should be someone at the YMCA that can give you an introduction to the machines without cost. From there, you can get an idea of how to count reps and sets and a very basic workout.
    If weight loss is your goal, exercise shouldn't be your sole focus...............your intake should. Exercise is for fitness and health, so include it, but there isn't any requirement to do certain workouts to achieve it.

    A.C.E. Certified Personal/Group FitnessTrainer
    IDEA Fitness member
    Kickboxing Certified Instructor
    Been in fitness for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition



    thxs, I haven't seen many on here that know about ACE. No I don't want exercise to be my sole focus, I'm not a bigh fan of it lol, but as I try to lose more weight I also want to get in shape to. I'm so tired of all the aches, pains, tiredness and popping noises I make. I shouldn't be in this bad of shape at 39, but here I am....Now I just want to feel better and look better and be healthier. Just where to start....
  • wildrose957498
    wildrose957498 Posts: 24 Member
    A lot of the gyms, including the Y, will do an orientation for new members. It is wiht a personal trainer to introduce you to the equipment. Have you asked them about this and if they have this? It should be a free introduction to the gym.... they may try to sell you training later but you can politely decline.

    A rep is one time of doing the movement. So, if you are doing a pull up, every time you complete one pull up that is one rep. So on the machine you mention, every time you complete the forward and back motion you completed one rep.

    You can bring a pad of paper and a pen to the gym and write them down in there.... and try to find matching exercises on MFP if you want to upload them into here.

    most machines also have pictures and instructions on them. Try to pick one or two every couple of weeks to learn. The more comfortable you get with one or two the more likely you are to try new ones. However, I'm not sure how your agoraphobia will play into that....

    I do observe a lot of people in the gym to see how some machines work when I'm not sure and I take a risk of looking like an idiot if I can't figure it out right when I sit down. but nobody cares. It is a process of trial and error.

    Congrats on joining the gym :)


    thxs the notepad ideal helped out a lot, now just getting MFP to let me put in my exercise part would help, but it says nothing found when I type in my notes I wrote. and yes I watched people today lol and figured a few machines I did not like AT ALL lol. so now got 3 I like and will stick with them for awhile. again thxs for your help.

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