PT session opened a new world for me :-)

kmab1985
kmab1985 Posts: 295 Member
edited November 16 in Fitness and Exercise
Hi All

Well, after the advice from some of you last week I decided to have a session with the PT at the Gym and today we worked on Lower Body and I absolutely loved it!! Next week we are doing upper body workouts!

All I've done since joining the gym in Jan is bodypump, treadmill and cross-trainer and although I love bodypump I do sometimes find treadmill/crosstrainer a bit boring BUT I thought doing cardio (i.e. running) was the ONLY way to lose weight.

My goal is to lose weight but I also wanted to increase my muscle strength and ensure my body shaped changed too because since bodypumping I've noticed a massive difference in my body shape and it feels good!

Today I learnt so much and can't believe how great I felt afterwards, we did all kinds of lower body workouts like 10x reps 3 times or 20x reps 3 times etc etc.

I just have one small question, I asked the PT how often I should do this lower body workout and he said once we go through the upper body workout I could do legs on Monday, upper body Weds and Legs on Friday and alternate it each week so the following week I'd do two upper body and one lower body plus my 2x bodypump classes on a Tuesday and Thursday!

Would you agree this is OK? and will it help me get the most out of my workouts alternating them this way or does anyone have any other suggestions.

Please note though, I can only attend the gym in my lunch hour and don't go to the gym at weekends!

Many thanks for your help
Kel

Replies

  • galgenstrick
    galgenstrick Posts: 2,086 Member
    edited April 2015
    Sounds reasonable to me. What exercises are you doing? I am a little bias towards barbell compound movements for beginners. So if I were to suggest someone see a PT, It would be so they could get advice on their form and get comfortable using the power rack.
  • lili61
    lili61 Posts: 231 Member
    For the sake of simplicity I think a full body lifting routine 3x per week would be more beneficial to you. Personally I don't believe splits are necessary for beginners. A full body program like New Rules of Lifting for Women or Stronglifts would do wonders. I would also cut the Bodypump classes if you're going to be lifting. You can add in some cardio once or twice a week if you want, but it's not totally necessary.
  • kmab1985
    kmab1985 Posts: 295 Member
    Thanks for responding!

    We did lunges, squats using kettlebells although I'm used to lunges and squats because I do them in Bodypump, we did stepping on/off the stepping box, leg presses on the machine, leg crawls where your in the pushup position and you bring your left leg round to your left hand and vice versa (I liked that one) and then another one where again in the pushup position brought my right knee to my left hand (sorry I'm really rubbish at names of workouts, I've been going bodypump for 3 months and only just realised what a clean & press was!!)

    Then I did 1000m on the rowing machine which was really good!
  • kmab1985
    kmab1985 Posts: 295 Member
    Awww but I love bodypump :-( I really don't want to quit those classes!
  • galgenstrick
    galgenstrick Posts: 2,086 Member
    edited April 2015
    Sounds like a decent plan to me. At some point, once you get stronger, you might want to consider upgrading from kettlebells to barbell, but that's only if it fits in your goals. Once these exercises aren't challenging you, you'll want to get a new plan. keep up the good work, I'm sure it will work for you.
  • lili61
    lili61 Posts: 231 Member
    You definitely don't have to--just a suggestion! I don't know if you're planing to lift heavy, but if so I think you'll find your muscles pretty fatigued for a Bodypump class. Just depends what programming you decide on and how you feel.
  • galgenstrick
    galgenstrick Posts: 2,086 Member
    edited April 2015
    kmab1985 wrote: »
    Awww but I love bodypump :-( I really don't want to quit those classes!

    Stick with what you like doing, you'll be much more successful in the long run. If you find your body composition is not doing what you want it to do, then you may need to tweak your plan a bit, but always do the things that keep you motivated to work towards your goal.
  • kmab1985
    kmab1985 Posts: 295 Member
    For now following my session today I don't plan to lift to heavy because I already lift relatively heavy in bodypump and am continuing to improve in those classes....Plus I know my limits and I know when it feels to light (if that makes sense)!

  • rybo
    rybo Posts: 5,424 Member
    That plan is ok. I too like total body plans. If you wanted to stick to that split, i would do upper Monday, lower Tuesday, upper Thursday, lower friday.
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