Surprised at how unpopular express workout is at the gym

13

Replies

  • CarvedTones
    CarvedTones Posts: 2,340 Member
    When I was in PF this morning, doing my 30 minutes on treadmill, 30 minute express circuit, a few minues on the resistance pulley rope and 10 minutes on ARCTrainer (a cardio machine that will turn your legs into jello if you crank up the resistance), I looked at the "free weight" stations. I quoted because they are actually sorta caged so they can only go straight up and straight down with hooks to set them on every few inches. They also have light fixed weight barbells that are not constrained. Probably inadequate for people who focus on free weights but it is possible to incorporate a few free weight exercises into a routine.

    I stepped up the weight on some of the machines in the circuit and focused on keeping the activity level high on the step platforms between machines and came out of there feeling like I had a good workout. I realize I really got 50 minutes of cardio, 10 minutes of weights and 10 minutes of waits (in 30 second intervals between stations), so I get why people who are heavy into weight training don't think a lot of circuit training.
  • Packerjohn
    Packerjohn Posts: 4,855 Member
    CarvedTones wrote: »
    When I was in PF this morning, doing my 30 minutes on treadmill, 30 minute express circuit, a few minues on the resistance pulley rope and 10 minutes on ARCTrainer (a cardio machine that will turn your legs into jello if you crank up the resistance), I looked at the "free weight" stations. I quoted because they are actually sorta caged so they can only go straight up and straight down with hooks to set them on every few inches. They also have light fixed weight barbells that are not constrained. Probably inadequate for people who focus on free weights but it is possible to incorporate a few free weight exercises into a routine.

    I stepped up the weight on some of the machines in the circuit and focused on keeping the activity level high on the step platforms between machines and came out of there feeling like I had a good workout. I realize I really got 50 minutes of cardio, 10 minutes of weights and 10 minutes of waits (in 30 second intervals between stations), so I get why people who are heavy into weight training don't think a lot of circuit training.

    What you're talking about in the bolded is most likely a Smith Machine. I may get some flack but most lifters don't like them for a number of exercises as the bar is forced by the guides to go in one path (which may not match the user's movement pattern). On the plus side they may be safer in some situations where someone is working out alone as you could possibly twist the bar and catch I on a hook.

    Nice workout today.
  • rachel780mpg
    rachel780mpg Posts: 83 Member
    I tried to do the 30 minute circuit before and I couldn't really get the timing down. How do you do 5 sets of 10 reps and wipe down the machine in the time allowed? Or do you just do 1 set of 10 reps and keep going around to complete the amount of sets you would like to?
  • jemhh
    jemhh Posts: 14,261 Member
    rachel780mpg wrote: »
    I tried to do the 30 minute circuit before and I couldn't really get the timing down. How do you do 5 sets of 10 reps and wipe down the machine in the time allowed? Or do you just do 1 set of 10 reps and keep going around to complete the amount of sets you would like to?

    I belonged to a place with a circuit and you would just do as many reps as you want until the beep sounded and then you'd move to the next spot. So it was a 30 second long set, beep, 30 second set at the next exercise, beep, etc. You wouldn't try multiple sets during one 30 second period but you could go around the circuit 5 times if you wanted to.
  • CarvedTones
    CarvedTones Posts: 2,340 Member
    rachel780mpg wrote: »
    I tried to do the 30 minute circuit before and I couldn't really get the timing down. How do you do 5 sets of 10 reps and wipe down the machine in the time allowed? Or do you just do 1 set of 10 reps and keep going around to complete the amount of sets you would like to?

    In the PF circuit, you don't count. You just do all you can in 60 seconds. You can either set weight low and do a bunch quickly , high and do only a few or somewhere in between. you get 30 seconds between stations. That's enough time to wipe down the machine and move to the step platform if you are taking a towel around with you. Then from the step platform, you move to a machine and have just enough time to set the weight and any adjustments. If you take a few extra seconds, then you will be short a little on the 60 seconds. It's really cardio with some weight training kind of mixed in.
  • midlomel1971
    midlomel1971 Posts: 1,283 Member
    At the Youfit it's 60 second lift, 30 second rest, 60 second cardio, 30 second rest, repeat. There is a stoplight that is red for rest, then it blinks for like 5 seconds, then turns to green. During the lift portion, I do as many reps as possible and I try to push myself to lift as heavy as I can. I don't count - I just keep my eye on the stoplight.
  • CarvedTones
    CarvedTones Posts: 2,340 Member
    midlomel1971 wrote: »
    At the Youfit it's 60 second lift, 30 second rest, 60 second cardio, 30 second rest, repeat. There is a stoplight that is red for rest, then it blinks for like 5 seconds, then turns to green. During the lift portion, I do as many reps as possible and I try to push myself to lift as heavy as I can. I don't count - I just keep my eye on the stoplight.

    You explained it better; same thing at PF. They have a step platform in front of each machine the you can use for cardio or just do jumping jacks or windmills or whatever.
  • kardsharp
    kardsharp Posts: 516 Member
    OP, every move is a good move. Just remeber you are way ahead of a good percentage of the population. Keep going and enjoy!
  • Packerjohn
    Packerjohn Posts: 4,855 Member
    edited October 2018
    IHaveMyActTogether wrote: »
    jemhh wrote: »
    midlomel1971 wrote: »


    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.

    Snobbery and people being overly sensitive about silly advertising. Different people like different gyms. Whoop Dee Doo.

    BS. It's not snobbery. It's literally you are limited in the type of workouts you are allowed to do. Wanna jump rope? Not allowed. Bring your parallettes to do handstands? Nope. Bring some gloves and spar with a partner? Not that either.

    You literally can't do what you're doing in your avi at PF. No deadlifting allowed:

    o.jpg


    Can't bring my blast straps? Anchor point for blast straps is pretty much the highest use of a Smith Machine IMO.
  • IHaveMyActTogether
    IHaveMyActTogether Posts: 945 Member
    edited October 2018
    Cbean08 wrote: »
    IHaveMyActTogether wrote: »
    jemhh wrote: »
    midlomel1971 wrote: »


    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.

    Snobbery and people being overly sensitive about silly advertising. Different people like different gyms. Whoop Dee Doo.

    BS. It's not snobbery. It's literally you are limited in the type of workouts you are allowed to do. Wanna jump rope? Not allowed. Bring your parallettes to do handstands? Nope. Bring some gloves and spar with a partner? Not that either.

    You literally can't do what you're doing in your avi at PF. No deadlifting allowed:

    o.jpg


    No cell phones? - How do I listen to my music?
    No gallon jugs? - That is literally my everyday water bottle. It's filled with water, not vodka.

    No string tanktops? - So sports bra is okay? Great!

    But seriously. In my opinion, a ton of rules doesn't create a welcoming space.


    And also none of these exercises either:
    ouSPt7b.jpg

    And if you do, they set off a "lunk" alarm, so everyone in the gym can notice:

    lunk-alarm.jpg
  • mreichard
    mreichard Posts: 235 Member
    I couldn’t get through a workout in a gym that had those signs, even if it wasn’t deadlift or ohp day. It would just piss me off too much. I always thought the PF hate was over the top, but now I get it.
  • Stockholm_Andy
    Stockholm_Andy Posts: 803 Member
    Packerjohn wrote: »
    CarvedTones wrote: »
    When I was in PF this morning, doing my 30 minutes on treadmill, 30 minute express circuit, a few minues on the resistance pulley rope and 10 minutes on ARCTrainer (a cardio machine that will turn your legs into jello if you crank up the resistance), I looked at the "free weight" stations. I quoted because they are actually sorta caged so they can only go straight up and straight down with hooks to set them on every few inches. They also have light fixed weight barbells that are not constrained. Probably inadequate for people who focus on free weights but it is possible to incorporate a few free weight exercises into a routine.

    I stepped up the weight on some of the machines in the circuit and focused on keeping the activity level high on the step platforms between machines and came out of there feeling like I had a good workout. I realize I really got 50 minutes of cardio, 10 minutes of weights and 10 minutes of waits (in 30 second intervals between stations), so I get why people who are heavy into weight training don't think a lot of circuit training.

    What you're talking about in the bolded is most likely a Smith Machine. I may get some flack but most lifters don't like them for a number of exercises as the bar is forced by the guides to go in one path (which may not match the user's movement pattern). On the plus side they may be safer in some situations where someone is working out alone as you could possibly twist the bar and catch I on a hook.

    Nice workout today.

    Yes it's a smith machine I'm sure too. I also agree that they have their place for some people/situations. TBF I think machines also have their place. I often start of with the big complexes with BBs or DBs then move onto a machines for additional work.

    I've also got nothing against CCTs although I tend to use them more for conditioning. This morning I did 2 CCTs.

    4mins Rowing 15s Rest 4mins ErgoSki 15s Rest x 4 sets followed by

    45secs Burpees, 15s R, 45sces Box Jumps, 15s R, 45secs KB Snatches, 15s R, 45secs Med Ball Throws, 15s R x 4


    @CT what's your goal? I may have missed it in the 4 pages above.
  • midlomel1971
    midlomel1971 Posts: 1,283 Member
    No cell phones!? That is ridiculous. Am I supposed to dig out my Walkman from 1995 and find my old CDs? Or look in my junk drawer for my old iPod? What the hell?
  • hesn92
    hesn92 Posts: 5,966 Member
    Lol those are interesting rules. A lot of them are really stupid. Although I kind of like the no super setting rule. Unless the gym is relatively empty it's kind of annoying when one person is hogging 2 different machines/ pieces of equipment.

    Anyway, we all know how PF is. Let's all just get over it. Not everyone is training to be an olympic athlete or something. It's fine for general fitness.
  • IHaveMyActTogether
    IHaveMyActTogether Posts: 945 Member
    MeanderingMammal wrote: »
    midlomel1971 wrote: »
    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.

    It's just snobbery. PF, and similar, have low barriers to entry, but equally low costs to not sustaining it. You can see it in this thread, and many others; you're not serious unless it's only free weights...

    Frankly, tedious


    Really dude? No weights, but they are very serious. Kid is probably the strongest 13yr old out there. And no weights. But lots of grunting:

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4-1IaK9SNqg
  • MeanderingMammal
    MeanderingMammal Posts: 7,866 Member
    IHaveMyActTogether wrote: »
    MeanderingMammal wrote: »
    midlomel1971 wrote: »
    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.

    It's just snobbery. PF, and similar, have low barriers to entry, but equally low costs to not sustaining it. You can see it in this thread, and many others; you're not serious unless it's only free weights...

    Frankly, tedious


    Really dude? No weights, but they are very serious. Kid is probably the strongest 13yr old out there. And no weights. But lots of grunting:

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4-1IaK9SNqg

    Aren't you feeling sensitive about this...

    :)
  • IHaveMyActTogether
    IHaveMyActTogether Posts: 945 Member
    MeanderingMammal wrote: »
    IHaveMyActTogether wrote: »
    MeanderingMammal wrote: »
    midlomel1971 wrote: »
    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.

    It's just snobbery. PF, and similar, have low barriers to entry, but equally low costs to not sustaining it. You can see it in this thread, and many others; you're not serious unless it's only free weights...

    Frankly, tedious


    Really dude? No weights, but they are very serious. Kid is probably the strongest 13yr old out there. And no weights. But lots of grunting:

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4-1IaK9SNqg

    Aren't you feeling sensitive about this...

    :)

    You didn't watch the video. Kid is super impressive. All body weight exercises. He does a move he became famous for - a roll to handstand, except he did it from flat on the ground.

    I don't think only weight lifters are serious. I think marathoners are very serious. Cyclists, swimmers, tennis players, etc., are all very serious. But grunting is involved in all of these.

    Two of my favorite sports to participate in don't involve weights at all. Think you could do this at PF?

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8seIhcCHCL4



  • ritzvin
    ritzvin Posts: 2,860 Member
    I generally credit deadlifts for the major improvements in my up-hill running pace and endurance. As far as alternatives for hamstrings, the leg curl machine tweaked my knee. Nope- no PF for me. I'm also 4'10", so you can pretty much guarantee that nothing with a fixed (or even partially adjustable) motion track will remotely match mine. As for some of the non-free-weight workouts quoted above, I'm in the 'Why TF would anyone want to do cardio in the gym?' camp (barring freezing rain or knee-deep snow while in training).
  • ritzvin
    ritzvin Posts: 2,860 Member
    I also superset (hogging the squat rack while doing 1 arm set and 1 abs set) - but I do go when they are less busy and it's not like the squat rack would free up any sooner if I sat there on my *kitten*/looking in the mirror for those 3 minutes instead of grabbing some dumbbells.
  • ritzvin
    ritzvin Posts: 2,860 Member
    ..and I do frequently go through more than 1 water bottle.
  • jseams1234
    jseams1234 Posts: 1,219 Member
    I use a combination of free-weights and machines. About 50/50 in my workouts and I guarantee I'm pretty serious about lifting. However, I'm surprised nobody has mentioned one the things I found perplexing when I visited a Planet Fitness... the laughably small stacks on their resistance machines. It's like they purposefully removed half the plates from all their machines. Makes it hard for someone who is even minimally "strong" to properly use their equipment. I'm told it's to make the machines "less intimidating" and to make those using them feel better about what they are pushing or pulling?

    Anyhow - I still think that PF is a great place for those who's primary interest is cardio or who is just starting out. I'd just think that anybody serious about lifting would soon need to graduate to a different gym even if they wanted to keep using nothing but resistance machines.
  • Packerjohn
    Packerjohn Posts: 4,855 Member
    edited October 2018
    hesn92 wrote: »
    Lol those are interesting rules. A lot of them are really stupid. Although I kind of like the no super setting rule. Unless the gym is relatively empty it's kind of annoying when one person is hogging 2 different machines/ pieces of equipment.

    Anyway, we all know how PF is. Let's all just get over it. Not everyone is training to be an olympic athlete or something. It's fine for general fitness.

    To be honest, that's what 99% or so of all gym members are doing.

Categories