My fellow gym fatties
FungusTrooper
Posts: 227 Member
How long do you workout on the machines at your gym, and which machines? Trying to get an idea for how much I should be pushing for.
My gym offers 4 types of machines, treadmill, bike, elliptical trainer and rower. I see some people doing like 40 minutes on the treadmill, but I'd get hella bored doing that. I can easily do an 120 minute walk outside, but the treadmill bores me to tears after 20 minutes.
At the moment I'm doing like:
5 mins on bike to warmup,
15 mins on elliptical trainer,
15-20 minutes on treadmill,
5-10 minutes on rower.
Not necessarily in that order, and sometimes it's 5 mins on the treadmill and 15 on the bike, but you get the idea.
Wondering if I'm doing it right. My brain tells me doing 40 minutes is doing 40 minutes, regardless of if you do it all on one machine or not, but surely spreading it out over different machines helps work out different areas?
I aim this topic at my fellow fatties because I'm sure some actually fit people manage an hour on each machine and I'm pretty sure my knees would explode if I tried that
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My gym offers 4 types of machines, treadmill, bike, elliptical trainer and rower. I see some people doing like 40 minutes on the treadmill, but I'd get hella bored doing that. I can easily do an 120 minute walk outside, but the treadmill bores me to tears after 20 minutes.
At the moment I'm doing like:
5 mins on bike to warmup,
15 mins on elliptical trainer,
15-20 minutes on treadmill,
5-10 minutes on rower.
Not necessarily in that order, and sometimes it's 5 mins on the treadmill and 15 on the bike, but you get the idea.
Wondering if I'm doing it right. My brain tells me doing 40 minutes is doing 40 minutes, regardless of if you do it all on one machine or not, but surely spreading it out over different machines helps work out different areas?
I aim this topic at my fellow fatties because I'm sure some actually fit people manage an hour on each machine and I'm pretty sure my knees would explode if I tried that
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Replies
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I usually do 40 mins on the treadmill (5 min brisk warm up walk, 30 min run, 5 min brisk cool down walk), then do some strength training, and then do 20 mins on the elliptical to "cool down" (even though I push just as hard during that portion of my workout, if not harder). Helps to keep me from getting bored.
To answer your question - yes! 40 mins is 40 mins, and each will workout some different areas of your body. Just make sure you're calculating your calories burned correctly, as each machine will likely make you burn a different amount of calories.0 -
I have a recumbent bike at home, so I do 40-60 minutes on that with a DVD of a good movie or TV show.
the key is to keep your heart rate in the fat-burning zone. Work too hard (even for 20 minutes) and you'll stop burning fat and start building muscle. I see "fatties" at the gym all the time SPRINTING on the elliptical...they have chicken legs and big guts...
If I remember middle-school Phys Ed...it's aerobic versus anaerobic exercise.0 -
I have a recumbent bike at home, so I do 40-60 minutes on that with a DVD of a good movie or TV show.
the key is to keep your heart rate in the fat-burning zone. Work too hard (even for 20 minutes) and you'll stop burning fat and start building muscle. I see "fatties" at the gym all the time SPRINTING on the elliptical...they have chicken legs and big guts...
If I remember middle-school Phys Ed...it's aerobic versus anaerobic exercise.
The fat burning zone is somewhat of a myth. It's really about burning calories vs. trying to stay in the "fat burning zone". You will burn more calories from fat in the low intensity zones, but you burn more calories total doing high intensity cardio. For example, let's say you stay in the fat burning zone for your whole workout. You may burn 120 calories of fat, but burn a total of 300 calories. Whereas if you stay in a high intensity cardio set, you may burn 100 calories of fat, but burn 600 calories total. You can workout for less time in high intensity activities and burn more calories which will allow you to lose weight. You lose weight by having a deficit, not by staying in some "fat burning zone". This is a "fatty" who does nothing but high intensity cardio and I am losing weight in all the right areas. Don't waste time trying to stay in some lower zone so you'll burn fat. Burn the calories and eat correctly and you will lose weight.
As far as your routine, do what works for you. I try to stick to one cardio activity per session at the gym whether that's running, biking, rowing, swimming, etc. I typically spend 60 minutes on cardio and an additional 30 minutes on weights.0 -
the key is to keep your heart rate in the fat-burning zone. Work too hard (even for 20 minutes) and you'll stop burning fat and start building muscle. I see "fatties" at the gym all the time SPRINTING on the elliptical...they have chicken legs and big guts...
This isn't accurate. You don't stop burning fat. The ratio of fat:other energy burned changes but you also burn more overall.
Example: Run a mile in 15 mins in that "fat-burning zone" and let's say you burn 100 calories, 75 from fat. Run a mile doing high-intensity intervals and you burn 200 calories, 100 from fat. Yeah, the ratio in the first one is higher in fat burned, but the second is on overall bigger burn and more fat burn.
Edit: poster above answered also. my bad on not reading.0 -
I do 65 minutes on the elliptical 6-7 days a week. Pandora helps. Every other day I add strength training.
Created by MyFitnessPal.com - Free Calorie Counter0 -
Between 45 mins and an hour of straight up weights - no cardio. Can't stand it.0
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That sounds great! What you described is cross training. It's typically an hour and you split it up between several machines. That way you get a different workout for different muscles, but still good solid cardio. You should start a strength training routine as well. Even if it's just poking around the weight machines at the gym. Pick a weight that you can lift comfortably but can barely pump out the last rep at around 8 or 10, and keep getting higher and higher as you get stronger. Building muscle will burn fat and help you lose weight "easier".0
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I mix it up between biking, running and elliptical. Music helps a lot, or if you find someone cool to talk to while you're on the elliptical, sometimes a lot of time flies by before you realize it (its all about distraction).0
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I do half of 30-50 minutes at at least 3.3 and incline of 10, and do weights in between because i get bored on the treadmill, too.0
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Today, I did 20 minutes elliptical to warm up, then 30 minutes of strength training (heavy lifting and some endurance after), 30 minutes on the arc trainer (sort of a cross between a stepper and an elliptical), and then 20 minutes on the treadmill.0
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There are basically two types of cardio and they both have their benefits.... steady-state cardio is good for distance training and endurance, helps you last longer and fight the good fight. This is the kind where you plod along at the same pace, reading a magazine, or just waiting until the god-awful timer is up so you can get off the machine and get on your life.
Then there's HIIT or high intensity interval training, where you warm up, then turn up the speed/resistance (basically, raise the intensity) so you're giving it your all for a set amount of time (say, a minute), then you ease off and recover, going at a slower, easier pace. Rinse and repeat. Haul butt, recover. Haul butt, recover.
Do this for about twenty minutes or so. You will burn more calories because your body has to work harder to recover, thus providing an "afterburn" effect that steady state cardio can't offer. That means once you get off the machine and are done with your workout, you are still burning calories as your body repairs itself. Added on to that is your improved endurance and speed.
It is hard for me to get bored if I'm giving it my all, doing HIIT.
I'm sure someone can explain it better, but that's my go at it. Back under my desk with me, now.0 -
I spend about 8 seconds on the check-in machine, then about 30 minutes in the squat rack.
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i hate cardio but force myself to do 2.5 mins treadmill to warm up before doing weights then 10 mins intervals on the cycling machine after.0
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I used to go to the gym and work out like crazy - high intensity - and would not lose weight or inches. I started working with a trainer and she got me to working out at a lower intensity. That's when I started losing weight. For me, lower intensity is the key. As time goes by, that zone goes higher. I am 65 and had tried to lose weight for 10 years, got up to 220. I cannot tolerate more than 20 minutes on a machine, so I do 20 min. in bike, weight machines, a workout my trainer designs, and 20 minutes on the eliptical. Works for this old lady!0
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When I had access to a gym (and was definitely a fatty) I used to do:
10 minute brisk walk warm up on treadmill
10 minutes (or 100 calorie burn) on the rowing machine
10 minutes on stair machine
10 minutes on elliptical (god I hated that thing)
20 minutes on stationary bike (I do love cycling)
then I'd head up to the track to see if/how long I could run for, or walk until I got bored.0 -
some good answers here...I will add..make sure you are changing things up so you challenge yourself. Your body becomes very efficient at doing the same cardio and weight routine all the time. In your cardio..change duration and intensity..increase incline, do sprints etc..challenge yourself..a few more mins. Make sure you back off every once in a while too, recovery is just as important as exceting ourself. Weiights..dont do same excercises, reps, weights over and over..mix it up..bottom up, top down, hig freq low weight, low reps high weight. You get the idea!0
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I just joined a gym for the first time last week and I find rotating different machines, for me works best. I get bored very easy. I am only doing 30 minutes right now because Im out of shape and dont want to push it. Im hoping by the end of the month I will be up t0 40/45 minutes. I do 10 mins each on the bike, elliptical, and treadmill.(NOT Including warmup/cool down time) I also work with weights/weight machines on a daily basis for my arms.. they needs some serious toning..:embarassed:0
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I power walk 3.5 mph at a high incline. Keeps my heart rate up. As for the boredom I watch the TV or have something going on my mobile device so I avoid boredom. It gets bad when the only thing you can watch without being creepy is the HRM.0
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When I was losing most of my weight, my workouts went like this.
45 minutes of cardio (running/heavy bag, or ellipse, or step mill)
1 hour of heavy lifting
15 minutes of cardio (treadmill, or ellipse, or bike)
The 45 minutes was all on the same machine. I would just put on the headphones and crank.0 -
The most I do on one machine is 20 minutes and that's usually the tradmill. With bike, elliptical and rower it's usually around 10-15 minutes each (I don't do all of the machines each time I go to the gym) but I do interval training where I think (could be wrong) you can burn more calories than doing the same pace for a longer period of time. This is a programme that my traiber has designed for me.0
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Don't waste time trying to stay in some lower zone so you'll burn fat. Burn the calories and eat correctly and you will lose weight.
I agree with this, with one caveat. If you have plenty of time and low stamina, you'll be able to sustain longer workouts at lower heart rates, and burn more calories overall. But that means you have to have your own equipment or a pretty quiet gym, and you have to have lots of extra time on your hands.
Personally, when I hit the cardio machines, I hit them HARD, and leave no calories standing. I focus on using them to get my heart rate up to 80-85% with occasional intervals near 100%, and spend 5 minutes cleaning the sweat off the machine so the next person who uses it doesn't have to feel like they ended up in the pool by mistake. But I have an hour including shower time to work out daily, so I make the 45 minutes of actual machine time COUNT.
But I've also known someone who bought a treadmill, put it in front of the TV, and walked at 3MPH for 4 hours a day while watching the tube. Not my preferred form of exercise, but it's a 12-mile walk. She eventually ended up "trying out" slightly faster speeds and I believe she is up to 10K races now.
Me? I bought a treadmill and it ended up as a clothing rack within 3 months. I'm not the treadmill type.0 -
I do 10 minutes on each one, which equals to 40 minutes of cardio. Then I lift weights for 10-15 minutes. It seems to be working pretty good.0
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Warm up, lift weights, spend 30-60 minutes doing cardio (elliptical, lunger, or recumbent bike since I can't handle the other bikes in my big booty). Stretch for at least 20 minutes and done.
If your objective is strength gains, always lift before cardio!
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How long do you workout on the machines at your gym, and which machines? Trying to get an idea for how much I should be pushing for.
My gym offers 4 types of machines, treadmill, bike, elliptical trainer and rower. I see some people doing like 40 minutes on the treadmill, but I'd get hella bored doing that. I can easily do an 120 minute walk outside, but the treadmill bores me to tears after 20 minutes.
At the moment I'm doing like:
5 mins on bike to warmup,
15 mins on elliptical trainer,
15-20 minutes on treadmill,
5-10 minutes on rower.
Not necessarily in that order, and sometimes it's 5 mins on the treadmill and 15 on the bike, but you get the idea.
Wondering if I'm doing it right. My brain tells me doing 40 minutes is doing 40 minutes, regardless of if you do it all on one machine or not, but surely spreading it out over different machines helps work out different areas?
I aim this topic at my fellow fatties because I'm sure some actually fit people manage an hour on each machine and I'm pretty sure my knees would explode if I tried that.
If you are really giving it a good push and doing some nice intensity - I'd say you've got a great HIIT setup there...
I started at over 430 pounds, currently at around 315-325 (steroids from a torn tendon really mess with you lol) - and I originally started doing kind of what you are only between a treadmill and an elliptical...
I now do the elliptical because I can get a better workout of my thighs and calves there...
I also through in squats, lunges, and other core workouts to build strength in the other large muscle areas to keep burning more calories all day...
But YES what you are doing will pay off especially if you are doing a lot of high intensity while on there - also - remember high intensity is about heart rate and not speed - I usually go for 4MPH on the elliptical, but raise the resistance/incline so that this is a hard push for me... too fast and you aren't keeping good form...The fat burning zone is somewhat of a myth. It's really about burning calories vs. trying to stay in the "fat burning zone". You will burn more calories from fat in the low intensity zones, but you burn more calories total doing high intensity cardio. For example, let's say you stay in the fat burning zone for your whole workout. You may burn 12 or0 calories of fat, but burn a total of 300 calories. Whereas if you stay in a high intensity cardio set, you may burn 100 calories of fat, but burn 600 calories total. You can workout for less time in high intensity activities and burn more calories which will allow you to lose weight. You lose weight by having a deficit, not by staying in some "fat burning zone". This is a "fatty" who does nothing but high intensity cardio and I am losing weight in all the right areas. Don't waste time trying to stay in some lower zone so you'll burn fat. Burn the calories and eat correctly and you will lose weight.
As far as your routine, do what works for you. I try to stick to one cardio activity per session at the gym whether that's running, biking, rowing, swimming, etc. I typically spend 60 minutes on cardio and an additional 30 minutes on weights.
He's dead on there - The actual math is something like you burn 50% at the 60%-65% or fat burning range, and only 39% at the 80%+ range - HOWEVER; you actually burn 2.7-3 fat calories per minute at the 80% HR range and only 2.1-2.4 fat calories per minute at the lower heart rate range...
The other advantage to high intensity is the increased cardio gains - I found myself breathing easier and it harder to get my heart rate up after doing HIIT or high intensity workouts from when I originally shot for 60%-65% - my doctor concurred with me...
But by all means - please remember that while we are posting this in our best effort to help - we are not doctors and your doctor is ALWAYS a necessary part of your weight loss!!!0 -
Always lift before cardio, period!Warm up, lift weights, spend 30-60 minutes doing cardio (elliptical, lunger, or recumbent bike since I can't handle the other bikes in my big booty). Stretch for at least 20 minutes and done.
If your objective is strength gains, always lift before cardio!
But in all seriousness, your muscles need glycogen to work at their best. Lift first and use up some of your stored glycogen, then when you get to your cardio, your body will have less glycogen to use and will have to take more energy from fat.0 -
I don't go to a gym, but when I am at home I ride my bike for 15-30mins at a time.0
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I either do the ARC trainer or the upright bike, and I go for about 40-45 minutes plus a cool down. I regularly increase the difficulty or change it up a bit so it doesn't become so habitual. After that is about 20-30 min of weights.0
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I get on the treadmill.
5 min brisk walk.
After that I set the incline up as high as it goes and walk at about 2.0-3.0 speed setting.
Making sure my heartrate stays up, it has to be up for at least 20 mins for it to be considered as "cardio"
and then I will get on the Arc trainer 5 incline, 60 / 100 resistance, and keep a steady 75-85 steps per minute stride.
try not to change machines too often.0 -
The gym I go to only allows 30 minutes on cardio machines unless it's stated on the machine that it can go for 60 minutes.
I usually take between 20 and 30 minutes doing strength training and weights, then usually 30 minutes on the ergometer and 30 minutes on the treadmill or stationary bike. I can't do the elliptical because it hurts my knees. And yeah I agree with you that being too long on the treadmill gets boring but I like it because outside the gym I'm an artist and if I'm stuck on how to plan out a drawing or what to use as symbolism (I love visual symbolism, makes the viewer have to look longer to unravel a story) that gives me the time to work it out. I had been stuck on one concept for almost a month and after 30 minutes on the ergometer I had planned it all out and went home and got to work.
That aside, if you're taking a slower pace or a leisurely one, take longer. If you're doing intense stuff, do it in short intervals. Like say if you decide to run on the treadmill or lift very heavy weights, don't try to take 20 minutes or do 5 reps of 20. Shock your body but don't kill it.0
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