Hey there, Vic here and I just got back from the gym. I had a good workout of deadlifts, some hanging core work, and kettlebell swings. The gym was a little busier than usual but that is to be expected – it is January. There are always lots of beginners in the gym this month who have made New Year’s resolutions to get in shape.
And maybe you’re new to the gym yourself. You’ve decided that 2012 is the year that you’ll finally lose weight. You signed up for a gym membership, but maybe you’re not quite sure which pieces of equipment you should be using when you go to workout. If you’re feeling a little lost in the sea of shiny chrome and clanking weight stacks, take a look at this beginner’s guide to the gym:
Power Rack & Barbell
This is really all you need. I’ll go as far as saying that if you are going to the gym and you are not using the barbell and rack, then you should consider staying home for your workouts.
The main exercises performed with the power rack and barbell are squats, deadlifts, and standing overhead presses. Although all of these movements can be performed with dumbbells, the squat and deadlift in particular warrant the use of a barbell so that heavier weight can be used. Of course this will be dependent on your personal fitness capacity, and if your current strength level is still challenged by your available dumbbells then they are a fine alternative.
Dumbbells
I’m using these mainly for lunges these days, but they can be used for any free weight exercise. With dumbbells you get the benefits of strength training like with a barbell with the added challenge of each arm being able to move independently. They are also great for one of my favorite fat burning drills, the Man Maker.
Pull Up bar
If you had to have access to only one piece of equipment, the pull up bar would be my tool of choice. A bar of some sort that is sturdy enough to support your body weight and high enough for clearance to do pull ups or hang straps or rings for body rows is crucial for developing the upper body pulling muscles. Sure there are other exercises for the upper body pulling muscles such as bent over rows with a barbell or dumbbells – but nothing beats the pull up.
Kettlebells, Medicine Balls, And Other Tools
These can be fun to work with, but are not necessary. Kettlebells, medicine balls, jump ropes, and rings or TRX straps can all add variety to your training. Just be sure that you are getting the basic bodyweight, barbell, and dumbbell movements in your program as well.
That’s It!
As a general rule, everything else can be ignored. Elipticals, treadmills, and other machines should be avoided for the most part. Are there exceptions to this general rule? Of course there are. But if you are a beginner in the gym be sure to focus your attention on the power rack and barbell, dumbbells, the pull up bar, and maybe kettlebells, medicine balls, and other tools.
What is your favorite piece of equipment in the gym? Are you still using the eliptical and other machines? Why? Let me know in the comments below.
Train Hard!
~ Vic
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Vic,
I’m disappointed in this article. The headline “Beginners Guide to Using the Gym” had me interested. I am somewhere between Beginner and Intermediate, and clicked hoping to read some tips not only equipment itself, but actual form of exercise. After all, a beginner knows neither. Now I know which equipment you prefer, but still don’t have a clue how to actually use it.
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vicmagary Reply:
January 5th, 2012 at 9:56 am
Sounds like a possible topic for a future article. . . thanks Rick.
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I still use a treadmill in the gym for the first 15 minutes of my workout. 1) It warms me up and gets me ready to stretch before strength training and 2) I utilize the “Stubborn Fat Protocol” method from Shaun Hadsall to help burn some of the fat. Seems to wok for me.
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vicmagary Reply:
January 5th, 2012 at 9:57 am
If it works, great. You’ll never hear me knock results.
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I use the eliptical machine for five minutes before my workout as a warmup. I also use it for longer (40 min) workouts on my off days just to give my heart a workout.
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I may be off base here, but I do like to run a couple miles outside once a week, as I think it helps build up my stamina(?). If it’s too cold outside, like dropping below 20*F, I may hop on a treadmill, but I hate having to resort to that. I’d much rather be playing racquetball or basketball if I’m going to be running inside.
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I like using a rowing machine for my warm-up. Set the tension in the middle of the range, and keep a rate of ~30strokes/minute. Explode on the leg extension, keeping your arms straight. At full leg extension, complete the row, pulling the handle to your sternum. Do this for 400metres. Gets the heart rate going while telling your muscles that SOMETHING’s COMING!
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vicmagary Reply:
January 5th, 2012 at 9:55 am
The rower is one of the few machines that I like. My requirements for “cardio” machines are that they use both the upper and lower body at the same time and that they can go from dead stop to all all sprint on a dime. That pretty much leaves the rower (love the Concept 2), Airdyne bike, and the Versacimber. It’s tough to find these machines in commercial gyms, especially the last two.
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I always run 30 -60 minutes whenever I workout. It’s a mental thing for me. While I don’t overly like working out in general, I NEVER feel like doing strength or flexibility training. I can typically talk myself into a run because it gets me out of the house and away from all the things on my to do list (no guilty feeling as I stand there looking at a pile of papers and slowly lift a weight up and down). After completing the run, I have a workout high and I figure since I am already sweaty and gross I might as well do the strength and flexibility.
Side Note: I do all my workouts from home because I am really uncomfortable in gyms. Therefore, going to a gym to workout rather than doing the aerobic part isn’t an option for me.
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Vic,
Besides a more detailed guide (a “how-to”) in a future article, how about one for women.. Seems like what you’ve described equipment-wise seems more geared to men.
Thanks
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vicmagary Reply:
January 6th, 2012 at 8:38 am
I respectfully disagree, Joleca. Every one of these pieces of equipment should be used by women as well as men. There should be no differences in training modes between men and women.
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I’m disappointed in this as well. Why would you leave out aerobic exercise when it benefits the heart, lungs, and all muscle groups?
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vicmagary Reply:
January 6th, 2012 at 8:37 am
I am not a fan of long slow cardio exercise, especially for fat loss. Aerobic capacity can be developed using high intensity interval and circuit training just as well – if not better – than using long slow cardio.
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Thanks for this informative article. Can these exercises be done if one has bad knees. I’m 59 and following an accident at work injured my left knee and am now waiting for knee replacement. I have your “30 days to weight loss” e-book. All I do are the basic exercises in that book. I have not progressed to the more advanced one yet. Oh, I also love your lifestyle change food plan(I don’t want to call it a diet, cos it’s really a lifestyle change. I have lost 7 kgs so far. However, I must admit I have a weakness and thats alcohol. In spite of drinking over christmas and also a few scotches in a weekend, I still managed to lose weight.
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vicmagary Reply:
January 6th, 2012 at 8:35 am
Be careful with the knees and remember that diet is the most important component of weight loss success. For an article on fat loss exercises that might work with bad knees, check out this link: http://www.31dayfatlosscure.com/4-fat-loss-exercises-if-you-have-bad-knees/
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Hey Vic, I am blessed with a chronic ‘predisposition’ to osteo arthritis. At 49 both knee’s are shot and shoulders too. A part knee reconstruction is a possibility in the next 2 year and at least one shoulder will probably need total replacement in 10 -12 years. Any thoughts on a training regime?
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vicmagary Reply:
January 11th, 2012 at 11:19 am
You have to do what your body allows. Especially for weight loss, it is diet that is key to success. Do what you can from an exercise stand point, but watch that diet.
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