When you decide that it would be nice to start visiting a gym or a “rocking chair”, it means that you have decided to take up fitness to take care of your health. make your body strong. strong and beautiful. For example, older people remember the gym when problems with excess weight have already appeared, someone has stopped liking themselves, or has encountered the first signs or other problems with weight loss.
To understand. how to exercise correctly in the gym and achieve the results you need, you need to understand what fitness is in general?
What is fitness?
Do you know what fitness is? Fitness (English fitness, from the verb “to fit” - to fit, to be in good shape) - in a broader sense - is the general physical fitness of the human body.
In a narrow sense, fitness is a healing technique that allows you to change the shape of your body and its weight and permanently consolidate the achieved result. It includes physical training combined with a properly selected diet.
Exercises and diet in fitness are selected individually - depending on contraindications, age, health status, structure and characteristics of the figure.
That's why. When you go to the gym, gym or rocking chair, this is just the right place to improve your health. muscle pumping and figure correction.
There is evidence that you can bring your blood sugar levels back to normal in just 7 minutes of daily fitness. Proper exercise and proper nutrition are the main factors for success.
In general, reasons. forcing people to go to the gym or gym are the same. Women or girls start visiting the gym. to lose weight or pump up your butt and abs. legs, make the body beautiful. Men become stronger and more resilient. In general terms, everyone’s goals and objectives are approximately the same.
Wellness techniques
There are a lot of health-improving techniques, but they are all aimed at a person’s physical fitness. Physical fitness consists of the following elements:
As you can see, develop everything for you that lags behind. Need to say. that strength exercises play a significant role in maintaining the health of the common man, as well as in preparing an athlete, since with weak muscles, a runner will not be able to run fast, a weightlifter will not be able to lift a barbell, or a swimmer will not be able to swim. Even playing chess requires good physical training.
Here's what grandmaster Sergei Karjakin, Magnus Carlsen's main rival in the fight for the chess crown, said:
Chess games last seven hours or more. In order to psychologically and physically withstand the load without losing concentration, I need good physical preparation.
Sergey Aleksandrovich Karyakin
Russian chess player, grandmaster. At the age of 12 years and 211 days, he became the youngest grandmaster in history and was included in the Guinness Book of Records.
Clothes for fitness or what to wear to the gym for girls and men
A few words about clothes for training in the gym or gym. Fitness clothing is usually sportswear specifically designed for indoor training.
Comfortable men's fitness clothing is one of the factors that helps to achieve success in the training process.
There are no particular problems with choosing sportswear now, so you need to buy it in specialized sports stores and enjoy the beautiful and comfortable uniform. Branded items, as a rule, retain their shape, do not stretch and will last you for many years.
Men's sportswear for fitness should not be fraught with danger. This means that things cannot have various metal fasteners, zippers, or hooks;
During the selection process, pay attention to the seams of the products. They should not be rude or very noticeable. Otherwise, clothing may rub the skin and cause an allergic reaction.
For example, leggings do not stretch and also have a compression effect, that is, they constantly compress our limbs with varying degrees of compression. Such clothing helps to cope with stress without compromising health. There is an opinion that “compression” reduces the heart rate during training by two to three beats per minute.
When choosing products, first of all you need to take into account the size and type of fitness exercises. Synthetic leggings with transparent inserts on the hips are suitable for Pilates. Power loads are more easily tolerated in combined products based on cotton and polyamide with imitation pockets and a wide belt.
Women's fitness clothing
What should a girl wear to fitness? Women's fitness clothing. However, like men's, it is made of materials that can absorb excess moisture. This will allow you to feel cool throughout your workout. In addition, there is no chance that your body will overheat.
Today, tops are in great demand. Open, in the form of wrestling shoes, with a closed armhole, similar to T-shirts, etc. They all leave the belly exposed. Special elastic bands inserted into the armhole and neckline allow you to wear the top without a bra. It is worn tight and is selected strictly according to size.
The material for such clothing is usually polyester, lycra or spandex. In some branded items, manufacturers add special fibers, COOLMAX or SUPPLEX. These fibers are able to regulate body temperature.
But the hit of the season is sweatpants. They are made from a mixture of cotton and synthetics. Tightly fitting the legs to the knees, they diverge downwards. The styles can be very different: with inserts, with a belt at the waist, held on the hips, with stripes... In addition to gyms for fitness and aerobics, they are perfect for walks and trips.
Cotton clothing is good in cases where the load will not be heavy, that is, where you will not sweat much. For example, during warm-up and stretching. Due to excessive sweating, such clothes will get wet and stick to the body, and even stretch out. Agree that it is not very comfortable.
Shorts, a loose-fitting T-shirt or a tight-fitting top, which is preferred by athletes who have been involved in bodybuilding for several years and who have something to show. Designers offer a simple, non-professional model that is no less effective when doing light sports. These fitness shorts have a loose fit, wide elastic band and are made of natural soft fabric - knitwear, cotton.
What to wear to fitness for overweight women
Give preference to elastic models that do not restrict movement. These are the same branded items. They must be made of breathable fabric. Clothes should not be too tight. The most important thing is not to be ashamed of your body. Everyone came to the gym to train, so train, achieve your goal.
Today, for overweight women, sports blouses with a closed belly and short sleeves are recommended. The lower part of sportswear for obese women is leggings (leggings) and thais (knee-length leggings) in large sizes. The bottom can also be sports pants - they never go out of fashion, come in different styles and are made of cotton and synthetic fiber. Fitness classes for obese women can be done in a regular tracksuit, as well as in a special sports jumpsuit. Modern models of overalls and one-piece tracksuits help to slim the figure well, make it slim and visually hide excess weight.
Fitness - clothes for pregnant women
Keeping yourself in good condition is also important for pregnant women. Fitness classes are not contraindicated, but recommended. It is clear that this all happens in a mild form with a little person inside.
Sportswear for pregnant women is presented in many models, but preference is still given to wide pants with drawstrings in combination with a T-shirt or loose shirt. Comfortable sneakers of course. Simplicity, the absence of compressive elastic bands and tight-fitting elements make sportswear for pregnant women very comfortable and convenient. Sportswear for pregnant women should be made from natural fabrics - cotton or linen and not contain synthetic additives. In such clothes, the expectant mother can safely go outdoors or to training sessions. Fresh air is good for health, and a little physical activity is simply necessary, as you should prepare your body for the upcoming important event - childbirth.
For expectant mothers, clothing should be:
- comfortable, not to interfere with the performance of certain exercises;
- there should not be a lot of it, frills, ruffles, etc. are inappropriate;
- the body must breathe, and therefore choose T-shirts, T-shirts or tunics of a loose fit, leggings with a wide elastic band that does not compress the body;
- Fitness clothing for pregnant women should be made from hygroscopic and natural fabric (cotton, linen); in summer it should not overheat the body, and in winter it should protect from the cold.
Workout in the gym
Gym training includes. as a rule, a set of some kind of exercises, let them be exercises with weights or your own body, crossfit or tai-bo. The important thing is that any workout should begin with a warm-up. The following are good for warming up in the gym: treadmill, orbitrack, bicycle, elliptical, stepper. If possible, then in the park.
Both machines are approximately equally effective for weight loss. An hour of training at an average load consumes about 600 calories.
A training program is what a man needs to make his body perfect.
After all, the combination of exercises, frequency of exercises and even the number of repetitions are of enormous importance.
Let's look at several options for classes for men with different goals - for weight loss, for gaining muscle mass and with varying degrees of training.
Gym training program
To properly create a training plan in the gym, First you need to decide on your goal which is being persecuted. It could be:
- fight against excess weight;
- muscle building;
- increase in strength indicators;
- improvement of relief;
- maintaining the achieved form.
Choose only one direction. You shouldn’t spread yourself thin: if you set two goals, then neither of them will be fully achieved.
Warm-up
Warm-up without workout is healthier than workout without warm-upWarm-up exercises warm up the joints, their lubrication improves, and as a result, less stress is placed on the cartilage. The tendons become more elastic and the risk of rupture is reduced. More force develops in the muscles.
Warming up without further training is more beneficial than training without warming up.
10 minutes are allotted for warming up. It is formed from the following components:
- Running, jumping, working on cardio equipment - 4–5 minutes. The pulse should increase to 130-160 beats/min. This warms up the body as a whole.
- Rotational movements, and the whole body is loaded, especially the spine, knees, shoulders. This allows you to prepare the joints.
Basic Workout Plan
The advantage of the “base” is that the largest number of muscles and joints are involved in the work.
Main basic exercises:
- squats using a barbell;
- bench press;
- deadlift.
Before drawing up a personal program, the athlete selects exercises, sorting them by muscle groups. Their number varies depending on the frequency of training. If you go to the gym twice a week, a dozen exercises are enough, five per session. This is enough to keep fit.
Then the exercises are distributed between workouts according to the following principle:
- muscle building workout(strengths): up to 3 groups are worked out (depending on the frequency of training), exercises are arranged in blocks - 2–3 per muscle group, another option is to train antagonist muscles in turn;
- excess weight: a small load on all muscles, load top and bottom in turn, the block principle is not used;
- relief study: both the first and second principles are possible, which depends on the characteristics of the body, the nature of the diet; exercises are performed in the same order as when gaining weight;
- form support: depends on how the form was acquired.
The duration of the basic training is 40 minutes, no longer. During this time, the athlete spends all testosterone.
Number of repetitions and approaches
This parameter especially affects the intensity of training. Approaches and repetitions, including in the warm-up, are distributed as follows (approaches/repetitions):
- for muscle growth: basic - 4-6/6-12, auxiliary - 3-4/10-15;
- increase in strength: basic - 4-7/2-6, auxiliary - 3/8-12;
- excess weight: 3-4/12-20;
- relief: 3-4/12-15.
For muscles to grow, they need stress.. Such stress is a change in repetitions of exercises (adding or reducing), increasing weight, changing the method of performing an exercise. Then the body does not have time to adapt to the stress. Another factor is replacing the exercises in the program with similar ones, then the same muscle groups begin to work differently. You should add unfamiliar movements to your workouts.
Stretching
This block is also performed before the start of training. Stretch:
- quadriceps;
- femoral biceps;
- outer, inner surface of the thigh;
- buttocks;
- small of the back;
- caviar.
Stretching is performed for 5 minutes, more rigid groups work twice as long.
Programs
For weight loss
The training is carried out in supersets. Exercises in pairs are performed one after another, then take a break for 2-3 minutes, and repeat the pair. When the initial level is mastered, the number of repetitions and sets is increased.
Workout number | Pair | Exercise | sets/repetitions |
1st | 1 | Crunches on an incline gymnastic bench | 3/12 |
3/10 | |||
2 | Squats using a barbell (on the shoulders) | 3/10 | |
Head pull, overhead block | 3/10 | ||
3 | Standing chest press, standing position | 3/10 | |
Lying leg curls on a lying machine | 3/12 | ||
4 | from the gymnastics shop, behind | 3/10 | |
Pulling with a barbell, standing position | 3/12 | ||
2nd | 1 | Leg raises | 3/10 |
using dumbbells | 3/10 | ||
2 | Lunges using dumbbells | 3/10 | |
Block pull (horizontal) | 3/10 | ||
3 | Barbell press, performed from behind the head while standing | 3/10 | |
Leg extension performed on a machine | 3/12 | ||
4 | Horizontal push-ups, performed with a wide grip | 3/10 | |
Curling arms with weight (barbell), performed while standing | 3/10 | ||
3rd | 1 | Crunches, performed while lying down | 3/10 |
Hyperextension | 3/10 | ||
2 | Leg press | 3/10 | |
3/10 | |||
3 | Rows from the upper block, performed with a narrow grip | 3/10 | |
Bend over, place a barbell on your shoulders | 3/10 | ||
4 | Stepping behind a bench using dumbbells | 3/10 | |
Dumbbell raise, lying position | 3/10 |
The program is accompanied by a diet.
To build muscle mass
Day, muscle group | Exercise | sets/repetitions |
1st, legs and chest | Barbell squats, 60% of working weight | 3/10 |
Bench press | 4/10 | |
Push-ups performed on parallel bars | 3/12 | |
Incline Press | 4/12 | |
2nd | Rest | |
3rd, lats, biceps | Pull-ups performed with a wide grip | 4/until tired |
Barbell row to the waist | 4/12 | |
Deadlift using a T bar | 3/12 | |
Hammers | 4/12 | |
4th | Rest | |
5th, leg and shoulder muscles | Barbell squats, 80% working weight | 4/12 |
Romanian deadlift | 4/12 | |
Seated press | 4/12 | |
Pull up to chin level | 4/12 | |
swing to the sides | 4/12 | |
6th | Rest | |
7th, lats and chest | Bench press | 4/8 |
Press performed on an inclined plane | 4/12 | |
Pull-ups performed with a wide grip | 4/until tired | |
Dumbbell row | 4/12 | |
Lower block thrust | 4/12 | |
8th, 9th | Rest | |
10th, long dorsi muscles, triceps | Deadlift | 5/8 |
Shrugs | 4/20 | |
Press (close grip) | 4/12 | |
Standing French press | 4/12 | |
11th, 12th | Rest | |
13th, legs | Barbell squats, 100% working weight | 4/10 |
Leg press | 4/12 | |
Romanian deadlift | 3/12 | |
Lunges | 3/12 | |
Calf raises | 3/20 | |
14th, 15th | Rest |
For beginner athletes
Training for beginners accustoms the body to stress, allows you to build muscles and increase strength.
Day | Exercise | sets/reps |
1st | Roman chair crunches | 3/10 |
Bends using a goat | 3/10 | |
Sumo squats, a barbell is placed on the shoulders | 4/12 | |
Seated bench press | 4/12 | |
Chest rows from the upper block, performed with a wide grip | 3/10 | |
Half-over with weight (barbell), performed with a wide grip while lying down | 3/10 | |
Wrist flexion/extension | 3/10 | |
2nd | Leg raises on the horizontal bar | 3/10 |
Push-ups on a bench from behind | 4/10 | |
Pull-ups performed with a narrow grip | 3/10 | |
One-arm French press | 3/10 | |
Curls with EZ bar | 3/12 | |
Chest press, performed while sitting | 3/12 | |
Shin performed in a standing machine | 3/12 | |
3rd | Back extension performed on a machine | 3/10 |
Crunches using the Roman chair machine | 3/10 | |
Deadlift, performed with dumbbells | 4/6 | |
Lunges with raised barbell | 3/12 | |
Barbell press, performed standing or sitting from behind the head | 4/8 | |
Forward swing using one dumbbell | 3/10 | |
Lateral arm swings, from the lower block | 3/10 |
For advanced athletes
after 2 years of constant exercise, muscle growth slows down
The difficulty in creating a program for such an athlete is that after the first or second year, muscle growth stops. Then they organize training according to a different principle. The program is built on the following principles:
- High intensity.
- The working weight is chosen so that you can complete the program with it.
- The order of the described exercises changes in each new workout.
- The muscles are worked with two basic and as many auxiliary exercises.
- Between sets the athlete rests for about 3 minutes.
Day | Exercise | sets/reps |
1st, chest muscles, biceps | Barbell press, performed lying down | 3/6 |
Same thing, dumbbells | 3/8 | |
Press performed in the Hammer machine | 3/12 | |
Raises with dumbbells, performed lying down | 3/15 | |
Barbell curls, performed in a standing position | 3/6 | |
EZ-bar biceps curls | 3/8 | |
"Hammer" | 3/12 | |
Arm curl using a block | 3/12 | |
2nd, leg and deltoid muscles | Leg press | 3/6 |
Lunges, performed with dumbbells in hands | 3/8 | |
Extension of the lower limbs | 3/10 | |
Leg Curl | 3/10 | |
Army press | 3/6 | |
Press using dumbbells, performed while sitting | 3/8 | |
Inclined dumbbell flyes | 3/10 | |
Reverse dilutions, use “peck-dec” | 3/12 | |
3rd, back muscles, triceps | Deadlift | 3/6 |
Weighted pull-ups | 3/8 | |
Wide row, performed on the upper block | 3/10 | |
Head Pull | 3/12 | |
Push-ups performed on weighted parallel bars | 3/6 | |
Press, prone position, close grip | 3/8 | |
Arm extension with a dumbbell, performed from behind the head | 3/10 | |
Same thing on the block | 3/10 |
For legs and buttocks
To prevent the body from looking disproportionate, special programs are provided for pumping the leg and gluteal muscles. The training includes the following exercises:
Training is carried out 1–2 times a week.
Full program for 3 days
With regular training, this program will help bring the male body back to normal.
Day, muscle group | Exercises | Sets/reps |
1st, chest muscles, abs, biceps | Barbell press, lying position | 3/10 |
Dumbbell press, performed lying on a horizontal or inclined surface | 3/10 | |
Horizontal push-ups | 3/10 | |
Barbell curl, standing position | 3/10 | |
Dumbbell curls, performed lying or standing | 3/10 | |
Pelvic lift, lying position | 3/10 | |
2nd, shoulder girdle, leg muscles | Squats using a barbell placed on the shoulders | 3/10 |
Leg press performed in a machine | 3/10 | |
Leg extensions, performed while sitting | 3/10 | |
Leg curl, performed lying down | 3/10 | |
Calf raise | 3/10 | |
Barbell press, performed sitting or standing | 3/10 | |
Dumbbell press, take a standing or sitting position | 3/10 | |
3rd, back muscles, abs, triceps | Sumo | 3/10 |
Pull-up on the horizontal bar | 3/10 | |
Block pull up to waist height | 3/10 | |
Hyperextension (reverse) | 3/10 | |
French press, performed in a prone position | 3/10 | |
Extension of arms on a block | 3/10 | |
Lifting the body, lying down | 3/10 |
Traditionally, they warm up first and stretch at the end.
Split training
These workouts involve working individual muscle groups on different days. They are associated with a high level of stress. Here's a four-day split for an experienced athlete.
Day | What muscles | Exercises | sets/repetitions |
Monday | Breasts | Decline Barbell Press | 4/6 |
Same thing, dumbbells | 4/6 | ||
Horizontal push-ups | 4/6 | ||
Tuesday | Back muscles | Deadlift | sets of 10-8-6-3 reps |
Linkage | 4/6 | ||
Head Pull | 4/6 | ||
Horizontal thrust | 4/6 | ||
Thursday | Shoulders, arms | Press, performed sitting, from behind the head with a barbell or dumbbells | 4/6 |
Retraction of arms with dumbbells to the side | 4/6 | ||
Barbell curl | 4/6 | ||
Press (narrow grip) | 4/6 | ||
Friday | Legs | Squats performed with a barbell | 4/6 |
Leg press | 4/6 | ||
Leg extension, performed while sitting | 4/6 | ||
Calves, standing | 4/15 | ||
Same thing when sitting | 4/15 |
How long to study?
The lesson plan is adjusted every few months
Designing a workout is not an easy process. It requires adjustments, which are carried out after 1-2 months, in order to know the strengths and weaknesses of the athlete. Some exercises may not only not produce results, but also have the opposite effect.
Depending on the level of training, the body gets used to the program in different ways:
- for beginners - 10–18 weeks;
- for those who have been practicing for more than a year - in 8–10 weeks;
- for experienced athletes - in 4–6 weeks.
If there is a need to change the training program, then they change not only the strength, but also.
With a constant frequency of loads and following the recommendations of trainers, the first results appear within 1.5–2 months. But it is important to consider that different muscles develop differently. For example, it is more difficult to pump up abs than arm muscles.
Also, the effectiveness depends on the method of nutrition. Food should contain a sufficient amount of protein, which is the building material for muscles.
If you exercise without warming up, you greatly increase the risk of injury and reduce the effectiveness of your workout. In addition, this is how you form the wrong habits.
Warm-up is a mandatory element of training. You can easily get your muscles into working condition by following a simple procedure:
- Use a massage roller. Such rollers help to thoroughly warm up the muscles of the whole body. Here Lifehacker explained in detail what these tools are and how to use them.
- Do cardio for five minutes: Briskly walk uphill, exercise on an elliptical trainer or exercise bike. If you are overweight, you should not run - take care of your knees.
- Be sure to do joint warm-up and dynamic stretching. you will find a video of a good warm-up.
After this, you will be warmed up enough to begin the lesson.
How to create a training program
When you come to the gym, you should already have a clear action plan: what exercises you will do, what muscle groups you will work.
There are a huge number of training programs, but beginners without a coach should not try complex options. To begin with, it is better to limit yourself to sequentially working all muscles.
Let's conditionally divide the body into several muscle groups: biceps, triceps, shoulders, chest, back, buttocks, thighs and abs. If you're going to train twice a week, divide the muscle groups equally. For example, in the first workout, work your biceps, back, hips and abs, and in the second, work your triceps, chest, shoulders and buttocks.
Here are some exercises with machines and free weights for different muscle groups.
Exercises for legs and buttocks
Using this simulator, you can move the emphasis on different muscle groups by simply changing the position of your legs on the platform:
- Legs at the top of the platform - emphasis on the gluteal muscles and hamstrings.
- Feet at the bottom of the platform - emphasis on quadriceps.
- Narrow leg stance - emphasis on the outer thigh.
- Wide stance of the legs - emphasis on the inner thigh.
Leg abduction in the simulator
This exercise works great on the buttocks. Walk your leg back until your shin is parallel to the floor, but do not extend your knees completely. To better work the muscles, lower your leg to its original position slowly.
Squats
This is a basic exercise with a huge number of variations: with a wide stance or on one leg, with a barbell or with dumbbells, from an elevation or with a jump. Lifehacker analyzes in detail the technique of performing squats, and there are several options for squats and other exercises for the hips.
Another exercise with a lot of variations. Lunges can be done with your own weight, with a barbell or with dumbbells, moving around the room or on the spot.
As you lunge, make sure your front knee is directly above your heel. By slightly tilting your body forward, you will shift the emphasis to the buttocks.
This basic exercise works not only the muscles of the hips and buttocks, but also the extensor muscles of the back and trapezius. Start with classic deadlifts, but don't use too much weight.
Here is a video with the technique of performing the exercise:
To add variety to your workouts, explore other glute workouts as well.
Back exercises
This exercise strengthens the back extensor muscles. It warms you up perfectly and prepares you for an important basic exercise - the deadlift.
If you want to pump up your back muscles, and not your legs, start doing the exercise from a position where your body is in a straight line with the machine. Then lift your back, squeezing your shoulder blades together and moving your arms back. Stay in this position for 3-5 seconds.
The key point in this exercise: you need to pull the block not with your hands, but with your back. While pulling, fix your back and squeeze your shoulder blades. The video shows the technique and features of the exercise:
This exercise also helps to effectively pump up your back muscles. The video below explains the execution technique and the main mistakes:
Chest exercises
Bench press
This basic exercise involves the pectoral muscles, triceps, and deltoids. The emphasis can be shifted by changing the grip: bench press with a narrow grip loads the triceps more, and with a wide grip the chest. Also, the emphasis on the chest shifts if you take the barbell with a reverse grip, that is, with your palms facing you.
The video explains the technique of performing the exercise:
This machine allows you to perform exercises that only work the pectoral muscles. Do not straighten your arms completely at the extreme points, perform the exercise smoothly.
Dips with forward bend
If you can't do dips without help yet, use an expander or a special exercise machine for support. To place the emphasis on your chest, tilt your body forward.
The technique of performing the exercise can be seen in the video:
In this you can find chest exercises in pictures.
Triceps Exercises
Try not to spread your elbows out to the sides. If shoulder mobility allows, lower yourself until your elbows are at a 90-degree angle.
Extension of arms on a block
This exercise can be performed with a regular or rope handle. The back is straight, the elbows are located close to the body and do not move.
Exercises for biceps
Standing barbell curl
This is a basic exercise that helps to work your biceps well. Here is a video with the technique of performing the exercise:
Unlike the previous exercise, when lifting the dumbbells, you should rotate your wrists, as this provides additional stress to the biceps. At the bottom, the hands should look at each other, and during the rise, turn towards the body.
Shoulder Exercises
Standing chest press
Before this exercise, you should do a dynamic shoulder stretch: pick up a stick or expander and move your straight arms behind your back several times, and then forward again. Do not bend your elbows while stretching. The closer you place your hands, the more effective the stretch will be.
While pressing, move the barbell behind your head. If it stays forward, it will put a lot of stress on the lower back.
When performing the exercise, your elbows should be slightly bent. Do not raise your arms above your shoulders - this can cause impingement syndrome (inflammation of the rotator cuff).
Bent-over dumbbell raises
The body is tilted forward, the back is straight. Hand movements are similar to the previous exercise.
In this section you will find an analysis of the technique of performing other shoulder exercises.
Ab exercises
Elevated leg crunches
Abdominal exercise with legs elevated
By placing your feet on an elevation, you will eliminate unnecessary stress on the iliopsoas muscles and harm to the lower back. If you want to make the exercise more challenging, pick up a medicine ball.
The plank perfectly works all the core muscles. To complicate it, you can place your feet on an unstable support: in loops or on, as shown in the photo.
Hanging Leg Raise
In a simpler version, you need to pull only your knees to your chest.
If this is easy, try lifting your legs straight to the horizontal bar.
How to Choose the Right Weight and Number of Reps
Take such a weight that you can perform the exercise 5-8 times. The last repetitions should be performed with effort. If you can easily do all eight reps, then the selected weight is too light for you.
Perform three sets of 5–10 reps. Rest between sets should be 1–2 minutes, between exercises - 2–3 minutes.
If you are doing exercises without weights, you will need to do more repetitions to properly engage the muscles. For these exercises, perform three sets of 20 repetitions.
After training
After training, be sure to stretch: you need to relax the muscles that worked. In you can find exercises for stretching different muscle groups, and - exercises with expander bands.
From the very first training, you need to pay attention to your nutrition. From this you will learn what to eat before and after training to speed up your progress and not harm your body.
Don't be shy, listen to your body and have fun.
Do you want to get slim? Working out in the gym will help you achieve good results. But you can get lost in the abundance of different sports equipment, so it’s important to know which exercise machines to use to lose weight.
How to get lean by working out on exercise machines
Decide on the purpose of the lesson. Think about what results you want to achieve in a month, quarter, six months, a year of training? Set precise goals for yourself. And follow the rules of useful, effective training:
- Set realistic goals for yourself. It is impossible to build weight quickly without harming your health. Therefore, if you need to get rid of 20 kilograms, then lose weight gradually: in six months to a year it is quite normal to free your body from such a load. But losing 20 kilograms in 3 months is unrealistic or very harmful to the body. Love your body and choose the optimal loads. And the body will thank you with faithful service at any age.
- An integrated approach with elements of “emphasis” is required. Translating such a phrase into “simple” Russian, you can decipher it like this: pay attention to all the muscles on the body. Even if you only have fat on your stomach, legs or lower body, develop your entire body (including paying attention to your back, arms). And load problem areas 15-20% more than others.
- Choose good clothes. It should be comfortable and breathable. All movements will only bring benefits and will relieve unnecessary discomfort (and they arise from sweat and friction).
- Receive an individual training program from your trainer. It is better to entrust its compilation to a professional trainer from the gym where you will be training on the simulators. Or find one on the Internet. Nowadays, there are enough specialists who create training programs online.
- Always do a 10-15 minute warm-up before starting a full body workout (warm up your muscles, this is very important).
- Individual lessons with a trainer. For the first 2-3 weeks, it is important to train under the supervision and guidance of a trainer. Then you will be able to achieve good results and learn how to perform the exercises correctly.
What exercise equipment should I use?
Do you want to get rid of excess weight? Then choose exercise equipment that will help you lose weight. “Units” aimed at burning reserve and unnecessary fat energy are suitable for this purpose:
- cardio equipment (in addition to burning calories, it will increase endurance);
- treadmills (workouts all muscle groups, so they are popular for fat burning);
- steppers (improves the condition of the muscles of the legs and pelvis);
- bicycles (good for the legs, back, improves the functioning of blood vessels and the heart, increases endurance);
- elliptical trainers (load on all muscles with an emphasis on the buttocks, thighs, legs).
How to exercise correctly
It is important to follow the rules:
- Visit the gym regularly: 2-3 times a week (preferably three times) and exercise for 1-1.5 hours.
- Give your body a load when you feel the maximum surge of physical strength or between 15 and 18 pm.
- In addition to exercising on the simulator, adjust your diet. A personal trainer will tell you how to lose weight using exercise equipment and diet. Specialized online magazines will also help you, where you will find all the necessary information.
- Consider the individual characteristics of your body. Monitor your pulse and general health.
- Do not eat 1 hour before training and wait at least 40 minutes after training, because... it is very harmful to the body. Eat only half the amount of calories that you managed to burn in the gym.
- In addition to training on simulators, visits to the sauna (infrared is very useful), swimming pool, walking and cycling.
Training program
Option #1
Warm up 10 minutes. Swing your arms, legs, rotate your body.
- 20 minutes on an exercise bike.
- Barbell curl (seated). 5 sets of 15 reps.
- Bench press on a horizontal bench. 7 sets of 20 reps.
- Between approaches there is a pause of 30 seconds. Select the weight for the barbell individually.
- Half an hour on an exercise bike.
Cool down for 10 minutes. Take a deep breath, gently raise your arms up, and as you exhale, lower your arms down. You can stretch those muscles that were actively working.
Option No. 2
Warm up (as in option No. 1).
- Rowing machine - 30 minutes.
- From a lying position, raise your legs behind your head. Legs slightly bent at the knees. 4 sets of 15 reps.
- From a lying position, raise your torso to your feet. Legs are slightly bent at the knees. 3 sets of 20 reps.
- Rowing machine - 20 minutes.
Cool down, as in option No. 1.
Option #3
Warm up, as in option No. 1.
- Treadmill - 20 minutes.
- Exercises for the back and shoulders. Rows behind the head on a block (wide grip), bench press from behind the head (wide grip). Select the optimal weight. Do 7 sets of 17 reps. Pause 30 seconds between sets.
- Treadmill 15 minutes.
Cool down (as in option No. 1).
How to eat healthy
On the days when you exercise, eat proteins and complex carbohydrates, they should prevail in the menu. It is better to reduce the amount of fat in the diet to a minimum. After exercise, you can eat proteins with minimal fat content. The diet should be the most strict in the first weeks of classes. Be sure to exclude foods made from flour and sugar from the menu. Eat dietary meat (nutria, rabbit, horse). Sausages and frankfurters are taboo foods.
30 minutes before class, you can drink a cup of pu-erh tea without sugar (this drink energizes you better than any coffee). This way you will give yourself energy, which will make your workouts more effective, and fat will be burned more intensely.
Avoid dehydration during intense exercise. Drink 1-2 sips of water before training, so you will not feel lethargic and weak.
Exercise regularly, eat more healthy foods. And after 3-4 weeks you will notice the first positive changes in your figure. If after a couple of months from the moment you start exercising you feel that your body has stopped getting rid of fat, do not be upset. And keep practicing. Slight inhibition in the process of losing weight is quite normal. If you continue to train, then in a week or two (or a little later) you will see new results. You can easily get rid of extra pounds, unnecessary volumes and become slimmer. Your figure will be beautiful and luxurious.
In order for a newcomer, inflamed with a thirst for change, not to be confused when he first visits the gym when he sees brutal men and equally brutal exercise machines, we, together with the absolute champion of the Republic of Belarus in bodybuilding, went to the abode of iron to draw up instructions for the “first steps” for the neophyte.
Maxim Barma
absolute champion of the Republic of Belarus in bodybuilding 2016 WFF-WBBF
international trainer
the shoot place - Zebra gym
- It’s very easy to spot a newbie in the gym. It is revealed by the technique of performing the exercises. In general, a person who has just come to the gym must first master the technique and only then build up mass, work on relief and endurance.
Warm-up
It is best to start your workout with 10-15 minutes of cardio (elliptical, treadmill, bicycle), then stretch your arms and legs, warm up your muscles and ligaments.
Exercise 1
Training apparatus: power frame
What we do: squats
Rows, squats, presses - in principle, all weightlifting exercises are done on this machine. Let's start with squats, they will engage the gluteal and hamstring muscles.
The bar is installed on the racks of the power frame at the required height. You stand under the bar and place it on your shoulders. Squeeze your shoulder blades together, elbows pointing forward. Remove the bar from the racks, arching your back at the lower back. Head raised. Lower yourself by bending your knees and moving your pelvis back.
Exercise 2
Training apparatus: power frame
What we do: deadlift (deadlift) on straight legs
This exercise is suitable for both girls and boys to build the gluteal and hamstring muscles. Along with deep squats, deadlifts and lunges are the main classic exercises that give excellent results.
The legs are not wide apart, the toes are slightly apart. Without bending your knees, lower your body down and grab the barbell. Initially, the back will be slightly rounded, but with the next movement, bend your knees, push your chest forward, while moving your pelvis back - your back should become straight. As you lift the barbell, at the top point you push your buttocks forward.
Exercise 3
We use: dumbbells
What we do: lunges
Lunges are a basic classic exercise that works all the muscles from the hip to the knee joint. In general, the more muscles involved during an exercise, the better: the effect will be stronger.
The back is straight, we take a step of medium length, touch the knee to the floor, stand up, take the next step.
Lunges in place are less effective. When you specifically walk with dumbbells, it engages the muscles more strongly. The most difficult thing about this exercise is maintaining coordination and balance, so at first you can do it without dumbbells. Also, to make it easier, you can take steps a little to the side, like skiers, in order to maintain maximum balance.
Exercise 4
Training apparatus for leg press
What we do: calf raises
When we do standing calf raises, we engage the calf muscle, force it to work, gain shape and volume. When we do seated calf raises, we work the soleus muscles more. When your strength is running low, you can do calf raises in a leg press machine - in this case, both the soleus and gastrocnemius muscles work.
We place our feet on the platform, raise the platform up, while keeping our knees “locked.” Let's stand on our toes. The amplitude is short. You can imagine that you are standing on your big toe.
Exercise 5
Training apparatus: graviton
What we do: pull-ups
If your arms are not yet strong enough to do pull-ups on your own, this machine will help you imitate them.
Set the weight, for example, 50 kilograms. We kneel on the lower platform, and grab the upper handle holders with our hands. We extend the knees by 1.5-2 centimeters to simulate a horizontal bar. We keep our back straight, raise our head, look at the ceiling, and use both arms at the same time to pull ourselves up, with our elbows running along the body.
Exercise 6
Training apparatus: crossover
What we do: pull a horizontal block to the belt with a neutral grip in the set position
This is an exercise for the latissimus dorsi muscles. Sit on a bench. Bend your legs at the knees. Grab the handle of the machine and pull it towards your waist. Push your shoulders back and push your chest forward during the contraction. Pause for a second, holding the handle against your body.
Exercise 7
Training apparatus: hyperextension
Hyperextension engages the lumbar muscles and improves your appearance: you begin to walk more straightly, without slouching.
Tighten your gluteal muscles and “break” at the waist through the machine. Tilt your body down. At the bottom point of the trajectory, smoothly, without jerking, lift your body up to a straight line with your legs. Hold this position for a second and repeat the movement again.
You need to exhale at the moment when the muscle contracts. Those. With any effort, exhalation occurs. In this case, it is harder to raise the body than to lower it, therefore, we exhale at the top.
Exercise 8
We use: barbell and horizontal bench
What we do: bench press
The exercise engages the pectoral muscles, triceps and anterior deltoids.
We sit on a bench, legs slightly under us, emphasis on the heels, chest up, remove the barbell. We lower it to the lower section of the chest, and from this position we squeeze the barbell up.
Exercise 9
We use: incline bench and dumbbells
What we do: bench press
We sit on a bench, legs slightly under us, spread our elbows to the sides and raise our forearms vertically so that the dumbbells are slightly above chest level. Raising your arms to the sides, lower the dumbbells.
Exercise 11
We use: dumbbells
What we do: alternate bending of arms with supination while standing
We hold dumbbells with a neutral grip, feet shoulder-width apart, knees slightly bent. And we begin to supinate: we turn the hand, the little finger should be turned towards the chest. We work on the biceps.
Hitch
If you came to the gym in order to burn maximum fat, then cardio after training should be done for 20 minutes or more.
If active fat burning is not your number one task, then you can finish your strength training with 10-15 minutes of cardio: elliptical, treadmill, “bicycle”.
For help in filming the material, we thank the Zebra gym, which recently opened on V. Khoruzhey St., 1A, 6th floor (Yakub Kolas metro station, Silhouette shopping center building).
Tel: +375 29 602 62 06