To start training in the gym, you need to familiarize yourself with the basic rules of training, the principles of drawing up complexes and a nutrition plan.
Intensive workouts in the gym are needed not only for losing weight, but also to correct your figure. But some women still believe that strength training helps them gain muscle mass.
Therefore, many of them are hesitant to buy a subscription and start working out in the gym. Although in fact there is absolutely nothing to be afraid of, since building muscle is not so easy. To do this, you need a trainer to help you create the right training program.
In addition, the female body contains a large percentage of estrogen, which contributes to a very slow gain of muscle mass. Don't forget that women have twice as much fat as men, most of which is located in the hips and pelvis. That is why training in the gym will primarily help you burn excess fat more effectively, and not build huge biceps.
Of course, strength fitness to some extent affects the growth of muscle mass, but during it fat is intensively burned, after which the figure becomes toned and slender. In addition, such exercises strengthen the smooth muscles and cardiac muscle, forming a “muscle corset.”
We should also not forget that during training, endorphins are produced in the body, which cause feelings of euphoria, lightness and calm, which is why exercise is recommended to reduce stress.
Therefore, they usually leave the gym in a good and upbeat mood. Going to the gym for girls is actually more beneficial than going to shaping or some other fitness class.
After all, only strength training in the gym will help you lose weight more effectively in a short time and give your figure the desired shape and slimness.
If you want gym classes to really help you get rid of extra pounds and shape your figure, you should pay attention to some of their principles and rules.
To ensure that beginner athletes do not end up in sports, they should first of all pay attention to safety rules. Namely, before starting classes, you should always secure the load well, monitor the integrity of the cable and the stability of the simulator, since they are often quite heavy and bulky, so neglecting safety precautions can lead to injuries.
In addition, you need to follow the rules of conduct during exercise: put all sports equipment back in its place after training, do not shout, do not throw weights as hard as you can, do not take weights that you cannot lift, do not exercise without backup.
The result of training largely depends on its duration, intensity and consistency. Often, aerobic fitness that is low intensity can last for quite a long time. But strength fitness can be done for no more than an hour and a half.
Very often, beginners do not understand how much they need to practice, believing that the longer the training, the more noticeable the result. But in fact, overwork can lead to overwork, which will put you behind schedule for a long time. The intensity of exercise may depend on the exercise plan, working weight, speed of execution and rest between approaches.
The weight needs to be selected in such a way that in each approach you can do as many repetitions as necessary. Experts note that a load with 2-7 repetitions helps develop strength, a load with 8-12 repetitions develops mass, and a load with more than 12 repetitions is aimed at losing weight or working out the relief.
In this case, the speed of the exercises should be moderate. Rest during training is needed in order to restore the heart rate, so it should not exceed more than 40-60 seconds. Long intervals between exercises will help the muscles “cool down”, after which the impact on them will sharply decrease.
The main principle of the sequence is to work on large muscles first, and then work on small ones. Namely, you need to start with the abs, then move on to working out the hips, chest, back, deltoids, biceps and triceps, lower legs and forearm.
At the same time, if you need to train a specific muscle, you should start there. The number of approaches and exercises also affects the result. In this case, three approaches are considered to be the minimum number, and four to five are considered optimal.
Beginner athletes can be advised to first learn how to work all muscle groups, devoting 10 minutes to each. Thus, in an hour and a half you can use 15-20 exercises with 45-60 approaches to work out all the muscles.
Rules for performing exercises
The technique and rules for performing various strength exercises affect the results of training and their safety. Often, novice athletes who have purchased a gym membership believe that in order to achieve maximum results, they need to lift weights as much as possible and use various exercise machines.
But in fact, the result is primarily influenced by the correct training plan and exercise technique. It is clear that for each exercise, experts have created rules for its implementation, which every athlete should become familiar with.
After all, if you, for example, do squats with a barbell incorrectly, at best you will poorly pump your hips, and at worst you will damage your spine. There are also general rules for all weight training exercises that you should familiarize yourself with immediately after you purchase a membership.
The main one is attention to the negative phase of the movement. Namely, the general recommendation is to perform the negative phase more slowly than the positive phase. For example, when performing a bench press, you need to calmly lift the barbell and then very slowly lower it to your chest.
Training program
To properly create a training program, you need to decide on exercises for different muscle groups. The program for beginners often includes basic exercises with free weights: squats, push-ups, presses, leg and torso raises, deadlifts, flyes, bent-over rows, biceps extensions, biceps curls.
In addition, a beginner's plan may also include basic exercises on machines to work the legs (front and rear hips, leg adduction and extension) and back (overhead and underhand rows). In this case, the program will definitely need to include basic exercises.
Exercises with free weights or on various other machines are needed to solve specific problems. Namely, they are needed to work a specific muscle or change the impact on it, or eliminate the load on the injured muscle.
Therefore, it is best that the lesson plan includes ready-made programs that were developed by famous trainers. In some gyms you can find quite unusual exercise machines. But using them during a lesson does not always guarantee success.
Of course, only experience will allow you to understand which exercise equipment is worth including in your plan and which not. That is why, to begin with, it is worth choosing proven traditional exercise machines, with the help of which you could work out all muscle groups in one workout.
Before purchasing a gym membership for training, please note that the following equipment is available. Namely, a good gym should have bench presses, press machines, barbells with dumbbells, a full set of basic exercise equipment, various mirrors, and a large selection of handles and dumbbells.
Nutrition during strength training
If you are interested in how to lose weight in the gym, you should pay attention to your diet in addition to your workout program. Namely, during strength fitness, you need to start eating a balanced and nutritious diet to provide the necessary energy for exercise and building muscle tissue.
However, any is contraindicated, since often a decrease in food consumption leads to protein burning. A lack of protein will lead to depletion of muscle tissue, stretch marks, and decreased skin elasticity. Dieting causes your metabolism to slow down, so instead of burning fat, your body will start storing it.
On the day you plan to exercise, you will need high-calorie foods in small doses. At the same time, you should not think that the diet will cause rapid weight loss. Therefore, when answering the question: “How to lose weight in the gym?”, you first need to pay attention to the nutrition plan.
It is best to exclude only animal fats from the diet these days: butter, a variety of fatty, salty and spicy meat dishes. There is no need to completely give up meat, since protein is the main building material of muscles.
It is best to choose lean meats like beef. Thus, if you combine training with a healthy diet, you can quickly achieve rapid weight loss and make your figure more toned and slender.
3.4 - Ratings: 45
Hello dear visitors of our sports website. Today’s review will answer the most popular question, how to properly engage in bodybuilding in the gym? We will touch on the training system, recovery and nutrition. This will be a point of view from a master of sports in powerlifting, since the author of the article is a proven person. Some people prefer isolation exercises, while others do only basic exercises. They believe that genetics and poor living conditions are to blame for everything. The whole truth is only with us.
We hope you understand what we are talking about? Concepts in sports and advice are very subjective. Often recommendations go to extremes. For some it works incredibly well, but for others it is a strict no-no.
The irony of this question is that everyone will give you the answer in such a way that their point of view is the standard of all programs. In this article, I, as a coach and an involved athlete, do not pretend to have the coolest point of view. Perhaps my approach to this situation is not correct, because the author of the article is also a person. I do not yet have the title of International Master of Sports. This means that I have not yet fully gone all the way in my knowledge of this branch of sports.
So, let's figure out what bodybuilding and powerlifting are? First of all, it is training or a small grain in a difficult path. Few newbies will be able to understand what I'm talking about. One could consider what these sports are like - competitions, strict regime, injuries, nutrition, drugs and other components in achieving the goal. Working out isn't just about building muscle. This is the right approach in selecting nutrition, successful recovery. Everything is learned by comparison, so we always try to explain it to our readers.
For example, even if you have homemade natural food and sports nutrition, but you don’t rest, then don’t expect the growth you need. What kind of muscle mass growth can there be if a person works on a construction site or folds furniture as a helper? Why do hundreds of thousands of people go to the gym every day to get the muscles they want, but there is no result? But because the mechanism is not running and there are no necessary parts for work. The mosaic must be completely completed to obtain the result:
- Quality food;
- Hard and proper training;
- Recovery.
Remember once and for all that without this relationship there will be no sense.
You may not be happy with your fate, but the gears must be present in the mechanism. Otherwise, you definitely won’t see the result. Even if you drink unicorn milk for muscle growth, if there is no corresponding recovery, then don’t expect 45 cm biceps and a 150 kg bench press. Bodybuilding and powerlifting are the lifestyle of a serious athlete. The athlete gets up in the morning exactly at the same time. Then he drinks a protein shake and breakfast to progress, and then starts preparing food, which he carefully places in containers. And this is done daily without interruption so that the muscles grow.
Nutrition in bodybuilding – 70% of success. Food for thought. Although many are familiar with this information, few adhere to it. You eat food to gain weight 5-7 times a day. As a result, it takes up most of the time.
Hard training – about 15% success. The correct training scheme is an exercise style that is tailored to you, where you perform technically ideal exercises. No matter how excellent the program you have, without another mosaic of strength and muscle growth there will be no growth.
Recovery and rest – 15%. After pumping up the biceps and doing hard squats, muscle tissue is destroyed. Without recovery, you multiply your success by zero. A bodybuilder must get his muscle building building blocks. Their list includes:
- proteins (protein);
- carbohydrates;
- fats.
They actively heal the damaged fibers you caused to your muscles during exercise. However, without quality food, protein, amino acids, BCAA, omega-3, there will be no growth, even if you have complete recovery. These three pillars are the success you expect. And yes, by the way, if you do everything correctly and approach this issue correctly, then it’s quite possible to quickly build up good muscles.
Never listen to gurus, masters, trainers in gyms who insist that steroids can build muscle without food and rest. They claim that biceps, legs and other muscle groups grow like mushrooms after rain.
We hope that I, as a mini trainer, was able to convey to you the necessary information about the entire mechanism of muscle growth.
How to start working out in the gym correctly for a man and a girl
The first step is to choose the right training program for yourself. Of course, you can compose it yourself, but we think you will not have the necessary knowledge in this area. Often natural athletes train at their convenience and without weight selection. Then they climb huge weights and get injured. As a result, they end up in a vicious circle. We recommend choosing an effective training plan 3 times a week and strictly swimming according to it. There's no point in changing. Maybe you will read in a magazine that their program is many times cooler, but this is not a reason to change. We started to sail along the course, which means we stick to the control point. You will understand when it comes, but it will not be soon. After choosing a scheme, you need to stick to it for several years to get the desired result.
Unfortunately, beginners often begin to change programs and generally do not understand what they are doing in the gym. The body is also shocked by such an irresponsible plan of action. Fortunately, on our website there are several really working programs for gaining muscle mass and even drying the body. Here is a list of articles you need:
- Gym training program for men 3 times a week.
- Fat burning training program for girls in the gym.
The right way to start working out in the gym is to start with technique. Start your training with the lightest weights. Please remember - never climb under a barbell with a huge weight at the beginning of the journey. Almost 90% of beginning athletes spend their first days climbing under such weights that it’s scary to watch. Well, how much growth can come from this? We do it with miniscule weights.
But when you learn to work with weights, do the exercises correctly and control your ambitions, you can already increase the weights. This needs to be done because how will muscles grow if you squat 70 kg for years? That won't work, comrades.
Gradually increase the load and you will learn to progress.
When can you increase working weights? When you feel that you have become stronger and fitter than in other workouts. This way you will begin super compensation. Be sure to buy yourself a journal for your studies. At first, the journey without him will be difficult. On each piece of paper, write down what you did or what you couldn’t do. Without proper control on the notebook, you will not see progress.
What is Supercompensation or the muscle growth phase and why is it needed?
When you exercise, you destroy muscle tissue. After proper rest and full nutrition, they recover. And here comes supercompensation. But there is a peculiarity in this growth technique. Supercompensation should only occur when the lifter increases the weight of the barbell or moves to a new level.
We invite you to find out how supercompensation happens with all the details:
- Muscle destruction occurs already during training and lasts about 40 minutes. This is of course if you are an ordinary athlete. There are also chemists who use steroids; their specifics are slightly different.
- After this comes the rest and recovery phase. It is very individual, because it all depends on the genetics of the body, training, and sleep patterns. Muscle growth takes longer than muscle breakdown. About six days.
- The growth phase occurs after proper recovery. Lasts about 6-12 days.
Now everyone understands what supercompensation is and how long it takes for muscles to begin to grow. This is why you shouldn’t do hard every workout. You should give your body rest even during training. You need to take a mental, psychological and physical break from the heavy weights. For natural athletes, one week of heavy training and two weeks of light training is suitable.. Only in this case will you get the long-awaited growth. Let's summarize the above material.
We chose a program and follow it for at least a year. We divide our actions into several stages:
- Stage 1. We prepare the body. We learn to listen to ourselves and perform exercises correctly, especially basic ones. We are not in a hurry to add weights to the barbell.
- Stage 2. We begin to increase muscles. We buy a training diary and write down every approach, repetition and weight. We gradually increase the weight, but only when you have become stronger. This can only be done during heavy exercise. You should not add weight to the barbell during easy days.
How to eat healthy?
Now you are already aware that foods play an important role in muscle growth. If your goal is to gain weight, then you should eat 500 calories more. For example, if your weight is 70 kilograms, then multiplying them by 30 gives 2100 calories per day. This figure will help you maintain your body in a constant position. If your goal is to gain muscle mass, then eat 500 calories more.
Now you will definitely gain a lot of meat and weight. You will be the healthiest in the area. If there is no growth, it means you are simply not getting enough food. To do this you will have to eat a lot. At least six times a day. Eating anything to fill your stomach and feel full is not right.
Nutrition for weight gain should be in the following range:
- proteins from 20 to 35%;
- carbohydrates from 50 to 65%;
- fats from 10 to 20%.
Eat 6 to 10 times a day in divided portions. The interval between meals is no more than 2 hours. Get protein in a ratio of 2 grams per kilogram of weight.
Sample daily menu for weight gain:
- rise – 8:00;
- 10:30 – breakfast;
- 12:00 – snack;
- 14:30 – lunch;
- 16:30 – snack;
- 18:00 – full training;
- 19:30 – quick proteins or protein shake;
- 20:15 – dinner;
- 21:45 – snack;
- 23:20 – snack.
If possible, give yourself a quiet hour and sleep for an hour during lunch.
How to rest properly (recover)?
The paradox for beginners is that muscles begin to grow when the body is resting. Regular training, recovery and eating = success. Building bricks are needed to build a house, which is the opposite of building muscles. A list of factors influence recovery:
- sleep from 8 hours;
- nutrition (proteins, carbohydrates, fats);
- food (sports nutrition);
- bath;
- swimming;
The harder you train, the more you will need to recover. Well, we have come to the end of our article. I hope that you have discovered a lot of new and educational things.
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The main way to lose weight, combined with following a proper diet, is to visit the gym. With its help, all muscle groups are worked out, and the process of enhanced burning of fat deposits is activated.
In order to achieve results, it is not enough just to go to training and do exercises. It is important to exercise on simulators using the correct technique.
When practicing without a coach, it is very difficult at first to avoid making mistakes. Therefore, before you start exercising, you need to study the correct technique for using training devices and the structural features of the human body.
Features of muscle physiology
Muscle tissue connected to the skeleton forms the structure of the human body. A person has about 600 different muscles, each of which has its own separate functions and characteristics. They consist of elastic elastic fabric. Their contraction moves individual parts of the body.
When performing various actions, not just one, but groups of muscles work. The more local the movement is, for example an exercise aimed at a specific group, the less they will contract.
Strength is characterized by the maximum weight that a muscle can lift when contracted. Depending on their location on the body, they are divided into groups.
There are muscles:
- Press.
- Breasts.
Each group takes on separate types of loads. Therefore, exercises on simulators are divided into categories of working body parts.
Where to start training in the gym?
Warm-up cannot be neglected. Thanks to it, training becomes not only safe, but also more effective.
How to work out in the gym without a trainer?
When starting independent training in the gym, you should study in advance the principle of operation of the main simulators and follow the mandatory structure of any training. It includes warm-up, training on exercise machines, and finishing exercises.
How to exercise correctly to lose weight?
When setting a goal to lose weight, you must first determine the problem areas. Depending on them, simulators are selected. These parts of the body will be loaded and work harder than others.
With large volumes in the lower body: legs, hips and buttocks, these muscle groups should be involved. In this case, it is most effective to exercise on an exercise bike, treadmill, or exercise equipment for strength flexion and extension of the legs. The calf muscles, the front surface of the thigh and buttocks will work the most on them.
These include:
- Stepper.
- Exercise bike.
- Treadmill.
- Nordic walking.
- Ellipsoid.
They imitate active body movement, such as when running, skiing, cycling or quickly climbing stairs. At the same time, breathing and heart rate increase.
Such exercises should be regular, the number of approaches in each exercise increases gradually as the body gets used to it. Strength exercises for weight loss are performed slowly, without sudden movements or jerks.
Fat-burning complexes with weights begin with a warm-up. During it you need to do 2 – 3 movements with half the planned weight.
Training program in the gym
For women
For beginner girls and women, two visits to the gym per week will be enough to pump up their fitness. At the same time, most fitness exercises will include the work of all muscle groups and additional work on individual zones.
Each lesson begins with a warm-up. To warm up, choose regular treadmill running or jumping rope, plus several exercises with your own weight: squats, body turns and bends.
First workout:
Training | Approaches and number of times |
Warm-up | |
Stepper | 2 sets of 5 minutes |
Squats with a bar | 2 sets of 10 times |
Oblique lunges with dumbbells | 2 sets of 10 times |
Chest press | 2 sets 10-15 times |
Pulldown for the head from the upper block | 1 set 10-15 times |
Hyperextension | 2 sets of 15 reps |
Press on the bench | 2 sets of 10 times |
Ellipsoid | 1 set 5-10 minutes |
Hitch |
Second workout:
Training | Approaches and number of times |
Warm-up | |
Bench leg press | 1 set 10 minutes of intense riding |
Exercise bike | 2 sets of 7-10 times |
Reduction of arms on the simulator | 2 sets of 7–10 reps |
Horizontal block thrust | 1 set 10 times |
Block leg raises on the horizontal bar | 2 sets of 10 times |
Pull-ups | 2 sets of 10 times |
Crunches | 2 sets of 10-15 times |
Nordic walking | 1 set 10 minutes |
Hitch |
The number of workouts can increase to three depending on individual physical fitness. The volume of exercises and the number of approaches gradually increases, but should not overload the muscles.
For men
Men put more emphasis on gaining weight, so their workouts will include more strength exercises, and for weight loss they will add cardio equipment, the time on which can be increased to achieve greater results. The optimal number of workouts per week for men is 3 times.
First workout:
Training | Approaches and number of times |
Warm-up | |
Barbell deadlift | 2–3 sets of 10 times |
Barbell Squat | 3 sets of 7–10 reps |
Running up on a special track | 1 set 10 minutes |
Dumbbell up press | 2 sets of 10 times |
Push ups | 3 sets of 10 times |
Bench press with weights | 2 sets of 10 times |
Hyperextension | 3 sets of 10 times |
Exercise bike | 1 set 10 minutes |
Hitch |
Second workout:
Training | Approaches and number of times |
Warm-up | |
Lying Leg Press | 3 sets of 10 times |
Leg extension on the machine | 3 sets of 10 times |
Arm raises with dumbbells lying down | 3 sets of 10 times |
Barbell chest press | 2 sets of 7–10 reps |
Ellipsoid | 1 set 10 minutes |
Triceps extension on the machine | 3 sets of 10 times |
Pull-ups | 2 sets of 15 reps |
Nordic walking | 1 set 10 minutes |
Hitch |
Third workout:
Training | Approaches and number of times |
Warm-up | |
Stepper | 1 set 10 minutes |
Squats | 3 sets of 10 times |
Leg press | 3 sets of 10 times |
Block pull to the chest | 3 sets of 10 times |
Head Pull | 3 sets of 10 times |
Hyperextension with weight | 3 sets of 10 times |
Crunches on the floor | 2 sets of 15-20 times |
Running on the track | 1 set 10 minutes |
Hitch |
The number of approaches during training does not increase more than three. If the load is insufficient, the volume of each approach is added. In the first weeks of training, you should not overload your muscles with strength training. You need to add weight and quantity gradually in an increasing manner.
How to exercise correctly?
On the elliptical trainer
On a rowing machine?
During the lesson, you can periodically change your grip, and take short breaks every 10-15 minutes to rest.
Skiing on the trainer?
- The ski trainer is a cardio type and is similar in principle to an ellipsoid. It more accurately simulates the movements made when skiing.
- There are varieties: classical and mountain simulators. But the elliptical view is more popular.
- The legs, standing on the platforms, take steps, and the hands, holding the handles, work in the opposite direction.
- You should exercise on such a machine for about an hour, several times a week.
- In this case, intervals of acceleration and deceleration of the step should alternate.
- The workout ends at a calm pace to restore your heart rate.
On a stepper?
On street trainers?
Outdoor exercise machines differ from those found in gyms only in that they do not have load adjustment and control of training parameters, such as distance traveled and heart rate.
Most often in courtyards and parks they install:
- Ellipsoids.
- Vertical traction.
- Exercise machines for various types of bench press.
- Hyperextension.
- Abdominal handrails.
- Pull-up bars.
Training on such equipment is no different from training in the gym. Before physical activity, a warm-up is performed with a more intense warm-up than in the gym.
Outdoor weather conditions are often much colder than indoors. When working on such simulators, you need to be more careful than in the gym, since they are rougher and more traumatic.
On weight machines?
Strength trainers are divided into types:
- Using the athlete’s own weight – parallel bars, hyperextension, horizontal bar, abdominal bench.
- Using artificial weight - various stations with built-in weight.
- Using free weights - an athletic bench and various rows.
Working with any of these simulators requires a thorough warm-up. All movements must be performed correctly and clearly, but at the same time smoothly.
In strength training, sudden movements and jerks are not allowed. Additional weight or force increases the risk of injury and damage. Therefore, it is important to follow safety precautions.
Additional weight is selected based on the athlete’s physical fitness. It shouldn't be too big. Ideally, the additional load should allow you to perform 2–3 sets of 10 times and at the same time the body should not overexert itself. In the process of further training, the load gradually increases as you get used to it.
On the machines in the gym?
Exercise machines differ in their purpose for specific muscle groups or actions. They come in various models and manufacturers. Some of the most popular brands are “House fit” and “Torneo”. They are purchased both for home use and for specialized gyms.
When exercising in gyms equipped with simulators, you must follow certain rules:
- Each workout should have a warm-up and cool-down to prevent accidental injuries.
- When working with training equipment, each athlete is obliged to follow safety precautions and perform the exercise correctly.
- Training should be regular and comprehensive. Each time the emphasis is placed on one of the muscle groups. But at the same time, the exercises should not be monotonous; almost the entire body is involved.
- Classes are not attended on a full stomach. You can train a couple of hours after eating.
- All recommendations and adjustments made by the trainer for performing the complexes must be followed.
These rules help to avoid injuries and damage to work equipment. And most importantly, a positive training result will be achieved: losing weight and gaining the right muscle mass.
On a Leg Press machine?
On hyperextension?
On a trainer bike?
On the ab bench?
In addition to simple curls, you can perform other exercises. Twisting- another version of the abdominal exercise. It does not involve the lower back and pelvis. Only the shoulder blades come off the bench. Movements are performed frequently, at a fast pace, but without jerking.
For a bicycle, the athlete positions himself in reverse, grabbing the stops with his hands. The legs are bent at the knees to a right angle and raised perpendicular to the body. In this position, pedal for 30 seconds to 1 minute. It is important not to put the load on your arms, but to perform movements using the abdominal muscles.
The abdominal muscles work primarily on the bench. The back and hamstrings are also involved. For the effectiveness of the lesson, 3 approaches are performed, each of them contains 10-15 lifts and lowerings.
Using a Nordic walking machine?
On a Smith machine?
The most common mistakes in the gym
All beginners make mistakes during training. Some of them are not very critical, others are more significant and affect the effectiveness of the training.
Among them are the most common:
- Unchanging training program. If you do the same exercises day after day, your muscles will quickly get used to it and stop developing. You need to alternate loads on different muscle groups and change the program at least once a month.
- Lack of rest. Daily training will not give greater results. Muscle tissue needs periodic breaks to grow and repair. It is enough to visit the gym 3 times a week.
- Water during classes. You should drink after completing exercises. If you are very thirsty, just wet your lips, rinse your mouth, or take 1-2 small sips.
- Wrong shoes. Often beginners go to the gym in flip-flops or sandals. These shoes are not suitable for sports and do not support the foot correctly. It can lead to dislocations and sprains.
- Incorrect technique. This is the most common mistake. Violations of the technique do not fully or not load the necessary muscles at all. Because of this, the exercise becomes ineffective. In addition, it can lead to injury.
- Maximum loads. If you overload the body, it will respond with severe muscle pain and stiffness of movement. Loads should be moderate but regular.
Proper nutrition
When training in the gym, it is important to follow the basics of proper nutrition. Food helps maintain a healthy state, proper fat burning and muscle growth. It is important for athletes to eat foods rich in protein. It includes: eggs, cottage cheese, chicken meat. It promotes muscle development.
Don't forget about fast carbohydrates, greens and foods containing calcium. It will strengthen the musculoskeletal system. It is also especially important to drink a lot of water, since during training the body loses it in large quantities.
Working out both at home and in the gym, together with the right diet, will lead to a beautiful and healthy shape. But achieving this result is not possible without following the correct technique. Therefore, before visiting the gym on your own, it is important to familiarize yourself with the theory, and during training, follow all the recommendations and instructions of the trainer.
In the gym you can quickly lose weight and burn excess fat. You can exercise on your own without resorting to the expensive services of a trainer. The easiest way to lose weight at the gym is to regularly train on cardio equipment. But don’t forget about strength training. They will help not only reduce the percentage of body fat, but also strengthen muscles. Then the body will become elastic and toned. However, so that the result does not take long to arrive, you need to carefully monitor your diet. Without this, you won't be able to lose weight quickly.
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How to exercise for men and women?
Men who want to lose weight in the gym should do both cardio and strength training. After all, if you only run, the quality of your body will be poor. Guys definitely need to do weight training exercises. Then the muscles will be strong and the body toned.
The same applies to girls. Under no circumstances should you be afraid of strength training. After all, it is almost impossible for women to pump up due to low testosterone levels. Small dumbbells and a barbell will make your body attractive and help you lose weight faster.
Beginners should increase the load gradually. At first, you can perform exercises without weights, practicing the technique. At the end of the workout, it is advisable for beginners to exercise on cardio equipment for 20 minutes. You can also do cardio training on separate days. But in this case they should last longer - about 1 hour.
Class Rules
Professional trainers offer their services in the gym. But the training course is not cheap. You can lose weight without a trainer by mastering the technique of doing the exercises on your own.
To properly exercise in the gym, you need to understand the basic principles of training:
- 1. The number of approaches and repetitions will depend on the purpose of the training. If you want to lose weight, you should perform the exercises in 5-6 sets of 15-20 repetitions with light weight. The pace should be fairly fast, but the technique should remain correct. To gain muscle mass, exercises are performed in 3-4 sets of 8-12 repetitions with heavy weight.
- 2. Rest between sets should last 30 seconds. This will help you lose weight faster. But if this pace is too fast, you should rest some more.
- 3. There are various schemes for constructing a lesson. In general terms, split-system and circuit training are distinguished. Split is suitable for building muscle and involves working muscle groups on separate days. To lose weight, you should use circuit training. A circuit is a set of 8–10 exercises for the whole body, performed one after another without stopping. This is followed by a rest for 2-3 minutes. In total, you can do 3-4 laps during a workout.
- 4. After this, you should do cardio for 20-30 minutes. The time after weight training is optimal, since glycogen reserves have already been used up. If you do cardio on a separate day, the body will use glycogen within the first 30 minutes. Only after this will the fat burning process begin.
Before you start training, you need to warm up. You can remember the exercises from physical education lessons: consistently warm up all the joints and warm up the body. This will help you prepare for class and protect you from injury. Warm-up should last 5-10 minutes.
Training program for women
Women usually want to pump up their buttocks, so when creating a training complex, you can select special exercises. An approximate training program for weight loss with an emphasis on the gluteal muscles is presented in the table.
№ | Exercises | Target muscles | Illustration |
1 | Wide Leg Squats | Glutes, quadriceps, inner thighs | |
2 | Deadlift with dumbbells | Buttocks, hamstrings | |
3 | Walking Lunges | Glutes, quadriceps | |
4 | Dumbbell row to waist | Upper back | |
5 | Pull of the lower block to the stomach | Lower back | |
6 | Dumbbell Bench Press | Pectoral muscles | |
7 | Straightening your arms back while bending over with dumbbells | Triceps | |
8 | Dumbbell Curl | Biceps | |
9 | Dumbbell lateral raises | Shoulders | |
10 | Crunches on a fitball | Press | |
First, you should practice without weights, carefully practicing the technique of performing the exercises. As your physical fitness improves, you can use small dumbbells.
Proper circuit training should begin with working out large muscle groups - back, legs, chest. Girls can start with exercises on the buttocks. Finally - on the arms, shoulders and abdominal muscles.
Training program for men
The training program for guys should look a little different. Attention can be paid to detailed work on the upper body.
№ | Exercises | Target muscles | Illustration |
1 | Pull-ups in the gravitron | Back (different areas depending on grip width) | |
2 | Upper pulley to chest | Upper back | |
3 | Pull of the lower block to the stomach | Lower back | |
4 | Mid-leg squats | Quadriceps, glutes | |
5 | Dumbbell Bench Press | Pectoral muscles | |
6 | Seated dumbbell French press | Triceps | |
7 | Dumbbell biceps curl | Biceps | |
8 | "Hammer" | Biceps | |
9 | Dumbbell Shoulder Press | Shoulders | |
10 | Roman chair crunches | Press | |
The weight should be light so that you have enough strength to complete the entire workout at a fast pace. The weight on block machines should also be chosen wisely.
Men and women need to train no more than 3 times a week. If your muscles still hurt, you should postpone the workout. After all, they are strengthened during recovery, and not during the lesson itself.
It is worth considering that the results from training in the gym will only be noticeable if you manage to eat right. Studies have proven that weight loss is 70% dependent on a person’s diet. And only 30% of success comes from training in the gym or at home.
Therefore, it is better to supplement exercise with proper nutrition. An hour after your weight loss workout, you can eat a full meal. But the calorie content of this meal should be small. There is a rule that after exercise you need to consume 50% of the number of calories spent on cardio or during strength training. In addition, food should consist of 60% proteins (will help restore muscles), and 40% carbohydrates (replenish expended energy).
Strength training in the gym helps burn fat. After all, it takes a large amount of calories to maintain muscles, even at rest. If you supplement weight training with cardio training, results can be seen within a couple of weeks. The fat layer will decrease, and the quality of the body will improve by strengthening the muscles.
And a little about secrets...
The story of one of our readers Alina R.:
I was especially depressed about my weight. I gained a lot, after pregnancy I weighed as much as 3 sumo wrestlers together, namely 92 kg with a height of 165. I thought the belly would go away after giving birth, but no, on the contrary, I began to gain weight. How to cope with hormonal changes and obesity? But nothing disfigures or makes a person look younger than his figure. At the age of 20, I first learned that plump girls are called “WOMAN” and that “they don’t make clothes that size.” Then at the age of 29, divorce from my husband and depression...
But what can you do to lose weight? Laser liposuction surgery? I found out - no less than 5 thousand dollars. Hardware procedures - LPG massage, cavitation, RF lifting, myostimulation? A little more affordable - the course costs from 80 thousand rubles with a nutritionist consultant. You can, of course, try to run on a treadmill until you go crazy.
And when will you find time for all this? And it's still very expensive. Especially now. That's why I chose a different method for myself...
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 goal, 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