Getting started...the right way.

I watch people at the gym enter through the door, beeline for a treadmill, run or walk for a half an hour and than shoot back out the door. This behavior is especially so during the fist few weeks of January. These individuals, who have resolved to get fit, skip into the gym, run, walk, row, bike...and then skip on back out. The skipping tends to taper off a few weeks into January when these same individuals aren't seeing the results they were hoping for, and are finding that exercise takes discipline, scheduling, and dedication.

Then we have the beginners in the weight room. They're easy to spot. Typically these guys do a lot of bicep curls, strut around the gym with their chests puffed out (probably in some sort of cro-magnon effort to demonstrate their power, while ultimately just flouting their own insecurity), and use weights so heavy you're left wondering how on earth their arms haven't stretched to the ground like silly-putty.

When given the opportunity to chat with someone who is new to the sport, I stress to them the importance of resistance training. And by "stress" I mean I look you in the eye, and I tell you that without weight training you will not succeed. And without weight training properly, not only will you fail, you'll hurt yourself, you'll look stupid, and people will laugh at you...a lot. Bottom line is this: you will not lose the weight you want to lose, and shape the body you want to shape, without resistance training.

The importance of resistance training is too often ignored. Perhaps it's because cardio equipment provides a nice "calories burned" read out, or perhaps it's because the weight room is too intimidating. Whatever the reason, know this, weight training a the keystone to the body most of us want.

That being said, how many of you have walked into the gym, picked up some dumbbells or sat down at a weight machine and moved the weight around? Many, I'm sure. I'm willing to bet you also used a weight that was either too light or too heavy, or performed a routine that lacked proper order or balance. My response to that is "it's ok". We all have to start somewhere. Just make sure you start the right way.

To provide a bit of guidance, below you'll find a beginners exercise program. I make no promises. I make no guarantees. This program is designed to demonstrate the proper order and balance a workout should have.

Shoot for 3 sets of around 12-15 reps for each of these activities. A good rule of thumb: If you can't make it to 12 the weight is too heavy, if you can make it past 15 the weight is too light.

1. Incline Leg Press
2. Leg Curl
3. Chest Press
4. Cable Pull Down
5. Shoulder Press
6. Biceps Curl
7. Triceps Extension
8. Crunches.

If you're wondering what some of those activities are, or how to properly perform those activities, then it's time to call Fit2You for some instructional sessions to get you on your way.

Our nationally certified fitness trainers will provide you with detailed instruction, and supervision as well as exercise program creation.

--BA

Fit2You Fitness, LLC
Philadelphia Area corporate, residential, and individual personal training, yoga, pilatse, and health and wellness.