Im Joining a Gym and need some advice.

[Millay]

Hi All,

Im joining my local gym, which for me is just an embaressing situation, not that im a munter, just that im shy and think everyone will think im a fool..

I suffer from High Blood Pressure and i have got problems with my legs,I ve been to the docs and he thinks i'll be fine, just wondering how long I should do for each session and what kind of things I should be doing, I plan to go 3 times a week, and im not out to turn into a muscle man, just want to loose some weight and gt my hear working, I spend a lot of time on my bum and really need to do some exercise....

Any advice gratly received...

[paulyoung666]

any decent gym should be able to tailor a routine to suit you , if they cant then look somewhere else till you find one that can :tu:

[orangebird]

Hi All,

Im joining my local gym, which for me is just an embaressing situation, not that im a munter, just that im shy and think everyone will think im a fool..

I suffer from High Blood Pressure and i have got problems with my legs,I ve been to the docs and he thinks i'll be fine, just wondering how long I should do for each session and what kind of things I should be doing, I plan to go 3 times a week, and im not out to turn into a muscle man, just want to loose some weight and gt my hear working, I spend a lot of time on my bum and really need to do some exercise....

Any advice gratly received...

Speak to one of the instructors. Any decent gym will have qualified guys who can advise you on the best program for you according to your current fitness and what you aim to get out of it (indeed, it should all be part of the fee).

From what you've said, it sounds like you need gentle CV and low impact exercise, but get a qualified opinion from the instructor. They should also go through an induction of which machines you should be using, how to use them and keep an eye on your progress, changing your program as your fitness improves.

[ikthius]

Millay,

you will not be on show.
everyone joins gyms for all sorts of reasons.

the instructor should tailor a program for you, but by the sounds of it, you will need to do about/up to 30 mins cardiovascular exercise, e.g. walking/cycling/rowing/cross trainer/swimming.

you can do resistance training which in the long term does help get your BP down, same as CV work, but DO NOT do machines where your hands are abve your head, this increases your BP immediately. so NO: lat pulldown/shoulder press/Pullover machine.

bear in mind that you are there for health benifits, not to look like charles atlas, and you should be fine.

by the way I am a fitness instructor of 10 years.

ik

[Ramrod]

What 'problems' do you have with your legs?

[SMHarman]

You could do worse that spend the £25 or so that an introductory personal training session would give you. You will get an hour with someone like ikthius and they will be able to spend more time with you showing you the technique for using each machine etc. Then the other users will look like munters as you are using the equipment like a pro.

[Millay]

I have very bad reneial rickets, so had both my legs striaghtned and rotated, this means that my tibia is held together by metal plates and the fibula no longer joins, this makes some things painful over time.. but nothing very important.
__________________

Thanks so far for the advice, I guess im gonna have to pay the extra for the assesment and advice section, im joing inthe local leisure centre not some fancy posh place :)

[ikthius]

you do not need the extra training.

All you need is an induction for health and safety reasons, but you could pay more attention, and pick up some pointers.

do a first visit after your induction to get your card made up, if the instructor does not take you round, then the gym is not worth anything.

I would never pay for personal training, and I don't advise it, after all you get the same info from a council gym as a private one. excpet you pay more in private ones.

with the rickets thing, what do you mean your fibula is not connected?

stay way from high impact esercises, like jogging/running but the rest of the CV should be fine.

the resisiteance should be ok, but watch your technique, make sure you keep your legs/feet straight for your leg exercises, this should help with less stress on the legs, expecially where the plates have been pu in, but basically, we could on improve your fitness, we will not get your legs 100% better, but we can make them fitter and a bit more healthier, and stronger. we could help with your range of movement of the area, to help everyday things a bit easier, but this will actually be a bit sorer at the beginning, because you are doing more than you notmally do.

good luck mate, and let me know how you get on, and what the gym instructors say and what programme they give you.

ik

[Millay]

Thanks for the info, will let you no ik, im going to the council gym, coz they dont force you into a 3 year contract like the local private gym is.

Im gonna pay the extra to have a personal assesment so I can discuss my own training pattern etc. and basically pick the instructors brain for advice.

As for my fibula, when they reset my legs, the took a 2" section away from the fibula, although this might have remet, i very much doubt it as i can still not sit cross legged etc,

Im not expecting to get my legs any stronger, but when I was younger they were incredibly strong, so much so I could do some pretty mean theats of destruction with them. Id like to be able to walk a little easier and i do so little walking that I need to build up my legs another way. (I wont walk around where i live btw)

[MovedGoalPosts]

You may need a note from your doctor just to confirm to the gym that it is safe for you to excercise. Many gyms are getting more health and safety wary of being sued and get cleints to fill out medical declarations. Too many strikes you are out.

Any gym I've ever joined has always had a thorough induction, showing how to work the kit and devising a programme. It's why inpart there is usually a joining fee to cover that time. From then on it's motivation to keep going. Decent gyms will allow you reassesments of your program every few weeks. Do the same thing too often the benefits start to reduce and you get bored.

[SMHarman]

Thanks for the info, will let you no ik, im going to the council gym, coz they dont force you into a 3 year contract like the local private gym is.
I thought this was illegal now!

[Ramrod]

I have very bad reneial rickets, so had both my legs striaghtned and rotated, this means that my tibia is held together by metal plates and the fibula no longer joinsYou might want to be careful with any exercises involving leg use...doesn't mean that you can't do them, just that you have to be careful and build up weight/reps slowly.
The personal trainer idea is a good one as well. It will pay dividends in the long run. :tu:
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You may need a note from your doctor just to confirm to the gym that it is safe for you to excercise.Like most doctors are qualified to comment or even care :rolleyes:

[MovedGoalPosts]

Like most doctors are qualified to comment or even care :rolleyes:
Yep but from the gym's perspective it gets them off the hook. Compensation culture = cover your butt, even if the paper trail created just means more loss of rainforest and job creation schemes for all :mad:

[andyl]

Not sure you need a gym. You can get aerobic exercise swimming, walking and cycling - and not cause yourself cardiac problems with those membership fees ;) See http://www.dft.gov.uk/stellent/groups/dft_rdsafety/documents/page/dft_rdsafety_026034.pdf.

I've been through cardiac rehab - very gentle weights, pull ups, steps, ball-bouncing etc but no suggestion on discharge of needing to join the gym, just aerobic exercise. I find swimming good because of the exercise and calming nature. If you want advice you could try the specialist cardiac nurse, if you have one, at your local hospital. My cardiac nurse was by far the best source of advice and support for me.

[SMHarman]

I thought this was illegal now!
http://www.oft.gov.uk/news/press+releases/2002/pn+16-02+working+out+fairer+fitness+deals.htm

http://www.citizensadvice.org.uk/index/pressoffice/press_index/press-050203.htm

[Angua]

Thanks Paul for re-surfacing this thread as I could do with some advice, also and how is it going Millay? BTW our local municpal gym has special CV sessions, does yours.

I have osteo arthrits and bursitis, can't swim very well and the aerobic swimming lessons are at an awkward time for me. The gym however I can fit in during the day. Problem is I need to keep my leg muscles strong to counteract the arthritis (without impact) but can't do high reps because of the bursitis.
Any advice gratefully received.
TIA

[Millay]

Hi Anqua. i got a dog instead.... great exercise walking with it. im still gonna join the gym when I get the time/balls :)

I feel quite guilty now reading this thread that I have let it go so long without actioning it..

[Angua]

A dog is a great idea as it makes you get up and go. Night worker hubby prevents us getting a dog (if it did it's job and woofed at callers it would keep waking him up) :erm:

You could check with your Dr and possibly get a special rate at the gym (if they are any good they should offer special cardio sessions).

There was me being really good for 6 weeks then I get bursitis :mis: