Also, you can do these exercises at any age - I always advise people, especially women, to start at the lowest amount of weight, for weight lifting, when you're using the machines at the gym - start at 10 pounds, if that's just too easy, go to 20, do 10 to 20 reps, see how that feels, do 3 sets of those 20 reps, see how that feels...
Always, you're checking yourself to see how that feels...
Weightlifting should never be painful - if it hurts, stop doing it, make sure you're using the equipment properly, lessen the amount of weight on the machine.
And the weight machines should feel nice - think of it as a very nice stretch, with a kick, so, you'll be stretching your muscles, they'll looove that, and building them a fair bit, at the same time.
The increase use of your muscles will help burn fat, you'll lose weight, tighten your skin, get rid of any cellulite, increase your stamina - it's amazing! I love it!
And you'll love the results - so much fun to fit into your favorite outfits, again! Yippee!!
You Did It!
You're Doin' It! lol! ; )
Good For You! (For real, very good for you!! : )
It can be pretty intimidating to walk into a gym, especially if this is a new environment for you, but even for me, and I've been a weightlifter for 33 years - wow! I love it! : )
Some of the new equipment is absolute crap, based on aesthetics, and not functionality, so, if you're looking for a gym, try the equipment, if it looks too weird, too fancy, and make sure you're comfortable in it - I hate the new equipment where you're always leaning back, never sitting up straight, straight back - that's too stooopid for words, too prone to injury, and that's not gonna make you healthier and happier - so, choose a gym with good prices, good equipment, and hopefully a good attitude (that's so hard to find, in some places, easy to find in others... good luck on that one - lol!)
First, men can use any and all of the equipment, with great results, men are kind of a no-brainer in the gym - lucky men!
Women can, of course, use any of the equipment, too, but these are the pieces that work the best for my body - right now, I'm focused on getting myself back into my old shape - a little ironic that I want to look like my 40's self - every decade, I make sure I get my body back into it's favorite shape - or, as close to that as I can, and I'm 54, right now - yahoo! 54, Get It More? haha! I can't remember what we were chanting at my birthday - a li'l ironic! hahaha!
But, it's age-schmage, at the gym - get in, strengthen your body, your bones will even strengthen, your balance will be amazing - it's all for a great, healthy and happy life! Yippee!!
Start with some nice stretches, arms up and over your head, you can say some nice affirmations when you're doing your stretches, but you don't have to - lol!
And I stretch in between sets - arms, when I'm working on my arms and back, and legs, all the time - whatever stretches you like best : )
Arms, Shoulders, Back (Oh, my!)
Do you love Michelle Obama's arms? Me, too - and I love to wear spaghetti straps, and pretty little dresses, soooo... I need to have nice arms, and I noticed, after the winter, I needed to really hammer it home with my arms and back, right away, so, my first stop at the gym is...
The Arms - Pull Down Bar
I use the long bar, and I do 5 separate exercises on this machine, alone
Grip the bar from a standing position, carefully lower yourself to the seat, feet on the floor
- I place my hands about 16 inches apart, knuckles out (sounds like my street name, ol' knuckles out - haha!) I start at 20 pounds or 30 pounds, depending on the machine, and, frankly, I do 50 to 100 reps at the light weight - this is a good warm up for me
- Flip your hands around, so, knuckles to the back, grip the bar, same amount of weight, this is another warm up for your muscles - 30 - 50 reps, stand up to reposition your hands
- Knuckles to the front, again - I'm a little callous in the gym, sometimes, since I've been using this equipment for so long, so either stand back up to change to another foot apart, on each side, or 'jump' your arms down - If you're in the 'middle' of the bar, about 16" apart, move your hands down another foot, each side, do 20 - 30 reps
- Hands on the end of the bar, in the 'designated area', the regular handles, do 10 -30 reps
- Stand up and spin around - not an actual spin - lol! Back up over the seat, hands up and grasp the bar up and behind you, carefully pull the bar down as you sit down, backward on the machine, pull the bar behind your head, head tilted slightly forward - 10- 30 reps
- Then I repeat that pattern, but with increasing weights, usually 30 to 50 pounds, depending on the machine - some machines are smoother than other machines, but always do what is right for you : )
- Then I do shorter sets of 10 to 15, at a higher weight, if I want to build the muscle, usually 3 sets of 10 to 15 reps, 60 pounds
So, even though that might sound like a lot, and I guess it sort of does, it's all changeable, you're going to do what is right for your own body : )
And I do like to beast it, at the gym - lol! Dat just me! haha! so far, so good! : )
Lots of Arm Stretches, and now I'm on to Legs, so, leg stretches, here, too : )
Inner Thigh Machine
This is an interesting machine, so I hope you can find a gym with this magical little Thigh Machine!
You can do a variety of exercises on this machine, but I use it for Inner Thigh
- Set the weight - start light, move up as you can, but do a set of 30, first, see how that feels, move up if that's too easy
- The little pull-out knob will let you flip the leg bar over from one side to the other, so you'll set it at the height of your hip, lock it in place, set your weight, swing your leg up onto the bar, so your ankle is on the bar, hold on, swing your leg down in front of your other leg, one smooth movement - do 10 - 30 reps
- Switch sides, pull out the little knob, swing the bar over to the opposite side, same thing, leg up onto the bar, at your ankle, swing down in front of your other leg, 10 - 30 reps
- If you feel like it, increase the weight, try 10- 20 reps, how does that feel?
- Increase the weight, again, if you like, another 20 reps, so, 3 sets, 10 to 30 reps a set
- Gorgeous legs in no time! lol!
(BRB - be right back - I'm coloring my hair, right now - gotta go rinse it out - lol! There's another thing you can do to stay young and lovely! I always go for Blonde, but, if you already know me, you already know that, too! lol! ; )
Start with the lowest weight, always, move up as you're able, no matter what anyone else says or thinks - it's your body, don't mess with it - if it's super easy, no problemo, just move the pin to the next weight down, do 10 to 20 reps, 3 sets (times) : )
I stand up in between sets, swing my legs, stretch them back : )
Carefully get your ankles on top of the lower bar, and under the top bar - ask for help, if you need it, be safe at the gym : )
Same thing as always, 10 to 20 reps, 3 sets stretch between each set : )
Pull up stack - also can look like just a handle at the bottom of a Universal Gym - stand to the front, lift for 20, turn to the side, lift for 10-20, to the side, like you're a little tea cup (short and stout - but not for long, baby! haha!)
Turn your body, to the other side, more reps... you get the drill - always with the more reps - lol!
Leg Pres - omg, me yuv! What a great machine - if you're super lucky, and you find a great gym with a leg press that is completely flat, that you can lay on your back and do the Leg Presses, do them for your abs, is ah'mazing... do 50 to a 100, lighter weights, for abs...
But that's a hard machine to come across, usually they'll be on the ground, and you'll place your own weights on either side, remove the little bar holder, push up with your feet...
Or, the Leg Press will look a lot like this one, and you'll put your feet in a V shape, about a foot apart, push yourself back...
And then, especially for women, if you want nice smooth legs, especially the inner knee and thigh, keep your feet in a V shape, place about 3 feet apart, and always toward the bottom of the board... some people go to the top - do that if you relaly want to, but this is how I do them...
Then you'll put your feet back to the starting position, V Shape, about a foot apart, then make your feet straight, another set, then on your toes, sort of, on the balls of your feet, carefully lift, like that, another set...
And, as always, up between your sets - I do all of those lifts, in sequence, then get up to stretch, increase the weight.
I do way fewer reps when I'm lifting the top amount of weight I want to lift, but lower weights, you can do as many reps as you feel like doing : )
Is a great stretch, too : )
These are very important machines for women in the gym, and is beyond stooopid when a gym doesn't bother to have these - not female friendly, when a gym skips these machines - the Adductor and Abductor ...
The Thigh Machines, me calls them - too annoying to remember the difference between Abductor and Adductor
Do not, not, not, force yourself with the weights on either machine, you will put yourself in a position to hurt yourself very badly, and you will no likes that! Yeowch! So, be super careful, and you should never feel like you HAVE to lift any amount of weight - you're only at the gym for your own self, so, you get to be completely in charge - and don't listen to anyone who says they know your body better than you do - nope. You know it all, baby! Do what's right for you : )
I do 30 pounds for 50 reps, move up to 40 pounds, 20 - 50 reps... you know the drill.. lots of stretching in between the sets : )
Do that for both machines : )
And THEN, go ahead and do your cardio machines - I don't like to see people waste all their energy (not WASTE, but, you know, don't knock yourself out on the cardio, then be too tired for the real machines, the ones that will truly make a huge difference in how you look, machines that really WILL slim you down, get you in the shape you really want to be in -
The cardio is good for your heart, definitely good for weight loss, but, it's the combo that works the best, and not true that you 'have' to start with cardio - no - start with stretches, then machines, gently, then more 'aggressively', sort of - don't like that word - seriously... I dunno... just don't waste your precious energy on something that you can do at the end of your workout, see how that works for you, see if you like the results, way better : )
So, I like to do 20 - 30 minutes on the Rowing Machine, it's my favorite, favorite, favorite!! Yay!! so much fun!
And if you can set your Rowing Machine up so you can watch a show while you're rowing, all the better, the time will fly by! lol!
And you're gonna look so great! Yahoo!! Hello, Great Body! Hello, Beach Body Workout! lol!
(That's a lot o' 'Ands'! haha)
And, jus' so you know, I think every body, no matter what anyone else might think, is a Beach Body, if you feel like going to the beach, and wear anything you want!
Be comfy and Happy, that's the very best thing you can do for yourself! : )
Your li'l Gym Buddy, Ailsa! : ) xoxo!
Oh, darn it - I forgot to tell you my favorite end of my workout - I love to swim laps for 30 - 50 minutes, then some running in the pool, 'n whatnot - just enjoy yourself, whatever you love to do!
LOL! Here I am - man, so pleased wit' mah'self - did a whole hour in the pool of laps - gentle laps - haha! I looove swimming (and swimming loves me? hahaha!)
Oh, and I looove the owner of Boxed - he's THE nicest guy! So great to all his employees, and their families - I love that! : )
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