Tell me about your gym workouts

[Kernowgal]

I've just rejoined the gym after a couple of years off and the trainer put together a starter programme for me. My aim at the moment is to increase my cardio fitness (it's not too bad at the moment but could be much better) and tone myself up a bit. So I go three times a week and do:

Bike - 10 mins warm-up, level 9
Cross-trainer - 10 mins, level 6, going fairly fast and getting faster
Step machine - 5 mins initially but now at 6 (level 1, anything more is torture) and hoping to build this up as my thigh muscles are really crap and I'm awful at climbing stairs
Various weights for about 15 minutes
Cool down on treadmill doing fastish walk (4.5km/hr)

So far I quite like this but the whole thing with shower afterwards is taking me about 1.5 hours. Maybe better to do higher intensity but for less time?

I'm not using the rowing machine because of knee issues, though with luck these will be resolved with the physio exercises I'm doing.

My 'problem areas' are my waist, stomach and thighs so ideally I'd like to target these more. I would like to feel confident wearing a bikini this summer. Not particularly looking for weight loss although it would be great to see my waist lose a couple of inches.

I might alternate one gym session with a swim or an aquafit session.

[Tanaqui]

Changing machines does take time- cod you do 45 min bike or x trainer, 15 min weights and then 10 min shower? Spin classes are often only 45 min, as is insanity I think. Stretch in between the weight sets and cool down in the shower!

[Kernowgal]

Spin is a no-no because of knee problems - I'm OK on a bike but only at relatively low intensities, hence using it to warm up. My kneecaps don't track properly and so bending my knees too far or too quickly is painful.

To be honest I get really bored just doing one thing hence changing machines - my gym is tiny so it's a case of hop off one, hop onto another; I've never had to wait for a machine.

Thinking about it I'm only spending an hour there (I'd been calculating time from when I left work, not when I got to the gym, doh) - so I suppose that not so bad. Just interested to know what other people do in terms of routine and varying things a bit.

[Madagascanparadise]

Mine is similar although I run for up to 30 mins. I will be in there for 2 hours in all once you've added in showers and all the faffing. No actually that includes driving there and back, it is quite an investment in time.

[Suzannewithaplan]

?
Mine is:
Cycle to the gym
Lift weights
Cycle home
Takes around two hours depending on wind speed ?

[DamselNotInHerDress]

Dp and I joined a gym as a Christmas present to each other!
I'm going most days and my gym routine is
25 minutes rowing
25 minutes bike
5 minutes TRX
10 minutes powerplate

Sometimes go for a swim afterwards, other times I go to the spa!

[Littlepumpkinpie]

I am pretty much the same as Suzanne cycle to gym,lift weights ,cycle back home depends which gym as I use more than one takes hour of heavy lifting in there home within 20 minutes

[peaz]

I do 35 mins on x trainer, so 5 mins warm up, then alternate - one minute really fast, the other at a normal speed. Apparently this kind of interval training is more effective for weight loss.
Then I do 20 mins weights for arms and legs and this is followed by a short pilates based session on the mats for my core.

I'm going to alternate my workouts so, Tuesday as above, Wednesday the same but with a swim, Friday spinning and once I am used to the spinning class I will squeeze in a run around the park.

[DamselNotInHerDress]

I'm going to give the x-trainer a go today, though my gym appear to have about 10 different types! I've used one of them before so will just stick to that one rather than risk looking like an absolute tit falling over on any of the others!
Ive only just got round to booking an induction so will hopefully find out a bit more about them all.

[Urbanvoltaire]

Ive restarted my gym sessions since just before Xmas as follows;

Fast walk on treadmill - 7 mins
Rowing machine - 5 mins
Weights (arms and legs) 20 mins
Floor mat for sit-ups, plank, core exercises, lunges etc then final stretch - 15 mins

I go to gym in kit then I shower back home. I go 3 times a week, will need to expand my regime though as I don't want to get bored doing the same exercises.

FYI -I used to train 5 times a week up until 14 years ago (before kids and I'm an ex-rower) so v familiar with training plans, different types of weights & what feels right.

[GetLow]

I'm doing the gym twice a week at the moment:

5 min stretch
10 mins treadmill
15 mins weights (I do a mixture of free weights and a few arm/leg weight machines)
5 mins mat exercises
10 mins treadmill or cross trainer
5 mins stretch down

Out of the place!

I also do two classes a week, as I find the fixed timings help motivate me.

1 x dynamic yoga class (1hour)
1 x cardio/toning class (i mix it up between body pump, combat, bootcamp/circuits) 45 mins

I am feeling bloody great on this so far! Cant believe I have been such an exercise phobe for so long!

[BitOutOfPractice]

I've not got time to post now but wanted to just mark a spot here as there's some good ideas if like to try.

Sorry I know that's rather rude

[Annietheacrobat]

Current routine is
30-40 mins treadmill
Weights
10mins cycling (fairly high resistance)
Abs work

[Suzannewithaplan]

GE, I'm wondering about your opinion as a personal trainer on the old 'cardio then weights' vs 'weights then cardio' controversy?

Bit worried about the oxygen deficiency in your earlier post though, I thought that was fatal?

[OhGood]

Hi GE - thanks for the tip. I went to gym last night for first time in ages and am feeling totally lost. I will definitely try out the high intensity interval thing and look at your other ideas on your blog.

My question is about the best way to get my core back after pregnancies. What would you recommend? Mat work, machines? Pilates instead of gym? I can only go 2x a week.