Come and talk to me about my exercising - what should I do more of?

[giraffesCantDanceWhileSober]

Hello exercise gurus I need your advice! Used to be very fit and would run and dance, infact use to teach dancing. With various medical issues I lost the exercise bug and last few years have been trying to pick it up again but am fairly inconsistant. Last few months been better - partly as my boss is very sporty and fit and I get inspired by how much she does and its good to have that as a role model.

At the moment doing on average 3 sessions a week, mainly gym but sometimes will swim. At gym I will sometimes only do a very short session, I have full membership to gym (Well its the Glasgow Club so its all centres in Glasgow) reason I got that was because I used to not go as felt my short session wasn't worth paying the £5 or whatever it was. So at least now I think well pai for it anyway might as well go.

Might start doing a class - what sort of thing do you think? I can go to any one apart from courses and the cost is included. I am worried I won't be fit enough though - when running before had to stop as was getting chest pain/blacking out, had cardio investigations and have tachycardia almost constantly so when exercise even gently pulse shoots up. Also have adult onset asthma which can be a bit unstable at times.

All this has knocked my confidence with classes, feel everyone would laugh at me. But I work better in classes, push myself more and enjoy the music and getting the steps right.

Sorry am rambling! Any pointers or opinions? I want to feel happier (which exercise does for me) and will likely have an operation some point this year so want to be in better physical health and also just look better less flabby!

I used to slack at the gym sometimes, never particularly enjoyed it.

Classes for me are the singlemost important tool to keeping fit. I started doing spin class aiming for once or twice a week. Instructor advised it woukd take a few sessions to get up to speed and not to feel demotivated. I did three the first few weeks and soon saw a huge improvement. I did 3/4 sessions per week from there in progressing to cycling to work as i felt fitter. Then i included a swim after one class.

Over winter i stopped cycling for three months but increased spin classes to 6 per week.

Then as the weather warmed up around mid/late jan i reduced the classes and started cycling again.

We have to book classes for the month so once booked in that is set in stone. I do the same times every week so its part of my routine. I have a training buddy (old friend who started at same time) and we book classes together and weekend rides. We socialise with the cycling club which spurs us on to train harder so we dont have to lose face and push the bike up the bigger hills.

I am not self motivated enough to push myself at the gym, i tried again recently and found it boring and i was clock watching which doesnt happen in a class. I know different things work for different folks but my advise would be to train with a friend, book classes/sessions in advance and set yourself some realistic goals. I joined my current class 14 months ago and aside from holidays I have only ever missed three (due to illness)

Thanks for your reply. Goodness 6 spin classes a week?! Am impressed! I am thinking of going to a class on Monday night, hopefully I wont chicken out!

Go for it!

Our studio did an offer where if you did a double session your second class was free. So we did this until it got warmer and still only 'went' three times per week.

It really set us up for the cycling season though, it's so hard getting into something new or for first time, don't be put off if you find it tough.

cheers for the encouragement - went last night and enjoyed it and to the gym tonight.

Hi there, I was going to suggest spin as well - glad you enjoyed it. I like it because despite it being a class, you are more in control of how hard you are working through controling the tension on the bike. And because you are static - if you make a mistake there is no one to bump into!

Or how about yoga or pilates for more conditioning work?

Oh whoops when I said a class I just meant an exercise class not an actual spin class. So what is a spin class like? You all have a bike and then pedal?!

I had ace results with dynamic pilates classes (on a reformer machine). Do they do these at your gym? 1 or 2 a week was enough to make massive and swift improvements.

Is a reformer machine like power plates?

Nope they dont do that I dont think, and because pilates is a course is extra money on top of my membership.