Just joined a gym, advice please - about classes.

[smurfgirl]

I joined because my swimming+aqua aerobics for two weeks was the price of membership per month so it makes financial sense.

I swim 3 times a week and do aqua once a week. I am also v.fat and unfit (although through swimming have pretty strong arms haha).

I thought about a step class? But I don't want to embarrass myself!

I know I need to do something cardio but what? I fancy using the bikes in the gym would that help?

Well done for joining a gym - i am thinking along the same lines myself. Are there instructors / mentors available at the gym to advise you? They would probably be the best people to tell you what your body can manage right now. I'm hoping for similar at one i join as i can't do heavy impact stuff (broken / bust ankle).

Spin is very good. High impact interval training on a bike!

I hate using bikes, they are good for cardio though. The best one IMO is the cross-trainer because it works arms and legs, it really gets my heart going but doesn't burn my muscles out too quickly so I can go for longer. My trainer makes me use the rowing machine as a warm up, but I couldn't do it for a long time to burn off calories as it just exhausts me.

If I'm going to the gym on my own to do cardio I tend to do fast walking on a slope on the treadmill for 20 mins followed by 20 mins on the crosstrainer. If I'm not exhausted enough after that then I'll do another 20 mins or so on the treadmill.

I'd recommend Spin as well. Its pretty straightforward and you can go at your own pace.

I got put off going to Step when the instructor implied I was disrupting the class by not being able to keep up and follow the moves the first time I went.

When I joined my gym, 3 sessions with a personal trainer was included.

Or could you corner the gym staff and ask them to show you around the equipment

ooh I love love love step. I'm ridiculously uncoordinated but it DOES sink in if you keep going (probably takes about 3 goes to get the gist). What you have to keep remembering is that no-one really thinks you look stupid even if you do all the moves wrong. Perservere even if you find it difficult and it's such a great way to work out. Especially if you have a 'dancey' step class. I went religiously 3 times a week before i got married and was never in better shape, must go back soon. Hopefully you won't have Wintersun's instructor who sounds like he needs the step throwing at him!!

Spinning?

I hate Step. I find the moves too confusing!

Another vote for spinning classes here as you set the resistance that is right for you.

I'm fit now but would never return to Step - I went once and my co-ord was so poor I kept tripping over/falling off much to the amusement of the regulars

Cross trainers are fantastic, but get someone to show you the different programmes rather than just setting it to manual and flat-lining. Rolling hills type ones are good to break up monotony. When I started going to the gym I was very overweight too and used the crosstrainer and the treadmill. I used to walk fast then over weeks/months gradually increased the incline while keeping the speed the same. Eventually, once I'd slimmed down, I started jogging which was relatively easy compared with the steep uphill walks.

Good luck, and take it steady!

PBR, our gym has an ergo machine which you sit on and use either arms or legs or both to turn pedals. It's hard work just using arms but I had to after a foot op a while ago or I'd have gone loopy ;-)

Spinning is great, and the great thing is no one knows what you are doing compared to them. No steps to learn or turning the wrong way all the time and making a fool of yourself.

Cyclists have some of the lowest BMI's and or a reason it is really good cardio.
Make sure if you cycle on any bike at the gym that the seat is at the correct position - you must still have a very slight bend in the knee when the pedal is at the bottom of the crank i.e. when one leg is out straigh - it should have a slight bend in knee and not actually be quite straight.

there are a few people in spin and at the gym I see with the seat to low and this will make the class none effective and could well damage your knees long term cycling.

A gauge is to stand beside the bike and put the saddle level with your own hip bone, this is only a guide though.

take things at your own pace and do not over do it on your first few spins, make sure you swim after to really stretch the muscles and you will not feel stiff the next couple of days.

Spin is great if the muscic and instructor are good.

The gym bike can be just as effective and if you wear an ipod with good music it can really get you going. Set yourself targe of how far you are going to cycle rather than just 15 mins or 30 mins on the bike.

Good luck - come an tell us what you decide to do?

I think spinning is too hard core for someone that's just joined a gym! The sessions I have been to, and I am pretty fit have nearly killed me.

I think Step is a much gentler better option, until your fitness improves more. Then tackle nightmare of spinning.

It was the first class I did when I joined the gym - as none could tell how much I was doing and I could go at my own pace. I was really rather unfit aswell.

Certainly didn't find it a nightmare, am very much fitter now though and that is down to the cycling.

It is none weight bearing, so if you are larger then you will not be stressing your body with your own weight, as you would be with say running or step.

Doing step if you are larger every time you step up and down you are weight bearing on your body quite dramaticly - whereas the bike you are not adding pressure onto your body, Even when you stand you will have some weight bearing but not as much as step or running which is constant.

That was my reasoning for spin.

I agree with IvyKaty re the spinning - no one else will know what resistance you have set the bike at - I am sure there will be some beginners classes.

But one thing - remember to drink lots of water if you are spinning oh and buy a gel seat to take with you - this slips over the hard seat on the bike and it makes it a lot more comfortable (think the one that I bought was about £8 or £9)

IvyKaty - you were right about the hipbone bit being level with the seat!

Im a size 22. I have been going to my local gym for a couple of months. I do ...

monday - Bums & Tums

Tuesday - BodyPump (my fave)

Wednesday - BodyVive

Thursady - BodyPump

friday - Boxercise, then Body Vive

I dont like ones that make me sweat or involve my boobs jiggling about too much lol

TWB - good for you, I do the bodypump (sweat loads!!) but not my fav....I make myself do it as otherwise I have to much cardio and not enough weights classes.

i do saturday, spin
sunday, spin and cardio circuits
mon spin, core
thursday, boxercise, spin.
i need to add body pump back in but no time.
spin still fave.

Thanks for the replies. I have my gym induction on Friday am and will maybe do some bike stuff as a practice for spin. I want to do some faster walking too (must buy sports bra).

I have been having some knee niggles again when I swim so am worried I will trash it. I have stepped up the aqua to twice a week as well.

There is a beginners aerobics class? Is that the same as my aqua but out of water?

I def need to do cardio stuff because I think swimming is v.toning but not fat burning.

What is body pump?

At the mo I do-
m - swim for an hour
t - swim for an hour
w - aqua + little swim (only 10 lengths)
t - off
f - swim for half an hour + aqua

BodyPump is an hour's worth of weightlifting to music. Quite good fun, v effective & no jumping up and down.

BodyCombat also pretty good - sort of like Power Rangers aerobics.

If you do decide to do body pump (I think it is great for toning) then do not get swayed by others in the class and pick up heavy weight - they can do what ever weights they want but you do the light weights and keep it that way for a good while.

Sometimes beginers think they will stand out if they do lighter weights, what stands out is they do the same weights as everyone else and then never come back to the class, cos they either ach sooo much and think never again or they hurt themselves by lifting heavy weights that they can't control.

spinning is really good and some gyms do a half hour session for beginners. you can work as hard as you need to to push yourself. try a few different instructors if theres more then one at your gym cos you might prefer one over the other i know i do at my gym. combat aerobics is another good one, you feel a bit silly at the first one kicking and punching the air but you soon get over it.

Another vote for body combat.
My gym also does circuit classes which are fab.