My gym instructor is crap! Please help me!

Blue Butterfly

Gold Member
Hello.
I joined a gym back in June 2009,lost nearly 3stone. Stuff happened and I stopped going and gained all my weight back.

Anyway I am now back at the gym and eating healthy (and lost 10lbs last week,woohoo)
BUT the guy who did my gym induction and that Ive paid twice for a gym programme is just useless!
1st of all he hasn't shown me half the stuff in the gym so I dont get to use many things.
And 2nd and most importantly the programme he has given me this time around is just absolute rubbish,I only get to go to the gym 2 or 3 times a week and I always come home feeling like Ive not done anything. I want to work out and feel like I have actually worked out!
Also he has just given me tons of cardio and hardly and weights/toning exercises even though I told him that as I'll be losing sooooo much weight I want to tone up as I go. But he just kept saying that there is no point working my muscles coz Id have to do tons of cardio to get rid of the fat first.
So now I just wanna cry or bang my head against a wall!

Could someone please please help me with an exercise plan or give me some toning exercises to try.

This is what my gym instructor gave me as a plan.......
Cross trainer 5-8 minutes on level 2
Bike 10 minutes on level 5
Treadmill 20 minutes on level 5
Pec fly 30reps
seated row 30reps
leg press 30reps.

Thats it!! Thats what I paid for! He didn't show me anything else,no rower,no free weights,nothing.
ok sorry that has kinda turned into a rant but I so want a decent exercise plan so I can lose this damn weight.
I would go and complain to the gym instructor guy about it but Im not really confident enough to do that!

Thanks if you've managed to read this far.
Claire x
 
That sounds like a plan you can download online. Not worth the money, no.
Really when you join a gym, you should be given two induction sessions, one to show you all the equipment and give you a lowdown on how to use the cardio stuff, the second to show you more specifics e.g. weights and exercise balls.
If they haven't given you a lowdown on all the equipment, ask them to. This isn't really anything to do with having a personal trainer, just standard policy.

What I did was sample everything and then just went about it myself - went home when I felt like I HAD been worked out. The only drawback is you might not realise you took something too far until you wake up the next morning (owwwy) so you are in danger of getting hurt. However, just experimenting with everything is the best way to find something you enjoy.
Also, if there is a local community hall or classes at your gym, sign up to EVERY exercise class they have for taster sessions (at least all the ones who take beginners) and try EVERYTHING once.

You need to find what works for you, your gym instructor doesn't know everything.
 
Assuming it's a big gym like a Virgin Active, Esporta or something could you ask to have a programme update? Most of the gyms with a lot of PTs will happily book you in for sessions to update your programme, just ask one of the other PTs than the one who did your original one.

Also don't be scared to just hop on other gym equipment and give it a go - the weight machines have instructions and the cardio are pretty bullet proof. Then make a note.

For the cardio machines best bet is to stick it on a random or hills setting and just keep upping the levels until you're doing the maximum you can while still keeping a reasonably rast rpm - on the bike I normally do hills where I can do 100rpm on the flat and an absolute minimum of 60rpm on the biggest hill, random on the x-trainer around 75 rpm, and intervals on the treadmill, walk-jog or jog-run. Basically just play around to make sure you're sweaty and tired!
 
Hey thank you for your replies.
The gym is just a tiny one,there are only 2 gym instructors there!
I will be going on saturday so I will have a play about on the machines and see what happens.
I was just abit peed off coz I wanted my own exercise plan to follow. If I have a plan that says I have to do x,y and z I will do it,otherwise if left to my own devices I kinda dont do much.
Ah well,I'll see how I get on on sat.
 
Are you tied in to a monthly payment? To be honest if it's a tiny gym you need to check that your instructors are properly qualified. I would be inclined to give them the push. Instructors should give you a proper induction , and explain the reason they are putting you on each machine.
 
Im not tied in to a monthly payment as such! Basically I am getting my gym membership and sessions paid for me up untill January 2011,the people who are paying go in and pay monthly and I go to the gym as much as I want in that month. I would go to a different gym if I could but I go with a friend as I cant drive and she doesn't wanna go anywhere else so yeah.....I guess Im stuck at that gym really!

Maybe next time I go in I should check that they are properly qualified.
 
Also... cardio IS more important at this stage. You will need to lower your blood pressure slightly and strengthen your heart in order to do a lot of muscle building.

I'd have to disagree with this comment, although I think I understand the logic you are using.

It is important to start any exercise program at a moderate intensity, as you said to get your heart used to working and maintain blood pressure.

However, people too often speak about 'cardio' and 'weights' as if they must be different intensities of exercise, whilst really they're not.


'Cardio' is a bad term, because it really means 'any exercise that raises your heart rate'. People however, equate the term 'cardio' to mean 'must be done on a rower, cycle or bike'.

ANY form of activity done at the right intensity will raise your heart rate for a 'cardio' effect - runing, weight training, body weight exercise, circuits, you name it.


So where I see what you mean in your logic, it doesnt mean you should be relegated to cardiovasucalar machines when starting an exercise program.

In fact, with 99% of my clients I have phased out ALL cardio machines, and we perform no 'traditional' aerobic exercise at all, and the results are better than ever.

After some strength training, we go straight to barbell complexes (weight and reps tailored to the fitness of the individual) or use circuits or bodyweight training. This is our 'cardio' and there's no running, cycling or rowing in sight any more (unless a client likes these modes out of personal preference)



My message is that the fitness industry should stop looking at 'weights' and 'cardio' meaning different and opposing things. The body works as a total system, not individualised pieces.


(Sorry if I've bored you all with my little rant, its just been a while haha)




Claire, I'll PM you ASAP.
 
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Not at all Justin, I am always interested to learn the physiology behind it all, and I wouldn't want to have egg on my face either :p

I am a bit of a cardio romantic really, I LOVE running (did 26 miles this week, woot!) and HATE weight training. There are other ways to work your muscles in order to improve fitness though - I explained my general loathing of weights to my gym instructor and he just said 'cross training doesn't mean a date with dumbells'. Now I do yoga 3 times a week and 2 boxing classes, its all I need to keep ticking and improving :D
 
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