The Bally's adventure

With a bit of encouragement from a good friend here in ASD, I finally
started to use that membership.

Day 1. After fiddling with it for a while, I finally got one of the
treadmills to cooperate enough to let me do a brisk mile up a low incline.
After this warm up, I took a walk around the place wondering what to do
next. This club didn't have the fancy computerized machines like I saw at
the other location I checked, and realizing that I'm way over my head here,
I talked to a couple of people there and found out that new members get an
orientation session with one of the trainers, so I made an appointment with
one.

Day 2. Met with the trainer. He started me out with a quarter mile on a
treadmill, then took me into a small exercise room for some work with the
smaller weights. Afterwards, we went and he stretched me out on a few of the
machines, which evidently worked since I'm now sitting here with a couple of
hot packs on my shoulders.

The subject of hiring him came up, but at $200 down and $350 a month for 2
sessions a week, I think I'll be doing this on my own. I learned how to use
a few of these torture devices today, but the rest are still a mystery to
me. What I need now is some kind of book, video, web site or whatever that
shows these kind of machines and how to use them. I figure that if I just do
a warm up then go down the line using each contraption, that should give me
a good enough workout. I don't think I'll even be going near the weight
room. That place looked like a suspension bridge was disassembled and the
parts stacked up there.

Those elliptical gizmos look interesting, I'll have to try and tackle one of
those next.

Smokey

It's a good pain

NeoSmokey wrote:

Day 2. Met with the trainer. He started me out with a quarter mile on a
treadmill, then took me into a small exercise room for some work with the
smaller weights. Afterwards, we went and he stretched me out on a few of the
machines, which evidently worked since I'm now sitting here with a couple of
hot packs on my shoulders.

You want ice packs, dear. :-)

And expect to be sore tomorrow. It's called DOMS. Keep working your
muscles (gently) through the pain and you'll get past it faster.

The subject of hiring him came up, but at $200 down and $350 a month for 2
sessions a week, I think I'll be doing this on my own. I learned how to use
a few of these torture devices today, but the rest are still a mystery to
me. What I need now is some kind of book, video, web site or whatever that
shows these kind of machines and how to use them.

http://www.exrx.net/Lists/Directory.html

Also, go back to Krista's site and look under "Starting"
http://www.stumptuous.com/weights.html

I figure that if I just do
a warm up then go down the line using each contraption, that should give me
a good enough workout. I don't think I'll even be going near the weight
room. That place looked like a suspension bridge was disassembled and the
parts stacked up there.

I encourage you to figure it out. Really.

Look into whether your gym has some sort of "beginning weight-training"
class. Mine teaches an 8 week class several times a year for beginners
in the free weight room.

Those elliptical gizmos look interesting, I'll have to try and tackle one of
those next.

Yup. Cross-training is one of the "four food groups" of exercise. (The
other ones are interval training, weight-training and cardio.)


Smokey

It's a good pain

Yup. Glad you think so, too.

Dally

NeoSmokey wrote:

Day 2. Met with the trainer. He started me out with a quarter mile on a
treadmill, then took me into a small exercise room for some work with the
smaller weights. Afterwards, we went and he stretched me out on a few of the
machines, which evidently worked since I'm now sitting here with a couple of
hot packs on my shoulders.

You want ice packs, dear. :-)

And expect to be sore tomorrow. It's called DOMS. Keep working your
muscles (gently) through the pain and you'll get past it faster.

The subject of hiring him came up, but at $200 down and $350 a month for 2
sessions a week, I think I'll be doing this on my own. I learned how to use
a few of these torture devices today, but the rest are still a mystery to
me. What I need now is some kind of book, video, web site or whatever that
shows these kind of machines and how to use them.

http://www.exrx.net/Lists/Directory.html

Also, go back to Krista's site and look under "Starting"
http://www.stumptuous.com/weights.html

I figure that if I just do
a warm up then go down the line using each contraption, that should give me
a good enough workout. I don't think I'll even be going near the weight
room. That place looked like a suspension bridge was disassembled and the
parts stacked up there.

I encourage you to figure it out. Really.

Look into whether your gym has some sort of "beginning weight-training"
class. Mine teaches an 8 week class several times a year for beginners
in the free weight room.

Those elliptical gizmos look interesting, I'll have to try and tackle one of
those next.

Yup. Cross-training is one of the "four food groups" of exercise. (The
other ones are interval training, weight-training and cardio.)


Smokey

It's a good pain

Yup. Glad you think so, too.

Dally

"Dally" wrote in message
...
NeoSmokey wrote:

What I need now is some kind of book, video, web site or whatever that
shows these kind of machines and how to use them.

http://www.exrx.net/Lists/Directory.html

Also, go back to Krista's site and look under "Starting"
http://www.stumptuous.com/weights.html


Thanks. I checked them both out, but I didn't see anything about the
machines themselves.

On Wed, 11 Aug 2004 03:03:12 GMT, NeoSmokey wrote:

Day 2. Met with the trainer. He started me out with a quarter mile on a
treadmill, then took me into a small exercise room for some work with the
smaller weights. Afterwards, we went and he stretched me out on a few of the
machines, which evidently worked since I'm now sitting here with a couple of
hot packs on my shoulders.

When he didn't start you out with a thourough medical history
questionnaire, you should have run like a rabbit.

I figure that if I just do
a warm up then go down the line using each contraption, that should give me
a good enough workout. I don't think I'll even be going near the weight
room. That place looked like a suspension bridge was disassembled and the
parts stacked up there.

Now that is funny.

On Wed, 11 Aug 2004 03:03:12 GMT, NeoSmokey wrote:

Day 2. Met with the trainer. He started me out with a quarter mile on a
treadmill, then took me into a small exercise room for some work with the
smaller weights. Afterwards, we went and he stretched me out on a few of the
machines, which evidently worked since I'm now sitting here with a couple of
hot packs on my shoulders.

When he didn't start you out with a thourough medical history
questionnaire, you should have run like a rabbit.

I figure that if I just do
a warm up then go down the line using each contraption, that should give me
a good enough workout. I don't think I'll even be going near the weight
room. That place looked like a suspension bridge was disassembled and the
parts stacked up there.

Now that is funny.

"NeoSmokey" wrote in message
link.net...
Thanks. I checked them both out, but I didn't see anything about the
machines themselves.

Most serious weight lifters seem to *hate* machines and prefer free weights.
Just like most serious martial artists hate tae bo and probably for the same
reasons.
I never did any serious body building, but I did build muscles through
martial arts and the like. My intuition would be that what you build through
getting your body through the moves is that superior to what you build from
sticking it in a machine and having it forced through the moves. The muscles
from my martial arts era might have melted (pretty surprisingly, not all of
them), but the neural paths I built are still there, like the ability to
keep my equilibrium (nothing like being a beginner obese rollerskater *but*
being the only beginning standing on his feet while all the other slim
people are on their four ), have a proper mental image of my body
position, addressing precise muscles independently (neat trick with the abs,
belly dancing is a nice social trick ) and stuff like this. I guess that's
the kind of neural paths you build on top of the muscles with free weights,
while machines only build muscles. You involve your whole body instead of
being guided and "passive" through the moves.
Besides, once you have the training, the day you are not able to go to a gym
anymore, you can just buy a few inexpensive free weights and practice as
home.
There is probably a much better explanation than mine burried somewhere on
Krista's site

"Lictor" wrote in message
...
"NeoSmokey" wrote in message
link.net...
Thanks. I checked them both out, but I didn't see anything about the
machines themselves.

Most serious weight lifters seem to *hate* machines and prefer free
weights.
Just like most serious martial artists hate tae bo and probably for the
same
reasons.
I never did any serious body building, but I did build muscles through
martial arts and the like. My intuition would be that what you build
through
getting your body through the moves is that superior to what you build
from
sticking it in a machine and having it forced through the moves.

If the machines are anything like the ones at my gym they don't force you
through the moves You have to supply the power and they prevent you from
dropping the weights, etc. I do both but prefer the machines when I attempt
heavier weights.

Beverly



The muscles
from my martial arts era might have melted (pretty surprisingly, not all
of
them), but the neural paths I built are still there, like the ability to
keep my equilibrium (nothing like being a beginner obese rollerskater
*but*
being the only beginning standing on his feet while all the other slim
people are on their four ), have a proper mental image of my body
position, addressing precise muscles independently (neat trick with the
abs,
belly dancing is a nice social trick ) and stuff like this. I guess
that's
the kind of neural paths you build on top of the muscles with free
weights,
while machines only build muscles. You involve your whole body instead of
being guided and "passive" through the moves.
Besides, once you have the training, the day you are not able to go to a
gym
anymore, you can just buy a few inexpensive free weights and practice as
home.
There is probably a much better explanation than mine burried somewhere on
Krista's site

"Lictor" wrote in message
...
"NeoSmokey" wrote in message
link.net...
Thanks. I checked them both out, but I didn't see anything about the
machines themselves.

Most serious weight lifters seem to *hate* machines and prefer free
weights.
Just like most serious martial artists hate tae bo and probably for the
same
reasons.
I never did any serious body building, but I did build muscles through
martial arts and the like. My intuition would be that what you build
through
getting your body through the moves is that superior to what you build
from
sticking it in a machine and having it forced through the moves.

If the machines are anything like the ones at my gym they don't force you
through the moves You have to supply the power and they prevent you from
dropping the weights, etc. I do both but prefer the machines when I attempt
heavier weights.

Beverly



The muscles
from my martial arts era might have melted (pretty surprisingly, not all
of
them), but the neural paths I built are still there, like the ability to
keep my equilibrium (nothing like being a beginner obese rollerskater
*but*
being the only beginning standing on his feet while all the other slim
people are on their four ), have a proper mental image of my body
position, addressing precise muscles independently (neat trick with the
abs,
belly dancing is a nice social trick ) and stuff like this. I guess
that's
the kind of neural paths you build on top of the muscles with free
weights,
while machines only build muscles. You involve your whole body instead of
being guided and "passive" through the moves.
Besides, once you have the training, the day you are not able to go to a
gym
anymore, you can just buy a few inexpensive free weights and practice as
home.
There is probably a much better explanation than mine burried somewhere on
Krista's site

"NeoSmokey" wrote in message
link.net...

"Dally" wrote in message
...
NeoSmokey wrote:

What I need now is some kind of book, video, web site or whatever that
shows these kind of machines and how to use them.

http://www.exrx.net/Lists/Directory.html

Also, go back to Krista's site and look under "Starting"
http://www.stumptuous.com/weights.html


Thanks. I checked them both out, but I didn't see anything about the
machines themselves.


It's not really about the machines as it is about the muscles and the
exercises. You need to exercise your main muscle groups (chest, back,
shoulders, arms, abdomen, quads, calves, hamstrings, etc.). You go to the
site, look at exercises say for the chest - it gives you different exercises
based on what kind of equipment you want to use (barbell, cable, dumbbell,
etc.). I take the ones that look interesting, study the video for a bit,
then print out the directions. I'm lucky though because my gym is small and
the owner is also the trainer and he'll answer questions for free .

There are weight machines at my gym that I've never used in the 8 months
I've been going there.

Keep up the good work!

Jenn