Oh gawd.....I've joined a gym.....again....

Spidernick

I must be in a minority of people who really cannot see the point of a gym. If I want to walk, run or cycle I would rather actually go out and do so and actually see things rather than spending time on a treadmill or whatever. I know there is a little more to gyms than this, but they're not for me I'm afraid.

The cycle to work option suggested above makes much more sense to me, as it keeps you fit and achieves something constructive at the same time, which a gym is unlikely to do.

purpleshoes_2

Gingernutty wrote: »

:rotfl:

I got to Pilates, signed in and we started with warm up exercises.

As we got to lying on our backs bringing our legs up and down, there was an awful pain in the very base of my back, just above my .....erm....ahem, 'arris crack.

My legs fell down and I had to stop. After working out I wasn't a complete cripple, I was allowed to leave.

There were no muscle twinges, no sciatica, no referred pain just an excruciating pain in the very base of my back when I lie down, which is relieved when I sat up.

Walking around doesn't pose the same problems as when I hurt my lumbar area.

This pain/injury is aggravated by sitting back in a chair and lying down on my back. It's a weirdly specific pain which I can touch when I reach around. It feels like a bruise, like I've received a massive boot up the rear.

I was able to look it up (I know, Dr Google isn't the best) as coccydynia.

Seriously? Bum pain?

I'm going to have to be very careful.......

Tailbone injury, speaking as someone who broke their tailbone two years ago, if you havent seen a GP about it, I definitely would and yes it can massively impact on the exercise you do, I couldnt sit on any kind of exercise equipment for a year. I also needed medication and physiotherapy.

You need rest days to allow your body to recover. Ive done lots of cardio in the last and I ended up overtraining. Its not how often you train that matters so much, its what you do. I train 5 days a week just now, but it would be 4 if I werent participating in a bootcamp.

You only need to train 4-5 days a week and it could be as little as 3 depending on what you are doing. My gym programme (weights) is a 3 day split.

It is very tempting to throw yourself into exercise like theres no tomorrow when you start exercising, but Id certainly speak to a gym instructor/PT and see if they can recommend a training programme for you. Id also speak to someone who has a GP referral qualification re your tailbone issue (if it is your tailbone) and as I said before if you do think its a tailbone issue, it wont harm you to see your GP. It took me ages to work out what I had done, because it wasnt apparent to me right away that a fall I had had made me injure the bone, but it didnt heal on its own, over the counter medication wasnt helping and I needed a few sessions of physio.

purpleshoes_2

Spidernick wrote: »

I must be in a minority of people who really cannot see the point of a gym. If I want to walk, run or cycle I would rather actually go out and do so and actually see things rather than spending time on a treadmill or whatever. I know there is a little more to gyms than this, but they're not for me I'm afraid.

The cycle to work option suggested above makes much more sense to me, as it keeps you fit and achieves something constructive at the same time, which a gym is unlikely to do.

A lot more to gyms than just a treadmill. Going to a gym has done a lot for me, Im 4 stones lighter than I was in June last year.

I do know that some people really do like outdoor exercise, but its not for everyone and not everyone is confident enough to be able to cycle to work, I know I wouldnt be.

YORKSHIRELASS

I would rather be exercising out in the fresh air any time. For me there is nothing like having the wind and rain in my face and over the summer I was out running at 6am when we had some beautiful mornings.

But I can see why this isnt for everyone and during the winter its hard to get outside when its dark. I do more classes in winter and I enjoy the social side of it too.

I think the point here is that you have to find something that you actually enjoy and will stick with long term.

Tygermoth

Hi there!

I am in the same boat as you (and just arrived back from body combat) phew.

Being 4ft 11 and a size 22 I am the same dimensions as a weeble.

for the first time ever i have signed up to the gym. I was fairly fit and used to do gymnastics 2 a week and bikram five times but after a run of injuries i had a years down time (and moved house so cant visit either any more) and i have gone to fat... big style.

After realising my belly was so pronounced that i was having trouble bending in the middle to get my shoes on i realised enough was enough.

so found a gym that i had to drive past to get home and signed up. I have made the agreement that i will attend 4 times a week without fail for the fist month. The killer body combat on a sunday, spin monday thurs HIT and Fri body balance.

I am in my second week and already feeling better for it. I have appalling coordination as well as the grace and poise of godzilla so i lumber through classes feeling like i stick out a mile.

but i am not on the sofa eating cruddy food.

I also feel like i eat better when I am doing excersize.. what's the point of having that doughnut when i dragged myself out of bed at crack o dawn this morning to go to class and as its 70 percent diet and 30 percent gym... that works well

So i salute you fellow gym go'er and wish you the very best on your fitness journey.

Gingernutty

YORKSHIRELASS wrote: »

Very sensible post. Lots of half hour sessions are always the best plan. And yes, dont give a stuff what anyone else thinks, you do it at your pace. There is a lady in front of me at kettlebells who looks like she really should have a smaller weight so its probably doing her more harm than good. I have the smallest weight you can get and I still struggle!

Good luck with it.

I've seen a Kettlebell class in action. :eek:

No. Just no. Not now and, perhaps not ever.

No pain today, still taking it easy and will see what happens tomorrow.

Thanks to everyone for your good wishes.

cazs

Sounds like you're doing really well and giving it a real effort. It does take time to get used to the whole gym; I joined late last July after realising I was a stone heavier than I had thought so am now 13 months in and it has become an integral part of my life, I'm there every day and it's like another home for me. Keep going, take it slowly and bit by bit you'll grow stronger and your endurance will increase.
If you decide to step outside the classes, the cross trainer is a good piece of aerobic equipment as it's low impact in terms of stress on the body but you can burn calories at a good rate. Keep going with the lifting of weights, lunges and squats, either with or without weights, are two of the best things you can do in the gym.
If it's possible, you could try doing some sessions with a personal trainer. I do one every now and again, just to see how I'm getting on and learn new things.
Message me if you want to ask anything.

want_to_save

i used to go to pure gym (had to stop last march due to a hernia and since had an op and another due in 2 weeks) and loved it. am 5.2 and round and used ot do 3 spin classes a weeek and one other class on a 4th day.

i now swim 20 lenghts for 4 times a week (try for the 5th if i can)

heartbreak_star

Spidernick wrote: »

I must be in a minority of people who really cannot see the point of a gym. If I want to walk, run or cycle I would rather actually go out and do so and actually see things rather than spending time on a treadmill or whatever. I know there is a little more to gyms than this, but they're not for me I'm afraid.

The cycle to work option suggested above makes much more sense to me, as it keeps you fit and achieves something constructive at the same time, which a gym is unlikely to do.

Can't see me finding wild squat racks and barbells sadly

I do like to exercise outdoors, there's an assault course near me which is great fun, but my heavy heavy weights are done in a safe environment.

HBS x

netwizzy

i'm not sure if my advice will be of any use, but the way i motivated myself going to the gym was simply to see my progress.

essentially, i treat it like a video game, except i'm leveling up in real life, and not in a virtual one. i go to the gym to train, and every few weeks/couple of months, i test my limits to see how much i've improved. sometimes i improve just barely, other times i see huge jumps. that feeling i get when i see a drastic improvement (for example, i hadn't improved in the bench press in a over 3 month, decided to change my routine, and BAM! broke through that plateau within a month) is SUCH a great feeling of accomplishment).

the key to my way of motivating myself was to keep meticulous track of my progress. i would also switch up different styles of training when it got too boring doing the same workout over and over again. for example, sometimes i would go for a long run, but if i got bored of it, i would do sprints and see if i can improve my sprint times and do that for a few weeks.

of course, not everyone treats it like a video game like myself, but you should find all the things you DO like about exercising, and use that to motivate yourself.