Workout Regiments

*Originally published on 7/12/09



As a comic reader, one can assume that I am out of shape. They would be correct. I have, however, been remedying this. I recently joined a gym and begun working out on a somewhat regular basis. I'm by no means an expert, but I can give some tips to those who want to get started.

For starters, if you want to burn fat, you want to go with cardio. Brisk walking on the treadmill or using the stationary bikes are my favorites. If you use the bikes, I'd suggest using the recumbent seats as opposed to the traditional bicycle seats as they are more comfortable. Both of these are great because they burn off calories and are iPod friendly. You can sit on the bike, set your playlist up and just ride. It makes working out that much more enjoyable. Music is also vital in that it gets you motivated as I pointed out in another article. Songs like The Final Countdown or the Rocky theme get you pumped up and eager to push yourself to higher limits.

If you want to get into weight lifting, you have two options: low weight with a high number of reps or high weight with a low number of reps. The latter builds up bulk muscle while the other establishes tone. I'm a fan of the first. This is for several reasons, the first of which is the fact that it is less damaging to my ego. It also has the convenient fact that such a system builds tone. More importantly though, I find that you end up lifting more that way than with the high weight set up. You spend much of the time having the spotters lift it because your arms give out.

You know that feeling you get after a good workout where your limbs are loose and kind of dead at the same time? It's not a bad feeling, it's how you know you got a good workout. I don't get that feeling with the high weight/low reps set up. We did that the other day and I wasn't even sore the next day. For someone who's out of shape, soreness is a sign that I did something right.

While there are a variety of variations, I find the 3 sets of 8-12 as the ideal workout set up. When 3 sets of 8 for whatever weight you are lifting gets too easy, you up the number of reps. After you hit 12 reps you up the weight and start back at 8 reps.

You don't want to do a full workout everyday. Your body needs time to heal and you'll only end up doing damage to yourself as opposed to helping. Most people do rotations, doing upper body exercises one day, lower another day and the occasional day off. You could do a full workout 3 or 4 times a week with cardio filling in the gaps as well. Basically as long as you're not bench pressing every day, you'll be fine.

The exception to this rule is with cardio and ab workouts. For a while, I was biking 12 miles a day everyday with no trouble whatsoever. Ab workouts, whether it be crunches, leg lifts or extensions with an ab wheel work your muscles, but not to the extent that it has to be limited. If you're trying to get rid of the love handles, you'll need cardio to burn off the fat. Sit ups will build up the muscles, but the fat won't get burned off by that particular exercise.

A lot of people say that the gym is for people who are already in shape. I can definitely see why people think that. The vast majority of people who go to workout are already in shape. As such, it can be rather intimidating. Fortunately, they mind their own business. It's not like elementary gym class where people call you out for not being able to lift a certain amount or for only walking when everyone else is running. Getting back into shape is why you join a gym in the first place so there's no need to worry.

I read comic books, I have no place being in a gym. Yet, I go anyway. The first few weeks will be kind of rough, but it will be worth it in the long run.