Cardiovascular fitness, muscle strength, and flexibility are all key components of fitness. At the gym, you should participate in exercises and activities that will give you a balanced workout. If you are a beginner, it is recommended to build up your cardiovascular stamina and endurance first, and then add strength training. Stretching should always follow both cardio and strength training.

  1. Stay hydrated during and after your workouts. If you have sweated profusely during your workout, you may want to drink Gatorade or another energy drink that replenishes potassium and other minerals lost through perspiration.
  2. Please don’t come to the gym if you’re sick; it’s not fair to your fellow exercisers.
  3. Wash your hands immediately and thoroughly after using gym equipment to protect yourself from germs and bacteria.
  4. Check out the web or your local library for a wealth of information about cardio, strength and flexibility training.

Cardio Tips

Most gyms have several types of cardio equipment. Make sure that you receive instructions about how to fit the equipment to your body before you use it. Also, vary the types of equipment you use, so that you use different leg muscles and arm muscles to raise your heart rate and reduce the risk of wear and tear on the joints.

Add a cool-down to your workout on the cardio equipment. This will prevent blood from accumulating in your lower extremities after a vigorous workout.

Equipment Tips

Treadmills: see Jogging & Running – Gear for more information about footwear.

Stationary Bicycles: When pedaling, make sure that you can extend your leg without locking your knee.

Stair Steppers: Don't lean your arms on the machine during rapid stepping periods.

Strength Training Tips

Get instruction from textbooks, the web or a trainer and you can enjoy strength training for a lifetime. Without proper training you risk injury and your gym days may be numbered.

  1. Warm up on the cardio equipment for five to 10 minutes before using the strength training equipment of stretching.
  2. Don’t forget to stretch:
    • Stretching is critical after strength training. Strength training causes the muscles to contract, and gently stretching each muscle afterwards will help keep those muscles in an elongated position.
    • It’s ideal to stretch after a cardio workout because your muscles are still warm and are therefore more flexible.
  3. Most gyms have more than one machine for a specific muscle or muscle group.  Minimally, comprehensive strength training should include exercises for each of the following muscles/muscle groups. Also, if you exercise a muscle, it is important to exercise the opposing muscle group. These groups are identified below.

    4. Lower Body

    • Gluteal muscles (or gluts): Use a leg press machine or perform squats with or without weights.
    • Quadriceps (or quads, front upper thigh): Use a knee extension machine or perform standing knee lifts, or floor lying leg lifts, with or without leg weights. Opposing muscle group = hamstrings.
    • Hamstrings (back upper thigh): Use a hamstring curl machine or perform standing hamstring curls, with our without leg weights.
    • Adductors (inner thigh): Use the adductor machine or perform floor lying inner thigh raises, with or without leg weights.
    • Abductors (outer thigh): Use the abductor machine or perform floor lying side leg raises, with or without leg weights.
    • Calf muscles: Perform standing heel raises. Opposing muscle group = tibialis anterior
    • Tibialis anterior (front lower leg) Perform standing or seated toes raises.

    Upper Body

    • Chest (pectoral) muscles: Use a chest press machine, or perform chest presses or chest flies using free weights or a weighted bar. Opposing muscle group = upper back muscles. 
    • Superficial upper back muscles (trapezius muscles or traps and latissimus dorsi or lats): Use the lat pull-down machine.
    • Deeper upper back muscles: Use the row machine, or perform upright rows with free weights.
    • Shoulders: Use the shoulder raise or overhead press machines OR perform front, diagonal or side shoulder raises. Note: the weight needs to stay below shoulder level.
    • Abdominals: Use the abdominal machine or perform bent knee (not straight-legged) crunches. Rest your head in your outstretched fingers, look at the ceiling, not your knees, and lift from the chest, not the neck. Opposing muscle group = back extensors.
    • Back extensors that support slight backward arching of the back. Use the back extension machine or perform a modified cobra. 
    • Biceps (front upper arm): Use the biceps curl machine (hard to fit smaller people), or perform biceps curls. Opposing muscle group = triceps
    • Triceps (back upper arm): Use the dip or triceps pull down equipment, or perform overhead or floor lying triceps extensions.
  4. When using free weights, make sure your knees are soft (not locked), your head is aligned with your spine, and your shoulders are down (not tensed up by your ears).  Your wrist should remain neutral (wrinkle free in all angles) throughout the lift.
  5. Wait at least 48 hours before exercising the same muscle group again, as it takes this much time for your body to repair muscle fibers that have been fatigued or broken down during exercise. If you want to strength train every day, alternate between upper body and lower body exercises. 
  6. Keep your workouts fresh by varying your gym activities, taking a class, changing machines, and changing your routine. Enjoy!