Gyms can be intimidating. Step into one for the first time and you're surrounded with unfamiliar equipment and sweaty people, each person deeply involved in his own workout routine. Break down the barriers by learning how to use just one piece of equipment at a time; soon you'll have them all mastered. Keep in mind that you don't have to use every available piece of equipment. The gym offers as many options as possible, and choosing between them is up to you.
GETTING STARTED:
No matter what sort of gym workout you're about to do, you should always warm up first and cool down after. This gives your body a chance to ease in and out of the revved-up state it performs in during exercise, increasing your level of performance, and decreasing discomfort and risk of injury. Do five to 10 minutes of brisk cardio to warm up, followed by stretching the major muscles you intend to work. Cool down with the same procedure.
USES
To use gym equipment correctly, you have to understand what it's meant for. Strength-training equipment builds muscular strength and endurance. Depending on how you use it, you can build slim muscles or bulky muscles. Cardio equipment is designed to work your large muscle groups rhythmically, elevating your heart rate for an extended period of time. This stresses your cardiovascular system, prompting it to become more efficient and causing your heart, which is after all a muscle, to get stronger.
ADJUSTMENTS
Most gym equipment adjusts to accommodate a wide variety of users, so that the largest possible chunk of the gym's clientele has the most workout options possible. No size adjustments are necessary on elliptical trainers, stepmills, stair steppers, rowing machines and arm cycles. Exercise bike seats slide forward and back, or up and down, to accommodate different leg lengths. Most weight machines adjust in any of several places to fit your body: back rest, chest pad, seat elevation, knee pad, ankle roll and handle position. On most weight machines, making adjustments is as simple as pulling out on a spring-loaded pin, sliding the relevant pad to its new position, then reinserting the pin.
WEIGHTLIFTING
Theories abound about the best pattern of weightlifting sets and repetitions. But no matter what sort of equipment you're using, a single set of eight to 12 repetitions is usually enough, according to the American Council on Exercise. Lift an amount of weight that makes completing the last repetition with good form a challenge. Lift in a smooth, controlled cadence, exhaling as the weights go up and inhaling as the weights come down. Once you can do more than your target number of repetitions, increase the amount of weight you're lifting by 5 percent to 10 percent. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends strength training all major muscle groups at least twice a week.
CARDIO
The CDC recommends that adults should do 75 minutes of vigorous aerobic exercise per week, or 150 minutes of moderate-intensity exercise per week. But if you want to lose weight, you need to do more cardio workouts to burn as many calories as possible -- aim for 60 to 90 minutes of exercise on most days.
Monitor your exercise intensity by observing your body's condition. According to the American College of Sports Medicine, moderate-intensity activity elevates your heart rate and causes you to break a sweat, but you should still be able to carry on a conversation. As you work into more vigorous activity, you will become progressively more out of breath.
GETTING STARTED:
No matter what sort of gym workout you're about to do, you should always warm up first and cool down after. This gives your body a chance to ease in and out of the revved-up state it performs in during exercise, increasing your level of performance, and decreasing discomfort and risk of injury. Do five to 10 minutes of brisk cardio to warm up, followed by stretching the major muscles you intend to work. Cool down with the same procedure.
USES
To use gym equipment correctly, you have to understand what it's meant for. Strength-training equipment builds muscular strength and endurance. Depending on how you use it, you can build slim muscles or bulky muscles. Cardio equipment is designed to work your large muscle groups rhythmically, elevating your heart rate for an extended period of time. This stresses your cardiovascular system, prompting it to become more efficient and causing your heart, which is after all a muscle, to get stronger.
ADJUSTMENTS
Most gym equipment adjusts to accommodate a wide variety of users, so that the largest possible chunk of the gym's clientele has the most workout options possible. No size adjustments are necessary on elliptical trainers, stepmills, stair steppers, rowing machines and arm cycles. Exercise bike seats slide forward and back, or up and down, to accommodate different leg lengths. Most weight machines adjust in any of several places to fit your body: back rest, chest pad, seat elevation, knee pad, ankle roll and handle position. On most weight machines, making adjustments is as simple as pulling out on a spring-loaded pin, sliding the relevant pad to its new position, then reinserting the pin.
WEIGHTLIFTING
Theories abound about the best pattern of weightlifting sets and repetitions. But no matter what sort of equipment you're using, a single set of eight to 12 repetitions is usually enough, according to the American Council on Exercise. Lift an amount of weight that makes completing the last repetition with good form a challenge. Lift in a smooth, controlled cadence, exhaling as the weights go up and inhaling as the weights come down. Once you can do more than your target number of repetitions, increase the amount of weight you're lifting by 5 percent to 10 percent. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends strength training all major muscle groups at least twice a week.
CARDIO
The CDC recommends that adults should do 75 minutes of vigorous aerobic exercise per week, or 150 minutes of moderate-intensity exercise per week. But if you want to lose weight, you need to do more cardio workouts to burn as many calories as possible -- aim for 60 to 90 minutes of exercise on most days.
Monitor your exercise intensity by observing your body's condition. According to the American College of Sports Medicine, moderate-intensity activity elevates your heart rate and causes you to break a sweat, but you should still be able to carry on a conversation. As you work into more vigorous activity, you will become progressively more out of breath.
source:http://www.livestrong.com/article/315433-description-of-the-use-of gym-equipment/