What kind of workout should I do at the gym?

[belledetenebres]

I just got a gym membership and I don't really know what kind of workouts should I do. I want to lose some weight but also to build muscle.

If it helps, I am 17, I weigh 110 pounds and my height is 5'2''.

[WhiteSteve]

Anonymous guy pretty much said it all. The hardest part is training yourself to make it part of your routine. After a month or so it gets to a point where you feel weird NOT going to the gym. Also, don't get discouraged when you don't see drastic results right away, keep at it. Before you know it it's 6 months later and you'll be like "WHOA...I look GOOD!" Another thing is to not watch the scale too much. You'll be losing fat while gaining muscle, so your weight may not change as much as you hope. Just remember it's JUST A NUMBER. I can show you two guys that are 6'2, 220. One is an NFL strong safety, jacked with 7% body fat. The other is a dumpy soft-body with man-boobs, at 27% body fat. See what I'm saying? So just join the cult of gym freaks, drink the kool aid! Unless you have a child, NOTHING should come before taking care of your physical self! And if you have a kid, get a sitter or join a gym with a daycare! Honestly, I don't know how I ever lived without going to the gym, I used to be lazy as hell. I look good, I feel good. And the gym is my sanctuary. I put my headphones on and just lift and run, and get away from the world for a couple hours. Nothing can touch me in there.

So get into it, and ask the trainers to show you some exercises. In actually a certified trainer myself. I'd give you some tips, but it's tough if I can't show you, haha. Good luck!

[WhiteSteve]

Whoops, didn't read the age/height/weight. Honestly at 5'2, 110 is probably about where you should be, but either way, you should exercise. 17 is a great time to get into working out too. A lot of people don't set foot in a gym until they're 40 and their doctor said the need to exercise. It's tougher to form new habits later in life.

[Anonymous]

It sounds like what you want to do is some general conditioning/cross training.

I'd suggest you first focus on consistency. That is, just getting into the habit of getting to the gym on a regular basis (say 4-5 times per week). It doesn't have to be long--just regular. You'll want to do a mix of cardio and weight training workouts. So you should do 3 of one and 2 of the other each week. For the cardio, do a mix of running, cardio machines (elliptical, stationary bikes, step machine, rowing machine, or pool) and for weights, focus on your big muscle groups (legs, chest and back).

Hope that helps.

[vishna]

Work the treadmill (it's fun)

My gym has fun classes that are of no extra charge, do those, they are so much fun. :)

Spinning is also a lot of fun for some people (it's not my thing but you should try it and see if you like it)

[syrick]

i suggest cardio or benching iwth squats. mixed with curls. do them fast never stopping. only 8 second imbetween 8 reps. gave me so much muscle mass os fast. every now and again you'll need to stop and breath for a mintue. trust me. you'll burn fat and do good. I did it in football.

[John83]

Do both cardio and weightlifting. Cardio burns more calories and weightlifting adds muscle which takes more calories to maintain than fat so it will help increase your metabolism naturally and help you burn more calories while resting. For cardio, you could either run on a treadmill or use an elliptical or stationary bike which are easier on your knees. For weight lifting, you'll want to alternate muscle groups, so you could go with alternating upper and lower body once or twice a week each.

[stubbsy]

Do a search for a beginners guide to weight training and toning, because you need to train all muscle groups, so a weekly routine is essential. Bodybuilding.com is a good place to start,x

[repetron]

Ask the trainers there what you should do, that's what they're there for.

[Anonymous]

YOU ARE YOUNG and still growing... so don't put too much stress on your body.