Should I trust the coach in my Gym (in terms of fitness knowledge) ?

Question

Okay so he asked me like 3 weeks ago what were my fitness goals, I told him to lower my body fat % and increase my Muscle mass to become toned.
He gave me a plan, everyday cardio for 40 minutes ( I use the elliptical with a certain intensity and certain speed not to go under).--> My heart rate is between 155/170 during the whole session.

On top of the cardio he told me to do strength training everyday, one day upper body, and one day lower body ( using the machines like biceps curls machine for example, 5 for the upper body and 5 for the lower body 3x15)+ abs everyday.

The coaches in my gym are athletic fit and hot lol but they are not like Bodybuilders, they are not very jacked, like most of the muscular guys on here are bulkier than them (they still have hot and muscular bodies though).
So I'm not sure, and after reading some articles it says that cardio is not that beneficial unless you want to run a marathon or something. Plus apparently it could be counterproductive as it destroys the muscles you build during weight training.

Should I keep on doing 40 minutes cardio + 30/40 minutes weight training everyday and trust my coach?

WhiteSteve · Accepted Answer

The only argument I have is the target heart rate. You're in the cardio zone, not the fat burning zone. 220-(your age of 20)=200 (Math whiz🤓) is your maximum heart rate, in beats per minute. Based on my training in... training😂... you want to operate in the window of 60-70% of that max, to be burning fat most efficiently. To be transparent though, my knowledge is 10+ years old, and there may be new theories out there. High Intensity Interval Training, or "HIIT" is very popular these days, and to be totally honest, I'm not familiar with the ins and outs of it enough to speak on it with any expertise. But from the personal perspective, I've decreased my BF% by almost 15% in the past 9 months or so, using the 60-70% method, on the metabolism of a 36/37 year old. My understanding is that going above that will improve your cardiovascular health, but isn't optimal for burning fat.

In short, these guys probably know what they're talking about. You may want to ask about the 60-70% window and if he thinks you're working at the correct intensity. He may have his reasons for giving you that specific instruction. You're considerably younger than I am, so our bodies and metabolisms, etc, will be very different. I may need to operate at optimal fat burning rates while you can enjoy the benefits of improved cardio while also shedding some body fat at decent clip working out at higher intensities. I mean, it's not like you'll stop burning fat altogether at the higher rate, it's just about optimizing.

First and foremost though, get your diet right. You can work out til the cows come home, but if you eat the wrongs things it can nullify all of it. Eat as clean as feasibly possible. Get to be best friends with quinoa, chicken breast if you eat meat, eggs, leafy greens like spinach. You can't out-train a bad diet. And don't drink your calories either, stick with water, even most juices are loaded with sugar. Green tea is also very good for you, and is a natural fat burner👌

BubbleBoy69 · Accepted Answer

Your body burns off fat after 45 minutes. First it uses up glucose then it starts using alternate sources creating lactic acid then finally your body starts burning off fat around 45 marks. Your cardio should be longer.

Also why you no post pictures so we can see your progress now and tell you on what you should work on?

jesshkah · Accepted Answer

He's right, the best way to tone up and lose weight is to mix both cardio and strength training, though I don't think you need to do like almost 2 hours of work every day. 20 minutes cardio should be fine when you first start off, and then you can up the time and intensity if it get's too easy for you.

Also you should fit in rest days for your body to recover, so depending on how hard you're working out you shouldn't really be doing it every day. If you're not lifting heavy then it's more okay.

Some trainers choose to stay slim or athletic and toned rather than body build. It's just a difference in preference in how you want your body to look like.

BelleGirl21 · Accepted Answer

Sounds like a really good regime to me. To get fit and toned you will work out differently than body builders. Also to get really nice definition it has to come through diet and cardio. Believe me on that. I cam lift a ton but I'm not super toned because I hate cardio and love cookies lol

BertMacklinFBI · Answer

cardio before strength training is beneficial. dwayne johnsons program requires 50 minutes on the elliptical before lifting and the guy is big and ripped.

Phoenix98 · Answer

The strength training part is right but I usually do one body part a day, like chest one day, shoulders the next and so on and so forth like that. You need to be lifting at low reps with heavy weight while still being able to maintain perfect or near perfect form so don't go so heavy that your form suffers because form will build muscle more effectively then lugging around massive weight with poor form will.

Cardio should not be done every day but 2-3 days a week with at least one day in between each cardio session, and no session should go beyond 30 minutes to an hour tops also endless cardio sessions actually don't do much in the long run because cardio ceases to be effective after so much consistent cardio. And since your focus is on muscle growth and toning then cardio should not be the main focus and should be done after strength training.

And the most important, important thing is your diet "YOU MUST MEET YOUR BODIES DIETARY NEEDS" if you train hard then you need to eat the food to compensate because when your workout it damages your body, and in order to repair it your body requires requirements nutrients and minerals most importantly "PROTEIN" lots of protein which are literally the building blocks of your body and if you don't eat enough protein to rebuild your body your muscles won't get bigger or stronger, your progress will slow and your body will seek to cannibalize the protein from other sources in your body. You need to eat and eat healthy and meet your bodies dietary needs it is so important you can train like a train like a monster but if you don't eat right then it won't do anything and the same goes the other way around to.

thorthorley · Answer

If you want to increase your muscle mass as a main goal then yes you are doing too much cardio. I would limit cardio to maybe once or twice a week and focus primarily on weights to build muscle.

However, cardio is great for weight loss and reducing your body fat % so if thats your main goal then focus on cardio for your workout.

TripleAce · Answer

It seems like you are not very aware of what works yet... Do what he says but he is indeed making it very simple for you. Cutting out the more advanced stuff

Do work outs like this for 6 months and you should have a good idea of what works and what doesn't

0112358 · Answer

Most trainers know a little. Some know a lot. Some don't know much. Maybe I'd say most don't know much.

If you have enough time to do the workout suggested, it's not bad. It's not what I'd do, but that's more for time efficiency then anything else.

If you want to focus on toning, i might do the strength work first.

Diet would be key.

ModernDayCrusader · Answer

He is just taking your money
I think you should get off those machines and start lifting free weights
Ask him to show you how to use free weights

Also diet plays a key role, if you eat too little your body is likely gonna store fat more efficiently (BAD)

Get three high quality meals in and try to create a small calorie deficit over an extended period of time

Other_Tommy_Wiseau · Answer

You literally said in the beginning that you wanna burn fat. Cardio is the best way to burn fat. Burning fat and increasing muscle mass are 2 different things. If you have no idea what you're doing, which it kinda sounds like, then you best be listening to ol'boy

Anonymous · Answer

What level is his certificate? Some can be "certified" in as little as 30 days.
Phoenix98 summed it up. I too only work 1 major muscle group once per week. The theory is you are working a secondary muscle group. When you work your chest you are also working your Tri's. Back also works your Bi's.
He's telling you to work them 3 X's a week? That's too much.

MarcusCamBam · Answer

Yeah that's too much cardio a day... cut that in half you get slim in the kitchen... meal prep... Google it. lift more weights like an hour Mon Tues and Thursday Friday... Wednesday off just rest do gentle yoga or somthing relaxing... eat moderatly small consistent portions about 6 times a day every 3 hours.

geraya-sansey · Answer

i think you should trust him because cardio will help your metabolism during the period of rest and out of the gym, your heart will boost the blood circulation wile weight training will build your muscles, but if you can not do both then use one day cardio and one day body building , this is easyer , and don't forget to drink a lot of water

ConsultantIsBack · Answer

Literally anyone can become a trainer it's so easy. Being a fitness coach or trainer means literally nothing. Lots of them aren't even really in shape lol

LaVilaine · Answer

Cardio is what helps you actually lose fat, so don't stop doing it.

anonman32 · Answer

the muscle mass being burned away during cardio training is so little that its not a factor, unless you dont do weight training it will be a factor.

Iron_Man · Answer

Yes trust them they don't have to look like a Bull like I do

Anonymous · Answer

40 minutes cardio and 40 minutes strength training? Lmao You will end up looking masculine... You just wasted the membership fees though.. sigh

Polocrew · Answer

What you fueling on throughout the day?

VegasNewFallout · Answer

All you have to do is eat clen and tren hard.

Waffles731 · Answer

Its his job so yes

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