What shall I do at the gym?

linsen
linsen Posts: 1,959
edited October 2008 in Commuting chat
I have a gym membership and now I cycle a fair bit too....
I can't cancel my membership yet, and anyway I like the sauna...
What else shall I do there?
Suggestions please, preferably not "how about a spin class" (too easy :wink:)
Emerging from under a big black cloud. All help welcome
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Comments

  • secretsam
    secretsam Posts: 5,098
    Ogle the fit bods

    It's just a hill. Get over it.
  • Jen J
    Jen J Posts: 1,054
    linsen wrote:
    I have a gym membership and now I cycle a fair bit too....
    I can't cancel my membership yet, and anyway I like the sauna...
    What else shall I do there?
    Suggestions please, preferably not "how about a spin class" (too easy :wink:)

    I love my gym. I swim before work, and then in my lunch break I go on the elliptical trainer for 30 minutes and do some weights.
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  • biondino
    biondino Posts: 5,990
    Do some weights; cross training; rowing machine; floor exercises. Don't use the treadmill as they are evil. Presumably you can get a fitness instructor to devise a suitable regime for you?
  • Jen J
    Jen J Posts: 1,054
    SecretSam wrote:
    Ogle the fit bods

    Not when you go at lunchtime. Not my gym anyway :(
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    Madone

    It's all about me...
  • Clever Pun
    Clever Pun Posts: 6,778
    Upper body (legs weights would be a waste)
    cv work... maybe rowing/running or a class to structure pushing yourself
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  • daniel_b
    daniel_b Posts: 11,538
    What about Squash or badminton, or is it purely a gym?

    Squash is the harder workout of the 2, if your evenly matched, badminton can be very good fun at most levels, and doubles is a stonking workout.

    Clearly you can't play either by yourself though, so that may be a hole in my plan...

    Dan
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  • I've just had a boxing session with a new trainer, surprisingly good CV, and good fun, as well as working mostly on the upper body.

    I tend to go for the rower, or the cross-trainer, and agree with Biondino that treadmills are evil.

    I do a lot of the free-motion weights, do my own spinning-racing classes with another trainer (too easy? get a personal trainer - it won't be for long). Don't go too mad on leg weights.

    I'm going to my first Pilates class this evening, and recently restarted thai boxing and escrima, at a different gym, but yours may offer something similar.

    I also do what I call SSR - silly swimming racing - where I do my best to humiliate the men in the pool splashing up and down. Had a great one yesterday - my breaststroke was faster than his front crawl :twisted:
  • I'm going to my first Pilates class this evening

    Pilates. Pah. A fancy name for yoga.

    And yoga is merely something practised by people trying to become autosexual.

    True story. I read it on the internet. Somewhere.
    Swim. Bike. Run. Yeah. That's what I used to do.

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  • linsen
    linsen Posts: 1,959
    edited October 2008
    Ever done a Pilates class Greg66? Afraid your pelvic floor's not up to it? :wink:
    Emerging from under a big black cloud. All help welcome
  • Jen J
    Jen J Posts: 1,054
    Greg66 wrote:
    I'm going to my first Pilates class this evening

    Pilates. Pah. A fancy name for yoga.

    And yoga is merely something practised by people trying to become autosexual.

    True story. I read it on the internet. Somewhere.

    I tried yoga once and pilates once. Both times I got a stinking headache :(
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    Madone

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  • I've never tried it before, but have heard on here from Jash and Litts that it's great for core strength, so I'll give it a go. I am slightly sceptical, but we'll see - I prefer more intensive exercise as a rule, see the list above!

    I'll let you know if I get a headache, Jen!
  • Jen J
    Jen J Posts: 1,054
    edited October 2008
    I've never tried it before, but have heard on here from Jash and Litts that it's great for core strength, so I'll give it a go. I am slightly sceptical, but we'll see - I prefer more intensive exercise as a rule, see the list above!

    Exactly - for me exercise has to be a little more rigorous than standing upright and breathing in and out. :wink:

    But, yes, if you have the patience, it is a great core workout. Or so I'm told...

    What's escrima btw LiT?
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  • linsen
    linsen Posts: 1,959
    I've done Pilates for years - never had back problems while I've been doing it - it's very good for core strength.

    Dan - I agree badminton and squash are brilliant - I play both (one passably, one terribly), but yes another person (and a gym with courts) would be a requirement - I ought to challenge some pupils to a game from time to time....
    Emerging from under a big black cloud. All help welcome
  • Jen J
    Jen J Posts: 1,054
    linsen wrote:
    I've done Pilates for years - never had back problems while I've been doing it - it's very good for core strength.

    Dan - I agree badminton and squash are brilliant - I play both (one passably, one terribly), but yes another person (and a gym with courts) would be a requirement - I ought to challenge some pupils to a game from time to time....

    Could you not play squash alone? Or a version of it at least. You'd be guaranteed to win?
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  • linsen
    linsen Posts: 1,959
    That is a good idea Jen..... :?
    I used to have membership at the local Uni which did have courts as well, and was dead cheap, but hanging around with 18-year-old sylphs was beginning to be a bit depressing... Good lot of fatties at my gym :D
    I could find a friend to play with - all of my buddies far too sendentary / pretend-busy for me though
    Emerging from under a big black cloud. All help welcome
  • il_principe
    il_principe Posts: 9,155
    Yep pilates is excellent for cycling. It's also much harder work than you'd think.

    p.s - cheeky plug time - My sister is a fully qualified and independent personal trainer working in the London area. If anyone wants a top notch PT (rather than the underqualified numpties found in the average gym chain) the drop me a PM! - Shameless plug over. :D
  • daniel_b
    daniel_b Posts: 11,538
    Jen J wrote:
    linsen wrote:
    I've done Pilates for years - never had back problems while I've been doing it - it's very good for core strength.

    Dan - I agree badminton and squash are brilliant - I play both (one passably, one terribly), but yes another person (and a gym with courts) would be a requirement - I ought to challenge some pupils to a game from time to time....

    Could you not play squash alone? Or a version of it at least. You'd be guaranteed to win?

    Other end of the scale, I have played doubles squash before, somewhat dangerous, due to four racquets flying about, and a small object ball traveling at pace, all within 4 walls - not to be recommended.
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  • Jen J wrote:

    What's escrima btw LiT?

    It's an armed martial art - comes from the philippines, you start off with two rattan sticks, each about 50cm in length, and once you've got the hang of not hurting yourself with those you move on to more stabby (wooden) implements.

    It's not exceptionally physically demanding like kickboxing, but it requires a lot of focus and good coordination. Kind of like meditation, but while hitting things.

    I love it.

    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eskrima
  • linsen wrote:
    Ever done a Pilates class Greg66? Afraid your pelvic floor's not up to it? :wink:

    It's all good down below thanks 8)

    (Your post suggests that the weak find that Pilates class results in some hideous form of prolapse or perhaps a dramatic and instant "Alien"-type explosion.

    Is that what happens? :shock: )
    Swim. Bike. Run. Yeah. That's what I used to do.

    Bike 1
    Bike 2-A
  • linsen
    linsen Posts: 1,959
    Greg66 wrote:
    linsen wrote:
    Ever done a Pilates class Greg66? Afraid your pelvic floor's not up to it? :wink:

    It's all good down below thanks 8)

    (Your post suggests that the weak find that Pilates class results in some hideous form of prolapse or perhaps a dramatic and instant "Alien"-type explosion.

    Is that what happens? :shock: )

    Not to me, I'm pleased to say, I was more referring to the type of women who politely decline offers of a go on a trampoline after they have produced their children......
    Emerging from under a big black cloud. All help welcome
  • il_principe
    il_principe Posts: 9,155
    linsen wrote:
    Not to me, I'm pleased to say, I was more referring to the type of women who politely decline offers of a go on a trampoline after they have produced their children......
    :shock: :shock: :shock: :shock: :shock: :shock:
  • linsen
    linsen Posts: 1,959
    No children then, Jash? :wink:
    Emerging from under a big black cloud. All help welcome
  • linsen wrote:
    Greg66 wrote:
    linsen wrote:
    Ever done a Pilates class Greg66? Afraid your pelvic floor's not up to it? :wink:

    It's all good down below thanks 8)

    (Your post suggests that the weak find that Pilates class results in some hideous form of prolapse or perhaps a dramatic and instant "Alien"-type explosion.

    Is that what happens? :shock: )

    Not to me, I'm pleased to say, I was more referring to the type of women who politely decline offers of a go on a trampoline after they have produced their children......

    What? WHAT?

    Actually scratch that, I don't want to know.

    Another one for my list of 'reasons never to have children'.

    :shock: :shock: :shock: :shock: :shock:
  • linsen
    linsen Posts: 1,959
    Don't make the list too long, LiT, I LOVE spending all my school holidays with my offspring - there is no end of fun to be had watching rubbish telly, freezing my butt off in theme parks, cleaning out / burying small rodents / washing clothes / tidying up / going on bike rides that I could walk quicker / staying in every evening etc etc
    Emerging from under a big black cloud. All help welcome
  • Jen J
    Jen J Posts: 1,054
    Another one for my list of 'reasons never to have children'.

    :shock: :shock: :shock: :shock: :shock:

    Yup. I have a nice little list too. Main one at the moment being I have a Double Iron triathlon in just over 9 months time. I'm sure that'll be worse than childbirth ;)
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  • linsen
    linsen Posts: 1,959
    Jen J wrote:
    Another one for my list of 'reasons never to have children'.

    :shock: :shock: :shock: :shock: :shock:

    Yup. I have a nice little list too. Main one at the moment being I have a Double Iron triathlon in just over 9 months time. I'm sure that'll be worse than childbirth ;)
    It'll doubtless last longer than the average!
    Emerging from under a big black cloud. All help welcome
  • I am so glad my wife is not reading this thread.

    We are aiming to unveil a new Fright Junior to the world in about three weeks, and I have assured her the labour will be straight forward and all over in 10 minutes maximum!
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  • Jen J
    Jen J Posts: 1,054
    I am so glad my wife is not reading this thread.

    We are aiming to unveil a new Fright Junior to the world in about three weeks, and I have assured her the labour will be straight forward and all over in 10 minutes maximum!

    A girl I work with had her waters break (4 weeks early) last Thursday at 3.30pm. At about 5pm the contractions started, and by 5.44pm the baby was born. And it was her first.
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    Madone

    It's all about me...
  • biondino
    biondino Posts: 5,990
    God knows who said women were allowed to read or watch daytime telly but I hardly know a female who wants to have kids these days. Which is a pain cos I do :shock:
  • I just like trampolines. Is that so bad? :P