Weight Training Blog

If you’re just getting into weight lifting, just about any gym will meet your needs for the first several months. But I don’t recommend putting down money on any gym membership just because it’s the closest gym around. There are some other variables that you should take into consideration that may help you make a better decision.

Location:

As I mentioned before, location shouldn’t be the only thing that you take into consideration when joining a gym, but it’s certainly one of the most important aspects you need to look into when joining a gym. Ideally, you want to join a gym that is close to where you work or where you live this way you can’t make up excuses as to why you can’t get to the gym. In the best case scenario, you should join a gym that is in between where you work and where you live this way you can go to the gym before or after work, or if you’re off from work for the day it’s not too far out of the way to make a trip. 

Atmosphere:

This isn’t always easy to spot as soon as you walk into a gym, but you should join a gym if the atmosphere within is uplifting. By uplifting I mean friendly staff who are knowledgeable about what they’re doing, gym members who seem motivated are important, (A few meat heads aren’t always a bad thing; they’ll help you stay motivated) equipment that is well maintained and clean, and music. I know some gyms that don’t have any music, and it’s a very awkward feeling lifting when it’s silent. If possible, ask others what they think about the gym and make your decisions based on a few testimonials from friends and other members.

Equipment:

When you get more advanced, more weight and proper equipment will be necessary for you to stay on top of your game. Let’s face it, some gyms aren’t equipped for that 800 pound squat or that 600 pound dead lift. Some gyms don’t even have that kind of weight available, and forget about it if there’s someone else there lifting – you’ll be fighting over weights all the time. If you’re more advanced, then picking a smaller gym might not be the best idea for you. Make sure they have the right equipment before signing up.

Hours of Operation:

Simply put, make sure the gym is open for long enough hours. If you work till 9pm every night, and the gym closes at 10pm, then that isn’t the right choice for you. Also make sure you check out their weekend hours, as most gym owners these days seem to be under the impression that people stop working out after 3pm on Saturdays and Sundays.

Price:

This is one of the last things that you should be thinking about when you join a gym because to me you cannot put a price on your physical health. If there are two similar gyms in the same area with similar pricing schemes, the cheaper of the two deals would be the logical choice. Be careful though, some gyms charges large “set up” fees, cancellation fees if you cancel early, and some will lock you into an entire year before you can cancel without penalty.

I suspect many newer gym-goers are guilty of this: Getting side tracked instead of focusing on the task at hand. I frequently see people in the gym who go there to talk rather than to work out. I’ve seen some people complete a set, and then go and talk to someone for almost an hour, and then return to working out as if nothing had happened. Not only is it a waste of time, but it’s almost like going to workout without doing a brief warm up again since your body has “cooled down” during that hour of being idle. 

True, who am I to tell them what to do, but at the same time, isn’t stupid to be paying a monthly fee to go into a building and talk? That’s what they have Twitter for.

I recommend going to the gym armed with an mp3 player – whether it be a fancy iPOD that you got ripped off for, or a SanDisk SanSa mp3 player you got at Wal Mart for 35 dollars. Doing this will help you stay focused by drowning out any and all side conversations that you might otherwise find yourself getting involed in. Also, make sure that you have good music to listen to before going as well. Try to pick something out that will get you going.

Some people I know can only listen to techno while working out because the beat gets them going. Others listen to Metallica or other metal, and some people listen to rap. The bottom line is listen to whatever it is that’s going to get you going. 

The more time you spend working out and the less time you spend talking in the gym will make the difference of seeing your desired results quicker.

Ever since someone told me that they take in about 1000 grams of protein per day on a some what regular basis, it got me thinking – just how much is too much?

First, let me start by saying, 1000 grams per day is too much. Quite frankly, it’s stupid. It doesn’t take a rocket scientist to figure out that your body cannot, and will not digest 1000 grams of protein per day properly. In fact, the bulk of it will be purged in the form of waste, or will be used as energry through the process of  gluconeogenesis because your body’s instincts know better than your conscious brain. Simply put, ingesting one half of a 5 pound container of whey protein per day isn’t going to get you huge in a day. Nice try. Try steroids if you’re looking for that effect. It’ll be cheaper in the long run.

So how much is a good amount? It can vary from person to person, but as a rule of thumb, anywhere from one gram to a gram and a half per pound of body weight is almost an optimal level of protein intake. Does this mean ingest this amount of protein all at the same time? No. It means that through out the course of the day you should ingest nearly one gram of protein per pound of body weight. This amount should be comprised of foods rich in protein, as well as protein shakes mixed with either water or milk.

True, if you weigh 1000 pounds, then with this math you should be ingesting 1000 grams of protein a day, but if that’s the case, I suggest you stop reading this and hit a tredmil or seek medical help immediatly.