Frequently Asked Questions

Q: How often should I exercise? Amy - Florida

A: Well a lot will depend on your fitness level. You should aim for 5-6 days of exercise per week. Devote 2-3 days to resistance training and the other days you will do aerobic training. If you are a beginner or haven't exercised recently start out with 3 days and progress forward.

Q: How long do I need to make my cardio workouts? Jenny - Nevada

A: The length of the workout is not near as important as the quality of your workout. Your goals should dictate the length of your workouts for you. If you are looking to lose weight try a high intensity interval program that lasts between 20 and 30 minutes. If you are training for a particular race or to improve your heart and lung function try a 30 to 60 minute run within your correct training zone.

Q: What is the best piece of equipment? Mike - California

A: Quite frankly the best piece of equipment is the piece you will use. You do not want your equipment to turn into a coat rack. My best advice is to experiment – buy a one day pass to your local gym and try out all the different pieces. Remember the equipment must meet your goals. If you are looking to primarily do resistance training a treadmill would not be your best option.

Q: I have been exercising for about six months. My progress seems to have stopped, why would this happen? Pat - New York

A: It appears you have hit a plateau, which means your results have leveled off or have stopped increasing. Your body has become so efficient with your workout that you are no longer seeing improvements. When exercising not matter what type you must always remember the principle of overload. The body must overcome a resistance that the body is not used to. This does not mean you have to add to your weight everyday or increase your speed each workout. But you do need to change the variables around and change them often. Frequency, intensity, speed, exercises or changing the order of exercises are some of the different variables that could be altered.

Q: Are the calorie counters and heart rate monitors found on the machines at the gym accurate? Phil - New Jersey

A: The heart rate monitors if working correctly are almost always accurate within a couple of beats 100% of the time on all of the machines. However the calorie counters are not nearly as accurate. The just do not take into account enough personal information. Those monitors can be off by as much as 100 – 200 calories.

Q: Why am I more sore two days after a workout? Tracey - Florida

A: You are experiencing DOMS, or Delayed Onset Muscle Soreness. This is very common occurrence for beginners or even experienced exercisers when they change their workouts. It is a normal response to the exertion placed on the muscles. It is thought that microscopic tears of the muscle fibers could be responsible for the pain. As the body adapts to the new exercise the pain after each exercise session will decrease.

Q: I have never exercised before – what is a good starting point? Wanda - Nebraska

A: You will want to begin a resistance training program 2 times a week utilizing exercises for each major body part. 1 – 2 sets of 15 – 20 reps. Remember to have at least 48 hours rest between workouts. You will also want to start an aerobic program 3 days a week. Try to do about 25 minutes on your favorite piece of equipment.

Q: I really hate to exercise, but I know it is something I need to do if I want to realistically meet my goals. Can you help? Alex - Georgia

A: First and foremost let’s tackle the variables under witch you workout. Sometimes there is a simple solution hidden underneath of it all. What you do, where you workout and who you workout with are the biggest obstacles. If you hate anyone of these three they have to be changed for you to be successful.