22 Mar 2016 From the mailbox
by Karl Lenser
Q: I have been a regular exerciser at my fitness center for the past five months and have been losing some weight and inches. Up to now, I have done strictly cardio workouts, but I am interested in doing some strength training, but I am a bit intimidated to venture into the weight room. Any advice would be helpful. Thank you!
A: It’s great that you are interested in adding some strength training to your routine. Strength training provides a plethora of benefits including fat loss, improved appearance, lowering of blood pressure and boosting your metabolism.
My advice would be to find a staff person from the fitness floor and ask them to help you get started on a plan. A basic beginner plan will only need about 10 exercises to cover all the major muscle groups. It is best to start small and simple so you don’t get overwhelmed by trying to learn an excessive number of machines.
Be sure to write the exercises down on a sheet of paper with the seat heights, number of repetitions and the resistance load listed as well. Usually, I start my clients performing 12 repetitions per machine and I give them enough of a workload so that the 10th, 11th and 12th repetitions are difficult, but light enough to maintain good form.
Another good option that I recommend is to check out group exercise classes that are geared for strength and toning. There is strength in numbers and the accountability factor is also a benefit of taking group exercise classes. In addition, mixing music with a workout makes time go by a lot faster.
Q: Some of my co-workers have convinced me to train for a summer 5K. I have never run before, so I am wondering how to get started.
A: Congratulations on accepting this challenge from your co-workers! I think you will be amazed at how your fitness and energy levels will increase during the training. Jogging is a great calorie burner and does a great job of toning the leg and butt muscles.
The first thing to do is to buy a pair of running shoes that are comfortable and match the type of foot that you have. I suggest going to a specialty running store that can analyze your foot anatomy to see if you have a flat foot, high-arched foot or something in between. Some stores will have a treadmill in the store or may have you walk or jog across the floor to check how your feet and ankles move at footstrike. They will use the information to select a few shoes that will match your feet and your running style.
One of the most important factors in running is having the proper shoes that match your feet. Once this is accomplished, then you have to get started on a training program. My advice is to start slowly and gradually build up your mileage. Perhaps the “Couch to 5K” program would be a good plan to look at to give you an idea on a training schedule.
In addition, make sure to ask the staff at the running store for advice as they all have a lot of experience in training and assisting customers. In addition, you could also check and see if there is a running club in your city as they usually will have training runs or possibly walking groups that meet on certain days and times.
A Conway resident, Karl Lenser is the employee wellness coordinator at the University of Arkansas at Little Rock. He has bachelor’s and master’s degrees from the University of Wisconsin-LaCrosse. An accomplished runner, he can be reached at [email protected].
