Help me with a gym routine

[semi-pro waster]

I don't know too much about hyper-extension of the joints but swimming is brilliant as a form of exercise because it is so low impact so for anyone with problems with their joints or injuries it tends to be recommended. It's good cardio and oddly I rather like the smell of chlorine that lingers on your skin after you leave. Regrettably I don't go as often as I should because the timetable of the gym that I'm a member of tends not to suit me much.

You might also like to consider climbing since I notice that your gym has that option, it's good fun, gives you more flexibility and strength plus you'll be stunned just how intensive it is handing on to something with just fingertip strength sometimes.

[Kitten]

^^ theres a very pleasing tiredness you get from swimming too that doesn't come with other sports. But then, I always loved swimming and did it competitively for years, so maybe I'm biased!!

[LeperousDust]

No kitten i totally agree, swimming is my pleasure too, and i'm thinking of joining the exact same gym as Paula for swimming again, its just relatively expensive for someone as poor as me atm (even though its actually silly cheap)...

I've still never actually taken part in a stereotypical "guy gym" session and i wouldn't know what to do at all, am i weird ?

I need someone to swim with atm as well, no one ever wants to go with me

[semi-pro waster]

£95 for the year, sweet mother of god, I pay almost that in two months for my gym and it isn't as well equipped as that - I'd be snapping hands off for something like that and then after the inevitable prison sentence for assault I'd be using the facilities.

As an aside I'm actually back in Edinburgh for the weekend and unexpectedly find myself with time to kill so if either of you fancy a drink or something then let me know.

[LeperousDust]

I know i know its a great deal but its still £100 on top of what i already can't afford. It used to be about £40 2/3 years ago! Inflation, pah mental .

I'm actually not around Edinburgh just yet, although i am back up next week, just get in touch whenever you're around and if i'm free i'll more than likely oblige to a drink

[Blackstar]

Of course semi-pro it would be nice to see your tall self again. I'm working 12-3pm on Sat but other than that give me a text and I'll pop along.

As for swimming, I used to love it and go about 3 times a week but now the idea of anyone seeing me in anything less than a lot of clothes isn't one I'm entertaining for a little while.

[semi-pro waster]

Ok cool, I don't have any particular plans for going out so maybe a couple of drinks in the Hunters Tryst unless you've got any other preference as it is relatively close to both of us? I'll send you a text tomorrow to check anyway.

[Blackstar]

Hunters Tryst is really quite nice, sounds good to me.

[Piggymon]

Originally Posted by Blackstar

Maybe 1 1/2 hours about 2/3 times a week. http://www.sport.ed.ac.uk/ this is the gym facilities are top right the are 3 different free weight rooms (under resistance training).

To start off with I think you'd do really well to start with some classes. You'll get someone pushing you, you'll have fun, you'll ensure you do the full hour and you'll have someone keeping an eye on you to make sure you're doing the exercises right - there's a fantastic range of classes !

If you can make 3 classes I would suggest 2 pure cardio and one weights/resistance based - if you want to take it further and once you're comfortable with the exercises you can start looking at the gym work. I did the classes for about a year or so

Diet.. I cannot stress how important this is .. your physique is built in the kitchen and NOT in the gym. You ( generic you ) cannot get away with eating crap and thinking it will burn off if you go to the gym a few times week.

I exercise, on average, 5 times a week and if I have just a weekend of eating crap I put on a few pounds.

What is your daily diet ?

[Blackstar]

My daily diet is pretty shocking currently i'm eating on average one meal a day, usually after 9pm once i get home from work. It can vary from pasta and home made veg sauce to pork and rice and on Tuesdays I have cheese-free pizza from pizza hut. I am never very adventurous because of my veg problem (if it blends its fine). Other than that I live off diet coke and snack on anything I can lay my hands on, although at the moment it is apples because that is what we have in the house.
Due to recent events I've had to cut out a lot of things like cheese or I get ill, i'm still getting ill on my current diet but seems to be better reducing dairy. I'm also supposed to cut down on wheat and other beige food (carbohydrates) as they irritate my stomach. Although pizza Tuesday is important.