Quality fitness classes conducted in a gym are considered much more effective than home workouts. Regardless of the goal, to lose weight or gain muscle mass, in the gym a person will be able to achieve visible results faster due to the presence of a large number of additional equipment there.
Understanding how to independently draw up a training program, as well as knowing which exercises will be most effective in a particular case, an athlete will be able not only to transform his body in the shortest possible time, but also to avoid injuries during training.
Training program
Gym activities aimed at reducing body fat should be led by a professional fitness trainer.
The specialist will not only correctly draw up a training program taking into account the state of health, physical fitness, as well as the desired result of the athlete, but also monitor his compliance with the exercise technique. This will reduce the risk of injury and the likelihood of being "counterproductive" as a result of the exercise.
In the absence of the opportunity to use the services of a professional, a person can independently draw up a training scheme for himself, observing the basic recommendations for performing physical activities for weight loss:
- include exercises for various muscle groups in a complex planned to be performed in one day (this will help to work out the whole body evenly, avoiding overtraining of its individual sections);
- within the framework of one workout, it is recommended to alternate exercises that are different in their focus (strength and cardio; "pull-push" and so on. This will help to avoid premature overwork of the body and to make the maximum number of approaches);
- as the final part of the workout (cool down), you should use a high-intensity cardio load (it helps to accelerate metabolic processes that play a major role in the process of losing weight);
- it is important to observe all stages of the lesson (hitch, main part, warm-up, stretching exercises), since this is the only way to work out the whole body evenly, while not giving the cardiovascular system a harmful load.
Despite the fact that cardio loads are considered the most effective for losing weight, it is not recommended to include them only in the program.
The same intensity, maintained throughout the entire workout, leads to a quick adaptation of the body and lack of results.
If there are contraindications that prevent full training (strength and cardio loads), the athlete should compose the training plan so that exercises to strengthen the cardiovascular system have different intensities within the same training.
To achieve this goal, losing weight must be engaged in the gym at least 3 times a week for 2 - 2.5 hours. The number of approaches in performing each exercise should not exceed 3.
If the specified number of approaches is significantly exceeded, the athlete runs the risk of overtraining the muscles, which will subsequently lead to pain in the body due to the accumulation of lactic acid in the body.
Warm up
The warm-up should consist of exercises, the intensity of which usually increases as the introductory part of the complex is completed. At this stage, the athlete's goal is to maximize muscle preparation for further training, accelerate metabolic processes, as well as set the breathing rhythm for the subsequent load.
The most effective warm-up exercises are:
| Exercise | Number of repetitions | Algorithm of execution |
| Stretching the neck muscles | 3*10 | 1. Stand up straight; place your legs shoulder-width apart; put your hands in the belt area; slightly push the chest forward; stretch your neck. 2. Slowly tilt your head to the right shoulder and, feeling the stretching of the neck muscles as much as possible, smoothly return to the starting position (PI). 3. Repeat step 2, tilting in the opposite direction. 4. Repeat step 2, tilting the head forward. 5. Repeat step 2, tilting the head back. 6. Turn your head to the right, as if trying to touch the shoulder joint with your chin. Fix the position for 3 seconds, then return to the PI. 7. Repeat step 6, turning your head to the left |
| Head rotation | 5 for each side | 1. Stand up straight; put your legs in a free position; raise the chin; place your hands on the belt. 2. Draw a circle with your head in the air (left shoulder - forward - right shoulder - back) |
| Circular hand swings | 2*10 | 1. Take an upright position; move the chest slightly forward; place your hands along the body. 2. Perform rotational movements with your hands, using the shoulder joint |
| Stretching the lateral core muscles | 20 | 1. Stand up straight; place the feet at a distance equal to the width of the shoulders; place your hands on the belt. 2. Tilt the upper body to the right, while controlling that the pelvis remains motionless. 3. Return to the IP, and repeat step 2, performing a similar tilt to the left |
| "Lock" | 30 sec. | 1. Stand up straight; move the chest slightly forward; fasten hands in a lock behind the back, bending the spine forward in the thoracic region. 2. Fix the position for the specified amount of time, maximally stretching the muscles of the chest. 3. Slowly relaxing, return to the IP |
| Circular knee movements | 20 times for each direction | 1. Place your feet as close to each other as possible; close your knees; put the backs of the palms on your knees, slightly bending the lower limbs; the back is straight. 2. Without separating the knees from each other, make the required number of rotational movements of the knee joints, while making sure that the upper part of the body remains motionless |
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Gym workouts should include both strength training and cardio exercises. In theory, you can strengthen your cardiovascular system with any exercise performed with minimal resistance at a fast pace.
One of the most effective cardio complexes for weight loss is training on the most popular simulators, which includes:
| Exercise | lead time | Algorithm of execution |
| Running on a treadmill | 20 minutes. | The intensity of the exercise should be chosen taking into account the weight of the athlete. If a person's body weight exceeds 85 kg, do not work hard on a treadmill, thereby injuring the joints and bones, as well as negatively affecting the cardiovascular system. If you are overweight, it is enough to walk at a moderate pace, controlling the frequency and depth of breathing. If the athlete's body weight is in a relative norm, for transformation in his case, running will be required, implying a gradual increase in speed and incline angle (the indicator is set by the functionality of the treadmill) |
| Stepper walking | 20 minutes. | The stepper is suitable for people who do not have diseases of the joints and skeletal system. Exercises in such a simulator involve vigorous alternating bending of the legs, resting the feet on the pedals of the device.  The resistance is independently regulated by a person or an automatic program is selected that changes the load after a certain period of time. The stepper not only helps to strengthen the cardiovascular system, but also helps to reduce subcutaneous fat in the buttocks, thighs and legs |
| Riding a stationary bike | 20 minutes. | Exercises are the safest, since the load on the heart during their execution is as close to natural as possible (for example, during a light jog in the fresh air). Modern simulators that simulate cycling allow a person not only to independently set the resistance level, but also to control the pulse range, which, when losing weight, should vary from 120 to 140 beats per minute. |
Cardio training is recommended to be performed in a well-ventilated area to ensure adequate oxygen supply to the body. Otherwise, during the session, the athlete may experience dizziness, nausea, a sharp drop in pressure and a feeling of lack of air.
Strength exercises
Exercises in the gym, in particular their main part, must necessarily include strength exercises. Depending on the equipment of the gym, as well as the characteristics of a particular workout, this type of load can be performed using weights or with your own weight.
Bodyweight workouts
| Exercise | Sets * number of repetitions. | Algorithm of execution |
| Front-limb walking | 3 * 45 sec. | 1. Place the feet at a distance equal to the width of the hip bone; straighten your back. 2. Bend forward and rest the backs of your palms on the floor, placing them in front of your feet. 3. Smoothly transfer the main part of the weight to the front limbs and, alternately putting them forward, take several “steps” until a straight line is formed through the whole body. 4. Without pauses, similar "steps", but in the opposite direction, move your hands to the PI. |
| Turning the body from a sitting position | 4*20 | 1. Sit on a hard surface; bend your legs at the knees and put in front of you; place your hands on the back of your head; straighten your back. 2. Slightly move the body back, without changing the position of the back; tear off the feet from the supporting surface. 3. Turn the body to the right and at the same time pull up the lower limb of the same side of the body, while stretching the second one as much as possible. 4. Return to the IP, then repeat step 3, turning in the opposite direction |
| Squat followed by a jump | 4*15 | 1. Place the feet at a distance equal to the width of the shoulders; straighten your back; move the chest slightly forward; fix your hands on the belt. 2. As you exhale, bend your knees, bringing the buttocks closer to the floor until parallel between the floor and the back of the thigh is formed. 3. With a jerky movement, straighten the lower extremities and, without stopping in the PI, jump as high as possible. 4. Repeat step 2-3 as many times as necessary. |
Weight training
Weight training is recommended only under the supervision of a professional fitness instructor who is in the gym during training. He will be able not only to monitor the correctness of the exercises, but also to insure in the event of an athlete working with large weights.
| Exercise | Sets * number of repetitions. | Algorithm of execution |
| Dumbbell Bench Press | 3*15 | 1. Sit on a horizontal surface, pressing your back to it as tightly as possible; take dumbbells of the required mass in your hands and press them to the chest area; rest your feet on the floor. 2. Take a deep breath, then with a powerful effort "squeeze" the dumbbells so that at the top point they are above the chest area. 3. Without stopping in the upper position, slowly bend your arms at the elbows, returning them to the PI |
| Deadlift (using a barbell) | 4*30 | 1.Stand up straight; put feet shoulder width apart; fix the barbell in your hands with the required number of pancakes; stretch the neck; bend your back slightly forward in the thoracic region. 2. Lean forward without bending your knees and back. 3. Touch the barbell to the floor in the area of the toes, and then immediately, avoiding jerks, return to the IP |
| Dumbbell lunges | 4 * 20 for each leg | 1. Position yourself vertically; fix the sports equipment of the required mass in your hands; straighten your back; put the feet together. 2. Take a step with your right foot; bend it at the knee, then lower the body to the floor until the knee of the left leg touches the support. The weight at the moment a person is at the lowest point should be equally distributed between both limbs. 3. Return to the SP, avoiding sudden movements, then repeat step 2, taking a step with the left foot |
Exercises on simulators
Exercises in the gym, especially those that are aimed at reducing human body weight, involve performing a number of exercises in simulators and complex installations. At the first lesson, it is recommended to set the minimum load, gradually increasing it in the future as the body gets used to it.
| Exercise | Sets * number of repetitions. | Algorithm of execution |
| Leg press | 3*20 | 1. Position yourself in the construction of the simulator; press your back against the supporting surface; rest your feet on the moving block; grasp the metal handles with brushes. 2. On exhalation, straighten your legs, lifting the movable block with the efforts of the muscles. 3. Return to the SP and, without resting within the same approach, repeat the exercise the required number of times |
| Upper block pull | 3*25 | 1. Stand facing the side of the simulator structure; grasp the handle with brushes, having previously selected the required level of weights; place feet shoulder-width apart; back slightly forward, moving the buttocks back. 2. Releasing pre-drawn air from the lungs, pull the handle towards you until the hands are at the level of the lower abdomen. 3. Avoiding jerks, slowly relax your arms, thus taking the original position. |
| "Butterfly" | 3*20 | 1. Sit on the support part of the simulator; fix your hands in movable platforms; rest your feet on the floor. 2. On exhalation, bring the movable platforms together, maximizing the use of the chest muscles. The back and legs must remain motionless. 3. Having withstood 2-3 seconds, slowly return to the PI, maximally relaxing the pectoral muscles |
| Breeding legs in the simulator | 3*15 | 1. Sit on the simulator with your legs in the movable blocks, and pressing your back against the supporting surface. 2. With a powerful effort of the muscles of the outer surface of the thigh, spread the movable blocks to the sides. Pause for up to 5 seconds. 3. While gradually relaxing the muscles, allow the legs to slowly take the PI. |
| Reducing the legs in the simulator | 3*15 | The principle for doing this exercise is similar to the one above. The only difference is in the direction of movement of the moving platforms. In this case, the athlete needs to bring his legs together (using the muscles of the inner thigh), preventing the resistance set by the simulator |
| Lower block pull | 4*20 | 1. Sit in the simulator; straighten your back; press the feet tightly to the floor; fix the movable handle in the hands. 2. Simultaneously with exhalation, pull the lower block towards you, controlling that the position of the body remains unchanged. 3. Without pauses in the exercise, return your arms as slowly as possible to their original position. Repeat the exercise as many times as necessary |
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Execution technique:
| Exercise | Repetitions | Algorithm of execution |
| "Reverse coupling" | 2 minutes. | 1. Stand up straight; place arms and legs in a free position; slightly raise the chin; stretch your neck. 2.Bend your right hand and lower your forearm behind your back, placing your palm on the area of the shoulder blade. 3. Bend the left hand and put it behind the back from below, trying to touch the fingertips of the fingers of the right hand. 4. Stretching the muscles in this position for 30 seconds, swap hands |
| Stretching the front of the thigh | 2 minutes. | 1. Stand up straight; put your legs as close to each other as possible; move the chest slightly forward; place your hands in a free position. 2. Bend the left leg and bring it back, fixing it with the hand of the same side by the ankle. Gently pull your leg up, thus stretching the front of the thigh. 3. Repeat step 2, stretching the right leg |
| Stretching from the wall | 2 minutes. | 1. Stand facing the wall, leaning on it with the backs of your palms; bend your right leg slightly at the knee and put it close to the wall; put the left leg back at a distance of 1 step. 2. Increase the bend angle at the knee joint of the right leg, while making sure that the heel of the left leg remains flat on the floor, and the left limb itself is straight. 3. Repeat item 1 - item 2, swapping the right and left legs |
Sports activities conducted in a gym not only contribute to the athlete's weight loss, but also to the overall health of his body, as well as to strengthen the muscle corset. In order to avoid injury during the exercise, you must familiarize yourself with their technique in advance, as well as make sure that the training set used is correct.
Article design: Mila Friedan
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