Fitness

Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?

Jonpim, People go to the gym for many reasons, meditation is good for the body and all muscles need exercise including facial ones wink

But I just wish that these 'relaxing' members would go at a more conveniant time, when Im not there Smile

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Yes, Bones, tips on how to get slowcoaches off the machines and let you in would be welcome.
Usual etiquette suggests during busy periods you should get off between repetitions and let another on while you rest, but there are some who stubbornly refuse to shift until they have finished.

Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.

You'll need to Register first of course.

But you're not the one asking the fitness question. pippivixen is. For him, it's likely the honest truth he wants and welcomes.

Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...

abc, but I dont't think it's the only truth wink

I'm sure for £200 a month and 5 sessions a week you get great benefits, but I would say that £30 a month and 3 sessions would also improve your fitness and benefit your skiing. I know the government are keen on pushing these recommendations, like 5 times a week for at least 30 minutes, and I'm sure that's good but the danger is that if you can only manage 2 sessions a week you get put off by the thought that you only benefit if you do 5 sessions, therefore 2 sessions is no better than zero - which is not the case.

You need to set yourself achievable goals, otherwise you'll lose interest. If you can't afford (or have better things to spend your money on) a personal trainer get a book - for skiing I can recommend Skiing Fitness by Mark Hines, it costs about £10.

After all it is free

Until you try it, you don't know what you're missing. Book vs. personal traioner; twice a week vs. five times a week; etc.

Try the personal trainer. He/she will tell you if you should work on your own or need their help further. At least a good one would. So it's not like you'll be spending that amount for decades.

As for the "need" of time spend, it's personal. For the OP, who wants to IMPROVE fitness, not just maintain a level of fitness (that's already pretty good or "acceptable" for a one week a year ski trip), twice a week aren't going to cut it. No point in sugar-coating the advice and short-change his chance of success. Keep in mind, also, OP was a one time national level cricket player. Not some couch patato who wants to lose a couple pounds.

I'm not a personal trainer. So take what I say with a grain of salt. But it's my personal experience you need to do a lot initially to make any changes. You can back off once you reach a fitness level that's ok for what you have in mind. Horse for courses...

abc, given the choice, and no constraints on time or money then definitely 5 times a week wth a personal trainer would be the way to go. But what I'm saying is that it's not all or nothing, doing something is always better than doing nothing, it's more of a scale - and not necessarily a linear one.

I've exercised in my youth up to about 10 or so times a week with various sports, and now I do what I can find time for. From my personal experience I would say that I could help most people achieve good improvements with 3 good quality sessions a week, extra sessions would be good but not essential.

In terms of making improvements, the main thing here is to adjust your workout and vary the activity, don't just repeat the same workout each week.

*Ski* the Net with snowHeads

abc, I think you are talking the absolutely ideal situation here, not what most people are able to manage. There is very good evidence that training three times a week that incorporates CV and resistance/strength training, with flexibility/stretching at the end of the session will improve fitness even in people with already good levels of fitness. The important thing is to achieve overload i.e. take people out of the zone where they are comfortable. This will lead to improvements in fitness, even if done only three times a week. You may get faster progression on five days a week, but you may also achieve burnout/overtraining too.

Three days a week will produce benefits, provided the training is sufficiently long and/or intense to achieve the goals you want. Don't get into the idea that if you can't train five days a week you might as well not do it at all. Some/any is better than nothing at all.

And I AM a fitness instructor. You do not have to have a PT to achieve these outcomes, but you may want to invest in a few sessions to get you on the right track.

snowHeads are a friendly bunch.

I think for the type of skiing that I see the vast majority of people doing on hols you shouldnt need any fitness above and beyond the level it should be at anyway. So walk and cycle places instead of using the car, use the stairs instead of the escalator, do some squats whilst youre waiting for the kettle to boil. And you dont even need a personal trainer.

snow reports

pippivixen, isn't it amazing how people assume cricketers are a "he"? I am a former county level cricketer (and a she!), but that was many years ago!

You know it makes sense.

Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:

that has given me a right giggle "he" being neutral !!

Anyway, I am not that fussed, but being new to the forum, I didn't want people to assume I was a he, as answers to questions may differ depending on gender and it saves the embarrasment of asking what gender I am rolling eyes

As for the fitness, I am really greatful for all the replies, I now know what I have to do in 4 months, 1 week and 3 days as the return holiday has been booked for 21st April, I have made myself mini and realistic targets which should see me a lot fitter and hopefully lighter by April 2008. Very Happy

Help!!

Fitness

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