Korean Job Discussion Forums

[taobenli]

So I shelled out the big bucks this month to work out at a gym in Shinchon (the school's measly little weight room wasn't doing it for me). Yesterday I went to the gym for the first time and did the elliptical machines and weight machines/free weights. I already feel much better (yay for "well-being"). I am planning to go to the gym every day to get my money's worth.

My main goals are to just get more toned in all the usual places that women like to be toned in. Losing weight is really secondary, but I guess losing 5 kg or a bit more would be nice. (I have no unrealistic expectations of getting anywhere near Korean-skinny, as I'm really curvy-size 4-6 and really short).

I would be interested in hearing about your exercise routines to get some ideas about the best way to work out and get results this month. Links to other sites with fitness information are appreciated, too.

Thanks a lot!

taobenli

[paperbag princess]

i like going to www.shape.com and making a working there. you can print out the exercises and take the to the gym with you.

[Grotto]

you should avoid working out every day. your body needs time to rest.

3days on 1 day off is a good pattern.

[buddy bradley]

[ilovebdt]

Actually Grotto is right.

I was told the same thing by an Army PTI.

[Billy Pilgrim]

I was always told 1 day on, 1 day off. And, being the naturally lazy person that I am, I saw no reason to argue.

Basically, and someone can correct me if I'm wrong, if you just want to drop a bit of weight and tone up a little, you'll want to quite a bit of cardio and lighter weights at high repetitions, as opposed to heavier weights at low repetitions.

Concentrate on one or two big muscle groups (back, shoulders, biceps, chest, legs, whatever you're interested in) a day and rest the others....

I don't know, I'm no health expert, but that's what I've heard.

[itaewonguy]

you can go the gym everyday not a problem.. just dont work out the same muscle groups everyday..

I suggest a three day split
monday - wednesday - friday weight training..
example.. mon- upper body .. wed- back - fri - legs

tuesday and thursday you do intense cardio and abbs..

also do cardio mon-wed - fri but maybe just about 20-40mins
and tuesday - thursday you shoud be doing about 1 hour
remember intense means.. SWEATING!!! if you cant run.. then incline!
try 10 minutes of HIIT also.. 1 minute pace walk, 1 minute sprint!..

also remember most important is DIET!!
eat eat eat..
never let your body get hungry.. but that doesnt mean stuffing it..
6 small meals a day apply here.. atleast 2 of them should be full meals
try a 40-40-20 ratio.. 40% pro, 40% carbs and 20% fat..
your protein per grams should be your weight in pounds..

anyway also drink alot of water..
stick with it! train hard.. atleast 1 hour in the gym a time..
weight training do about 3-5 exercises and 3 sets each of low weights and high reps.. maybe about 10-12 reps..
make a plan.. and stick to it.. you will see results in 4 weeks and you will see BIG results in 3 months.. if you STICK WITH IT!
diet, excercise, and water...
dont forget to give yourself a cheat day once a week to keep you sane!
try and count calories too.. eat clean during the week..
goodluck...

[Yu_Bum_suk]

Get a job with a short split shift where you have nothing better to do than work out for several hours a day at the gym right by your place of work.

Go for 60-minute jogs after you finish working out.

Walk everywhere that's less than an hour's walk.

Don't eat fast food or junk food. Eat a high-protein diet.

Smoke a lot.

[Captain Corea]

[joe_doufu]

What they are saying is true. Your muscles don't grow from exercise. Actually exercise damages them, and they grow in the healing process, healing thicker and stronger than they were before.

There are two points:

(1) If you aren't working hard enough to "damage" the muscle, you are wasting your muscle's time. After doing a routine of ab exercises, it should be a little difficult to "sit up" from the bench, in fact you might even feel like rolling off it to the side.

(2) You need to give each muscle group at least 2-3 days to heal. If you wake up the next day or the day after with soreness in those muscles, that's a sign that the muscle is growing. Let it rest, and get plenty of nutrition. You may want to make a schedule that includes each muscle group once per week, spread across various days.

[joe_doufu]

For Cardio exercises, you want to exercise aerobically to lose weight and build endurance, or anaerobically to build muscle. Your aerobic heart rate is 180 minus your age. (somewhere in the 150s for most of us). If you are jogging at this heart rate, you should be able to carry on a conversation and to continue for quite some time. This is best for weight loss.

If you are heavy or out of shape, and running is very difficult for you, you may run a shorter distance at a faster speed and higher heart rate (ideally 200 minus your age, somewhere in the 170s). Stairmaster is good in this situation. You will be out of breath and won't be able to go as far. But rest a few days, and your leg muscles will grow, so next time you can do aerobic running easier.

PS: I want to run a marathon later this year, but it's hard to do without a training partner. Would you be interested? It's about a four month training plan. If you can jog 4 days a week, and do a long 45-60 minute jog once a week, you can train for a marathon.

[The Cosmic Hum]

Don't forget....
Sex, sex, and more sex.
I can't beleive this stellar form of sweat production wasn't even mentioned... what an oversight.
But the smoking one was pretty good.

[jajdude]

The past few years I'm at the one day on, one year off option. I'd like to swim but seems like a crowded option hereabouts.

[gochubandit]

here's my 2 won...

screw the gym. weights only build mass and bulk, doesn't always burn fat. plus, you'll end up working out the "macho" muscles (e.g.: chest, biceps, etc.) core strength (legs and lower back/abs) is most important.

if you wanna look REALLY good, take up a sport. anything that'll keep u moving, preferably at an interval-like training pace, although endurance type is good. soccer, boxing, kickboxing, swimming and running will do you the best. free weights and all that should be considered as supplementary.

and build up your aerobic base too. so run/swim/bike SLOWLY for a VERY LONG time. work on strength and interval training after about 2 months.

this is pretty general advice and there's actually a lot more detail to this.

[stumptown]

To hell with you and your dumbass outdated avatar. Shut the F up.