Korean Job Discussion Forums

[periwinkle]

I have several questions- please give me your advice!

1. When I do my cardio workout, I usually do 15-20 min. on 3 different machines (a combination of any of the cardio machines- treadmill, stairmaster- I don't care. Whatever's available at the time). Is this an effective way to burn fat? My friend told me I should do over 30 min. on an exercise bike. He said you burn the most on the bike, and only after 30 min. do you start burning fat. Is this true? Sounds so boring.... I like to mix-up the machines a bit to prevent boredom.

2. When I use the strength-training machines (I don't know the proper term...), I do reps of 8-12, then go to another machine, come back to the original machine (back-and-forth). I do a total of 3 sets. Is this effective to jump back and forth? What's the ideal number of sets and reps?

3. I drink tons of water, but I always feel shaky and even sometimes dizzy. I make myself eat soemthing (like a banana) once I get home. I make sure I never work-out on an empty stomach (not a full stomach, either). What's up with that? Low blood sugar? Should I drink a sports drink (I hate them, though- I don't like artificial stuff)?

4. I've had a muscle cramp in my calf for 4 days now, and it won't go away. What should I do? Sometimes I get side cramps. Why does this happen?

5. Is the Stairmaster really that bad for your knees?

Sorry for all the questions, but I don't remember anything from health class... Thanks for your help!!

[paperbag princess]

you should be doing cardio for at least 1/2 hour, but that can include 5 minute warm up and cool down if you're desperate.

it's best to mix up your cardio program, as it keeps your body "on its toes" as it were. your body will plateau if you do the same exercise all the time, so do all the cardio machines.

i don't know about your other questions, but a good site is www.shape.com. good luck and keep with your program!

[Freezer Burn]

People will tell you a lot of different things, its up to you to find what works for you.
15-20 minutes is fine, but if you want it to be more effective try 20-30 minutes on 2 machines, Your body will burn fat if its getting the right fuel, if your diet is shaky and inconsistant then your body will burn fat, but if you are eating erratically you will most likely absorb and store most of the fat from that meal because your body wants to keep fat for energy when you are not eating.
Make sure you stretch and warm up to help avoid injury.
When you are doing weights, its best to stay at the one machine or 'superset' but since you arent weight training more trying to tone up, you need to work the muscle you are trying to tone, if you only do one set at one machine then move to a different muscle then you really wont work the muscles that effectivly and therefore you wont get the results you are after.
You feel shaky because you body is burning through your blood sugar in the first 20-30 minutes of your workout, so you get that shaky feeling, after the gym have a yoghurt and some fruit to replenish your blood sugar levels.

As far as the cramps go, it could be not stretching properly, or it could be in your diet, I read somewhere that not enough iodine in your diet from salt can cause cramps, but it could be just your stretch routine.

Most of us who go to the gym work purely on heresay, on what trainers and books and magazines have told us, there are a few that have training who post on here and if I have steared you wrong they will put you right.

also remember your rest periods dont flog yourself every day.

Good Luck

[TheUrbanMyth]

[joe_doufu]

If you work out immediately after eating, you could be exhausted just because of the full stomach. Digestion takes a lot of energy, not to mention the fact that a full stomach makes breathing more difficult. If you work out some time later, you're going to be burning the sugar/energy in your bloodstream that came from the food. The best way to burn fat is to work out first thing in the morning, before eating, when your body doesn't have any other place to get the energy from except fat cells. It takes some time for the fat cells to release that stored energy, so that might be what your friend was talking about with a 30 minute minimum. Also its worth noting that the primary purpose of cardio exercise is to give yourself more energy, make your heart stronger, and generally give you better endurance and health -- not to burn calories. Mathematically, reducing your food intake by a can of soda or a cup of yogurt per day saves significantly more calories than intense cardio exercise three or four times per week.

See THE HACKER'S DIET and especially this chapter for more on that topic:
http://www.fourmilab.ch/hackdiet/www/hackdiet.html

[Homer]

Many different versions in here!

Cardio: 20 minutes is fine but you need to adjust the intensity to a slighty higher level.

I do 20 mins, 4 times a week and it worked wonders.


Weight training, 3 sets of 12 is good. Choose your muscle group and rotate your workouts around them (upper body, abs and back, lower body...).

Eat about an hour before your workout, I find that a banana or some nuts is best.

Drink some water during your workout but not too much!

The main point however is to stretch properly before AND after your workout. This will lessen your chance of injury and cramps.

Finally your eating habits are the other key element here. You can work out all you want but if you do not eat right...the results will not be as good.

[Homer]

oups..double post!

[brachy]

Another version:

I don't know anything about weights.... but...

Cardio for health: what you are doing is fine.

Cardio for weight loss: stick to 30 mins plus on one machine.

Dizziness: either you are not eating enough, or ya get your blood sugar checked.

Stairmaster: every piece of cardio equipment does damage to the knees (despite what they say)... id be more concerned with the 'bulk' this particular machine adds to the female leg.

Whichever route you take here... my suggestion is don't take too much of the male advice seriously.... women have different needs/wants etc in the bedroom and the gym.

[Homer]

[brachy]

I think its true. Its impossible for an exercise to have zero impact.

[joe_doufu]

You build muscle when you're working out anaerobically, that is, hard. Your anaerobic target heart rate is 200 minus your age, so 170-180 for most of us here. At this heart rate you'll be breathing hard and it will be difficult to talk. Work out until you can't go anymore, then take 3 or 4 days off, at least. Your leg muscles will grow. This worked for a friend of mine who couldn't jog well because he felt too heavy for his legs, he used stairmaster for a few weeks and then jogging was much easier.

Normal jogging for heart health should be at the aerobic target heart rate of 180 minus your age, so 150-160 if you're in your twenties. You know you're at this heart rate if you're working kind of hard but you can still keep up a conversation.

[itaewonguy]

if you over train cardio you will burn mussle! make sure you are eating enough calories otherwise that hardwork on the weights will be burned off!
I think 20minutes 3-5 times a week is fine..
maybe step it up to 40-60minutes once or twice week also..
but remember keep the calories up

[Homer]

Fine...it has an impact ...but it does not damage, weaken, irritate, hurt, injure the knees....

[brachy]

Sure thing.. whatever you say Richard Simmons.

[periwinkle]

Thanks everybody! I used to workout religiously back home, but when I first joined a gym here, I was a bit put off by certain things, so I stopped going. Well, I've consequently lost a lot of my muscle tone, and I don't like that. So, I'm overcoming my gym issues here, and just dealing with it. I'm going to Malaysia in a couple of months, and I want to look good in my new bikini!