You said you would be committed after the holidays. You then proclaimed the “I’m going to lose 10 pounds” New Year’s resolution to everyone. And now, you’ve promised yourself that you will get into bathing suit shape by spring break.
Newsflash: Thanksgiving and Christmas are long gone. If you haven’t followed through with your New Year’s resolution, you’re probably not going to anytime soon and spring break, well that is three-and-a-half weeks away.
Don’t worry. Tami Reilly, the assistant athletic director for fitness and wellness at Quinnipiac, has got just the cure.
“You need to set yourself up for success,” Reilly said.
She is referring to the often ambitious fitness goals set by beginners. She doesn’t want a student who has not worked out since last semester to promise themselves they will come to the gym 7 days a week.
“Beginners should stick with cardio and get into the habit of going to the gym,” Reilly said.
Coming to the gym 4 or 5 times a week and doing about 25 to 30 minutes of cardio each time is a perfect way to get on the right track.
Otherwise, you may become discouraged when your body is not living up to the high expectations you have set for yourself.
“Intimidation is really one of the biggest reasons why people don’t come,” Reilly explained.
And with a lot of people coming in and out of the gym each day, it is easy to get overwhelmed.
After you become a committed gym go-er, your workout will only improve.
Pretty soon you can begin to explore the weight room and everything it has to offer.
For novice machine users, Reilly recommends using the circuit machines against the far right wall in the first room under the televisions and also the machines against the far back wall in the second room under the windows.” The machines are awesome because you are forced to have good form,” Reilly said.
Unlike free weights, which are the dumbbells against the mirror in the second room, the machines give you a “how-to” diagram and show what muscles are being worked.
The fitness center also offers worksheets for students to keep track of their workouts by jotting down the machine name, the weight they use and how many times they lift each weight during a rep.
However, if at anytime anyone should have a question about their fitness goal, what their form should be while using a machine or even how to use a certain machine, Reilly is always welcome to students.
If you are still unsure about how to get your body in top shape, Reilly recommends one of several fitness Web sites. Visit www.acefitness.org for any question about your exercise routine and you can be sure to find an answer.
The fitness center is open Monday through Friday 7 a.m. to 11 p.m. and on the weekends from 10 a.m. to 11 p.m. It is most busy between 2 p.m. and 11 p.m. on weekdays.”The earlier you can come, the better,” Reilly said.
