Friday, May 11, 2007

 Exercise

 Exercise for Weight Loss: The best place to exercise

The best place to exercise
  (Related) 
 Shopping for a Gym
 By Bob Greene BFA, MFA

eDiets  (Related)  Contributor

 There are a variety of places you can go to exercise, but finding one that fits all of your needs can sometimes be a chore. Keep in mind that whatever your specific needs and interests are, you should be able to get to your facility within a 10 to 15-minute drive from where you live or work -- a longer commute will likely cut down on how many times a week you exercise and/or how long you actually work out.

 Different types of facilities specialize in certain kinds of exercise and cater to a specific clientele. If this is not evident during your initial tour, ask to have a complementary workout -- some places will give you a free trial week. Just be sure you like the place you are joining.

 I think the descriptions of the following seven types of facilities will help your narrow your options and simplify your research.

 Aerobics club or studio.  Aerobics is the emphasis here, whether it be in step classes, slide classes, body shaping and toning classes, and sometimes specialty classes such as jazz dance or kick boxing. If classes are your bag, especially aerobics, this is a great choice. Keep in mind that traditionally these types of studios have been catering to female clients although that is slowly changing.

 Weight training facility.  Catering to a serious weight-training or body- building clientele, these types of facilities can run the gamut from spartan to elaborate -- and that goes for the equipment, too. For getting a serious weight workout this is a great option. Often the choices for cardiovascular equipment are limited. So if you want to train "aerobically" you may have to look somewhere else.

 General health club.  The basic health club has been around for a long time. In a good one, you'll find strong aerobics classes, a variety of weights and weight machines, and a good selection of cardiovascular equipment. If you like variety in your workout, this is a great choice.

 "Mega" club.  This is like a general health club, but is very large and provides extended services such as a restaurant, deli, spa services, pools, tennis and racquetball courts, social functions, even dry cleaning and shoe shine services. These clubs can be loads of fun if you use them to their fullest, but remember, you will be paying for all the services.

 Medically-oriented facility.  Usually owned by a medical group or a hospital, these types of facilities are becoming increasingly popular. They may offer aerobics classes, weight training equipment, cardiovascular equipment, cardiac and pulmonary rehab classes, healthy cooking classes, and dietary advice. They are usually open to the general public and typically have a very qualified staff. If a more medically supervised program is needed, this is an excellent choice.

 Adult fitness programs.  Generally managed by a university or college, these programs have well-run classes and a wide variety of weight and cardiovascular equipment. The staff is usually highly qualified and the cost is relatively low. If you live close to a university or college, you ought to seriously consider joining one of these programs.

 Personal training studio.  Having a personal trainer has recently become "in vogue,” and so not surprisingly, there has been an increase in studios that only offer personal training sessions. The benefit of using this type of facility is that it is "no nonsense," and you're in and out with a very good workout usually within one hour. You get one-on-one attention and are usually pushed hard and achieve a lot. You will also be paying per session -- personal trainers can get expensive.

 Celebrity trainer Bob Greene is the author of several best-selling books and the man behind the Total Body Makeover workout plan now offered by eDiets  (Related) 

 Want more information? Visit the Bob Greene  (Related)  's support board. This eDiets  (Related)   Support Board is for members who are following celebrity trainer Bob Greene  (Related)  's

  Total Body Makeover guide to fitness. Use this forum to ask questions, learn from one another and support each other as you strive for better health and fitness!



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