FAQ - Fitness Tips - Safety and Comfort

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Your First 30 Days of Fitness:

It is very important to us that you enjoy not only your first 30 days at the club but every other day you visit us. Many members are anxious to see results right away when they begin fitness programs. Please be patient with yourself and your body. Give your body a chance to adapt to your new fitness lifestyle.

Our members tell us that learning about fitness and exercise helps make them more comfortable in the club. We want to provide you with all the information and support you need to achieve your goals.

To help you with this journey, we have many individualized programs and support materials that explain how you can get the most out of your fitness routine. If you have any questions about the club or your fitness program especially during these first 30 days, please ask a staff member.

Getting Started

As a new member, you'll be scheduled for an assesment with a certified fitness trainer. During your first appointment, you and your trainer will review your goals and your past and current exercise experiences. Your trainer will also gather statistical information to have a means of measuring and monitoring your success thru your exercise journey. A plan of action will then be developed that will help you achieve your fitness goals.

Please wear exercise attire as you will also be learning how to use the equipment at this time.

Every Time You Come In

• Try to eat at least 60-90 minutes prior to your workout. If you don't have enough calories to sustain your workout, you might experience a drop in energy and may feel overly tired and even dizzy. If you have not eaten, we suggest you have a shake at our juice bar. This will give you the energy to sustain your workout.
• Always warm up prior to beginning your workout. Warming up your muscles before exercising increases the quality and effectiveness of your workout and minimizes the risk of injury. Five to ten minutes of cardiovascular exercise is usually sufficient.
• If weight training is your primary goal then it should be done first, then proceed to cardiovascular training. Do the opposite if your goal is more oriented towards cardiovascular training.
• Aim for 3-5 cardiovascular workouts per week, from 15-45 minutes long. Try to stay in your target heart range for a minimum of 15 minutes per session. Your fitness trainer will help you determine your personal target heart range.
• After your cardio workout, static stretching (slow, sustained movements without bouncing) enhances flexibility, reduces muscle soreness and aids in your cool-down. Each stretch should be held 10-20 seconds.
• For your safety and continued improvement, our staff may make periodic recommendations on proper equipment usage and general exercise technique.
• Be careful not to over train. If your muscles are still sore from a previous workout, do not do exercises for those particular muscles until the soreness is gone. This allows your muscles to fully recover before you stress them again.

Fitness Facts

Strength Training

Strength (also known as resistance or weight) training helps you get stronger, increases your metabolic function and reduces your risk of injury. Strength training increases muscle tissue and gives shape and structure to your muscles. Because fat is burned in muscle tissue, the more muscle you have, the greater your fat-burning potential. Weight training burns 4-10 calories per minute, depending on your size and fitness level.

You are likely to experience the positive effects of resistance training very quickly. Research shows that muscle performance increases by 45-65 percent after two months of strength training.

Resistance training should be performed 2-3 times per week, or as recommended by your trainer. Allow at least one day of rest between resistance training days.

Cardiovascular Exercise

Cardiovascular (also known as aerobic) training increases your cardiovascular fitness, circulation and endurance. It also burns calories and body fat, reduces stress and improves overall health and well-being. A well-conditioned heart is stronger and more efficient.

We recommend including three cardio workouts per week for 20-30 minutes each time.

Cardiovascular exercise uses body fat and carbohydrates for energy. Your body uses a significant amount of energy because cardio work is done for a longer period of time. Your fitness trainer will help you calculate your target heart rate range.

Body Composition

One pound of fat burns approximately eight calories daily and stores 3,500 calories of energy. The two keys to changing body composition are performing activities that cause your body to use its stored fat and strengthening muscles to become better fat burners. This can be accomplished through a healthy diet, resistance training and cardiovascular workouts. One pound of muscle tissue burns approximately 35-75 calories daily and stores 2500 calories of energy.

While rapid weight loss may be temporarily satisfying, your percentage of body fat may not decrease significantly. By fueling your body with proper nutrients, your body will transport fat into the muscle to be metabolized and result in a decrease of fat tissue.