Personal Trainers/Routines

[kevFISH]

This whole topic got me thinking

When I used to belong to a gym and was a few weeks away from a skiing holiday you could walk up to a trainer and ask - 'What do I need to do in the next n weeks to get in shape?' The usual cardio, leg strengthening and balance on a ball type things would be suggested.

So, has anyone asked the 'I'm off for a weeks diving; what should I do?' question? Do you get the blank faced response or do they come up with an appropriate sequence

Other than cardio work what else works well? The cyatic region seems to pop up as a problem - there must be something that works that region?

Personally all I do these days is play squash, but to be fair that's enough for me

Any top tips (in the 'sitting against a wall' skiing style)?
With all the usual caveats of course.

[Gavin Smith]

Not that I'm diving twin 12's I was considering joining a gym to do some work to strengthen my back and legs.

At the moment (and only for the last two weeks since commiting to DIR-F) I'm doing 30mins cardio stuff on an elliptical trainer.

I'm interested to see what effect it has on my SAC and how quickly it's noticable.

Gavin

[tom]

Originally Posted by kevFISH

So, has anyone asked the 'I'm off for a weeks diving; what should I do?' question?

There's some stuff along those lines at this website:

http://www.divefitness.com/html/home.html

Might be worth a look.

[Garf]

I gave up smoking a few weeks back and have started training again for the first time in several years. this is partly becuase I want to be in good shape for Scapa, but mostly cos I found an old picture of me when I was fit as a butcher's dog, and am thoroughly disgusted with myself.

I'm doing one hour's cardio a day, between the cross trainer, the treadmill and the bike. Once I get the strength in my legs back to where they should be, I'll slap a Bergen on my back and start running the hills, which is the best excercise ever for all round cardio fitness and muscle strength in the legs, back and shoulders. I'll just have to put up with this gym bolox until then, but it does make me laugh when I'm there realising that humans are slowly turning into bloody hamsters.

Right now, muscles I've forgotten existed in my legs and back are reminding me that they've been doing nothing but eat pizza and smoke for several years. Guess it will take a few months to clear the cobwebs out of my lungs too.


Hey ho.

[Fiona]

Alright I know I am not fit, so don't start.

I have had two trainers in the past and spent an absolute fortune. They planned for me a mixture of cadiovascular and weights, (free weights and machines)

[DanE]

Originally Posted by kevFISH

So, has anyone asked the 'I'm off for a weeks diving; what should I do?' question? Do you get the blank faced response or do they come up with an appropriate sequence

I didn't ask that exact question, but when I joined a gym last year, they asked me what I wanted from it and I replied - I'm a diver, so there's two things I'm looking for - general fitness and to turn my weedy little body into something that can swing a set of twin 15s over the side of a rib.

I got a blank look... So I explained the sort of things I needed (ie, lifting heavy objects into the car, lifting heavy objects on my back) and they set me up with a routine to help me in these areas.

I'm certainly fitter, thinner and stronger than I was, we'll see how it affects my diving this year.

dan

[Clare Gledhill]

My trainer did put together a programme for me - to work to strengthen thighs, back and stomach muscles. It's always difficult to work out why things start to feel easier but I would guess that it has brought some benefit.

I've added a load of stretches in now - I'll reach those valves if it kills me

[Robert-Jan Bulter]

Of course if you smoke stop smoking! A good condition makes diving easier. In the beginning you do not notice it but when your condition/ stamina/ pliability is at a higher level you will notice diving is so much easier. Air consumption will go down slightly. So enough, advantages. Indirectly, it is also saver as you can stand more, in case something happens. I am four times a week in the pool and two times in the gym. This is not only for diving but just to feel good.

[Alun]

After about 7 years of excuses, I've got myself down to the gym again this year. I've been going whenver I can (work away from home) and watching what I eat, also cut out pretty much all booze during the week. During the week was the killer for me I think, staying in hotel bars, drinking the night away doesn't do you any favours

So far this year, I've lost just over 2 stone!! A drysuit that didn't fit me last year and was on the verge of being thrown away is now just the right size!

As for training advice, I'd have to say work on the large muscle groups - legs. Get yourself doing either squats or on a squatting machine. My mate who is a fitness instructor rates squats as *the* best excercise ever invented.
Whatever you do do, however, keep it up. Little and often has been the key to my success thus far.

[English Tanuki]

I'll agree with Alun on the big muscles stuff.

Squats (be careful over squat machines that lock you into a fixed pathway-knee/back injury waiting to happen)
Deadlifts
Overhead press
Some kind of row
Chins or pulldowns
Bench press if you must or dips
core stability work (abs, obliques, lower back)

Any more than that is not really necessary for a person new to training.

Cardio is different, do a variety to prevent joint overuse injury. Anything that gets your heart rate up and keeps it up will do.
If you run be sure to use good shoes and if possible run on a forgiving surface.

In all things get checked by the doc first and observe good form.

Now I've just got to get my fat lazy tail into grear an follow my own advice...
Cheers!