Gym: What goes through your mind? Guys with arms that are too big in shirts that are too small? Does a cyclist fit in there? Get rid of the prejudices! Nowadays, fitness studios are no longer just dedicated to the cult of the body, but also emphasise prevention. In medical gyms in particular, you will find qualified staff who will give you the right polish. Our exercises, presented by national team racer Martin Gluth, will get you fit and healthy for the next bike season.
How do you get started? A good gym will first test your status quo and should then draw up a plan for you. The basic rule is: always start your workouts with the largest muscles. So legs, chest, back, buttocks and core. The number of repetitions and sets per exercise and the level of resistance depend on your performance level. Iron novices already benefit from low weight and frequent repetitions. The following applies: give your muscles time to get used to the strain. If you stress yourself with maximum loads straight away, you will experience sore muscles. A good value to start with: 2 to 3 sessions a week with very light weights (20 repetitions, 3 sets, 2 minutes rest between sets) for the first three to four weeks. After that, the number of repetitions should be reduced and the weight increased.
The path to free weights: Beginners do not yet have the necessary motor skills to train with free weights: The intermuscular interaction, i.e. the team play of several muscles, but also the internal, intramuscular fine work of the individual fibres, only develops gradually. Newcomers should stick to machine training for the first six to eight weeks. Here the movements are guided - so you can concentrate fully on lifting the weight. Later on, it's the turn of partially guided cable pull-ups. Only after a further four to six weeks do you integrate barbell and finally dumbbell exercises into your programme.
Measure better
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Devrim Özkan, ostheopath and training expert
Equipment training makes sense when weak structures are strengthened and the entire body is exercised. The exercises selected must address a variety of muscles. They should include pulling, pushing, leg and core exercises. It is best to approach the exercises with around 20 repetitions and around 3 sets.
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