Personal Fitness 101

Got the workout willies? You're not alone.
"When you learn proper technique and what you're doing is producing results, you will become very confident at the gym," said certified personal trainer Pete Swiatek, owner of Pete's Body Shop in Birmingham.
For amateur exercise enthusiasts, gawking at people who appear to be experienced with the weight machines might be daunting. But you're not the only one who can't figure out what to do with the elliptical machine.
"Unfortunately most people who workout at health clubs or gyms don't know what they're doing, including the people that you think are watching you," he said.
For beginners, Swiatek recommends working out two times a week and not operating with the "more must be better" approach that most trainers and fitness programs utilize.
"Our bodies adapt and grow stronger while we rest between sessions," he said.
Through intense, brief training sessions of no more than 30 minutes results are produced at Pete's Body Shop.
"Here's the best part – after we stimulate our bodies with intense brief exercise, all that's left to do is stay out of the gym and rest (let the response occur)," Swiatek said.
While Swiatek recommends two days of strength training a week, he said one to three days of cardio at 20 minutes per day is ideal. "I also tell my clients that cardio training is optional – our strength workouts at the studio encompass cardio fitness," he said.
But, while working out, Swiatek suggests not focusing on one area of the body exclusively. "The entire body should be trained to promote balanced strength, function and aesthetic symmetry," he said.
If you're looking to develop a six-pack, don't just concentrate on the abdominal area. "Your abs are utilized in all the exercises we perform, their job is to stabilize and support your spine while performing these basic full body strength movements," he said. "The reason most of us focus so much on training abs is because we mistakenly believe we will reduce the amount of fat stored there – it's one of the biggest myths out there."
By training the entire body, the metabolism rate will increase and will burn fat throughout the entire body. Swiatek also points out that a proper diet has a big impact on body fat levels.
"When you train correctly to become stronger, you stimulate a need for more muscle, in most cases your appetite will increase to support that need," he said. "I teach my client how to improve their eating habits relative to the goals they want to achieve."
That's where personal trainers come in. "You need to learn how to do the exercises correctly relative to your body type, size and considering any limitations you may have," Swiatek said. "In other words, the exercises should be created specifically for you."
For more information, visit http://www.petesbodyshop.net.