JIM RAMSAY: I guess the biggest thing that can't emphasize enough is, when an individual goes into a fitness facility they should talk with their fitness professional. Certified strength and conditioning people in the facilities can give people proper direction in terms of what they need to do. The number one issue when a person goes into that type of facility is goal setting. What do they want to achieve when they go into the facility? Do they want to lose weight? Do they want to basically get a fitter body? Do they play field hockey? Do they play La Crosse, do they play soccer? Or are they just a person who wants to get in better health? That's basically your first goal, goal setting, when you go into that facility.
DAVID FOLK THOMAS: Jonathan, add to that please.
JONATHAN GLASHOW, MD: I think it's a great mistake to go in without some professional advice if they have had none in the past, as Jim said. I think if in doubt, when embarking on a new exercise, to guess low rather than high. You try to get us to pinpoint a number of how much, how many reps. There are all kinds of theories. I guess in general between 10 on the low side and 15 on the high side for repetitions and I think that should be done comfortably and in the correct form. I think all too many people sacrifice form for weights, meaning they do far too much weight and their form suffers for that. So starting at a lesser weight with proper instruction, you can't overemphasize the goal orientation, but the proper form first, then build the weight later. You don't gain anything by doing these heavy weights with poor form. All these numbers are based upon doing things correctly. Isolating the muscle you want to work and doing it correctly prevents injury and you get more out of it.
