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Coach Kelly Fitness Correspondent
For every way we express our mind-numbing exercise frustrations, there’s a totally simple way to break past it, says exercise physiologist Amy Dixon.
Make gym time fun time with these energising tips, and bust out of your workout rut.
From the gym the goal is simple: help you become fit and healthy in a fun and exciting way. Consistency, perseverance, integrity, self control and indomitable spirit are key.
Today before l give you your workout routine l need you to understand why we should exercise and what the benefits of exercise are.
Good health isn’t only about not being ill, it’s also about being happy and feeling whole from a physical, mental, social and spiritual point of view.
Exercise and activity help to make those outcomes a reality.
NB— Over exercise or exercise in a wrong manner is not acceptable. If you do it properly you can sustain weight loss, improve posture and appearance and also reduce the risk and the progression of heart disease, diabetes and cancer.
Flexibility strengthens bones and joints. It builds healthy muscles and lowers blood pressure. Exercise increases energy, vitality, speed and performance.
Now that we have considered the physical benefits of exercise, what about it’s mental? It improves learning retention and overall mental function. It is a great stress reliever and enhances overall psychological health. The rate of depression decreases and self esteem increases in those who exercise. When you exercise you sleep better.
Exercise also provides some surprising social benefits. It facilitates emotional intelligence, conflict resolution, strengthens intimacy and sexual life, and promotes feeling of happiness. This week’s workout routine is all about building strength and muscle. I designed it to get your metabolism revved up.
During the week of the workout you will be eating more food, drinking lots of water and taking adequate rest to allow your muscles to repair.
Phase 1
Upper body
3 rounds of 10 reps seated dumbbell overhead press
Sit on the side of a bench with a dumbbell in each hand palm facing out and feet close together bend at the elbows executing a bicep curl then rotate palms out at shoulder height and finish by pushing your arms up above your head until the dumbbell almost touch your arms should not be completely straighten reverse the motion and return to the starting position
3 rounds of 20 push ups
3 rounds of 10 repetitions Pulldowns machine
Sitting at a pulldown machine reach up and grab the wide bar by the handles keep your back straight and pull down the bar close to your chest , squeezing your shoulder blades together hold for a moment and release your arms slowly up to the starting position
3 sets of 10 repetitions Seated upright -Row machine
Find a weighted rowing machine and sit facing the handles or cable place the pin to hold enough weight so that you will just barely be able to complete 10 repetitions sit with a strong neutral spine and pull your arms back elbows tight to your Body squeezing your shoulder blades together pause for a moment and very slowly return your arms to straight position
3 rounds of 10 Seated Bicep curl
Find two suitable weighted dumbbells and sit on the bench with feet together starting with arms bend elbow until fists are near shoulder palms facing in reverse the motion to starting position
4 sets of 10 Rear Delt fly on a chest fly machine position arms all the way back behind the seat and sit facing the weight stack grab the handles and push back arms slightly bent until hands are straight out on either side of the body slowly return to starting position
Phase 2:
Lower body
4 sets of 10 repetitions leg press
Sit with feet on the press plate hip width apart toes pointing straight forward push with feet squeezing glutes until legs are almost straight pause one moment and then reverse the motion slowly bending legs back to starting position
Keep tension on your legs the whole time so that when you return to the beginning of the exercise there is no rest between repetitions
4 sets of 18 weighted walking lunges
start standing upright with a dumbbell in each hand step forward about One and half the length of a walking stride and begin kneeling down so that your front leg reaches 90 degrees don’t let your back knee hit the ground straighten back up to a standing position by raising up and bringing your back leg to meet your front repeat with the other leg both legs count as one repetition
4 sets of 8 barbell deadlift
Stand tall with a barbell on the front floor in front of your feet hip width apart and toes pointed forward keep your back as straight as possible and bend forward knees reaching down to grab the barbell
This is the starting position grip the bar and push through your legs keep your torso upright and return to a standing position while pushing your shoulder blades together.Return to the starting position tapping the Bartel on the ground
4 rounds 10 leg extension
Lie on a hamstring curl machine or an upright sitting hamstring curl machine.Contract hamstring and glutes to pull heels towards your glutes and hold for a moment, squeezing glutes before slowly extending legs to a near straight position again.
Coach Kelly is a professional fitness trainer with the Invictus Fitness Centre Westgate.
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