Fitness and lifestyle coach shares weight training tips

With this month’s edition of Thrive focussing on health and fitness, we asked industry professional Josh Kristenson to give us a run-down of how best to achieve a great workout at your Living Gems gym without it being too strenuous or overwhelming.

A gym can be a daunting place. The thought of getting back into shape after years on hiatus stops many from even trying to return to exercise. But exercise needn’t be difficult. It can be fun and rewarding if you do it in moderation and don’t push yourself over personal limits.

“If you are returning to exercise, you need to start slow and ease into it with anything from low resistance training to simple cardio that will help build up a nice pace for yourself,” Josh says.

“Do some light sets or reps that you are comfortable with because you will ache a bit and you don’t want to be turned off from your health and fitness goals.”

Josh recommends beginning with a safe, yet effective exercise routine to practice right in your Living Gems gym, as all the equipment you need is on hand.

“I would recommend starting with isolation movements, as they are usually the safest on the low-risk machines, for example, simple leg extensions and work up to body weight movements before levelling up to more compound movements that use multiple joints,” he says.

What equipment to use and exercises to try at your Living Gems gym

Treadmill

Running or walking on a treadmill can improve cardiovascular health, increase endurance, and burn calories, leading to weight loss and a boost in energy levels.

Stationary bike

Cycling on a stationary bike is a low-impact exercise that can improve cardiovascular health, strengthen the lower body muscles, and increase stamina, resulting in better physical endurance and overall fitness.

Lat pulldown

The lat pulldown is a strength training exercise that targets the upper back muscles, helping improve posture, reduce the risk of injury, and increase upper body strength.

Machine chest press

The chest press is a resistance training exercise that strengthens the chest muscles, improves upper body strength, and can lead to increased muscle mass and improved body composition.

Machine shoulder press

The shoulder press is a resistance training exercise that targets the shoulders, upper back and arms, leading to improved posture and upper body strength.

Bicep curl

Bicep curls are a strength training exercise that help increase arm strength, tone the bicep muscles, and improve overall upper body strength and muscle definition.

Triceps pushdown

The triceps pushdown is a resistance training exercise that targets the triceps muscles, leading to improved upper body strength, assist other pressing movements, and providing better arm definition.

Planks

Planks are a core strengthening exercise that help improve posture, reduce the risk of back pain, and increase overall core strength and stability.

Glute bridge

Glute bridges are a lower body exercise that help strengthen the glute muscles, improve hip mobility, tone the legs and help support the lower back, reducing back pain.

Romanian deadlift

Romanian deadlifts are a compound exercise that target the hamstrings, lower back, and glutes, leading to improved leg and back strength.

Lying leg curls

Lying leg curls are an isolation exercise that target the hamstrings, leading to improved leg strength and muscle tone, while also reducing the risk of injury.

Leg extensions

Leg extensions are a resistance training exercise that target the quadriceps, leading to improved leg strength, muscle tone, and athletic performance, while also promoting carry over benefits to squatting-type movements.