Outdoor fitness equipment
Cyclists can access the Kedron Brook Bikeway, which runs along the border of this park can also take you to surrounding suburbs: Gaythorne, Enoggera, Alderly. It’s got everything – sports fields, free outdoor gym equipment for a basic weight resistance workout using your own body weight. They’re heaps of fun, and best of all – free. This equipment have been designed to provide low-impact training in an intuitive and easy way. The various machines target the lower body, upper body and core, not to mention cardiovascular and weight-based strength exercises. All the machines are labelled with what areas they target so they are easy to identify. A word of warning however, if you are unsure of whether to use a machine, or how to use it properly, always seek advice before embarking on your workout. Always include a mixture of upper body and lower body exercises and aim to cover all the major muscles of the body.
Warm-up with some gentle cardio and mix it with some strength machines to keep your heart rate up.
The workout
Cross-trainer, treadmill or bike: Start on these machines to give your joints and muscles a gentle warm-up and help them get ready for the workout ahead. Cardiovascular exercise is important to ensure heart health, weight-management and has also been proven to aid symptoms of depression, amongst other things. To increase your endurance, aim to push yourself until you feel a good burn in the muscles, are breathless and a bit red in the face, but stop at any sign of physical pain.
Chest press or shoulder machines: These work the upper torso and are a great way to build strength in the chest, shoulder and triceps muscles. Sit down on the machine, then push the handles forwards or over your head, and lower them slowly. As a beginner, start with two sets of 10 to 15 reps, then work up to four sets of 15 to 20.
Leg press machine: This machine works out not only your quads (the muscles at the front of your thigh) but also your glutes and hamstrings (the muscles at the back of the legs and top of the bottom) so is excellent for toning the lower body. Sit down and push your body off the platform using your feet, keeping the heels down and your abs engaged. Start with two sets of 15 reps and work up to four sets of 15 to 20.
We would love to help
The trick to stick to your exercise routine is to make sure you enjoy it. Learn to feel each movement, connect with people around you and enjoy the sensations of being outdoors. Hopefully inspiring others around you to do the same. If you’re exercising on your own, you might be prone to putting off your training and not eating healthy. Having a Fitness Enhancement Mobile personal trainer not only gives you the motivation and guidance needed to stay committed to your fitness goals, but also provides structure and accountability helping you to achieve your fitness or weight loss goals sooner!