Feel confident in the gym and smash your fitness goals with these expert workout tips
WORDS: ADRIANNE WEBSTER
Going to the gym for the first time or after a long break can be panic-inducing. Half of the equipment looks like something better suited to a science lab, and with “gym bros” hogging the machines, it’s natural not to really know where to start.
However, fear not; once you’ve learned the basics, you’ll be well on your way to achieving your fitness goals.
“Most women over 40 have been socially conditioned over the years that exercise is only for losing weight and that the only acceptable workouts are things like running and HIIT (high intensity interval training) classes,” says Emma McElhinney, a perimenopause expert who specialises in helping women in their 40s and beyond level up – both energetically and physically (teamemw.com).
While good for cardio health, additionally engaging in activities that build muscle mass is vital to maintain health, according to the expert.
“As we get older, our muscle mass starts to deteriorate, which is why it can be harder to lose body fat and easier to gain body fat as women enter their 40s.”
“In fact, a National Institute for Health Study shows that from the age of 30, muscle mass decreases by around 3% to 8% per decade, and this decrease accelerates after the age of 60,” Emma adds.
“It’s not all doom and gloom, though. The only way to reclaim some of that muscle mass is to get some more muscle, and that happens by lifting weights and eating muscle promoting healthy foods, especially protein based foods.”
Work It Out
The Gym Group’s master trainer Jenni Tardiff (thegymgroup.com) shares three machines to start with:
Shoulder Press Machine
Adjust the seat so your shoulders are just under the handles, select your weight, grip the handles overhand, press above your head, slowly lower back down until your elbows come just below shoulder height.
Leg Press Machine
Sitting down, adjust your seat so that you are close to the footplate. Place your feet on the platform roughly hip-width apart, push the platform away, ensuring you keep a slight bend in your knee and slowly return to the start just before the weight plate touches, then push away again.
Chest Press Mach
