Drop a dress size

Do you have a special occasion coming up in 2023?

Maybe you’re getting married or celebrating a big birthday and would like to feel your best for the big day? Join us at Active Northumberland and let us support you every step of the way!

Take it slowly, come to the gym 2-3 times a week and be patient as you work towards your goal.

Make sure you warm up properly

Start with 5-10 minutes of work on a cardiovascular machine of your choice.  
Think a brisk walk or a light jog on a treadmill, a medium intensity session on a rowing machine or a good cycle pace on a bike. 
The goal is to get your heart rate increased and your muscles warmed ahead of your main workout.

Using resistance machines for your main workout

Choose 3 of the 5 exercises below which use different parts of the body for a great workout.

Aim to complete 3-4 sets of 10 repetitions of the following exercises, and rest for 45-60 seconds between each set.

Be sure to choose a weight that provides a comfortable challenge as you start.

Leg press

A safe and simple way to strengthen your leg muscles and burn fat.
Chest press

A seated chest press machine targets your upper body (chest, arms and shoulders).
Shoulder press

Strengthens your shoulders and upper back. You can adjust the weight to match your workout goals.
Lat pull down

Sitting to face the machine and pull down to target your back.
Vertical row

Working your upper back and the back of your shoulders

Finish off with some cardio

Hit the treadmill, bike or rower and aim to move for 10-15 minutes at a pace you feel comfortable with.

Record your total distance and as you build up your fitness, aim to push yourself a little bit more during this time and beat your previous best or exercise for a little longer.

Don't forget to cool down!

Pick any cardiovascular machine - Treadmill, Bike, Rower – and aim to move for 5 minutes at an easy pace, to reduce your heart rate before completing your session. 

What you need to know

What are sets and repetitions?

This is the number of times you do an exercise before you stop for a rest.

Sets are simply groups of repetitions.

So 10 press ups, followed by a rest, followed by another 10 press ups is two sets of 10 reps.

How much weight should I use?

Enough to make the move challenging. Each repetition should go at the same speed.

If you feel like you are slowing down, it’s time to stop.

Pushing yourself until you can’t do anymore, is useful to build muscle bulk, but not so much for strength training.

How many reps should I be doing?

The general rule is that using a weight that allows you to get through one to five repetitions will help to build up strength.

How much should I rest?

If you are training for fat loss try to keep your rests to less than 1 minute.

For strength and muscle rest for between 90-120 seconds.

How do I progress?

At Active Northumberland you can book an ELEVATE fitness pathway session with one of our expert health and fitness team for a more tailored programme.