Available for all residents and owners is a well-equipped gym and exercise facility. Courtesy of Joe Donnelly, here is a quick run-down on what you can enjoy...
Many of the machines are self-explanatory:
Two treadmills, two elliptical machines and two stationary bicycles. These all do basically the same thing, improve cardio-vascular fitness and/or burn calories. The choice is basically a matter of personal preference and exactly what you are trying to achieve.
The rest of the machines are weight resistance, used for muscle toning and building. As you enter the gym, to your left is a rack with sets of dumbbells. There are literally dozens if not hundreds of exercises that can be done with dumbbells. This is predominately what I use in my workouts. In front of the dumbbells is a large weight machine with a permanently attached bar. Most serious weightlifters use this machine for many exercises. I use it only for squats because, if done properly, it takes pressure off the back and makes the movement safer. On the other side of the room is a similar looking weight station which used by a lot by serious weightlifters.
Working down the left wall the next machine is the cable machine. There are many exercises for this piece of equipment but my favorite is called the woodchopper. This exercise is simple but works the entire center core. The other most common exercise here is the chest cable crossover. As the name implies it works the chest and there are at least three ways to do this exercise.
Working around the elliptical machines the next weight machine is specifically for the arms. From the seat you can do curls for the biceps and extensions for the triceps.
Next to that is the bench press machine. The bench has several settings so you can do lying bench press, seated incline press or seated shoulder press.
Directly in front of the bench press is the Chest and Rear Deltoid Machine. Like the arm machine, this is a single purpose self explanatory machine. It works the chest or the rear deltoid and back depending on which way you sit.
Directly in front of this machine is the Lat pulldown / rowing machine. There are a number of exercises that can be done here, but with very few exceptions, they all work the back muscles.
Three of the remaining four machines are for the legs; Leg Extension / leg curl, abductor / adductor, and leg press. These all work the legs in slightly different ways and each has a brief description of how to do the exercise.
The last is the pullup / dip station. This allows pretty much anyone to do pull-ups and dips by providing adjustable weighted assistance.
That’s the basics on the machines.
Of course there is the fine print.... This Blog material is intended to be purely descriptive and does not substitute for proper instruction and ensuring that you are medically fit enough to use this equipment. Check with your doctor before starting an exercise regimen.
