NEW YEAR 7-DAY FOCUS PROGRAM

Tuesday's Focus

 30 Mins of Resistance Exercise

Resistance training doesn't have to be hard, scary or intimidating. Just use those muscles girl!

Let’s focus on building muscle—not just for strength, but for your overall health. Muscle plays a key role in balancing hormones, boosting your metabolism, and supporting long-term health. After today, you’ll feel stronger, proud of yourself, and one step closer to your goals.

Whether it’s Pilates, dumbbells, machines, or bodyweight exercises, today is all about resistance training in a way that suits you. If the gym intimidates you, try a Pilates YouTube video from the comfort of your home. Building muscle isn't just about lifting heavy weights, it's about anything that challenges your muscles causing them to grow! This may put you out of your comfort zone a little but that's a good thing because that's where growth happens and muscle mass is always going to be very important for you to have. (And no, you won't get bulky - even professional body-builders find that hard to achieve). 

Where To Start

1. Decide what type of resistance movement you enjoy:
   • Mat pilates
   • Reformer pilates
   • Body weight exercises
   • Resistance bands
   • Dumbbells
   • Barbells
   • Gym Machines
   • Classes
     
     
2. Decide where you feel most comfortable and inspired:
   • At home following a YouTube video
   • At home doing your own thing at your own pace
   • In a class following an instructor
   • At the gym doing your own thing at your own pace
     
     If at home, what room of the house are you likely to do it in or would you enjoy working out in the backyard?
     
     
3. Decide what exercises, class or video you are going to do (see below for ideas)

Helpful Resources

• I use the ‘Strong’ App (free) for exercise ideas and guidance on technique. I also use it to track the weight I use over time (when you notice you can lift heavier more easily that’s when you know you have more muscle - even if it’s not obvious on the scale or in the mirror).
  
  
• Free apps like FitOn or Seven offer beginner-friendly exercise videos and personalised workout plans.
  
  
• Look up on YouTube Caroline Girvan, Blogilates or HASfit for guided strength and pilates sessions.

Terms:

• Rep: A single act of a single exercise. E.g. 2 lunges = 2 reps
• Set: A group of reps with a short break in between. E.g. 2 sets of 10 reps = 20 reps of that exercise in total
• Compound exercises: A bigger exercise that involves multiple muscle groups, eg. squats and lunges working all of the leg muscles and the glutes
• Isolated exercises: An exercise that focuses on one muscle, e.g. like a bicep curl working specifically the bicep

Resistance Exercise Ideas

Warm Up:

• You want to use dynamic (moving) stretches for your warm up to literally warm your muscles up and get them moving in their full range of motion. Here is a guide.

Cool Down:

• These stretches are very important to prevent muscle soreness and help muscle recovery (So you can walk tomorrow)

• You want to use static (still) stretches for your cool down. Here is a guide: https://genesishealthclubs.com/media/images/static.png

At the Gym:

• Use machines or free weights.
• Start with compound movements like squats, lunges, or rows. (A compound movement is a bigger exercise that involves multiple muscle groups vs. an isolated movement like a bicep curl)
• Try a circuit of squats, bench presses, and lunges.
• Use machines and cables for guided movements, such as leg press or lat pulldown.
• If you’re not sure what an exercise is or how to do it, look it up in the Strong App.

At Home:

• Try bodyweight exercises such as squats, push-ups, or planks.
• Don’t be afraid to do the modified version of an exercise eg. push ups on your knees. It doesn’t mean anything. Everyone has to start somewhere (I did my push ups on my knees this morning because I was tired).
• Incorporate resistance bands for added challenge if you want to (or just because they look fun).
• Bodyweight workout example: 3 sets of - 15 squats, 10 push-ups, and a 30-second plank hold.
• Incorporate household items like water bottles or backpacks as weights.
• Kmart also has cheap dumbbells. You only need to buy 1x pair to start. I wouldn’t recommend dumbbells any heavier than 5kg to start. If they feel pretty heavy even to hold, you’re likely not to make it to the 10th rep of any exercise, so maybe go a little lighter.

Classes:

• Join a Pilates or barre class for low-impact resistance options.
• Classes are beneficial if you want in-person guidance and a professional to correct your technique.

Tips:

• Focus on form over weight or intensity.
• More reps isn’t always better. More weight isn’t always better. It’s about finding the sweet spot that challenges your muscles but doesn’t break you. (Challenging our muscles is what causes them to rebuild themselves stronger - They’re clever things!)
• Aim for a 7/10 difficulty. If you go for 10/10 it’s likely you’ll burn out, come to dread exercise and not be able to walk at all the next day. We’re running an endurance race, remember!
• If you’re new, start with 2-3 sets (groups) of 8-12 reps per exercise (with a 30-60 second break between sets.