Getting a Great Workout with a BodyCraft Jones Club, Jones Platinum, Jones Light Commercial, or Jones Freedom is easy and efficient. Using multiple machines can be time consuming if you have a busy schedule. The Jones allows you to work your upper body, lower body, and even your abs. With a Jones machine you are able to move the bar horizontally and vertically, which creates even more exercise possibilities within an even safer environment. Putting a workout together in a circuit format will help even further with time saving! Follow the exercises below for a quick, strength building, and endurance building workout. And remember to always set your Jones safety spotters!
Upright Row: The bar starts out at waist height. You want to maintain an upright form. Abs tight and shoulders back. Hands are about 5 inches apart on the bar. As you slide the bar up toward your chest, your elbows will go out to the side. Lower the bar back down to waist height. Make sure you breathe out on the way up and in on the way down. 1 set of 10
Squat: This exercise can have the bar behind your shoulders or in front of your shoulders. If you have any shoulder problems, you may want to try the bar in the front. If the bar is in front, you will want to have it slightly higher than shoulder height and locked in place. If it is on your shoulders, you will want to make sure it is adjusted for your height so you are upright at the completion of the exercise. This is where the vertical setting can benefit your form and save your shoulders. When you lower yourself down, make sure you are hinging at the hips, your back stays straight and the knees are behind your toes. Your goal is to lower yourself down 90 degrees. 1 set of 10
Bent Over Row: Hinging at the hips, lower your upper body down 45 degrees. The bar will be parallel to your abs with your arms extended. You will breathe out and bring the bar up to your lower chest and inhale lowering the bar down. 1 set of 10
Lunges (Intermediate): The bar can be in the front of the shoulders or the back. You will have one leg out in front. The distance is determined by your knee. When you can lower yourself down, keeping your back straight and your knee behind your toes and the back knee can bend comfortably then the distance of the forward leg is correct. You want to maintain your upper body by not hinging at the hip. Exhale on the way down and inhale on the way up. 1 set of 10 on each leg
Dead Lift (Intermediate): The bar is in front of you. The height is right at your quads (front of your legs). Adjust the bar vertically as well to allow for the hinging of the hips. Keep your abs tight, hinge at the hips with a slight bend in the knees. Take the bar down toward your knees. Breathing out on the way up and in on the way down. 1 set of 10
Modified Pull-Up (advanced): Make sure to lock the rail into place and rack the bar for this one. The higher the bar, the easier the exercise. You are attempting to pull yourself up from a slanted position. Your heels are on the floor, hands are on the bar shoulder width apart, keeping your abs tight, you’re pulling your body up toward the bar. Exhaling as you pull up and inhaling as you lower. 1 set of 10
Leg Lifts on Stability Ball (advanced): The stability ball is in front of the bar and the bar is in front of you as you are seated on the ball. The height of the bar is in between the shoulder and chest height. You will lower yourself down on the ball by walking forward. The ball is in the lower part of your back. You can have the Jones locked in place or not for this one. Not having it locked in will add an extra stability factor! While holding into the bar (which should be right out in front of you) you will lift and lower your legs. Exhaling as you lower and inhaling as you raise. 1 set of 10
Repeat the whole routine 2-3 times with minimal rest time for a circuit format
Happy and safe exercising!
Written by Guest Fitness Blogger and Certified Personal Trainer Michele Cannell
Read more of Michele’s work at her site fitgirl.us!