Leg Exercises

Perform 3 sets of all exercises following these general guidelines:

• Set 1 – Warm-up: 10 – 15 reps using light weight
• Set 2 – Getting harder: 8 – 10 reps using moderately heavy weight
• Set 3 – Heavy: 5 – 8 reps of a challenging weight. Do not perform to failure.
• If your form fails during your first two sets, use a lighter weight
• The last rep of your last set should be difficult
• Rest approximately 1 – 2 minutes between sets

Quadriceps Leg Extensions

• Sit on a leg extension machine
• Position foot pad on the top of both feet, at the ankle joint
• Start exercise with your knees flexed at a 90 degree angle
• Extend and straighten your legs (do not lock out your knees – this keeps the muscles under tension and will help development)
• Pause for a count of 3
• Lower legs to starting position

Note: Pointing your toes slightly toward each other works the inner Quads pointing your toes slightly outward works the outer Quads. Lunge (or Walking Lunge)

• Stand upright with your feet shoulder width apart
• Hold a dumbbell of a comfortable weight in each hand
• Using a long stride, step forward with your right leg
• Keeping your upper body straight, drop your back (left) knee towards the floor (but don’t touch the floor) by bending both knees
• Hold the tension in the front of your leg, then raise your body straight up
• Return to starting position
• Repeat

Smith Machine* Squat (alternate exercise for Leg Extensions)

• Stand under a Smith Machine with your feet shoulder width apart
• Point toes either straight ahead or slightly outward (never inward to avoid knee strain)
• Look straight ahead
• Weight should rest on your shoulders (not your neck)
• Grip barbell with hands slightly wider than your shoulders
• Plant feet firmly on the floor (don’t raise your heels), inhale and move your butt back and downward – don’t start by bending your knees
• Don’t allow your knees to move forward
• When your thighs reach parallel, begin exhaling and return to starting position
• Repeat

*A Smith Machine is essentially a squat rack with built-in safeties and balances. It’s ideal if you’re working out alone, or new to training with freeweights. Biceps Femoris (rear of leg – Hamstring region) Lying Leg Curl

• Lie on your stomach on an angled Leg Curl bench with your legs straight out
• Knees should extend over the bench and be free of support
• Back of your upper ankle should rest on the underside of the rollers
• Inhale, hold your breath, and bring your ankles and the weight up as close as possible to your butt
• Keep your knees and the rest of your body as still as possible
• Contract your Hamstrings at the top of the movement pause for a slow 3 count and lower your feet back to the starting position
• Repeat

Calves Standing Calf Raises (works Gastrocnemius – upper calf muscles)

• Stand with your knees locked
• Place and hold a properly weighted barbell across the back of your shoulders (if using a Smith Machine or squat rack), or place pads on shoulders if using a Calf Raise Machine
• Balls of your feet should be on the edge of a 4 inch high block
• Keep toes should be pointed forward
• Lower heels until you feel a good stretch in the calves
• Raise your heels as high as you can
• Keep your legs strait and your knees and hip locked
• Hold for a slow 3 count
• Repeat

Seated Calf Raises (works Soleus – deeper and lower calf muscles)

• Sit either on a bench with a heavy weight plate on your lap near your knees, or on a seated calf raise machine using desired weight
• Bend knees at a 90 degree angle
• Balls of your feet should be on the edge of a 4 inch high block
• Keep toes should be pointed forward
• Lower heels until you feel a good stretch in the calves
• Raise your heels as high as you can
• Hold for a slow count of 3
• Repeat

Beginners should consult with their physician prior to starting any exercise program. If you’ve never lifted weights, you may want to consult with a personal trainer for one on one instruction and to develop a personalized exercise program.  

Back Exercises

Reverse Flyes Reverse flyes are one of the only exercises that work the rear muscles of your shoulders (posterior deltoid). Work with a weight that is comfortable for you. Perform 3 sets starting with a light weight for 12 repetitions (reps). Your next set will be a heavier weight performed for 10 reps, your last set will be a fairly heavy weight using 6 — 8 reps.

• Stand with your legs shoulder width apart and your knees slightly bent
• Bend over and hold a dumbbell in each hand arms hanging down
• Palms should be facing each other and your elbows should be slightly bent
• Slowly raise the dumbbells by lifting your arms apart in an arcing motion (like a set of wings). Keep your elbows bent
• Squeeze your shoulder blades together
• At the top of the movement, the dumbbells should be level with your head
• Slowly lower and return to the starting position
• Repeat

One Arm Dumbbell Rows This exercise works your Latissimus Dorsi (lats — the outer sides of your back); the muscles that give a “V” shape to your back. Work with a weight that is comfortable for you. Perform 3 sets starting with a light weight for 12 repetitions (reps). Your next set will be a heavier weight performed for 10 reps, your last set will be a fairly heavy weight using 6 — 8 reps.

• Start with your right side
• Place a dumbbell on the floor to the right side of the bench
• Put right leg back, knee slightly bent
• Place you left knee on the exercise bench
• Bend over and hold dumbbell with right hand, palm in
• Put left hand on bench for stability
• Lift the dumbbell straight up to side of chest. Squeeze your shoulder blades together. Inhale through this motion
• Return to starting position exhaling as you lower the weight
• Switch sides and repeat

Back Extension Back extensions are a great exercise to work the muscles along the side of your spine (erector spinae), the upper rear of your legs, and your gluteus maximus. A roman chair is required for this exercise. Beginner: Perform 3 sets of 10, Intermediate: 3 sets of 15

• Position yourself facedown on a roman chair, hooking your ankles under the ankle pads
• Your hips should be above the top edge of the body pad
• Cross your arms over your chest or lock your fingers behind your head
• Bend at your hips downward to a 60 degree angle
• Flex your lower back muscles, inhale and hold your breath while lifting your body so your shoulders are slightly higher than your ankles
• Hold this position for a count of 5
• Exhale as you return to the down position
• Repeat

Abdominal Exercises

Crunches Crunches are one of the easiest and best abdominal exercises. Beginner: Perform 3 sets of 15, Intermediate: 4 sets of 25

• Lie face up on the floor with your hands to the sides of your head
• Your knees should be bent and your feet on the floor
• Contract your abs while bringing your chest and head towards the ceiling keeping your lower back flat on the floor
• Hold for a count of 3 at the top of the movement and squeeze your abs
• Slowly lower and repeat

Physio Ball Crunch This intermediate level exercise lets you work your abdominals over a greater range of motion. A large Physio exercise ball is needed for this exercise. Beginner: Perform 3 sets of 10, Intermediate: 3 sets of 20

• Position yourself with your lower back resting on the exercise ball
• Your feet should be spread in front of you, and firmly planted on the floor for stability
• Lock your hands behind your head and keep your chin off your chest
• Make sure you’re stable before beginning
• Slowly lift your shoulders off the ball and curl your body upward as high as you can without lifting your back off the ball. Your back will compress the ball
• Squeeze your abs and hold for a count of 3
• Slowly sink back down and repeat

V-Ups The V-Up is one of the best all around ab exercises, and works the full abdominal group. This can be a difficult exercise and should be used only if you are at an intermediate or higher level. Beginner: Perform 3 sets of 10, Intermediate: 3 sets of 15

• Lie face up on the floor with your arms to your side
• Your legs should be straight out in front of you
• Keep your head, shoulders and feet off the floor
• Start out by quickly contracting your abs
• Take a deep breath and hold it as you bring your body and your legs together, keeping your butt on the floor and using it as your hinge point
• Reach your arms towards your shins at the top
• Hold for a count of 3
• Exhale as you slowly lower your legs and body to the starting position
• Repeat

Beginners should consult with their physician prior to starting any exercise program. If you’ve never lifted weights, you may want to consult with a personal trainer for one on one instruction and to develop a personalized exercise program.  

Tricep Kickbacks

• Bend over fully at the hips keeping your upper body parallel to the floor
• Support your body by placing your left hand and knee on an exercise bench
• Keep your right knee slightly bent and your foot flat
• Bend your arm so that your upper arm is along side your body and your forearm is pointing straight down (this will help isolate the triceps)
• Inhale, hold your breath and extend your arm out until it is straight
• After your arm is fully extended, squeeze your tricep to make sure it is fully extended
• The movement should finish with the dumbbell above your back
• Lift for a count of two and lower for a count of four while exhaling
• Return to the starting position
• Switch sides

Tricep Dips

• Grasp the bars of a dip station with palms facing your body (some machines allow you to attach weights to this movement – don’t do it until you’re familiar with the movement and your body weight feels very light)
• Keep hands shoulder width apart
• Lift up so that your arms are straight and elbows are locked
• Look straight ahead and keep elbows pointing slightly to the rear
• Inhale as you lower your body in a slow controlled manner
• Lower yourself until your upper arms are parallel to the floor
• Slowly raise yourself back to starting position exhaling as you go
• Pause at the starting point
• Repeat movement
• Perform 3 sets of 8-10 reps

Reverse Grip Stirrup Handle Pressdown

• You’ll need to be at a gym for this exercise
• Face a cable stack with a stirrup handle
• Select a comfortable weight on the machine (light enough to allow 10-12 reps)
• Grasp the handle with an underhand grip so that your arm forms a V (hand up at about chest level)
• Keep your waist slightly bent and your elbow close to your side
• Extend your arm downward to a point just short of locking your elbow
• Squeeze your triceps throughout the exercise
• Once you’re at the bottom of the movement, let your arm slowly travel back to starting position
• Switch sides

Biceps Exercises Beginners should consult with their physician prior to starting any exercise program. If you’ve never lifted weights, you may want to consult with a personal trainer for one on one instruction and to develop a personalized exercise program.  

Alternating Dumbbell Curl

• Sit on an exercise bench or stand tall, with your shoulders and chest out slightly
• Hold a dumbbell in each hand with your arms extended at your sides – palms facing the sides of your legs
• Start the movement with your right hand
• Exhale and bend your right elbow slowly lifting the weight towards your shoulder (going slowly will help activate more muscle fibers and keep them under tension for a longer period of time)
• Keep elbows tight to your body and arms close to your sides
• Really flex your bicep throughout the movement
• As you lift, turn palms toward your chest/shoulder
• Lift for a count of two and lower for a count of four
• Repeat movement with your left arm

Barbell Curl

• Use either a curl bar or straight bar
• Hold your hands on shoulder width apart on the bar
• Keep your torso upright – don’t lean back or jerk back and forth during the movement
• Flex your bicep throughout the movement
• Focus on pulling your forearms toward your biceps
• Pause at the top of the movement keeping slight tension on your bicep
• Slowly lower the weight
• Repeat movement

Concentration Curl

• Sit on an exercise bench
• Start with your right arm
• Bend forward and rest your right elbow on the inside of your right leg
• Flex your bicep throughout the movement
• Focus on pulling the weight toward your shoulder
• Lift for a count of two and lower for a count of four
• Switch sides

Triceps Exercises Beginners should consult with their physician prior to starting any exercise program. If you’ve never lifted weights, you may want to consult with a personal trainer for one on one instruction and to develop a personalized exercise program.