The only thing that prevents you from achieving the body of your dreams is your commitment to your workout. Barbells, dumbbells, bands and workout machines provide you with a variety of workouts to help build strength. Your body is an often-underutilized tool that can give you the strong and lean physique that you've always wanted.
The Facts
In 2009, the American College of Sports Medicine recommended that beginner exercisers start with two to three days per week of strength training. In the book "Exercise Physiology," exercise researchers revealed that to improve strength, weight training must employ the "overload principle" in which you periodically increase the amount of resistance used in a particular exercise. Increase the resistance of a body weight exercise by modifying the reps, sets, tempo, rest period and even the technique used to complete the exercise.
Mountain Climbers
Start your program with this endurance exercise. Begin in "plank" position, place your hands shoulder width apart. Keep your hips, torso and legs parallel to the floor and press the balls of your feet into the floor. Lift your right leg off the floor and pull your right knee to your chest. As you pull the right knee to the chest draw the abdominals to the spine and keep the rest of your body firm. Repeat with the left knee, alternate sides for 12 to 15 repetitions. Increase the speed to make the exercise more intense.
Push Up
Begin in "plank" position. Inhale to bend your elbows ninety-degrees while keeping the shoulders away from the ears. Exhale to straighten your arms. Keep the abdominals and thighs firm to make the exercise more effective. Repeat for 12 to 15 reps on each side. You can make this exercise less intense by bringing the knees to the floor. You can make it more intense by holding the bend in your elbows for two seconds before returning to the plank position.
Step Up
Stand behind a bench or step. Place the sole of your right foot firmly on the bench or step. Exhale as you firm your right buttocks to stand on the step with both feet. Inhale to slowly lower your left foot to the floor. Repeat for 12 two 15 reps on each side.
Walking Squat
Stand with feet hip width apart. Inhale as you extend your arms in front of you and lower your hips toward an imaginary chair behind you. Keep the majority of your weight in your heels and firm the buttocks as you stand tall. Take a step forward and repeat for 12 to 15 reps.
Horizontal Pull Up
Lay down on the floor underneath a pull up bar. Grab the bar and make sure your arms are straight and that there are at least two inches between your back and the floor. Straighten your legs and reach your toes toward the ceiling. On an exhale pull your chest toward the bar, drive your shoulder blades deep into the upper back to make the exercise more effective. Inhale to straighten your arms and lower your back toward the floor. To make this exercise less intense bend your knees 90 degrees and place the feet flat on the floor.
References
- "Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise"; Progression Models in Resistance Training for Healthy Adults; Nicholas Ratamess et. al.; 2009
- "Exercise Physiology: Theory and Application to fitness and Performance"; S. Powers and E. Howley; 2007
- "European Journal of Applied Physiology"; Muscular adaptations in response to three different resistance-training regimens: speci?city of repetition maximum training zones; Gerson Campos et. al.; Issue 88; 2002
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