Strength training is a broad discipline. It is important when designing your routine that you choose exercises that complement each other. Hundreds of different weightlifting exercises are available for you to choose from; each has smaller variations of the movements that can make the process of designing a program more of a headache than the actual workout. However, each major muscle group has one exercise that is commonly used.
Chest
To build and define your chest, no exercise is better than the bench press. You can use a barbell or dumbbells for this exercise. If you are using dumbbells, lower the weight until the inside of the dumbbell touches the outside of your chest. Then press the weight back up. Do not touch the dumbbells, but keep the weights the same distance apart. If using a barbell, choose a grip that puts your elbows at 90-degree angles when the bar touches the chest. Press the bar up and back until your arms lock out, and the bar is at eye level.
Back
To build a defined back, bent rows incorporate a number of the muscles in the back. With knees bent slightly and bent at the waist until the chest is parallel to the ground. Keep your head up and shoulders back to prevent back injuries. Grip the bar with the same grip you use in the bench press; pull the bar up to your chest, squeezing the muscles at the top. The rear deltoids, rhomboids and lats are incorporated in this exercise, representing most of the back muscles.
Arms
The biceps and triceps are popular muscles to train. All movements will be isolation movements. The standard biceps curl can be modified in a number of ways. Using either barbell or dumbbells, seated or standing, with the palms facing up or in, stand as erect as possible. Do not use your back to swing the weight up. Bend at the elbows and bring the bar up until it touches your chest. Triceps are most responsible for the large upper arms that most people aim for in training. Using a heavy dumbbell, overhead triceps extensions are great for building the triceps. Grip one end of the dumbbell with both hands; lower the dumbbell to the base of your neck before pressing it over your head.
Shoulders
The military press activates two of the three muscles in the shoulder and is a great general shoulder exercise. Using dumbbells or a barbell, you will press the weight straight up overhead, lowering it to chin level before pressing it again. Be sure to bend the knees slightly and stagger your feet slightly to take the load off your back. You can also help with this by pushing your head forward once the bar has moved above it. Doing this prevents you from arching your back as the weight rises.
Legs
There is no exercise more suited to total body strengthening than the squat. Every leg muscle is recruited by this movement. If your back is prone to injury, you can do leg presses in place of squats. Rest the bar on the top of the trapezius muscle and spread your feet slightly wider than shoulder-width. Point your toes slightly out. Inhale deeply and look up at about 45-degrees. The first movement of a squat is to stick your hips back. In this manner, you are sitting back more than sitting down. Once the hips are back, squat down, keeping the weight on your heels. Once your hip joint is even with your knee joint, stand back up, pressing the heels into the floor.
References
- "Essentials of Strength and Conditioning"; National Strength and Conditioning Association; 2008
- "Strength Training"; National Strength and Conditioning Association; 2006
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