Weight loss is a delicate balance of calories in and calories out. You can increase your calories out through strength-training exercises in which you expend energy to perform the movements. Weight-training also increases your muscle tissue and muscle tissue increases the number of calories your body burns at rest. As you continue to build your muscle tissue, you might find it easier to maintain a healthy body weight. One way to use weights is during a high intensity circuit training workout. This circuit should be performed with a day of rest in between workouts.
Step 1
Perform 10 repetitions of a leg press. Sit in a leg press machine. Select the appropriate weight amount that you can press 10 times. Place your feet high on the platform so your knees and heels are in alignment. Straighten your legs, keeping a slight bend in your knee, as you exhale and bend your legs as you inhale.
Step 2
Perform 10 repetitions of a bench press. Slide the correct amount of weight plates onto the barbell. Lie face up on the bench and position your hands on the barbell slightly wider than shoulder distance. Inhale as you bend your arms and lower the bar to your chest. Exhale as you straighten your arms.
Step 3
Perform 10 leg curls. Choose a weight amount that is difficult on repetitions nine and 10. Flex your feet as you exhale and bend your legs to bring the weight close to your body. Inhale as you straighten your legs.
Step 4
Perform 10 back pull downs. Select your weight to be a challenge during your last two repetitions. Place your hands at the bend in the bar. Lean slightly backward, exhale, bend your arms and pull the bar down to your chest. Inhale as you straighten your arms and return the bar overhead.
Step 5
Perform 10 arm curls. Hold a dumbbell in each hand. Stand tall and straighten your arms along the front of your body with your palms facing away from you. Exhale and bend your elbows to bring the weights toward your shoulders. Inhale and return your arms to start position.
Step 6
Perform 10 shoulder presses. Sit and hold a dumbbell in each hand. Bend your arms and place your hands near your shoulders with your palms facing away from you. Exhale and straighten your arms overhead. Inhale and lower to start position.
Step 7
Perform 10 arm push-downs. Stand and place your hands palms down on a straight bar attached to an overhead cable. Position your elbows against your sides with your arms bent at a 90 degree angle. Exhale and straighten your arms, lowering the bar toward your body. Inhale and return to start position.
Step 8
Perform 10 upright rows. Stand tall. Hold a dumbbell in each hand with your arms straight along the front of your body and your palms facing your body. Exhale, bend your elbows and lift the weights to chest height. Keep your elbows higher than your hands. Inhale, straighten your arms and return to start position.
Step 9
Perform 10 leg extensions. Sit in a leg extension machine and position the bottom pad just above your feet. Flex your toes toward the ceiling as you exhale and straighten your legs. Inhale, bend your knees and lower the weight. Do not allow the weights on the stack to touch in between repetitions.
Step 10
Perform 10 seated rows. Sit in a seated row machine. Take hold of the handles that are perpendicular to the floor. Exhale, bend your elbows and pull the handles toward you as you squeeze your shoulder blades toward each other. Inhale and straighten your arms returning to start position.
Step 11
Repeat steps one through 10 three to five times. Do not rest between exercises.
Things You'll Need
- Dumbbells from 5 to 20 lbs.
- Leg press machine
- Leg extension machine
- Leg curl machine
- Arm push down machine
- Back pull down machine
- Bench press
- Seated row machine
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