The way to build muscles is to continually provide them with a stimulus that is greater than what they are accustomed to. This is called progressive overload. To create this stimulus, you can use the weight of your body, dumbbells or barbells, or weight machines. The important thing is that you do execute your exercises in good form and you target as much of your body as possible.
Bench Press
Bench press is a popular compound exercise that recruits more than one muscle and more than one joint simultaneously. To perform a bench press, lie on the bench with your feet flat on the floor and knees bent 90 degrees. Grab the barbell bar with a wide grip, push it off the supports and hold it straight above you. Slowly lower it down until it lightly touches your chest and push it back up. Stop when your arms are just short of lockout and repeat.
Pull-Ups
Pull-ups are an intense body-weight exercise that works your back, arms, upper shoulders and core. Grab hold of a pull-up bar with a slightly wider than shoulder-width grip and bend your knees. Cross your legs behind your body and pull yourself up toward the bar. Stop when your chest is level with the bar, slowly lower yourself back down and repeat.
Military Press
Military presses work your shoulders and arms. Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart and hold the bar at the top of your chest with your palms facing forward and hands slightly wider than shoulder-width apart. Push the bar straight above your head until your arms are almost locked out, lower it back to your chest and repeat.
Dips
Dips are an exercise that targets your triceps, which are located on the backs of your upper arms. Align two weight benches parallel to each other and slightly farther apart than the length of your legs. Grab the edge of one bench with your hands and place your heels up on the other one. Lower your body down until your upper arms are parallel to the ground, and push yourself back up. To add more resistance to this exercise, have a training partner place a weight plate across your lap.
Incline Twist Curls
Incline twist curls work your biceps and forearm muscles. Lie back on an incline bench with dumbbells in your hands and your arms hanging down at your sides. Turn your palms so they are facing each other. Lift the weights and twist your wrists so your palms are now facing your chest. Slowly lower the weights back to the starting position and repeat.
Stability Ball Sqauts
You do stability ball squats with dumbbells, and they work your leg muscles without putting excess stress on your back. Stand with your feet slightly forward and shoulder-width apart. Hold the dumbbells down at your sides and lower your body toward the floor. Stop when your knees make a 90 degree angle and stand back up.
Member Comments