Archive for the 'Weight Training' Category

Weight Training Explanation

Friday, May 11th, 2007

Weight Training Explanation

I have written the names of various exercises along with explainations of how to perform these exercises. While there is no subsitute for hands on training I hope this written explaination helps somewhat. This is not a workout rather various exercises that you can use in your workouts. You can pick two exercises from each bodypart and design a workout for yourself for example. This is just and explanation of how to perform the exercises listed correctly.
Chest Press Machine 

Seat adjustment (-) Sit in machine keep shoulder blades pulled, push handles out to ¾ extension, breathe out as you push.

Chest Press w/Dumbbells

Lying on bench keep feet on stand or on bench, arms @ 90° push weight up to midline of body, ¾ extension, and keep shoulder blades pulled underneath and maintain that posture through entire range of motion. Exhale on hardest part of all movements, in this case pushing weight up is hardest part of movement.

Incline Dumbbell Press

Lift bench into place by lifting pad up until it locks at the end, lift the pad by the feet up and it will lock in first position. Now ready for Incline dumbbell press. Keep same posture, push weights up overhead ¾ extension.

Dumbbell Flyes

Lying flat on bench take arms out to 180° keep slight bend in elbow, concentrate on using chest muscles to pull arms toward midline of body. Do not hold dumbbell tight in your hand, secure it but focus on using chest muscles.

Standard Push-Ups
Your feet are together and your hands are shoulder width apart with your hands slightly pointed inward. Your torso is level maintaining a 45º angle. Lower your body until you have a 90 º break in your elbow and then push yourself back to the starting position. Make sure you do not lower your hips or lift your hips as you go down. Your body must stay constant to do this exercise safely and effectively.
Shoulders

Side Lateral Raise w/dumbbells

Standing shoulder width apart dumbbells are out you sides, lift your arms to shoulder height hold the contraction and return to starting point. Don’t hold dumbbells too tight, pull from shoulder muscle.

Bent Arm Side raise w/dumbbells

Standing same stance keep arms bent at 90° lift arms as one unit to shoulder height, hold contraction and return to starting point.

Front Raise w/dumbbells

Same stance, keep dumbbells on front of thighs lift weights up to shoulder height one arm at a time and hold contraction then return to starting point.

Combo Front Raise/Side Raise

This is good for upper body workouts that include all muscle groups.
Raise dumbbell up to shoulder height with both arms then down, move dumbbell around to side of body and lift weight out to side up to shoulder height hold contraction and return to side, then move weight back around to front and continue. When you do one to both front and the side that is one repetition.

Shoulder Press Machine

Sit in machine push weight up to ¾ extension and return back down to ear level. Keep elbows in, make sure elbows don’t go out, more of a motion indicating a touchdown, that type of movement.

Triceps

Tricep Pushdown Cable

Standing shoulder width with knees slightly bent, push weight down from 90° all the way down so arms are straight, and you are pushing so that your palms go to the front of your thighs.

Tricep Kickback w/dumbbell

Place dumbbell in right hand, right foot on floor, left knee on bench, keep foot behind hip joint, bend over bench, keep arm bent at 90° and take lower arm back until straight, keep wrist stationary the entire movement.

Legs

Standing Squats no weight
Start with this exercise to warm up legs and hip joints. Shoulder width apart with feet squat to 90° so thighs are parallel to floor come back up.

Leg Extension Machine
Seat adjustments vary on machines. Sit in machine keep feet pointed out and relaxed, stay focused on thighs, lift weight up and pause then return weight to starting point and pause.

Leg Press
Machines vary some are upright and some are angled @ 45 º. Lie or Sit in machine and place feet shoulder width apart and press weight out until you get to your own ¾ extension with your legs then repeat. Do not lock your knees on this exercise ever.

Leg Curl Machine
Some machines are lying and some are upright. For Lying Leg Curl: Lie down on machine keep feet pointed the entire range of motion, as you pull weight up drive hips down into bench stop at 90° return the weight back to starting point.

For Upright Leg Curl: Sit in machine and check various adjustments. Then placing feet pointed out away from you pull the weight down to 90 º then return to starting point.

Butt , glutes, etc.
Stationary Lunges w/ Dumbbells
Make sure when you go down your knee stays aligned with your ankle, try to form two 90° angles with your legs, don’t let knee touch floor.

Fire Hydrant Floor exercise
Raise leg out to side up to hip joint and repeat.

Lying Leg Raise(inside leg) Floor exercise
Lying on side top leg over and raise leg on floor up toward the ceiling and repeat.

4 Count Butt exercise Floor exercise
Start on all fours take leg from chest area out straight (1), then out to side (2), then back to straight (3) then back up to chest area (4) and repeat.

Back

Reverse grip Pulldown
Sit with feet flat on floor, grab bar shoulder width and pull down to top of chest. Do not lean while pulling. Remember, as you pull down pull your head out slightly keep the chest high and pull bar to top of chest then return to starting point.

Vertical Row Machine

Sit on machine so pad is level with middle of chest(sternum) then pull handles back to side of chest. As you pull handles back take chest out so that it is barely up against pad, do not separate but just touching. Do not collapse on pad. As you take handles back out to starting position keep shoulders back and extend arms out.

Lying “X” exercise Floor exercise (lower back)
Lying face down raise left hand and right leg hold contraction and alternate.

Superman exercise Floor exercise (lower back)
Same as above, just lift arms and legs and hold 3 seconds then repeat.

Biceps

Standing curl w /Cable
Go to crossover cable machine and attach straight or curled bar whichever is best for you. Standing shoulder width apart, lift to ¾ extension and repeat. Lift bar toward shoulder joint do not pull all the way up only to peak of the contraction of the bicep muscle.

Standing Curl w/ Barbell
Same thing just use fixed barbell with weight you can handle.
Concentration Curl w/ dumbbell

Seated with legs open place elbow against thigh and hold arm at 90°, lift weight up and hold contraction then return weight to starting position.

Abs

Lying on floor form triangle with hands overhead, arms are extended and relaxed, take your hands straight up to ceiling and have your head follow you hands. As you raise your shoulder blades off floor drive lower back down into floor to create contraction in abs, repeat.

Crossover Abs
Left foot over right knee, right hand at your side, left hand behind your head, do not pull with hand just place it behind your head, take your left elbow over to your right thigh under control and repeat.

Now here is an example of how you could rotate your workout.

Do Legs, back and biceps day 1.
Then chest, shoulder and triceps day 2.
Then legs back and biceps on day 3 again.

Skip Day 4 from weight training,focus on cardio.

Start Rotation again.

Repeat same rotation to work more of the areas you want.