Some Great Exercises to Try

Best Abdominal Exercises

Here are a few special abdominal exercises which have particular effect on the abs.

Site ups with Barbell:

This abdominal exercise comes under the group of advanced abdominal exercises. This exercise can be used for home training. With the bar held behind the neck or at the chest and in lying position and the feet fixed under another object, sit up with the weight until the body is upright, then resume the lying position. Inhale prior to the sit up, exhale as you come up. Beginners will find this difficult at first and may have to use only the bar without weights.

Back Lying Legs Raise:

This is the same as the freestanding exercise. Arms above the head, legs raise in varying degrees, and eventually until the full range can be done to touch floor behind the head without bending the legs. the exercise is very effective just done with legs raise 45 degrees and lower.

Back Lying Legs Parting:

Raise the legs about a foot off the floor, then swing them out sideways and then together. Try not to hold the breath. Repeat in sets of 10 to 15. This is a fine abdominal exercise, and also for the inside of the thighs.

Some very strong exercises can be done, adding to the resistance with iron boots as you become proficient.

Having nice a nice pack of abdominal muscles or abs gives a great boost in overall appearance. Abs are one of the toughest muscles to work upon and therefore are one of the most desired.

 

The Most Effective Exercise for Chest

"Bench Press"

This exercise can be done on the floor, but is better done on a bench so that full play is given to the arms and chest, and movement is not restricted in any form.

Lie on a bench or a raised base with the shoulders firmly on it. Take a bar to arms length, with a fairly wide grip. Lower the bar to the chest, and then press it overhead to arms length, ensuring that it is kept fairly high up the chest, and not allowed it to come too far towards the abdomen when it is lowered. Take a deep breath as you lower the bar to the chest, and breathe out as the press to arms length is completed. this is a great exercise for the whole of the chest, pectorals, triceps, and some of the back muscles. It is one of the recommended basic exercises for all athletic events and sports. Bench Press is perfectly safe, and there is no fear of any injury

The following are alternate and advanced form of Bench Press exercises:

Dumbell Bench Press Alternate:

For this form of bench press take a pair of dumbells to the shoulders whilst lying down. Press them alternately above the head. Breathe as stated in above. Take weight accordingly giving it a try.

Two Hands Dumbell Bench Press:

The same exercise as the previous one, but press overhead with both dumbells simultaneously. this exercise is more effective if the wrists are turned as the dumbells are lowered to the chest, so that the dumbells are turned from parallel overhead to in line at the chest. Both of these are excellent chest and triceps exercises.

Flying Exercise:

From the Bench Press position lower the arms, slightly bent outwards. Return to straight arms. Refer to the picture above. It is a fairly advanced exercise which pumps up the chest muscles (pectorals).

Note: In all the exercises lying on a bench, it is better that the feet are kept firmly on the floor rather than on the bench, so that better balance can be maintained.

 

Arm Exercises

The best arm exercises which have great effect to have those big guns which say it all.

The Curl:

This arm exercise has many variations, and in some form should appear in every weight training schedule. Many of the other exercises naturally affect the arm, but the curl has a very direct effect on the upper arm. The usual way of doing it is

Stand short astride or feet together , hold a barbell at the hang position, arms shoulder width apart, palms to the front. Without any body or upper arm movement bend the elbows and 'curl the bar upwards to the shoulders. Then lift the elbows well up. Inhale as the curl is made, exhale as the bar is lowered. When the curl is made a quick contraction takes place of the upper arm muscles. This exercise can be done wide or narrow grip, in slightly bent forward position, seated or standing. All have their merits and work the upper arm muscles from varying angles.

Alternate Dumbell Curls or Two Hands Dumbell Curls: Stand astride with the arms at the hang position holding a dumbell in each hand. Fully flex the elbows and curl each dumbell alternately to the shoulder, or as a more advanced exercise, both dumbells can be curled together. This exercise can also be done seated, or in the bent over position, which provides even stronger work. There should be no body movement when the exercises are done in the standing position.

Single Arm Seated Dumbell Curl:

Seated on a stool or bench, hold a dumebll between the knees with the arm extended. Flex the elbow and curl the dumbell to the shoulder. The trunk should be slightly inclined forward to produce a maximum contraction of the elbow flexors. A certain amount of support is possible by having the back of the elbow against inside of the leg. One of the fine upper arm exercises.

Single Arm Triceps Stretch:

Using a light dumbell, hold it at arms length above the head. Lower the dumbell backwards behind the head, by bending the elbow until the dumbell touches the back of the neck. Then keeping the upper arm straight, and by contracting the triceps muscles straighten the forearm until the dumbell returns to starting position. Keep the dumbell as near to the head as possible all the time. The free arm is laid across the upper chest for support on the side that is being exercised. Inhale at commencing position, exhale as movement is completed. This is a very strong and effective triceps exercise.

Triceps Stretch Lying:

This exercise can be done at the end of a bench, in lying position. Hold a bar with narrow grip at arms length overhead, keeping the upper arm straight drop the bar behind the head by bending the forearms backwards. And then bring it up in the starting position.

Note: Many of these exercises like the press behind neck, etc, can be done standing or seated for progression.

Here are key Leg Exercises with Pictures

The Squat:

Like the Bench Press and Curl, this great exercise should be in every schedule in some form. It is one of the best leg exercises because of its effect on the respiratory system it is a great chest, stamina and body weight builder

Stand feet short astride, toes to front. With a barbell supported across the shoulders behind the neck, bend the knees and sink into a knees bend position. Immediately return to the upright. Inhale deeply just prior to the knees bend, and exhale as you come to the upright. Fill the lungs a couple of times before each repetition. The back must be kept flat. This is a very important, on not account must the back be allowed to sag. If you are not too supple, don not squat too deeply, only until the thighs are slightly below parallel with the ground is sufficient. The heels must remain on the ground all the time. If you have difficulty in keeping the hells on the ground, raise them on a block of wood.

Hack Lift:

Stand short astride in FRONT of a barbell. Bend the knees and keeping the back flat, and with a slight forward incline of the body, grasp the bar knuckles to front or back as preferred. Using the back and legs, lift the bar off the floor and resume the upright position, and repeat. Inhale on lift, exhale on lower.

The Straddle Lift:

Stand with one leg either side of a barbell, feet about 15 inches apart. Grasp the bar with one hand in front of the thighs and one to the rear, the barbell being fore and aft. Bend the knees and keeping the back flat, lift the bar from the floor by straightening the legs and using the back muscles.

Single Leg Squat with Dumbell:

Holding a dumbell in one hand and supporting yourself with the free hand on a chair or against a wall, perform a single leg squat holding the dumbell on the side which is being exercised. For more freedom of movement, this exercise can be done standing on a chair seat and supporting oneself on the back of the chair with the free hand. This is a very strong exercise, and should be practiced without a dumbell at first, and then progress to a very light dumbell.

Squat with Weight at Clean:

With minor alteration the squat exercise can also be done with the weight held with a narrow grip at the front of the chest, in which case you will need a block under the heels. It throws more work on the front of the thighs and therefore strengthens them.

Sitting Thigh Extension:

Sit on a table or chair, legs at the hang. Straighten alternate knee, at the same time flexing the quadriceps muscles. This is a fine quadriceps exercise, and also a strengthener for the knee joint, and in a modified way is extensively used by footballers, etc, in the treatment of knee injuries. As a leg builder, you will need some extra weight right from the start. This exercise is often used by footballers to make there legs strong.

Standing Back Curl:

With support and with some added weight on the boot, bend the leg backwards from the knee, contracting the calf muscle. This is a fine exercise. Try high repetitions with each leg.

Standing Leg Raise Sideways:

With support, alternate leg raise sideways from the hip. This is a fine hip exercise, and also for the muscles on the inside of the leg, and the oblique muscles of the abdomen.

Calf Exercises

If you have the great bug of bodybuilding symmetry perfection within you then calf exercises are for you. Many of the best calf exercises require no apparatus is required. Like for exercises such as running, skipping, jumping, etc. on the toes. Even heels raising with toes on a block of wood is effective. However, more concentrated muscle work is possible when weights provide the resistance. Here are three special exercises

Squat with Dumbell:

More advanced single calf work can be done by holding one dumbell and using the free hand for support. The dumbell should be on the side that is being exercise, thus providing more resistance. However both calves can also trained by holding the dumbells in the hanging position and performing the heels raise. This is a better exercise for the beginners to start with.Squat with dumbell is a very effective exercise for developing stubborn calf muscles which have failed to respond to other calf exercises.

Heels Raise with Barbell:

Stand short astride toes to the front with a barbell supported on the shoulders. From this position raise on the toes as high as possible, hold position a second or so if possible, and lower, and repeat.

Seated Heal Raises:

Sit on a chair or stool with a loaded barbell resting on a towel across the knees, with toes on a block of wood. Raise the heels as high as possible, and lower.

Note: You should feel the work load on your calf. If not then you are doing the exercise wrong.