We all want to be buff. Who wouldn’t want to be ripped? Desire to be toned? If you want to look better, feel healthier and more confident, and live longer you have to stay in shape. There’s no doubt about it. Sedentary life increases the risk of cholesterol, which leads to high blood pressure, which increases the risk of heart disease among many other things. Stop this tumbling snowball as soon as possible. It isn’t as hard to get in shape as one might think. With these six exercises you’ll be well on your way to a better, healthier you!
Now the first thing to understand is that form is everything. When you do an exercise in a wrong way, you can injure yourself and hinder results. So be sure to follow these exercises exactly. Whether you are looking to get huge, or just to become a bit more toned, these exercises can be tuned to your fitness level. For that bodybuilder look, use heavier weights with fewer repetitions. For the toned look, use light weights with more repetitions.
The Bench Press: This of the staple of working your chest. Grab some dumbbells and lay down on a bench. With dumbbells in hand, start with your arms slightly lower than parallel to the ground. Slowly start pushing the dumbbells toward the ceiling, maintaining complete control throughout the motion. Push them up until they meet. At this point you should be making a triangle at the top of your push, the apex being consistent with the center of your body. To get you back to where you started, follow the same path, but backwards.
The inclined Bench Press: This exercise resembles the normal bench press. Lay on an inclined bench which is inclined towards the ceiling. You must use a hammer grip, which means your palms face each other was you grip the dumbbells. Grab your dumbbells and again push them up towards the ceiling in a slow and controlled fashion. Be sure not to push the weights perpendicularly to your body as that can cause injury.
Flys on a Declined Bench: Lay on a declined bench. This time you start with the dumbbells at the top of the rotation. Have the dumbbells directly above you with your arms straight. Again, you will be using the hammer grip. Take the dumbbells and begin to lower them in a semicircular fashion towards the ground.
Try to keep your arms straight with a slight bend in your elbow. This is to ensure that no elbow injury will occur. Lower the dumbbells as described to the floor until they are parallel to the floor. Then bring them back up. Be sure to keep your entire body stable, except for your arms.
Seated Tricep Press: This exercise focuses on your triceps, the muscles that extend your arm. Sit on a bench with your back straight and your feet firmly on the ground. Grab one end of the dumbbell with both hands and bring it behind your head.
As you keep your elbows stationary, slowly lower the weight until you feel your triceps stretching. Then begin to raise the dumbbell higher than you started. Try to raise the weight until the bottom end of the dumbbell reaches the level of the top of your head. Be sure to keep the weight behind your head at all times.
Tricep Extension: Lay flat on a bench with dumbbells in both hands. Straighten your hands out in front of you as you did with the dumbbell Flyes. Proceed to lower the weight towards your head by only bending your elbows. Bring it back up to full extension and repeat.
Tricep Kickback: This exercise is done only with one arm at a time. To train the right hand, stand to the left of a bench and place your right knee on the bench. Leave your left leg straight and place it firmly on the ground. Make sure your back is straight. Grab the dumbbell with your right hand and bring it half way between your body and the bench, keeping your elbow bent.
Your upper arm should be parallel to your body and your forearm perpendicular to your body. Straighten your arm at the elbow, making your forearm parallel to your body. Then proceed to slowly return to the starting position.
These exercises are for your chest and triceps. Be sure to look at our many other sections to help you work out the rest of your body and stay healthy.
Out of the Box Personal Training
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