Essential Exercises

Fitness, Strength & Physical Health

Please note:  Many of these exercises do anticipate that you have access to exercise equipment!

If you do not have access to exercise equipment, consider joining a local YMCA, gym or purchasing some basic workout equipment such as a bench, workout bar and dumbbells.

Most of all, Be Fit!

Essential Exercises

• Fitness Ball Ab Exercises - These balls are great for toning your abdominals.
• The Snatch - Olympic lift that develops flexibility and coordination
• The Modified Push-Up - The modified push-up is a good all-around chest developer.
• Explosive Jacks - These power-boosting explosive jacks are hard work!
• Biceps Curl - A long-time favorite exercise for the upper arms.
• Body Weight Squats - Perhaps the best lower body exercise a person can do.
• Jump Shrug - A little shoulder attitude along with some cardio jumps.
• Squats - Can't beat the squat for a great leg exercise.
• Jump Squat - Adds some cardio-power to squats.
• Non-Lockout Squat - Uses a bar to add resistance to squats for further strengthening.
• Dead Lift - Works the hamstrings, gluteals and lower back.
• Sit-up - Most of us know it, let's perform it properly.
• No Crunch Tummy Tightener - Take inches off your waistline with the "Bridge Opposite Arm-Leg Reach".
• Abdominal Crunches - This muscle group is the key to good posture and overall strength.
• Chest-Down Good Morning - Strengthens the back but avoid this exercise if you have lower-back problems.
• Chest Press - Strengthens the Pectoralis major and minor, triceps, and deltoids.
• Bench Press - The bench press primarily focuses on the development of the pectoral or chest muscles.
• The Bridge - This is another movement for your core (midsection).
• Side Crunches - To tone love handles, do side crunches!
• Ab Reverse Curl - The reverse curl will help to reduce a protruding stomach.
• Negative Sit-Ups - An effective alternative to the traditional sit-up for people who suffer back problems.
• Standing Crunch - How do you use the muscles in every day life? Standing up!
• Shoulder Press - Targets the Middle and Front of Shoulders (Medial and Anterior Deltoids and Triceps)
• Kettlebell Circuit - If you're in a time-crunch, you could even do just three to five sets of these and get a great workout.
• The Plank (Abs and Back) - Works the abdominals and back...
• Quick Warm Up - When we say quick, we do our best to mean quick!
• Toe Touch Exercise - Touch your toes from a lying-down position.
• Bent-Over Rows - Great for the region of the back called the latssimus dorsi.
• Dip - The Dip is a hugely productive upper body exercise.
• Bench Dip - Excellent exercise for the back of the arms (triceps).
• Dumbbell Power Clean and Press - Works the upper and lower major muscle groups.
• Pull Up - An old stand-by exercise, because it works!
• Reverse-grip lat Pull-down - Excellent for strengthening the muscles of your upper back and biceps.
• Dumbbell Shoulder Press - Focus's on the shoulders...
• Preacher Curl - The preacher curl is the ideal biceps solution!
• Zottman Curl - A bicep curl with a twist.
• Incline Dumbbell Curl - Uses an incline bench for your dumbbell curls.
• Wide Grip Biceps Curl - Using a bar and a wide grip exercises the biceps from a different angle.
• Push and Touch - Works shoulders and upper back for great definition...
• Rope Triceps Extension - The rope gives you more ease and control while working the back of your arms.
• Triceps French Curl - Probably one of the best tricep exercises.
• Lying Triceps Extension - One of the most stimulating exercises to the entire triceps muscle group in the upper arm.
• Bench Dipper - Focus on the negative--the portion of the exercise in which you lower your body.
• Close Grip Bench Press - Do this one with strict technique to benefit the chest.
• Modified V-Sit - Another excellent exercise for the abs and back.
• Cycling Twist - Works the entire side of your torso.
• Lunge with Anterior Raise - This exercise works the legs, core, butt and shoulders.
• Plie Squat with Upright Row - Get a lot of bang for your muscles with the combo exercise!
• Seated Quad Strengthener - Uses ankle weights to help strengthen the quads.
• Stability Ball Wall Squat - Strengthens core, hamstrings and glutes using a stability ball.
• Lunges - An old favorite; works the upper thigh and buttocks; hip extensors, quadriceps.
• Walking Lunge - A long lunge emphasizes the gluteus maximus (butt); a short lunge emphasizes quadriceps.
• Windmill Lunge - Lunge forward, sideways and back - maximum workout for the thighs!
• Wide Grip Incline Bench Press - Uses a bench and bar to work the chest muscles.
• Bent Knee Deadlift with Bicep Curls - This is a great combination exercise to work several large muscle groups at one time!
• Wrist Curl - The wrists are an easily forgotten area - give them a couple moments with this exercise.
• Wide Grip Seated Row - Excellent exercise for the back.
• Wide Grip Lat Pull Down - The lat pulldown is a good back exercise for people who can't do chin ups.
• Pullover/Skull Crusher - This exercise works several upper-body muscle groups at the same time.
• Biceps Curl/Shoulder Press - Another multi-part exercise that works several muscle groups at a time.
• Step Ups - Pump up the volume on your stereo and get stepping!
• The Target Lift - This technique can be applied to any regular resistance exercise.
• Y's, T's and I's - This exercise helps strengthen the small, but crucial muscles, the rotater cuffs.
• Heel Raises - Muscles worked: Calves; Gastrocnemius and solius.

Stretching Exercises

• Spine Release - Eases spinal tension and stretches back and shoulder muscles
• Wall Push Stretch - This exercise is great for people who are not able to do a regular push up.
• Palm Touch Stretch - The palm touch exercise is a great stretching exercise to do after warming up.
• Toe Touch Stretch - Good overall stretch. Always remember, stretching should feel good, not painful.
• Calf Wall Push Stretch - Gentle but effective stretch for the calf muscles.
• Hamstring Stretches - Hamstring Stretches stretch the muscles of the hamstrings which can alleviate stress and tension as well as lower back pain.

Workout While You Rest

Do these easy moves during the rest periods in your strength workout to get the benefits without spending a single extra minute in the gym!

• Superman - Strengthens your lower-back and spinal muscles.
• Seated Toe Lift - Strengthens the muscles in the front of your shins so your lower legs feel less sore.
• Front Pillar Bridge - Works most major core muscles for strength and stability during activities that involve weight lifting.
• Rear Delt Raise - Strengthens the muscles behind your shoulders so you won't slump.

Foot Forethought

Tennis Ball for Achy Feet:  For an easy, free mini massage that stretches and soothes your arches, slip off your shoes and roll each foot over a tennis ball, golf ball, or soup can for a minute or two. To cool throbbing feet, roll them over a bottle of frozen water.

• Ball Roll - Prevents heel and arch pain.
• Towel Curls - Prevents arch strain and hammer toes.
• Toe Stretch - Tones calf and toe muscles.

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