Training Tidbits

A Beginner At-Home Workout: Just get started!

Here are a few basic moves that can be done at home with minimal equipment. The program is designed to provide an exercise for each major muscle group for a full body toning program.

• 
  
  
  Biceps curls
• 
  
  
  Supine triceps extension
• 
  
  
  Shoulder Lateral raise
• 
  
  
  Rows
• 
  
  
  Squats
• 
  
  
  Heel raises (see more details in calf sculpting below)
• 
  
  
  Ab crunches

Start with light weights, but enough to provide a challenge to complete last 2 reps of each set.  Start slow....you can always increase the weight next time. Starting too heavy at the beginning can cause injury and discouragement leading to a "mis-start" in the best intentions in starting a new exercise program!

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------


Calf Sculpting

The calf is made up of 2 muscles: the gastrocnemius(medial and lateral heads) and the deeper soleus muscle.

To get that best sculpting of the calf work all portions by performing calf raises with varying positions. To work the deeper soleus muscle perfrom seated calf raises with added resistance placed on distal thigh, perform these first to fatique muscle to encourage gastroc nemius activity with the following exercises...to focus efforts on the medial gastroc perform standing calf raise (or on leg press machine) with toes pointed inward, focus on lateral gastroc with toes pointed outward. Add resistance by holding weights in hands. 


-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Biceps Sculpting

The bicep brachii is made up of 2 heads hence the bi-cep. Other muscles in the upper arm will also enhance the shape of the arm including the brachialis and brachioradialis. Change in position with this exercise will place focus on different muscles.

These exercises can be performed with various pieces of equipment for variety...dumbbells, barbell, bands, machines...Mix it up to keep progress going!

• Bicep curl: Standing or sitting with hands at your side, palms forward as your start position, keeping elbows at your side raise hand toward your shoulder bending at the elbow. A wider grip when using a barbell will place more focus on the short head of the biceps, closer grip focuses on the long head.
• Hammer curl: start position with arms at your side palms facing each other, maintain this hand position as your again bend the elbow pulling hand towards shoulder with elbow at your side. This focusing work on the brachioradialis along with the biceps brachii.
• Reverse curls: perform curls with the hands in a plam down position to include forearm/wrist extensor strengthening.

Perform all exercises with a weight that will challenge for the last 2 reps, completing 2-3 sets of 10-12 reps.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Glute Sculpting More info
The glutes muscle group is made up on 3 main muscles: gluteus maximus, medius and minimus. The bulk of what you see as buttock is the maximus but the others add to the shape of the hip and buttock region. 
A few good glute moves include:

• squats with varying foot position to hit different areas
• lunges with a long step forward to place moreemphasis on the glutes vs. quads
• bridges (add a resistance band around the knees to force isometric abduction to add in more gluteus medius activity), perform on a therapy ball to add an element of instabilty to bring even futher muscle fibers into play
• step ups  

More coming soon...
Triceps Sculpting

The triceps muscle group is usually a problem area for many, lack of good tone here contributing to the "arm flapping," remember I said lack of tone contributing....still need to lose fat to lose the flap!

The triceps brachii has 3 heads: lateral, medial and long heads. Again changing positions/grips will place emphasis on different areas of the triceps for a sculpted posterior arm.