Weight Lifting Exercises

People who are either too fat or too thin constantly wonder and worry about getting into shape by losing or gaining weight. The best way to do it is by following a strict diet program and getting started on weight training exercises. Every day, if you do some basic weight lifting exercises even for just 20 minutes or half an hour, it will go a long way in boosting your strength and of course tone up your body. You may even feel encouraged about raising up the limit of your weight lifting exercises. However, you need to keep a few things in mind like asking your physician if it is ok for you to start on a weight training program and your basic warm up session which will help you prepare better for the exercises.

Upper Body Exercises

The weight training exercises for the upper body will tone up and strengthen your shoulders, back muscles, chest and biceps. The main exercises for toning up the upper body are:

Flat Bench Press - In this, the chest muscles are toned up and strengthened. You are supposed to lie on your back on a bench and let your legs rest. Hold the bar or dumbbells and slowly lift it up so that your hands are straight and parallel. Bring it down slowly and hold it just below your chin. Repeat till you feel your chest is worked out.
Push Up - Push ups help to strengthen the arms and shoulders. Lie face down on a flat surface, keep your legs straight and fix your toes on the ground. Keep your palms adjacent to your shoulder and try to lift up your body till your hands are straight. Don’t keep your knees on the floor.
Bicep Curl - This exercise helps tone up the arms, mainly the biceps and the elbows. Take a dumbbell in each hand and stand straight, with your legs slightly apart. Slowly, lift up one dumbbell and bring it till your jawbone. Hold for a few seconds and drop your hand down slowly, in control. Repeat this with both hands.
One Arm Dumbbell Row - This exercise works out the back muscles, giving you a toned up back. Stand next to the exercise bench and kneel on it with the leg that is just adjacent to it and support yourself with your hand. Take a dumbbell in the other hand and lift it slowly till your hand is curled completely. Slowly, let it go down while fully controlling your hand. Repeat with the other leg also.

Lower Body Exercises

The lower body exercises concentrate on toning up and strengthening the leg muscles. The main exercises for toning and strengthening of the lower body are:

Squat - Squat help to tone up the Quadriceps, Hamstrings, Gluteals, Hip Flexors and Calf muscles. In this, you need to hold a bar right behind your shoulders and stand absolutely straight. Make sure you are absolutely comfortable with the weight on your shoulders and they are not strained. Bend your knees and try to remain in a position as though you are sitting on a chair. Stay in that posture for a few seconds and slowly go back up. Inhale while going down and exhale while coming up.
Lunge - In this, the main muscles that are worked up are Quadriceps, Hamstrings, Gluteals, Hip Flexors and Calf muscles. You can do this one with just your body weight or dumbbells. Stand straight facing forward and shoulders straight. Take the right foot ahead covering a significant area. The left foot should remain where it was. Bend down both knees so that you balance yourself on your legs but don’t touch the floor. Come back slowly and don’t loose balance. Repeat with the other leg.
Deadlifts - The deadlifts help to work out the hamstrings and the knees. Keep in mind the fact that you need to keep your back absolutely straight even when you go down to pick the weight. Move your hips slightly backwards and then bend down to grasp the bar with both hands. While breathing in, lift it up till you stand straight again and your hands are fully stretched down. Keep your knees tight in a semi-locked position so that your hamstrings are stretched. Repeat a few times.

Abdominal Exercises

The abdominal weight training exercises will help to strengthen your abdomen muscles and give you toned abs. The exercises for the abdomen are:

Oblique Crunch - In this, you need to lie down on a flat surface, such that your back is straight but is balanced sideways waist down. Keep your hands behind your head and bring up your torso, keeping your legs and hip sideways, with knees bent. Repeat this for both sides.
Abdominal Crunch - Keep your knees at an upright position and your feet firmly on the ground. Lie comfortably on your back and keep your hands behind your head. Now, bring up your torso and try to touch your knee with your chin. Breathe out when you come up and inhale when you go down.

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