Exercise Data
Main Muscle Worked: Calves
Other Muscles Worked: None
Equipment: Machine
Mechanics Type: Isolation

Tips: Stand with your toes on the block of a standing-calf-raise machine and your heels hanging off the end of the platform. Hook your shoulders under the pads and straight your legs, lifting the weight clear of the support. Do not hunch, but rather keep your body straight. Keeping your legs straight, lower your heels and the weight as far as possible toward the floor. Rise up on your toes on your toes as far as possible. Hold the contraction briefly, then slower return to the starting position. You can also point your toes in or out to vary the area of emphasis in your calf muscle.

Standing Dumbbell Calf Raise (Alternative without a machine)

Exercise Data
Main Muscle Worked: Calves
Other Muscles Worked: None
Equipment: Dumbbell
Mechanics Type: Isolation

Tips: Place a wooden block or something similar on the ground that is at least 2 - 3 inches tall. Grasp a dumbbell in each hand. Position your toes and balls of feet on the block with arches and heels extending off and resting on the floor. Raise your heels by extending ankles as high as possible. Lower heels by bending your ankles until your calves are stretched. Repeat. Keep your knees straight throughout exercise or bend knees slightly only during stretch. Can also be done with a barbell on your back instead.

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Barbell Incline Bench Press - Medium Grip

Exercise Data
Main Muscle Worked: Chest
Other Muscles Worked: Triceps, Shoulders
Equipment: Barbell
Mechanics Type: Compound

Video Guide: Windows Media - Real Player

Tips: Set the incline bench at about a 45 degree angle. Sit on the bench with your feet flat on the floor a little more than shoulder width apart. Position your back firmly against the bench. Using a grip slightly wider than shoulder width, hold the bar over your upper chest with your arms straight. Slowly lower the bar and make slight contact with your upper chest area. Drive the weight straight up over your chest until your elbows are locked, or close to it.

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Front Two-Dumbbell Raise

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Front Two-Dumbbell Raise

Exercise Data
Main Muscle Worked: Shoulders
Other Muscles Worked: None
Equipment: Dumbbell
Mechanics Type: Isolation

Video Guide: Windows Media - MPEG - Video iPod

Tips: Same as the Front Dumbbell Raise but with both arms at the same time. Can also be done with a barbell.

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Preacher's Curl

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Preacher Curl

Exercise Data
Main Muscle Worked: Biceps
Other Muscles Worked: None
Equipment: Barbell
Mechanics Type: Isolation

Video Guide: Windows Media - Real Player

Tips: Using a preacher curl bench and an EZ curl bar, make sure the seat is adjusted to the right height. When you sit, the seat should not be so low that the shoulders are elevated nor so high that you're hunched over the pad. Grasp the bar using a shoulder width grip. Curl the bar upward in an arc. As you begin, be careful not to swing or rock to get it moving. The goal is to make the exercise hard on the biceps. Curl the bar towards your chin, but keep in mind that the resistance is greater at the beginning of the rep. Go down SLOWLY and work the muscle on the way down as well. Can also be done with two dumbbells or one arm at a time.

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Push-ups - Close Tricep Position

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Pushups - Close Tricep Position

Exercise Data
Main Muscle Worked: Triceps
Other Muscles Worked: Chest
Equipment: BodyOnly
Mechanics Type: Compound

Video Guide: Windows Media - MPEG - Video iPod

Tips: Kneel down on the floor and place your hands flat on the floor, closer than shoulder width apart. With your shoulders directly over your hands, straighten your arms. Move your feet back, placing your toes on the floor, so that your knees are off the floor and your legs are straight. At this point, your body should form a straight line from your shoulders to your ankles. Your body should remain straight throughout this exercise. Keep your head and neck in line with your body so that your are looking down toward the floor. In a controlled fashion, lower your body down toward the floor, bending your elbows, until your body is nearly touching the floor. Now, push your body up away from the floor, straightening your arms, until you have returned to the starting position. If you need to reduce the intensity of this exercise you can perform the pushups from your knees instead of from your toes!

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Bridge with Leg Lift

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Bridge

Exercise Data
Main Muscle Worked: Abdominals
Other Muscles Worked: None
Equipment: BodyOnly
Mechanics Type: Compound

Tips: Begin a pushup position but with your elbows on the ground and resting on your forearms. Your elbows should be bent at a 90 degree angle. Don't let your back sag downwards. Raise each one foot and hold for 3 sets of 10 sec. Switch feet and Repeat.

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Side Bridge with Leg Lift

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Side Bridge

Exercise Data
Main Muscle Worked: Abdominals
Other Muscles Worked: None
Equipment: BodyOnly
Mechanics Type: Compound

Video Guide: Windows Media - MPEG - Video iPod

Tips: Works your obliques and helps stabilize your spine. Lie on your side and support your body between your forearm and knee to your feet. Hold your top leg in the are at a 30 degree angle. Hold position for two to four seconds. Repeat on the other side. Build up to at least 60 seconds on each side of your body!

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Crunches

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Crunches

Exercise Data
Main Muscle Worked: Abdominals
Other Muscles Worked: None
Equipment: BodyOnly
Mechanics Type: Isolation

Video Guide: Windows Media - MPEG - Video iPod

Tips: Lie flat on your back with your feet flat on the ground, or resting on a bench with your knees bent at a 90 degree angle. If you are resting your feet on a bench, place them three to four inches apart and point your toes inward so they touch. Place your hands lightly on either side of your head keeping your elbows in. Don't lock your fingers behind your head! Push the small of your back down in the floor to isolate your ab muscles. Begin to roll your shoulders off the floor. Continue to push down as hard as you can with your lower back. Your shoulders should come up off the floor only about four inches, and your lower back should remain on the floor. Focus on slow, controlled movement - don't cheat yourself by using momentum!

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Plate Twist

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Plate Twist

Exercise Data
Main Muscle Worked: Abdominals
Other Muscles Worked: None
Equipment: Other
Mechanics Type: Compound

Video Guide: Windows Media - Real Player

Tips: Works more of your obliques. Sit on the floor and hold a plate out in front of your abdominals with your arms slightly bent. Lean back slightly with your upper body and elevate your legs off the floor. Rotate from side to side and touch the plate on the floor. Twisting to the left and touching the plate to the floor and then twisting to the right and touching the plate is 1 rep! Remember to breath throughout the exercise!

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