USING FREE WEIGHT EQUIPMENT Free weights are different in design and slightly different in function compared to machines. Free weights allow a nonrestrictive effect on your joint movement. Using machines are different in that they have a predetermined movement pattern. This nonrestrictive movement is what allows you to do so many different exercises with only one barbell or a pair of dumbbells. We have the Olympic style barbell that weighs 45 pounds. Hip sled is 150 pounds. FREE WEIGHT PRECAUTIONS Due to the unrestricted movement allowed when lifting free weights, there is potential for injury. It is important to always follow simple safety characteristics when lifting to avoid potentially dangerous situations. 1) LOAD BARS PROPERLY: Basically, load the ends of the bars evenly. Do not put uneven amounts of weights on the ends of the bars. 2) LOCK BARBELLS AND DUMBBELLS: Use the locks (wire clips) to hold the weights in place. Plates that are not in secured could easily slide off the bar and land on feet or other body parts. The sudden shifting of weight could also cause muscle injury. 3) AVOID BACKING INTO OTHERS: Any untimely bump can cause someone to lose control of the bar or dumbbell that is being held overhead. Use caution as you move around the weight room. 4) BE AWARE OF EXTENDED BARS: Extended bars are those that overhang or extend from a machine. (barbells on racks, squat racks, uprights like the bench press, tricep/lat pull downs, etc). Be especially cautious around people that are performing overhead lifts. Head or facial injuries are most common here. 5) STORE EQUIPMENT PROPERLY: Everything has it s place!! Rack all plates and dumbbells at the end of your lifting. Don t leave them on the bars for someone else to put away. Equipment left unattended/ laying around are easily tripped over. 6) USING WEIGHT BELT: You should wear a belt when doing exercises that put stress on the back and involve maximum or near maximum loads. A belt by itself will not protect you against injury only good technique will. 7) WARM UP AND COOL DOWN: It is important to warm up properly before any physical activity. Jogging followed by a stretching routine will help warm up your muscles, increase blood flow to muscles, and help improve your flexibility. Warm up exercises help your muscles contract and relax more efficiently. You should hold each stretching position for 6-10 seconds. The routine may be repeated 2-3 times if you wish.
FOLLOWING ARE SOME OF THE MORE COMMON UPPER BODY LIFTS USED IN YOUR BASIC TRAINING CLASS. EACH PICTURE HAS A DESCRIPTION OF THE LIFT, WHY YOU WOULD USE THAT LIFT, AND SPOTTING TECHNIQUES. Dan is performing the BENT ARM LATERAL. This works his OUTER PECTORAL muscles (chest). Hold the dumbbells together at arm s length above shoulders, palms facing each other. SLOWLY lower the dumbbells so they are even with chest and 10 from each side. Return to starting position using the same path. Inhale down, exhale up. Grant helps Dan out by being there to support his elbows and helping him keep them aligned on the way back up. Josh is performing the bench press. He is using an overhand grip with his hands at least shoulder width apart. Body should have four points of contact: head, shoulders, buttocks on the bench feet straddle bench touching floor. Push to straight elbow position over chest, keeping wrists directly above elbows throughout exercise. Inhale while bring bar down in a slow, controlled movement. Bar touches chest near nipples, pause. Exhale during upward press. Pause at straight-elbow position Vitaly is helping spot Josh. His knees should be slightly flexed. He will assist with bar off the support rack and help guide bar to straight elbow position. Vitaly s hands are inside Josh s hands on the bar. He should closely follow the downward movement of the bar and assist only when necessary. On the upward movement, watch for uneven arm extension and also for bar stopping or moving toward Josh s face. Vitaly should help only when needed. Always assist in keeping the bar level.
Adam is doing the bicep curl, using the medium grip. He is using the curl bar, however you could also use either a barbell or dumbbells. Our curl bar weighs 25 pounds. Place upper arms on the pads. Curl bar in a semicircular motion until forearms touch biceps Keep upper arms in close. Do not let them move forward (letting weight pull you forward). Return to starting position following the same path. This can be done with a wide or close grip. Exhale with upward motion, inhale downward. Grant is preparing to do the LAT PULL DOWN. This works his back muscles. (upper lats). Hold bar with hands about 36 apart. Arms should extend overhead. Can use a medium grip also. Pull bar straight down until it touches back of the neck just above the shoulders. Return slowly to starting position. Inhale up, exhale down. Felicia is doing the TRICEP dip using a bench instead of the dip bar. Hands should be placed slightly wider than shoulder width apart. Fully extend your arms. Keep legs straight and head up. Felicia lowers herself by unlocking her elbows until the upper arms are nearly parallel to floor. Again, keep head up and legs straight. Inhale down, exhale up.
Grant is preparing to do the SEATED CONCENTRATED BICEP CURL. He is holdin g the dumbbell, palm up. Feet should be firmly on the floor, about 24 apart. Hold dumbbell in front of you at arm s length. He is bent slightly forward, with left hand resting on his knee. With his right arm resting against his inner thigh, he curls the dumbbell in a semicircular motion to the about shoulder height. It is important to keep the upper arm against the inner thigh at all times. Lower the dumbbell following the same path. Inhale down, exhale up. You should th en repeat the motion by reversing the position to work your left bicep. Viatly is using the PEC DECK. This exercise focuses o n the INNER PECTORAL MUSCLES (Chest). Vitaly needs to be seated comfortably at the machine. He will keep his upper arms high, in line with his shoulders. His forearms need to remain vertical, firm against the pads. As Vitaly squeezes the pads together, he is contracting his muscles. The pads should touch before you relax and allow arms to go back. Be sure to exhale as you squeeze and inhale as the arms go back.
Brian is doing the INCLINE BENCH PRESS. This lift works the UPPER PECTORAL (chest) muscles. Brian is lying on the bench with his feet firmly planted. He is using the medium grip. Bar should be held about 6 wider than shoulder width. He needs to keep his head on the bench and be sure not to arch his back too sharply. Hips need to remain on the bench. He has the bar raised to arm s length. Notice he is keeping his elbows out and chest high. Soup is positioned to help lift bar off rack if needed and also to help return bar to rack if needed. She should also be available to help keep bar even as Brian presses. Again, spotter should help only if lifter is having difficulty. Brian lowers the weight with complete control, making a definite pause at his chest. Bar should be lowered to chest about 3 above the nipples. Exhale up. Inhale down. Again, keep head on bench and attempt to keep yourself from arching your back too much. This lift can also be performed with a wide grip or a close grip. Chris is doing the MEDIUM GRIP PULL UPS. You should try to use a chinning bar that is at least 6 higher off the floor than you can reach with your arms extended. Chris hands should be 18-20 apart. Try to keep your back slightly hyper-extended. Try not to swing your body back and forth. As Chris pulls himself up, he should try to get his chin just above the bar. Return to starting position. Exhale up, inhale down. Again, avoid the swinging motion.
Soup is performing the STANDING TRICEP PULLDOWN. She is standing erect, head up, feet about 16 apart. Hands are holding the bar approx. 8 apart with her palms down. Start with forearms and biceps touching. Soup brings her arms straight down and rotates her wrists outward. Be sure to keep your back straight. Return to the staring position. Exhale down, inhale up. Ryan is doing another option for the triceps. He is doing the TRICEP DIP. Start by holding yourself up on the bar. Ryan then dips, lowering himself by bending his arms, elbows slightly out to the side. Lower until the biceps almost touch the forearms. Pause, then press back to arm s length with elbows locked. Be careful not to swing your body. Inhale down, exhale up.
Britany is doing the SEATED TWO ARM LAT PULL-IN. This exercise works her lower lats and upper back. Britany sits on the floor in front of the pulley. Her feet are placed against the supports. Hold the pulleys low. She should bend slightly forward throughout the whole exercise. She will pull handles directly to the chest, just below the pectoral muscles. Return to starting position. Inhale at beginning of rep. Exhale at end of rep. Can work upper lats and upper back by pulling grip inline with pectorals instead of just below. Dustin is doing another tricep exercise. He is doing the BENT OVER ONE ARM TRICEP EXTENSION. He is holding the dumbbell, palm in while bending over, parallel to floor. Dustin then extends his arm back in a semicircular motion until the arm is parallel to the floor. Hold momentarily and then return to the starting position. Exhale as you extend your arm back, inhale as you bring to bent position.
Ryan is working on his DELTOIDS (shoulder) by doing the SEATED MILITARY PRESS. Sit on the bench, feet about 16 apart, firmly on the floor. He will keep his chest high and back straight. Press the bar the arm s height overhead. Spotter stands behind and has hands near lifter s elbows to help guide or keep aligned. Ryan lowers the bar to shoulder height in front of his face.note the lift below is similar to this with the exception of the bar being lowered behind the head. Exhale up, inhale down. Grant is working on his LATS (back muscles). This LAT PRESS is similar to the military press with the exception being the motion is with the bar behind the head. Grant lowers the bar behind his head to about the nape of his neck. His feet are firmly on the floor, his head is up, and his back remains straight. Ryan is available to help lift the bar on and off the rack. Exhale up, Inhale down.
THIS NEXT SECTION WILL FOCUS ON SOME OF THE MORE COMMONLY USED LOWER BODY LIFTS/EXERCISES THAT WERE USED IN CLASS. EACH PICTURE WILL EXPLAIN THE CORRECT WAY TO PERFORM THE LIFT AND WHICH MUSCLE GROUP YOUR ARE WORKING. Soup is working her CALF MUSCLES by doing the TOE RAISES on the calf machine. Soup has seated herself on the machine with her thighs under the leg pad just above the knee. She will raise her toes and release the safety stop. Soup raises her toes to the highest point possible, holds momentarily, then returns to the starting position. She then lowers her heels to their lowest comfortable position. Again, remember to inhale up, exhale down. Notice the weight rack on the front of the machine. Felicia is doing the back extension. This works her LOWER BACK AND HAMSTRINGS. Position the body on the special waist high bench. Be sure the knees are not directly on the pad. Also be sure the hips are on the edge of the pad to allow a bending motion. Bend over until head is down. Felicia should raise torso straight until it is slightly past parallel. Return to starting position. Inhale up, exhale down. Exercise can be made more difficult by holding a weight across chest, or a dumbbell behind the head. Exhale as you extend up, inhale down.
Grant is performing an alternative to the barbell squat. The pads rest on the shoulders comfortably. Again, back should be straight with head up. Grant squat until his thighs are parallel. Notice he is keeping his head up and knees slightly out. Notice he is also wearing his belt! Return to starting position. Inhale down, exhale up. Dan is going to work on his legs and back at the same time by doing the power clean. Notice he is using his weight belt as a safety precaution. He feet are about 16 apart. He starts so his shins are almost touching the bar. Hands are about 24 apart. His knees are bent so his upper thighs are nearly parallel to the floor. He will attempt to keep his head up and back straight and at a 45 degree angle. As Dan stands, he pulls the bar to his shoulders. He flips his wrist back until the bar rests on his upper chest. This should be a quick motion. Slowly lower the bar to the floor. Repeat. Exhale up, inhale down.
Dan is preparing to do the SQUAT. This lift will work his QUADRICEPS (thighs). He should use an over hand grip, slightly wider than his shoulders. Bar is positioned at the base of his neck. Hips are directly under the bar, chest out, shoulders back head up. Ryan should be standing directly behind and close to Dan. Hands placed close to the hip and arm area. Assist only if necessary. Dan squats down slowly, avoid excessive forward lean. Keep feet flat on the floor with knees in line with feet. Continue squatting until bottoms of thighs are parallel to the floor. Spotter should squat with partner, tracking lifter with hands. To straighten up, keep head up and chest out. Straighten hips and knees. Inhale down, exhale up. Spotter should stand with partner keeping hands close to the elbow area. Assist only when necessary. Ryan is working on the hip sled. Again, he is working his QUADS (thighs). He is seated on the machine with his feet planted firmly on the platform 18-20 apart. Release the safety stop. Press weight rack up until legs are straight, knees should not lock. Exhale up. Ryan lowers the rack until upper thighs are up towards the chest. Keep knees aligned with feet. Keep hips down. Head should be rested on bench. Inhale down. Return to starting position. You can also use the hip sled for calf raises by extending your legs all the way up and flexing your ankles (plant, flex, etc)
Following are a couple of options to a normal sit up or crunch to work your abdominal muscles. Vitaly is working on his UPPER ABDOMINAL muscles when he uses the incline bench. He has added to the difficulty of the exercise by holding weights. Another option would be to hold a weight plate and not the dumbbells. As he lowers himself, he should go down until his lower back touches the bench. Inhale down, exhale up. He could make this less difficult by not using weights or by lowering the angle of the bench. When Vitaly comes to the up position, he should raise straight up as far as possible. Again, return to the starting position. Be sure to pull up with your abdominal muscles and not lead with your head and neck muscles. NOTE: Straight legged sit ups put more stress on the lower back than bent knee sit ups. Bent knees isolate and work the abdominal muscles to a greater degree. Jordon is preparing to work his LOWER ABDOMINAL muscles. He is using the DIP STAND LEG RAISE. He positions himself on the stand facing outward, lower arms resting on the arm pads. Legs should be locked. Jordon then raises his legs until they are parallel to the floor. Keep knees straight. Return to the starting position. Be sure to pull up with your abdominal muscles and not by swinging your legs. Exhale up, inhale down. You could add to the difficulty of this by holding a weight between your feet. You can do this also by alternating legs.right up until parallel, then as you lower the right leg start raising the left leg. Inhale right, exhale left. A modified version that is not as difficult is to just raise your knees versus straight legs.