Exercise: Improving Strength (Health Blog Series, Post #8)

So we're moving on to strength training today. But first, let's see how you're doing on the last few steps. (If you haven't done these yet, you can take a peek: Overview, Balance, and Flexibility.)

Right now, your exercise plan should look something like this:

Balance Exercises - Five minutes
Walking or Biking - Twenty to thirty minutes
Stretching - Five minutes

When you add in your strength training, it should go right here:

            Balance Exercises - Five minutes
            Walking or Biking - Twenty to thirty minutes
====> Strength Training
            Stretching - Five minutes

Your biking or walking will serve as a warm up for your strength training as well as your stretches.

Now Let's Get to Business!

There are three different kinds of muscle; cardiac muscle, smooth muscle, and skeletal muscle. Cardiac  muscle is found only in your heart, smooth muscle is also called involuntary muscle and is found in places like your throat and blood vessels. But we'll be focusing on skeletal muscle, the kind you use voluntarily, or what you use to move around.

There are seven main groups of skeletal muscle in the body. They are:

~Chest
~Back
~Shoulders
~Biceps
~Triceps
~Lower body
~Abdominal

To improve your strength you'll need to work each one. We'll start simple, with one or two exercises for each group.

Chest



Back

One-Arm Dumbbell Row

Shoulders
The Dumbbell Shoulder Press is another one that I do.


Biceps



Triceps



Lower Body


Dumbbell Lunge. This can also be done without the dumbbells, to make it a little bit easier.

Abdominal



Your Mission, Should You Choose To Accept It -

Is to pick a minimum of two exercises for each muscle group, and add them to your exercise routine. But remember - three nonconsecutive days! If you don't like the ones I've listed, want something a little different, or have access to more equipment, you can check out Bodybuilding.com. It's where I found most of the exercises I've included here, and they have a great search function.

Post the exercises you chose, and let me know how you're doing! :)