Rachel’s Reviews > Fitness For Dummies > Status Update

Hip abductors: sumo squats,
leg adductor’s: sumo, squats,
quads: single leg, squat, lunch, leg press, and single leg raise
hamstrings: Lying hip raises, seated leg curl machines, modified straight leg deadlifts
Calves: standing and seated calf raise
Tibialis Anterior: toe touches 20 times

Wrist strength can help with tennis elbow or carpal tunnel syndrome

Favorite exercises for the wrist: dumbbell, wrist, curl, and reverse, wrist curl. You can do these with a bar or cable, machine or dumbbells.

Favorite exercises for biceps: dumbbell biceps curl, concentration curl, barbell biceps curl, and tubing bicep curls

Triceps help out your chest when you push, biceps help out your back when you lift.

Triceps make up 2/3 of your upper arm size.

Favorite exercises for triceps: triceps kick back, bench dip, triceps press down, and triceps extension machine or dumbbells/barbells

Favorite exercises for chest: benchpress, chest press, machine, dumbbell, fly, push-up, and incline, dumbbell press


Make sure your front and rear arm muscles get equal gym time. If one of these muscle groups is disproportionately stronger than the other, you’re at greater risk for elbow injuries.

Pay special attention to forms for bicep exercises and isolate the muscle group

Favorite exercises for erector spinae Aka lower back: pelvic tilt, and back extension on the floor, or on a hyper extension bench; we also like Pilates and yoga, for strengthening all core muscles.

Favorite exercises for rhomboids: a low row, machine, dumbbell back delt fly, and chin up

Erector spinae muscles Aka lower back but also part of your core. Strengthen to avoid injury. Also, very important for posture. Be sure to stretch your thigh and hip muscles to help support your lower back.

Give your trapezius extra attention if you often carry a backpack or laptop bag over your shoulder.

Favorite exercises for trapezius: shrug or shoulder, roll with a barbell, two dumbbells, or no weight at all.

Favorite exercises for latissimus dorsi: lat, pulldown machine, dumbbell row, dumbbell pull over, T bar row, seated cable row, chin up, and pull up

Favorite exercises for rotator cuffs: internal and external rotation, performed with an exercise band, dumbbell, or weight plate, or on a cable crossover machine.

Strong shoulders also help you maintain good posture. With all the time you spend on the computer, each day, balance, shoulder work should ensure that you can sit and stand upright.

Strong shoulders are the key to building a strong upper body. If your shoulders are weak, you limit the amount of weight you can use in the rest of your upper body repertoire.

Work out your shoulders from every possible angle. Free weights are better than machines for strengthening the shoulders.

Favorite exercises for shoulders : shoulder press, lateral raise, front raise, back dealt fly.

The buff ripped look doesn’t happen for most people with weight training alone. Also, keep in mind that you can still look firm, fit, and sexy, even if you aren’t ripped to shreds.