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Top Ten Exercises for New Weight Trainers

Getting to Know the Basics of Weight Training

If you’re new to weight training, below is a brief summary of the basic principles.When you have digested this primer you may wish to follow up with these additional articles, which should ensure you have a solid knowledge foundation.

Top Ten Exercises for New Weight Trainers These ten exercises: squat, chest press, deadlift, leg press, overhead press, cable row, bicep arm curl, triceps pushdown, lat pulldown and crunch provide a full-body training session for anyone new to weight training -- or for more experienced exercisers wanting a simple yet thorough set of exercises on which to build further.

1. The Lat pulldown

The pulldown or 'lat' pulldown is an exercise mainly for the back although the shoulders and arms get some workout as well. The equipment for the cable pulldown is usually a weighted cable pulley station with adjustable weights and seat.The latissimus dorsi on either side of the middle to upper back is the main target muscle group and is also the msucle from which the exercise gets its casual name. These muscles are called 'the lats' for short.Muscles worked: the lats; shoulders and arms to a lesser extent.

Body Position

Sit on the seat and adjust the thigh pads so that the quads above the knees sit comfortably under the support. This is to prevent the knees rising up as you exert effort to pull the bar down.Grasp the cable bar with a wide overhand grip, knuckles up and sit on the seat with thighs under the support. Alternative grips, narrow and underhand, are possible, but use the wide grip when starting out.You should just be able to reach the bar when you stretch up. If you can't, adjust the seat or bar hanger cable or chain. A slight stretch upward to grab the bar is not harmful but you don't want the bar so high that you have to drag it down under pressure so that you can sit down.

Body Movement

Keeping the back straight, pull the bar down to about chin level or a little lower in a smooth movement while squeezing the shoulder blades together.Try not to force the bar any lower than where the shoulders are naturally collapsed and the forearms are more or less upright. You should not push the arms forward out of the vertical plane in order to drag the bar lower.Slowly return the bar to full height and repeat the exercise. When your set is finished, don't suddenly release the bar and clash the weights. Stand up in order to settle the weights without clashing if necessary.

Check Points

Don't sway too far back when pulling down. A little way is okay in order to fit the bar under the chin but don't sway back to get it lower. This is an exercise for the back and lats and not the arms.

Don't pull down behind the neck. For several reasons this could be dangerous. The shoulder and neck joints may end up in positions in which they are vulnerable to injury. More experienced trainers may practise this exercise but many don't.

2. The seated cable rowThe seated cable row is performed on a weighted horizontal cable machine with a bench and foot plates as you can see in the demonstation photo. It is an excellent all-round compound exercise for developing mainly the middle back while offering useful arm work as well. The usual care applies, especially if you’ve suffered from lower back or shoulder problems.Muscles worked: back muscles in general, particularly the latissimus dorsi; forearm muscles, upper arm muscles.

Body Position

Sit on the platform with knees bent and grasp the cable attachment. It's often a triangle handle but may be a bar. Position yourself with knees slighlty bent and so that you have to reach to grab the handle with outstretched arms yet without curling the lower back over. Apply the 'straight back' that you learned in the squat and deadlift exercises.Brace the abdominals and you're ready to row.

Body Movement

Pull the handle and weight back toward the lower abdomen while trying not to use the momentum of the row too much by moving the torso backward with the arms.Target the middle to upper back by keeping the back straight and squeezing the shoulder blades together as you row, chest out. Even though it's called a row, it is not the classic rowing action that you might use on the aerobic rowing machine.Return the handle forward under tension to full stretch remembering to keep that back straight even though flexed at the hips. Repeat the exercise.

Check Points

Keep a straight back, but it can flex slightly at the hip to allow a full range of motion.Squeeze the shoulder blades (scapula) together. This is important for most 'pull exercises' emphasizing the back.Return the weight under tension to the starting position. Don't clash the weights.

Be cautious if you have an existing or past shoulder or lower back injury.

3. The triceps pushdownThe triceps pushdown is one of the best exercises for triceps development. Variations include grip position and a rope handle instead of the horizontal bar. Done properly, this one really burns.The triceps muscle at the rear of the upper arm comprises three heads and is a bigger muscle than the biceps at the front of the arm. Building big triceps is the key to bigger all-round arms if that’s your aim. Be cautious with this exercise if you have an elbow injury or if you develop persistent elbow soreness over time. 'Light weights rule' to start with.Muscles worked: triceps brachii

Body Position

Face the triceps pushdown machine and grasp the horizontal cable bar with an overhand grip. The bar should be at about chest level.Tuck the elbows into the sides and position the feet comfortably, slightly apart. To start with, set a low weight with the pin and plate adjustment and practise a few repetitions to see how the device works. Versions of this machine may include other weighting mechanisms.

Body Movement

Brace the abdominals. Push down on the handle bar until elbows are fully extended yet without snapping the elbows straight and by keeping the elbows close to the body on the way down. Bend the knees slightly on the pushdown but stay as upright as possible with back straight. Don’t recruit the back and shoulder muscles by bending too far forward.Allow the bar to return to the starting point under control, and try not to clash the weights. (I know . . . it hurts back there.)

Check Points

Don’t allow the elbows to flare outward on the the downward push as this will negate the effect on the triceps and place unwanted stress on the shoulder. Push down smoothly and evenly on both sides.Don’t bend over at the back and shoulders in order to force the weight down; this is an arm exercise!

Do allow the knees to bend slightly on the pushdown.

4. The biceps curl

The biceps curl is another highly recognizable weight training exercise working the muscles of the upper arm, the biceps, and to a lesser extent, the lower arm muscles.Variations include standing position, seated, incline seated, and ‘concentration’ position with elbow resting on the (seated) inner thigh. The barbell is also used in a similar set of curl exercises. This description is for the alternating dumbbell arm curl.As for all exercises, don’t lift too heavy to begin with and stop if pain is felt. Remember to exhale on effort and don’t hold the breath.Muscles worked: biceps muscles at the front of the upper arm, and also the muscles of the lower arm, the brachialis and brachioradialis.

Body Position

Hold a dumbbell in each hand at the sides with palms facing toward the side of the thigh and arms straight down.Position the feet comfortably about shoulder width apart.Brace the stomach muscles ready to lift the weight.

Body Movement

Lift one dumbbell toward the shoulder, rotating the arm as it moves up so that the palm with dumbbell is now facing upward (supine) and the elbow is pointing to the ground with the forearm almost vertical. One arm at a time is called a unilateral exercise.Lower to the side position and perform the same movement with the other arm and continue to alternate until the set is complete.A variation is to do the exercise bilaterally, that is with both arms at the same time. Refine the unilateral lift first before moving on to this exercise.Try ten exercises with each arm for three sets. If this is too much to start with, don't reduce the weight but do five exercises with each arm.

Check Points

Don’t pull the dumbbell so far back that the forearm moves beyond a vertical position. That is, don’t have the dumbbell headed over your shoulder.Concentrate on good form rather than rapid execution, at least when starting out. Feel the ‘burn’ when doing these exercises.Don’t recruit the shoulders and torso when doing the dumbbell curl, which can end up as a twisting and heaving movement. Concentrate on the arms. Choose lighter weights or reduce the repetitions if this occurs.

That's it. Most people, men and women, detect a noticeable increase in strength -- and bulk for some -- with this exercise.

5. The 'crunch'

The 'crunch' has replaced the 'situp' for most purposes because of concerns about lower back injury and that situps may be less effective than crunches for abdominal strengthening, although this is not accepted by every authority. With the crunch, the lower back stays on the ground and you raise the shoulders while contracting the abdominals muscles.Crunches take many forms including the standard supine floor crunch, reverse crunch, crunch with weights and on a fit ball, combined crunch and twist crunch. This description features the standard floor crunch.Muscles worked: rectus abdominis (six-pack) with some activation of the external obliques (muscles at the sides of the abdomen).

Positioning the Body

Lie on the floor face up with hands behind the head. Don’t clasp the fingers behind the head. The hands should not propel the head forward in this exercise. Legs are bent at approximately right angles at the knee with feet flat on the floor, shoulder width apart.Brace the abdominal muscles and hold a neutral spine position with a slight natural curve in the lower back (lumbar) region yet with the back firmly against the floor.

Movement

Move the shoulders upward and curl slightly forward as you contract the abdominals until the shoulder blades are about two to three inches (5-7 centimetres) off the floor, or about 30 degrees; hold for about two seconds. Unlike the squat and deadlift, a curl forward with the upper back and shoulders is necessary with the crunch and an arched back is contra-indicated because of biomechanical forces pulling on the spine.Exhale as you come up and inhale as you return in preparation for the next repetition. Don’t hold the breath on the up movement. Contracting the abdominals does not mean holding the breath. The head should be kept straight and the chin should not drop to the chest.Return to the starting position under control. Don’t flop down. Try ten repetitions for three sets starting out and increase it as you get stronger.A reverse crunch has the arms by the sides and legs bent at the knees, feet off the floor with lower legs parallel to the floor. The legs are ‘reversed’ toward the chest with hips raised slightly from the floor.A 'combined crunch' integrates both shoulder and leg/hip movement in one exercise. This is a very powerful advanced exercise working the rectus abdominis and the external obliques, the muscles at the sides of the abdominal area.When you can do three sets of fifteen combined crunches you know your abs (and hip flexors) are in good shape

Check Points

Brace the abs ready for the lift.Don’t lift the feet or back off the floor (in the standard crunch).Do keep the head still and chin up.Do lower under control and don’t flop.Remember to breathe normally.Don’t try to get the shoulders too high in the crunch and remember you don’t want the lower back to rise in this exercise. Think of the shoulder blades as the dividing line.Crunch away and get those stomach muscles ready for anything. In fact, strengthening the abdominal muscles will prepare you not only for vigorous sporting activity but for those active tasks around the home, like gardening, where bending and twisting and reaching are paramount. 6. The overhead pressThe overhead press is a standard weight lifting exercise with many variations including seated, standing, with dumbbell or barbell. The standing barbell press is featured in this description.As for all exercises, don’t lift too heavy to begin with and stop if pain is felt. Remember to breathe; exhale on effort.Muscles worked: mainly the shoulder muscles, the deltoids, but other muscles such as the trapezius at the back of the neck and back, the triceps at the back of the upper arm, and the upper chest are also involved.

Body Positioning

Hold the barbell at the upper chest with the overhand grip. The weight should be less that what you might normally deadlift.Hold heavier weights with the 'clean' grip with wrists cocked back to provide support, and slightly wider than shoulder width.Feet should be about shoulder width apart.

Movement

Lift the bar overhead with full arm extension making sure not to lock out the elbows suddenly. Return the bar to the chest and repeat the exercise.Brace the abdominal muscles and work them as you lift and lower. This exercise is a good one to give the abs a supplementary workout.Remember to breathe out on exertion and not to hold the breath. Breathe in as you lower the bar ready for the next lift.

Check Points

Keep the head still and try not to tighten the neck muscles unduly as you lift. Take care not to lock out the elbows suddenly at the top of the lift.

Lift cautiously if you have suffered from an elbow or shoulder injury, recently or in the past. Concentrate on good form, stop if you feel pain, and choose a light weight to begin with.

7. leg press

Two types of leg press machine are in common use: the standard horizontal leg press and the 45 degree leg press. This second leg-press machine has a seat in which the body reclines at an angle and the leg press is in an upward diagonal direction using a sled mechanism. This description uses the standard seated leg press machine. You may need a trainer to show you how to adjust the machine for your first exercise.As for all exercises, don’t lift too heavy to begin with and stop if pain is felt. Remember to breathe during the effort phase; don’t hold the breath.

Muscles worked:

quadriceps and hamstrings of the thigh, gluteus (butt).

Body Position

Sit on the machine with your back and head against the padded support. Place feet on the foot plate about hip width apart, ensuring the heels are flat. The legs should form an angle of about 90 degrees at the knee with a little variation either way as long as the heels sit flat on the plate. The knees should be in line with the feet and neither bowed inward nor outward.Your bottom should not be raised from the seat platform. If it is, and the legs are at too sharp an angle, then you need to adjust the seat back until the correct position is enabled. You can recognize this poor position when the knees seem to be in front of your eyes and you feel cramped.Grasp the assist handles.

Movement

Brace the abdominal muscles and push the platform away with heels and forefoot by extending the knees and hips and pushing the back into the seat pad.The heels should remain flat on the foot plate and the front of the foot or toes should not be used exclusively to move the pad forward.Do keep the head steady and back against the seat.Don’t lock out the knees in an explosive fashion but do express a full range of motion.Return the foot plate to the starting position by allowing the knees to bend under control while maintaining the feet flat on the surface. Repeat the exercise.

How to Do the Leg Press -- Check Points

Ensure a full range of motion is possible without raising the hips from the seat. Take time to adjust the seat for best position.Don’t allow the knees to bow outward or inward. Keep them in line with the feet.Maintain heel contact with the plate and ensure you push with heels and forefoot.Keep the head steady and against the seat pad; don’t jerk the head forward with the effort.As usual, start with a modest weight and progress as it suits your training and requirements. Try three sets of ten leg presses.

8. The deadlift

The deadlift is mostly performed with a bar and plates or fixed barbell. Dumbbells can also be used but the effect is similar to the dumbbell squat. This description uses the barbell. Several advanced variations are possible with alternative leg and grip positions.As for all exercises, don’t lift too heavy to begin with and stop if pain is felt, particularly in the lower back. Remember to breathe; don’t hold the breath at any point.Muscles worked: quadriceps (front thighs), hamstrings (back of thigh), gluteals (butt), lower back

Body Position

Select a barbell of light weight to begin with.Position the feet shoulder width apart, or not much more, with toes under the bar. The feet point straight ahead or they can angle out slightly. Heels should stay flat on the surface. When you lift, the bar will travel close to the shins and may even graze them.The hands should be positioned with the ‘mixed grip’ for heavier weights but an overhand grip is okay for light weights. The mixed grip has one hand grasping the bar with the palm under the bar (supinated) and the other hand with the palm over the bar (pronated). The standard overhand grip has both hands with palm down. If you can see the backs of both hands, that’s the overhand grip.The grip can be wider or narrower on the bar. A common starting position is a grip perpendicular from the point of the shoulder with arms straight down. A slightly wider grip may suit some people and a wide-grip deadlift is a valid variation. The standard grip utilizes the quadriceps (rather than hip and back with the wide grip), and is more suitable for heavier lifts.The head (and eyes) should reflect a neutral spine position neither crooked noticeably up nor down, although a very slight upward tilt is not uncommon or unsafe when putting the effort in.

Movement

Stabilize the abdominal muscles by bracing them. With feet flat at the bar, squat down, bending at the knees, and grasp the bar with overhand or mixed grip. Note that the form for descending to the bar is similar (but not identical) to the squat, with back straight or arched in slightly and not rounded at the shoulders or spine.Grasp the bar just outside the line of the knees. (With the Sumo deadlift variant the feet are wide apart but the arms still fall vertically, only now inside the knees.)Lift the bar by pushing upward with the legs from the knees. Be careful not to raise the hips first so that the trunk moves forward and the back becomes rounded. Breathe out on exertion.Don’t try to haul the bar up with the arms. The arms stay extended under tension while gripping the bar as the legs push up. Think of the legs and shoulders moving upward in unison with the hips the balancing point.The bar should almost graze the shins and come to rest around thigh level as you reach full height. Pull the shoulders back as much as possible without bending backward.Lower the bar to the floor with a reverse motion ensuring a straight back again. With a light weight you can do repetitions in which you lower the bar to shin or even floor and then straighten again without releasing your grip on the bar. This is not really deadlift repetitions. Better to practice a full lift and lower to the floor and then start again from standing position.

Check Points

When starting out, practice with a light weight until form is satisfactory. A personal trainer or gym trainer can check you for correct form. Practise in a mirror if necessary.Brace the abdominal muscles. Breathe out on exertion. Don’t hold the breath.Use the mixed overhand-underhand grip for heavier weights. This grip provides some reassurance that heavier weights will not slip from the hands. (Not shown here.)Keep the back straight with no rounding at the shoulders and spine. Keep those hips down, butt out.The bar should travel close to the body for maximum lift efficiency and safety.The key to the lifting process for beginners is to lift with the legs and not the arms and shoulders, although their stabilizing role is no less important.The deadlift is too often ignored in general fitness weight training, although it is a specialty of the powerlifters. For men and women wanting to build good looking legs and backside, the deadlift joins the squat as a premier exercise and can go some way toward replacing the squat for those who find balancing heavy weights on inflexible shoulders not to their liking.

Give it a go. Deadlifts are one of my favorite lifts.

9. The squat

The squat takes many forms including with dumbbells, barbells, bar and plates, a Smith machine, or even without equipment at all using your own body weight. You may wish to start with a pair of dumbbells or a barbell of light weight until you get used to the form and technique. A qualified trainer is recommended to guide you through appropriate execution, particularly for more serious squatting with heavy weights. This description uses dumbbells.The squat develops the muscles of the buttocks (the gluteals) and the legs, particularly the front thigh muscles (quadriceps).

Positioning the Body

Hold a dumbbell in each hand and allow them to hang comfortably at the sides.Position the feet about as wide as the hips.Keep the heels planted firmly on the floor and don’t allow them to rise up.Tighten the abdominal muscles. You can identify these by pretending to clear your throat or by coughing. You will notice the ‘abs’ tightening automatically in the stomach region.Stand tall, shoulders pulled back with good balance.

Movement

Move as to sit down by bending your knees ensuring that your upper body does not appreciably lean forward.The first movement should be with your butt rearwards as you start to lower your body by bending at the knees. Make this a positive and deliberate movement.If you concentrate on this butt rearward movement you are off to a good start with the squat. It is important not to arch the back forward on descent or when you return to the start position. Keeping that butt ‘pointing’ rearward and the back straight is the key.Don’t descend any lower than where your thighs are parallel to the floor.Try not to extend the knees beyond the tips of the toes as you lower, although some authorities suggest this is not necessarily a problem. It depends on depth of squat, body shape, balance and flexibility.You could try three sets of 10 exercise repetitions with an appropriate weight to start with.

Check Points

Don’t round the back forward, going down or coming up. A rounded back under weight can cause damage to the spine at the upper or lower end.Keep the knees from extending beyond the toes if possible. However, this may not be possible with a parallel squat for some people, and is not necessarily dangerous depending on stability and flexibility.Try not to look down -- look straight ahead -- or at least be aware of what your back and butt are doing.Keep those heels planted firmly on the ground and the knees lined up with the feet and not splayed in or out.

Don’t start with weights that are too heavy.

10. The dumbellchest press

The chest press is a versatile exercise that can be performed with barbells, dumbbells, bar and plates or even with resistance bands. It develops mainly the pectoral muscles of the chest. A qualified trainer is recommended to guide you through appropriate execution, particularly for more serious bench pressing with heavy weights. This description uses dumbbells.

Positioning the Body

Lie on the bench or floor with a dumbbell in each hand and your feet flat on the surface. If you use a bench, you may have the feet up on the bench or on the floor, whichever is comfortable for bench height and your body and leg length. Position the dumbbells at the shoulders with upper arms at about 45 degrees to the body with elbows forward of the shoulder line to avoid stress on the shoulder joint. The palms should face forward. Brace the abdominal muscles, tilt the chin slightly toward the chest and ensure you have a stable and comfortable position. You're ready to lift.

Body Movement

Push the weights upward, taking care not to lock out the elbows in an explosive movement. The weights should follow a shallow arc and almost meet over the top of the chest.It's okay to straighten the arms as long as you don’t do it with sudden force. Try to move the weights in a controlled, smooth and not-too-fast lift. The head or shoulder blades should not rise off the bench. Lower the weights under control and muscle contraction to the starting position. To start with, you could try three sets of 10 exercise repetitions of an appropriate weight.

Check Points

Maintain the natural arch in the lower back; don’t force the back into the surface. This is called the lordotic curve and is a natural stability mechanism. Don't allow the forearms to spread wide so that the weights are outside the line of the elbows. Move in an arc toward the center of the chest but don't clash the weights. Don’t contort the upper body and shoulders to thrust the weights upward. This suggests the weights are too heavy. If fatigue occurs during the latter repetitions of any set, reduce the repetition numbers or go for lighter weights. It's okay to place the weights down between sets if you wish. You don't have to hold them at the shoulders.