The Life Plan (43 page)
Authors: Jeffry Life
Tags: #Men's Health, #Aging, #Health & Fitness, #Exercise, #Self-Help
ADVANCED STANDING OVERHEAD BARBELL PRESS
Benefits:
Works primarily the shoulders and triceps.
Works primarily the shoulders and triceps.
To start:
Stand with feet slightly wider than shoulder width apart. Hold a barbell at the upper chest with an overhand grip. Draw your navel inward.
Stand with feet slightly wider than shoulder width apart. Hold a barbell at the upper chest with an overhand grip. Draw your navel inward.
1.
Lift the bar overhead until your arms are fully extended.
2.
Make sure not to lock out the elbows.
3.
In a controlled manner, lower bar back to the starting position.
POWER PUSH PRESS
Benefits:
Total-body exercise designed for power production.
Total-body exercise designed for power production.
To start:
Begin with your feet a little wider than shoulder width apart, with a barbell resting against your front shoulder. Hand grips should place the forearm in a vertical position.
Begin with your feet a little wider than shoulder width apart, with a barbell resting against your front shoulder. Hand grips should place the forearm in a vertical position.
1.
Slightly bend your knees and hips until the knees are at about a 120-degree angle.
2.
Generate as much force as possible from your legs by extending ankles, hips, and knees. This exercise is an attempt to move the barbell in as little time as possible by using all the force you can generate.
3.
The bar should travel vertically until arms are about 75 percent fully extended.
4.
The rest of the distance traveled by the bar should be powered by the shoulders, which continue to travel vertically.
Legs
LEG PRESS
Benefits:
This exercise shapes and strengthens the back of your thighs, front of the legs.
This exercise shapes and strengthens the back of your thighs, front of the legs.
To start:
Place your feet shoulder width apart on the platform of a leg press machine, turning them slightly outward. Unlock any safety devices and allow the weight to lower toward your chest.
Place your feet shoulder width apart on the platform of a leg press machine, turning them slightly outward. Unlock any safety devices and allow the weight to lower toward your chest.
1.
Lower the weight until your legs form a 90-degree angle.
2.
Drive up, pressing through your heels and keeping your feet flat on the platform until your knees are almost fully extended.
3.
Try not to lock out any joints while performing this exercise. Return to the starting position.
BARBELL SQUATS
Benefits:
This exercise shapes and strengthens the back of your thighs, front of the legs, and the glutes.
This exercise shapes and strengthens the back of your thighs, front of the legs, and the glutes.
To start:
Stand inside a squat rack, with a barbell placed on the back of your neck. Grab the bar with a grip around 8 inches wider than shoulder width apart. Make sure the squat rack is equipped with safety bars.
Stand inside a squat rack, with a barbell placed on the back of your neck. Grab the bar with a grip around 8 inches wider than shoulder width apart. Make sure the squat rack is equipped with safety bars.
1.
Lower your body until the upper part of your leg is parallel to the floor.
2.
Keep chest up high throughout the motion.
3.
Return to starting position by pressing upward, with the force mostly coming from the middle of your feet.
4.
Stop just before you lock your knees.
BARBELL LUNGES
Benefits:
This exercise shapes and strengthens the front and back of your leg and tightens your glutes.
This exercise shapes and strengthens the front and back of your leg and tightens your glutes.
To start:
Grab a barbell with your hands wider than shoulder width apart. Place the barbell behind your neck and draw navel inward.
Grab a barbell with your hands wider than shoulder width apart. Place the barbell behind your neck and draw navel inward.
1.
Step forward with one leg. As your foot lands, bend both knees to lower your body. Your front knee should form a right angle directly above your ankle. Keep your torso erect.
2.
Stand back up by pressing through your front foot. Bring both legs together.
3.
Repeat through the first set, then switch to the other leg.
NOTE:
Do not allow the back knee to touch the floor. As you lunge forward with your front legs, you should also feel tension in your quadriceps, and as you step back you should feel tension in your glutes.
Do not allow the back knee to touch the floor. As you lunge forward with your front legs, you should also feel tension in your quadriceps, and as you step back you should feel tension in your glutes.
STRAIGHT LEG DEAD LIFT
Benefits:
This exercise shapes and strengthens the back of your legs and lower back and tightens your glutes.
This exercise shapes and strengthens the back of your legs and lower back and tightens your glutes.
To start:
Grab a pair of dumbbells with an overhand grip and stand with your knees slightly bent and aligned over your middle toes, dumbbells in front of your thighs.
Grab a pair of dumbbells with an overhand grip and stand with your knees slightly bent and aligned over your middle toes, dumbbells in front of your thighs.
1.
Keeping your arms straight and knees in place, slowly bend at your waist and lower the weights as far as possible or until your chest is parallel to the floor without rounding your back.
2.
Push through the middle of your feet and squeeze your glutes to pull yourself up.
3.
Stop when your body is erect. Do not lean back excessively.
LEG EXTENSIONS
Benefits:
This exercise shapes and strengthens the front of your thighs.
This exercise shapes and strengthens the front of your thighs.
To start:
Sit on the leg extension machine seat with your back firmly pressed against the pad. Draw your navel inward. Adjust the rollers so that they press against your shins. Keep your feet flexed. Grasp the handles alongside the seat.
Sit on the leg extension machine seat with your back firmly pressed against the pad. Draw your navel inward. Adjust the rollers so that they press against your shins. Keep your feet flexed. Grasp the handles alongside the seat.
1.
Straighten your legs slowly to their full extension. Do not lock your knees.
2.
Lower them to the starting position.
SINGLE LEG SQUATS
Benefits:
This exercise will strengthen your quadriceps, hamstrings, and buttocks.
This exercise will strengthen your quadriceps, hamstrings, and buttocks.
To start:
Stand upright, arms at your sides, and draw your navel inward, balancing on one leg.
Stand upright, arms at your sides, and draw your navel inward, balancing on one leg.
1.
Bend at the knee until your leg reaches a 45-degree angle. Touch your toe with your opposite hand. Do not let your standing knee move.
2.
Slowly return to the starting position.
DUMBBELL STEP-UPS
Benefits:
This exercise will strengthen your quadriceps, hamstrings, and buttocks.
This exercise will strengthen your quadriceps, hamstrings, and buttocks.
To start:
Stand facing a step, bench, or box, holding a dumbbell in each hand.
Stand facing a step, bench, or box, holding a dumbbell in each hand.
1.
Place your right foot up onto the step, creating a 90-degree angle with the knee.
2.
Driving the weight of your body through your right heel, stand up onto the step.
3.
Lower yourself, with control, back to the floor, left foot first, and step off completely.
4.
Repeat on the other side (right leg leads up, left leg leads down; left leg leads up, right leg leads down).
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