MUSCLE AND BONE—USE IT OR LOSE IT!
The amount of weight-bearing exercise you do now will directly affect your bone and muscle mass in the future. Perform three sets of eight reps, with a 1-minute rest between sets and exercises. Do this workout three times a week.
Barbell Back Squat
Place a barbell on the squat rack so it's about even with your collarbone. Stand with feet approximately shoulder-width apart and toes pointed slightly outward. Grip the bar with hands spread wider than your shoulders and pull your body underneath it so the bar rests on your upper back (A). Inhale and bend your knees and hips, lowering your body into a squat position (B). Keep your head up, heels on the ground, and back arched. Squat until your legs are parallel to the floor or lower. Then quickly return to standing, as you exhale. Do not bounce out of the squat.
Diagonal Dumbbell Lunge Curl
Stand with abs tight, shoulders back, and arms at your sides holding dumbbells (A). Inhale. With your right leg, take a large diagonal step forward to the right, planting foot flat on the floor. Allow your left knee to bend slightly and foot to rotate. Bend your right knee to about 90 degrees, making sure that the knee is directly over the foot (B). Keep your left knee just above the floor and your torso upright as your left heels comes up. Exhale and push off the floor with your right leg. Return to the starting position and perform a biceps curl (C). Repeat, leading with your left leg.
Push-up
Lying on your stomach, place your palms on the floor next to your shoulders. Bend your elbows so your upper arms are parallel to the floor. With your legs hip-width apart, curl your toes under and press the balls of your feet down. Squeeze your abs and glutes. Inhale and hold. While exhaling, push your entire body up until the elbows are straight. Inhale as you slowly lower your body until your forearms are parallel to the floor. Repeat.
Chinup
Jump up to grab a chinup bar with an underhand grip, spreading hands wider than your shoulders. Start from a full hanging position to work the back muscles through their full range of motion (A). Arch your back slightly and pull your body up, trying to touch your chest to the bar (B). Slowly lower yourself back to hanging. Repeat.
Push Press
From a standing position, grab a barbell using an overhand grip with hands slightly wider than your shoulders and elbows pointing down. Squeeze your shoulder blades together and hold through the lift. The bar should rest in hyperextended hands (knuckles pointing toward your body) about at your clavicle (A). Inhale. Bend your knees slightly and keep your hips and back straight to go down only 3 to 4 inches into a quarter-squat (B). From this quarter-squat, exhale and explosively extend your knees and hips. Use this momentum to drive the bar overhead until your elbows are fully extended (C). Keep the bar balanced and under control. Slowly lower the bar to the starting position while inhaling and repeat.
The amount of weight-bearing exercise you do now will directly affect your bone and muscle mass in the future. Perform three sets of eight reps, with a 1-minute rest between sets and exercises. Do this workout three times a week.
Barbell Back Squat
Place a barbell on the squat rack so it's about even with your collarbone. Stand with feet approximately shoulder-width apart and toes pointed slightly outward. Grip the bar with hands spread wider than your shoulders and pull your body underneath it so the bar rests on your upper back (A). Inhale and bend your knees and hips, lowering your body into a squat position (B). Keep your head up, heels on the ground, and back arched. Squat until your legs are parallel to the floor or lower. Then quickly return to standing, as you exhale. Do not bounce out of the squat.
Diagonal Dumbbell Lunge Curl
Stand with abs tight, shoulders back, and arms at your sides holding dumbbells (A). Inhale. With your right leg, take a large diagonal step forward to the right, planting foot flat on the floor. Allow your left knee to bend slightly and foot to rotate. Bend your right knee to about 90 degrees, making sure that the knee is directly over the foot (B). Keep your left knee just above the floor and your torso upright as your left heels comes up. Exhale and push off the floor with your right leg. Return to the starting position and perform a biceps curl (C). Repeat, leading with your left leg.
Push-up
Lying on your stomach, place your palms on the floor next to your shoulders. Bend your elbows so your upper arms are parallel to the floor. With your legs hip-width apart, curl your toes under and press the balls of your feet down. Squeeze your abs and glutes. Inhale and hold. While exhaling, push your entire body up until the elbows are straight. Inhale as you slowly lower your body until your forearms are parallel to the floor. Repeat.
Chinup
Jump up to grab a chinup bar with an underhand grip, spreading hands wider than your shoulders. Start from a full hanging position to work the back muscles through their full range of motion (A). Arch your back slightly and pull your body up, trying to touch your chest to the bar (B). Slowly lower yourself back to hanging. Repeat.
Push Press
From a standing position, grab a barbell using an overhand grip with hands slightly wider than your shoulders and elbows pointing down. Squeeze your shoulder blades together and hold through the lift. The bar should rest in hyperextended hands (knuckles pointing toward your body) about at your clavicle (A). Inhale. Bend your knees slightly and keep your hips and back straight to go down only 3 to 4 inches into a quarter-squat (B). From this quarter-squat, exhale and explosively extend your knees and hips. Use this momentum to drive the bar overhead until your elbows are fully extended (C). Keep the bar balanced and under control. Slowly lower the bar to the starting position while inhaling and repeat.
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Last Updated: 12/01/2006 09:18:26
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