Squats
How to do them: Standing with your feet hip-distance apart,
tighten up your core as if you were bracing for a punch to the gut. Then
shift your weight into your heels and press your hips back, keeping
your abdominal muscles tight. Bend your knees and slowly lower into a
squat. Your knees should be in line with your second toe. Go as low as
you feel comfortable going, and hold for a count of two. Straighten your
legs to rise. Standing and lowering into the squat should take the same
amount of time.
You're doing them wrong if... Your lower back feels strained. You should feel the burn in your thighs and butt.
Push-ups
How to do them: Start on your hands and knees with your hands
directly under your shoulders and your bent knees behind your hips. Your
arms should be straight. Bend your elbows, lowering your chest toward
the floor. Make sure to keep your elbows fairly close to the sides of
your body and keep your torso in a straight line from your knees to your
head. Hold for a count of two and then return to your starting position
by pushing up through the heels and outer portions of your palms.
You're doing them wrong if... You're not feeling the burn in your
shoulders, arms, and chest. If it feels too easy, tuck your elbows in,
check your hand placement, and make sure your knees are far back enough
to make the move challenging.
Biceps Curls
How to do them: Sit on the edge of a chair, keeping your back
straight and your feet directly below your knees. Take a dumbbell in
each hand and hold them down by your sides. Your palms should be facing
forward and your wrists should be in line with your forearms. Pull your
shoulders down and back. Keeping your elbows in and your arms close to
your sides, draw both weights up to your shoulders and hold for a count
of two. Lower the weights and return your arms to your sides.
You're doing them wrong if... If your wrists feel pinched or strained. The main areas you should be feeling are your biceps and forearms.
Shoulder presses
How to do them: Stand with feet hip-distance apart with a
dumbbell in each hand. Curl the dumbbells up to shoulder level, with
your elbows tight to your sides and your palms facing away from your
body. Take a deep breath. As you exhale, push both arms up overhead and
hold for a count of two. Breathing in, bend your elbows to return to
your starting position.
You're doing them wrong if... You find your back arching with strain. You should be feeling your shoulders and arms working, not your back.
Dumbbell rows
How to do them: Take a dumbbell in one hand. Assume a split
stance with one leg slightly in front of the other. Keeping your back
straight and abs tight, fold over at the hips. Rest your free hand on
your back thigh for support, and bend into your front knee. Keeping your
arms and elbows tight to your body, breathe out as you draw your elbows
straight back toward the ceiling. Hold for two counts. Inhale and lower
the weight without twisting your torso.
You're doing them wrong if... Your torso is rotating during the
row or if your shoulders are scrunched up by your ears. You should feel
your back muscles working.
Chest presses
How to do them: With dumbbells in each hand, lie down on a bench
or the floor, with your knees bent and feet firmly grounded. Bend your
elbows to 90 degrees, with your palms facing away from you, holding the
dumbbells level with your chest and directly above the armpits. Breathe
in. As you exhale, press your arms overhead until your elbows are
straight. Hold for a count of two. Inhale and bend your elbows to return
your arms to their starting position.
You're doing them wrong if... Your back is arching. Concentrate
on keeping your back in contact with the ground so you feel the move in
your shoulders, arms, and chest.
Side lunges
How to do them: Start with your feet together and step out to
hip-distance, keeping your core tight. Take a small step out to the
side, keeping your toes facing forward, and begin to shift weight into
the leg you stepped out with. Your knee should be directly over your
second toe. Push your hips back as you bend your knee and lower your
thigh toward the ground. Hold for a count of two. Push off your heel to
return to your starting position.
You're doing them wrong if... You're taking too big a step to the
side. Keep it small enough that your knee stays over your toes. Expect
to feel it in the butt, thigh, and calf.
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