Expert: Brian - 7/13/2006

Question
http://academysports.com/index.php?page=content&target=products/fitness/weights/  That is a link showing what I have. Could  you list wat exercises i should do for each on and how to do them because i dont know what most are.
Thanks,
David
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Followup To

Question -
Hello im 14 a male and ive been lifting off and on for a couple months but nothign serious just bench pressing and dumbells mostly.I have a TRIUMPH OLYMPIC BENCH.I want to work everyting really.I wand bigger arms.. and a to loose the small gut of mine.Right now I've been benchoing 75lbs 5 times 4-5 times.I need a workout routine soo i can be in better shape because im trying out for the Swim team at my highschool .I will be a freashman.Please help.
Greatly appreciated,
David

Answer -
Hi David. OK, it sounds like you're off to a good start and asking the right questions.

You should try to think of your workout as a weekly routine. Each day of the week you are focusing on a different area. Lets go with Mon-Fri, and take the weekends off. That would look like this:

Mon - chest
Tue - back
Wed - legs
Thu - shoulder
Fri - biceps & triceps

Each day, you should do 4 different exercises for the given muscle group. Each exercise should be done for 4 sets of 8 reps. Not sure what attachments or equipment you have with your bench, so you may need to be creative when coming up with different exercises. If you can't create 4 exercises on your equipment, do additional sets on the exercises you can do. The goal should be to do at least 16 sets (20 or 24 is even better) of exercise in each day's workout. I wouldn't do 16 sets of one exercise...you'll just get fatigued.

--Brian

Answer
David - I can list some exercises. I can't possibly instruct you on how to do each one of them thru email. Try this web page for some of that. http://mywebpages.comcast.net/castronova/WEIGHTLIFTING.HTML

There are other sites out there...

chest - bench press, incline press, decline press
back - bent-over rowing, upright row
legs - squat, leg extensions, leg curls
shoulders - military (overhead) press, behind-the-neck press
biceps - curls, preacher curls
triceps - dips, triceps extensions

--Brian