5 Exercises That Every Weight Loss Person Should Know
by Nathaniel Billing, BS, CPT
Weight training can be an intimidating process for the first time. You have machines, body weight exercises, and the free weight room filled with weights and even more machines. If you are just starting a program or not sure about the program you are on, here are the top five weight training exercises that every weight loss person should be doing.
Make a goal of doing every exercise for 3-4 sets of 10-15 reps. I recommend doing the exercises three days a week with a day of rest between days.
Ball Squat to Press
Starting Position:
Place the ball against the wall and press your back into the ball. Walk your feet slightly out so your knees stay behind your toes as you perform the exercise.
Procedure
Hold a pair of dumbbells next to your shoulders and stand with your feet shoulder-width apart(A).
Keeping your back naturally arched, push your hips back, bend your knees, and lower your body until the tops of your thighs are at least parallel to the floor(B).
Now push yourself back up, but as you do, press the dumbbells overhead until your arms are completely straight©. Lower the dumbbells back to the starting position.
Tips: Keep your knees behind your toes and your shoulder blades slightly together. As you rise up, squeeze your glutes (butt muscles) together.
Step 1
Starting Position: Lie on your back, placing the backs of your lower legs and heels on the top of a stability ball. Position your feet hip-width apart on the ball with your toes pointing towards the ceiling. Gently contract your abdominal/core muscles to flatten your lower back onto the floor. Attempt to maintain this gentle muscle contraction throughout the exercise. Extend your arms out to your sides with palms turned to the floor to help stabilize your body during the exercise.
Starting Position: Lie on your back, placing the backs of your lower legs and heels on the top of a stability ball. Position your feet hip-width apart on the ball with your toes pointing towards the ceiling. Gently contract your abdominal/core muscles to flatten your lower back onto the floor. Attempt to maintain this gentle muscle contraction throughout the exercise. Extend your arms out to your sides with palms turned to the floor to help stabilize your body during the exercise.
Step 2
Gently exhale while holding your abdominal contraction and press your hips upwards off the floor into extension by contracting your glutes. At the same time, press the backs of your lower legs and heels into the ball for additional stability. Maintaining your abdominal contraction helps avoid excessive arching in your lower back. Continue to press upwards until your legs and hips are straight with your torso and legs in alignment.
Gently exhale while holding your abdominal contraction and press your hips upwards off the floor into extension by contracting your glutes. At the same time, press the backs of your lower legs and heels into the ball for additional stability. Maintaining your abdominal contraction helps avoid excessive arching in your lower back. Continue to press upwards until your legs and hips are straight with your torso and legs in alignment.
Step 3
Upward Phase: Exhale and slowly contract your hamstrings to move your heels towards your hips while pointing your toes away from your shins. Continue to pull your heels towards hips, raising your hips further off the floor. Maintain a stable torso, keeping it parallel with your upper thighs.
Upward Phase: Exhale and slowly contract your hamstrings to move your heels towards your hips while pointing your toes away from your shins. Continue to pull your heels towards hips, raising your hips further off the floor. Maintain a stable torso, keeping it parallel with your upper thighs.
Hamstring Curls
Step 1
Starting Position: Lie on your back, placing the backs of your lower legs and heels on the top of a stability ball. Position your feet hip-width apart on the ball with your toes pointing towards the ceiling. Gently contract your abdominal/core muscles to flatten your lower back onto the floor. Attempt to maintain this gentle muscle contraction throughout the exercise. Extend your arms out to your sides with palms turned to the floor to help stabilize your body.
Starting Position: Lie on your back, placing the backs of your lower legs and heels on the top of a stability ball. Position your feet hip-width apart on the ball with your toes pointing towards the ceiling. Gently contract your abdominal/core muscles to flatten your lower back onto the floor. Attempt to maintain this gentle muscle contraction throughout the exercise. Extend your arms out to your sides with palms turned to the floor to help stabilize your body.
Step 2
Gently exhale while holding your abdominal contraction and press your hips upwards off the floor into extension by contracting your glutes. At the same time, press the backs of your lower legs and heels into the ball for additional stability. Maintaining your abdominal contraction helps avoid excessive arching in your lower back. Continue to press upwards until your legs and hips are straight, with your torso and legs in alignment.
Gently exhale while holding your abdominal contraction and press your hips upwards off the floor into extension by contracting your glutes. At the same time, press the backs of your lower legs and heels into the ball for additional stability. Maintaining your abdominal contraction helps avoid excessive arching in your lower back. Continue to press upwards until your legs and hips are straight, with your torso and legs in alignment.
Step 3
Upward Phase: Exhale and slowly contract your hamstrings to move your heels towards your hips while pointing your toes away from your shins. Continue to pull your heels towards hips, raising your hips further off the floor. Maintain a stable torso, keeping it parallel with your upper thighs.
Upward Phase: Exhale and slowly contract your hamstrings to move your heels towards your hips while pointing your toes away from your shins. Continue to pull your heels towards hips, raising your hips further off the floor. Maintain a stable torso, keeping it parallel with your upper thighs.
One Arm Row on Exercise Ball
Instructions:
With feet hip-width apart, place right foot in front of left. Slightly bend the legs and hinge from the hips, maintaining neutral posture. Place your right hand on the ball and extend your left arm toward the floor with weight in hand. Bend the left arm until upper arm is parallel to the ceiling and elbow is close to ribcage. Repeat for 10-15 reps and repeat on other side.
With feet hip-width apart, place right foot in front of left. Slightly bend the legs and hinge from the hips, maintaining neutral posture. Place your right hand on the ball and extend your left arm toward the floor with weight in hand. Bend the left arm until upper arm is parallel to the ceiling and elbow is close to ribcage. Repeat for 10-15 reps and repeat on other side.
Plank on Exercise Ball
Starting Position: With your forearms resting comfortably on the Swiss ball and knees on the ground, extend your feet behind you on the floor. Your weight should be evenly distributed between your forearms and toes. Keep your feet shoulder width apart.
Tips: Control the core and remember to breathe. Do not let your body sag to the floor. Try to keep your head and neck in line with your spine.
Start with holding the plank five seconds and build to one minute.
Start with holding the plank five seconds and build to one minute.
Ready for a challenge?
- To increase the difficulty of the Swiss ball plank core exercise, try making circles with your forearms and hands while holding the plank position.
- Starting with your feet together will decrease your stability and will also make the exercise more challenging.
- Lastly, lift your left or right foot off the ground and hold for 5-10 seconds. Switch to the opposite foot and hold.
Push Up
Option 1: Stand facing a wall or kitchen counter. Extend your arms in front of you then lean forward slightly and place your palms against the surface.( The closer you stand, the easier it is to perform the exercise.) Bend your elbows until your nose nearly touches the wall or your chest touches the counter top. Push back out to start.
Tips: To make the exercise more challenging, stand further away from the wall or counter top. Make sure to keep your body in a straight line.
Option 2: (On knees or toes) Place hands on a weight bench or sturdy chair and extend legs behind you so your head, neck, back, butt, and legs are in a straight line. Bend elbows out to sides and lower body almost to bench (or as far as you can). Keep abs tight and body in a line. Hold for a second, then push back up.
Nathaniel Billing, BS, CPT, is currently working as an Exercise Physiologist at Pacific Nutrition and Wellness in their pre and post surgery care program for people who have bariatric weight loss surgery. His goal is to help people who have never exercised or maybe have had years since they have last exercised reach their individual fitness goals and learn to make activity a personal part of their lives. He received his Bachelor of Science in Exercise Science from Indiana Wesleyan University and graduated as a Certified Personal Trainer from National Academy of Sports Medicine.
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