Exercise Gallery of Weight Training
The combination or combo crunch is performed while lying on the floor. The bent knees are bought up toward the stomach while at the same time the shoulders are lifted from the floor. Both movements emphasize the abdominal muscles.
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The dumbbell concentration curl is performed sitting on a bench, feet flat on the floor with one arm holding a dumbbell with the upper arm firmly supported against the inside of the thigh on the same side. The dumbbell curl is performed using this support to concentrate tension in the biceps muscle for a better workout.
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The fitball crunch is performed sitting on a fitness ball, feet flat on the floor and by moving the torso rearward so that the ball slides forward under control of your legs and core muscles of the abdomen and hips.
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The pulldown exercise is performed at a workstation with adjustable resistance, usually plates. While sitting with your upper thighs restrained under a thigh pad, you pull a hanging bar down toward chin level and then release for one repetition. The exercise works the back muscles, especially the latissimus dorsi or the "lats," the muscle just under the armpits and spreading across and down th…
The Captain's chair or hanging leg raise station is a workout frame used in many gyms. The two chair arms support your bodyweight while you raise the legs. The exercise targets the abdominal muscles (rectus abdominis), the hip flexors (iliopsoas) and the external obliques -- muscles that run down the sides of the abdomen. A more difficult hanging leg raise can be done while hanging from a pull…
Extending the arms by flexing and extending the elbow joint in a rear or overhead motion while holding dumbbells or barbells or a weighted cable is called "triceps extension." This exercise develops the muscles at the back of the upper arms. The version in this description is the "skullcrusher" or overhead triceps extension while lying on a flat bench using a single dumbbell. It gets the name …
The front raise weight training exercise starts with dumbbells at the thighs. Either one or two dumbbells are raised in front of the body. You can do this exercise one arm at a time, alternating arms, or with both arms at the same time. The exercise targets the front and middle part of the shoulder muscles (deltoids) as well as the upper chest muscles (pectorals).
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While most exercises in the weight trainer's toolkit involve lifting or moving external weights, some exercises involve lifting or moving your own body weight. Pull ups require that you lift your body up by the arms so that your chin or neck is approximately level with the bar your arms are using to pull you up. You can hold the bar overhand (pull up) or underhand (chin up). Some trainers call bo…
The value of this exercise is that it simulates activity that occurs in many sports: swinging a bat or stick or throwing while twisting the torso. Of course, this approximate movement is slightly different in any number of sports such as baseball to golf, tennis, hockey or cricket. But even without a stick, bat or racket, the twisting motion of the abdominals under load is a prominent movement i…
These exercises will help you keep those calves, thighs and butt strong and the muscles toned. In conjunction with an all-around fitness and weight training program, you can expect to lose fat from those parts as well. A full description of each exercise is available when you click through to the exercise description page. You can use dumbbells or barbells for the squat. Barbells work best for t…
This dumbbell exercise works the biceps and brachialis muscles of the upper arm. In this exercise you stabilize the upper arm by bracing it against the thigh while you complete a curl. This concentrates the work done in the upper arm muscles and not the shoulders.
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In this version of the dumbbell front raise you start with a dumbbell in each hand and at the thigh. You raise the dumbbells parallel to the floor and then return to the starting position to complete one exercise repetition. The front raise strengthens shoulder and upper chest muscles.
Find out more about How to Do the Dumbbell Triceps Extension
In this version of the dumbbell triceps extension, you start by holding a dumbbell in two hands with arms extended above the head. You lower the weight behind the head then return it to the starting position. The triceps extension develops the triceps muscles at back of the upper arms.
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The dumbbell shoulder squat is an alternative to the dumbbell squat with weights hanging at the sides. This exercise requires you to balance the dumbbells on the shoulders with a hammer grip and then proceed with the standard squat execution.
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The lunge is basically a giant step. The exercise can be done without weights, with dumbbells held at the sides or at shoulder level, or with a barbell behind the neck on the shoulders. Lunges work the upper leg muscles and the muscles of the buttocks.
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The bent over row is considered one of the best muscle builders for the back and shoulders. However, you need experience with weight training before getting into this exercise seriously. The back should be kept straight and the weight moderate until you are confident the back is strong.
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The dumbbell overhead press can be done sitting or standing and with dumbbells horizontal along the shoulders or rotated in a hammer grip. A sitting position helps stabilize the back. This description uses a standing position and a horizontal and overhand grip.
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The arm curl is a basic "isolation" exercise. You can do it with dumbbells, barbell or machines at the gym. The arm curl flexes and extends the elbow joint and targets the biceps and the brachialis muscles of the upper arm. This description describes the dumbbell arm curl.
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The combination or combo crunch is performed while lying on the floor. The bent knees are bought up toward the stomach while at the same time the shoulders are lifted from the floor. Both movements emphasize the abdominal muscles.
If you need more guidance on weight training please refer to the begin…
The Bosu trainer and similar platform balance devices are designed as unstable surfaces to provide a stability challenge to muscles for rehabilitation purposes or to enhance balance in older and infirm people.
The dumbbell concentration curl is performed sitting on a bench, feet flat on the floor with one arm holding a dumbbell while firmly supported against the inside of the thigh on the same side. The dummbell curl is performed using this support to concentrate tension in the biceps muscle for a better workout.
If you need more guidance on weight training please refer to the How to Do the Fitball Crunch
The fitball crunch is performed sitting on a fitness ball, feet flat on the floor. The torso is moved backward so that the ball slides slightly forward under the control of your legs and the muscles of the abdomen and hips. This exercise works the flat abdominal muscles of the stomach,(transversus abdominis) and the side abdominal muscles (obliques). It is one of the most effective abdominal e…
The lat pulldown exercise is performed at a workstation with adjustable resistance, usually plates. While sitting with your upper thighs restrained under a thigh pad, you pull a hanging bar down toward chin level and then release for one repetition. The exercise works the back muscles, especially the latissimus dorsi or "lats," the muscle just under the armpits and spreading across and down th…
The Captain's Chair or hanging leg raise station is a workout station used in many gyms. The two chair arms support your bodyweight while you raise the legs. The exercise targets the abdominal muscles, the rectus abdominis, as well as the hip extensors, the iliopsoas, and the external obliques, muscles that run down the sides of the abdomen. A more difficult hanging leg raise can be done while ha…
Extending the arms by flexing and extending the elbow joint in a rearward or overhead motion while holding dumbbells or barbells or a weighted cable is called "triceps extension." The version in this description is the "skullcrusher" or overhead triceps extension while lying on a flat bench using a single dumbbell. It often gets the name skullcrusher because some exercisers perform it incorrectly…
The front raise weight training exercise starts with dumbbells at the thighs. Either one or two dumbbells are raised in front of the body. You can do this exercise one arm at a time, alternating arms, or with both arms at the same time. The exercise targets the front and middle part of the shoulder muscles (deltoids) as well as the upper chest muscles (pectorals).
If you need more guida…
The bench press is a standard powerlifting exercise in which you lie flat on an exercise bench and lift a barbell above your chest until arms are fully extended. The exercise can be done with dumbbells or with a Smith machine and with varying degrees of incline of the bench.
While most exercises in the weight trainer's toolkit involve lifting or moving external weights, some exercises involve lifting or moving your own body weight. Pull ups require that you lift your body up by the arms so that your chin or neck is approximately level with the bar your arms are using to pull you up. You can hold the bar overhand (pull up) or underhand (chin up). Some trainers call bo…
The value of this exercise is that it simulates activity that occurs in many sports: swinging a bat or stick or throwing while twisting the torso. Of course, this approximate movement is slightly different in any number of sports such as baseball to golf, tennis, hockey or cricket. But even without a stick, bat or racket, the twisting motion of the abdominals under load is a prominent movement i…
These exercises will help you keep those calves, thighs and butt strong and toned. In conjunction with an all-around fitness and weight training program, you can expect to lose fat from those parts as well. A full description of each exercise is available when you click through to the exercise description page. You can use dumbbells or barbells for the squat. Barbells work best for the deadlift …
This dumbbell exercise program can be used used at the gym or at home.
The dumbbell concentration curl is an alternative to the standard dumbbell biceps curl. By stabilizing the arm on the thigh, a slightly different emphasis is placed on the biceps and lower arm muscles.
The dumbbell front raise works the pec muscles of the chest and the shoulder muscles -- the deltoids. You can do it with two hands or one. The exercise described here uses a dumbbell held in each hand.
The dumbbell triceps extension works the triceps muscle at the back of the upper arm. You can do it with two hands or one. The exercise described here uses a dumbbell held in two hands.
The dumbbell shoulder squat is an alternative to the dumbbell squat with weights hanging at the sides. This requires you to balance the dumbbells on the shoulders with a hammer grip.
The dumbbell lunge, a weighted step forward with alternate legs, is a good exercise for the muscles of the butt and thighs. It works the hips and the associated muscle groups.
How to do the dumbbell bent over row. This exercise can be performed with dumbbells or a barbell. The exercise works the shoulders (deltoids) and the upper back muscles.
How to do the dumbbell arm curl. Guidelines and instruction on how to perform the arm curl weight training exercise with dumbbells.
How to Do the Dumbbell Overhead Press. The overhead press can be performed with dumbbells or barbell. This exercise features the dumbbell overhead press. The dumbbell overhead press can be done sitting on a bench or chair or standing.
The following exercises provide a nice full-body experience for anyone new to weight training -- or for more experienced exercisers wanting a simple yet thorough program on which to build further. A full-body session means training all or most parts of the main large muscle systems of the body: the shoulders, arms, back, chest, legs, buttocks and abdominals.
The squat takes many forms including with dumbbells, barbells, bar and plates, a Smith machine, or even without equipment at all using your own body weight.
The chest press is a versatile exercise that can be performed with barbells, dumbbells, bench, bar and plates or even with resistance bands. It develops mainly the pectoral muscles of the chest.
The deadlift is one of the 'big three' training lifts along with the squat and bench press. Several advanced variations are possible with alternative leg and grip positions.
Two types of leg press machine are in common use: the standard horizontal leg press and the 45 degree leg press. This description uses the standard seated leg press machine.
A description of the overhead press exercise with photos, starting and finishing position and check points.
The biceps arm curl with dumbbells, describing technique and check points for success. Photo illustration of the dumbbell arm curl.
Images and description of the triceps pushdown exercise including check points for proper execution.
The seated cable row, describing technique and check points for success. Photo illustrations included.
A description of the lat pulldown exercise with photos, starting and finishing position and check points.
The crunch, describing technique and check points for success. Photo illustrations included.
A superb compendium of exercises with video and images.
Another great collection of weight training exercises with demonstration video.