Strength Building Exercises

I have been away for a month from my workout routine and now I am back with Joyce, my personal trainer.
She measured me again today and I was happy to learn that since I started my training program with her a few months ago, I have seen great improvement in my physical strength, a loss of five pound and more than four inches on my waist. The loss of body weight and inches might not be significant, but I have been able to keep them off.

This morning Joyce introduced to some strength building exercises that I really liked So I would like to share them with those who are interested in building strength and muscles. Here they are:


1. Ab thruster - 3 sets of 12

I had my feet placed on the surface of 3 riser height. I started with just thrusting my ab as high as I could for about 1-2 seconds, 12 times.
During the second and third set, Joyce added weight for me. With  a weight disc placed on my abdomin, I did the ab thrust 2 sets, each set 12 times.

Step Up with Riser Steps

2a. Riser Step Up

I first started with the Riser Step without weight, but with increased risers after each set of 12 exercise.

Step Up with Weight

2b. Riser Steps with Weight 

 After a warm up on the riser steps, I started stepping up with weight, first with a 15 lb dumbbell on each hand then increased to 20 lbs.  I started stepping up with 6 then increased to 8 riser height. Great exercise for hamstrings if your hamstrings happen to be hurting. Mine were hurting pretty badly, but since I started exercising, the pain has disappeared but it returns when I am not exercising! So I have to keep up the program.

An Eccentric Movement

3. Eccentric Movement on the Pull Up Bar

Since I did not have a lot of strength with my hands and had difficulty pulling myself up to the bar, Joyce tied an eccentric movement band  on the bar to assist me to complete this exercise.

With my two hands on the pull up bar and my right foot on the band, I had to jump as high as  I could and control the descend down to the surface. I have often seen young people especially men doing this exercise but never attempted it on my own. I attempted it today. Though I could not raise myself too high but it was a good start.

This exercise will definitely help me build my upper body strength which mature adults need in order to perform the daily chores and be independent in their daily activities. My goal is to be able to live an independent and productive life without becoming a burden to anyone in my retirement life.

The Burpee - An Effective Cardio Exercise

4. Burpee

This exercise look seasy but it is not.

A cardio exercise - Joyce timed me with her stop watch and I had to perform as many burpees as possible within a 1 minute timing.

 After each minute, I was given a 30 seconds rest. It was a strenuous exercise.  By the time I did the three sets, I was sweating. A very effective exercise indeed!

I paid dearly for each session of exercise with my personal trainer. I hope that by writing down these exercises in my blog, I will be able to remember these exercises and share them with others.

Happy exercising! Hope these exercises will help to ease the pain in your hamstrings like they did for me!

R.T.  Goodlife Gym, Toronto
Dec. 2012