Karen demonstrates some of her favorite exercises
and how to perform them correctly:
BICEP CURL (Barbell)
Purpose: Strengthen the bicep muscles. The secondary muscles being used are those of the core area.
Key Points: Stand with back straight, knees unlocked and feet hip-width apart. Grip a barbell with an underhand grip (palms facing up), with your hands width placed evenly with your hips. Your arms should be extended straight down and the barbell should be on your upper thighs. Use your biceps to curl the bar up toward your chest. Keep you elbows by your side and don’t allow them swing or travel forward. Hold the bar a split second and flex your biceps at the top part of the exercise. Lower the bar to starting position in a slow, controlled manner.
BICEP CURL (Dumbbell seated on Swiss-ball)
Purpose: Strengthen Bicep muscle. Sitting on the unstable ball makes your body use more stabilizing muscles!
Key Points: Same as the BB bicep curl. Keep good postural alignment and balance while using the ball. The tempo, or timing of the movement should be something like this: Curl the weight up (concentric movement) on about 2 seconds, and then lower it (eccentric) for 3 seconds in a controlled manner. Keep shoulders and elbows pulled back slightly.
SHOULDER PRESS (Dumbbell seated on a Swiss-ball)
Purpose: Strengthen the side and rear shoulders. Secondary muscle worked is the trapezius. The stabilizing, core muscles are also worked when using the therapy ball instead of a secure bench. Good for working on balance.
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Key Points: Sit on the ball with feet firmly on the floor. Hold a dumbbell in each hand next to your shoulders in a 90 degree angle. Now, here is the great thing about dumbbells: it allows you more range of motion. In this exercise, many people can keep elbows out and palms facing away from them, but, some people can not hold this position comfortably because of structural limitations or injuries. This is where your grip can vary, as well as the elbow position. Bringing the elbows in closer to the midline is “easier” for some people. Your chest should be upright using good posture with shoulders back and pulling the lower abdominals inward slightly. Press the dumbbells straight up to arms length overhead. Lower the weights to the starting position in a slow, controlled manner. Don’t bounce the weight off your shoulders by using momentum. Your head and eyes should be looking forward to keep good spinal alignment.
Note – a beginner might start with chair/bench with back support. Don’t bounce the weight off your shoulders by using momentum. To make this exercise more advanced, try it standing rather than sitting. Pressing the dumbbells one at a time is a good functional exercise. A very advanced performance would be to squat with the dumbbells held up by the shoulders and perform a shoulder press at the same time. For safety reasons, the weights should be held in closer toward the body when performing this squat/press exercise).
BARBELL SQUATS (bar behind the head)
Purpose: Strengthens the Quadriceps, hamstrings, glutes, in a functional pattern, as well as programming the brain to use your deep abdominal muscles while lifting heavy objects. This is an advanced exercise in which beginners should start by using own body weight (or holding dumbbells) and using a chair or bench for safety purposes. FORM is very critical. This is a major compound exercise (using many muscle groups at one time) and a great calorie burner!
Key Points: Make sure the bar is placed below the 7th cervical (the biggest, boniest part of your neck). After you have placed the bar on your traps, grab the bar with the arms close to the body to help the scapula to stabilize the trunk. Lift up on the bar, and take a step back away from the rack. Take a stance where your feet are a little wider than hips. Toes can be pointed up to 30 degrees outward. Keep the head positioned as in looking forward, yet not hyper-extending the neck. Keep the chest up in order to help keep good lumbar curvature. Draw the lower abs. in slightly before descending into the squat. Never allow the knees to track inside the toes. Always keep heels on the ground, and never push through toes, as this could be harmful to knees. Don’t worry about shin angle – this is individual. Take in a full breath and hold it prior to initiating this squat. Your goal should be to try to squat as low as your thighs being parallel to the floor. Ascend back up powerfully while still maintaining good lumbar alignment. Exhale air through pursed lips. Keep the weight equally balanced on feet. Don’t pull down on the bar. Don’t add more weight until your form is perfect. I recommend 8-15 repetitions for 3-6 sets, depending on fitness level.
