Looking to shape up? Two words. Resistance training.
Resistance training is one of the best ways to stay fit regardless of your age or ability, according to Jennifer Bryant, coordinator of fitness testing and conditioning for the University of Manitoba’s Bison Recreation Services. The head strength coach for both Bison hockey teams says the practice not only improves muscular strength and endurance but it can help reshape your body and manage weight too. It ain’t bad for your self-esteem and energy levels either.
Bryant has come up with easy exercises to do three times a week—after warming up with five to eight minutes of cardio and some light stretching. Generally, she recommends 3 sets of 8-10 reps for each exercise, while seniors should start with 2-3 sets of 8-12 reps. Rest for 45-90 seconds between sets if your focus is endurance or hypertrophy (increasing muscle size). If you’re after strength, take longer rest periods (around 2 minutes).
Stretching out your stretch
While warming up before getting sweaty is crucial, Bryant says paying attention to those muscles afterward is just as important. Post any workout is the perfect time to increase the range of motion and recovery of your muscles because they’re so warm and flexible. So, how do you do it without causing more harm than good? Bryant advises to do slow and controlled, non-jerky or bouncing stretches, right after you’ve finished all your sets. Hold each stretch for between 20 to 30 seconds, release and then repeat for optimum development of your muscles.
And remember – stretching shouldn’t hurt. If it does, or you feel any muscle contraction, Bryant says you might be reaching too far. She recommends easing out of the stretch until you just feel tension, not pain.
THE 'EVERY GUY' VARIATION SQUAT - Major muscles involved: gluteus, quadriceps, hamstrings
Starting Position: • Step under bar and position feet hip width apart or slightly wider. Feet should be parallel to each other, toes turned slightly outward. • Bar should rest across or slightly above the posterior shoulder, just below the base of the neck. (Tip: bar should never rest on or above the bone at the base of your neck that sticks out more than the others) • Grip the bar at shoulder width or slightly wider • Slightly lift elbows back and upward to create a “shelf” for the bar with upper back and shoulder muscles. • Hold chest up and out, and tilt head slightly upward. • Once ready, lift bar off the rack and take one or two steps backward. • Reposition your feet
Downward Movement: • Allow hips and knees to slowly bend • Maintain a flat back, high elbows and keep chest up and out • Keep heels on the floor and knees aligned over feet • Continue bending hips and knees until thighs are parallel to floor
Upward Movement: • Extend hips and knees at the same rate until you reach beginning position
LUNGES
Major muscles involved: gluteus, quadriceps, hamstrings • Stand with feet parallel to each other and take one exaggerated step forward with lead leg • Keep torso erect as the lead foot moves forward and contacts floor, pointing straight ahead • Allow knee and hip of leading leg to slowly bend • Keep back foot in beginning position but allow knee to slightly bend and heel to come off the floor • Lower hips until leading thigh is parallel to floor and back knee is 1 -2 inches from ground. • Forcefully push off floor by extending lead leg • Bring lead foot back to starting position • Repeat with alternate leg
BENT OVER ROWS
Major muscles involved: Back (lats, traps, rhomboids)
Starting Position: • Stand with feet shoulder-length apart, knees slightly flexed • Grasp bar slightly wider than shoulder width • Flex torso forward until slightly above parallel to the floor, with a flat back • Focus eyes a short distance ahead of feet • Allow bar to hang with elbows fully extended
Upward Movement: • Pull bar up toward lower chest or upper abdomen, pointing elbows up • Make sure to keep the torso rigid, back flat, and knees slightly flexed • Don’t jerk torso for assistance, while you touch bar to chest
Downward Movement: • Allow elbows to slowly extend to beginning position in a controlled manner, keeping torso and knees in same position
LAT PULL DOWN
Major muscles involved: Back (lats, traps, rhomboids)
Starting Position: • Grasp the bar with palms facing away from you, wider than shoulder-width • Sit on seat facing the machine and position thighs under pads with feet flat on floor • Extend arms fully and lean torso slightly backward
Downward Movement: • Pull bar down and toward upper chest in a smooth controlled motion (don’t jerk torso for assistance) • Gently touch bar to chest
Upward Movement: • Allow elbows to slowly extend back to beginning position
BENCH PRESS
Major muscles involved: pectoralis
Starting Position: • Lie on a bench facing up, feet on the ground • Eyes should be just below bar • Grasp bar with your palms facing away from you slightly wider than shoulder width • Lift bar off rack and hold over chest with elbows fully extended
Downward Movement: • Lower bar to touch chest (approximately at nipple level) • Keep wrists rigid and directly above elbows
Upward Movement: • Push bar upward until elbows are fully extended • Do not arch the back or raise chest to meet bar
SWIMMERS
Major muscle involvement: Lower Back (spinal extensors) and Gluteals • Lie face down on floor with arms extended over-head • In a controlled motion, lift one arm and the opposite leg at same time • Keep head in contact with floor and press hips firmly into ground by slightly contracting abs • Continue to raise opposing arm and leg • Pause at the top of the movement and slowly lower back down to starting position. • Alternate sides
HEEL DROPS
• Begin lying on your back with legs lifted off floor, bent at 90° • Contract your abs to maintain a neutral spine • Slowly lower and straighten one leg at a time until 1 inch above floor • If back starts to arch up off floor, don’t extend heel all the way to the floor. Only extend as far as your able to maintain ab contraction and neutral spine. • Briefly pause and slowly lift leg back to 90° using your abs and hip flexors. • Alternate legs • Remember to inhale as you lower leg and exhale as you return to 90°
TRICEP CABLE PUSHDOWNS
• Grasp bar (straight bar, rope curved bar) with palms facing toward the floor • Stand with feet shoulder width apart, knees slightly flexed • Cable should run straight down in front of you with a few inches between • Keep elbows close to sides, forearms perpendicular to ground or slightly higher in starting position • Push bar down until elbows are fully extended • Keep torso erect and upper arms stationary • Pause briefly before allowing elbows to slowly bend back to beginning position
BICEP CURLS
• Grasp bar or dumbbells with palms facing away, shoulder width apart. (Tip: Grip wider than shoulder width will target inner-bicep fibers; narrow grip will target outer bicep fibers) • Stand with feet shoulder width apart, knees slightly bent • Elbows should be fully extended with bar just in front of thighs • Flex elbows until bar or dumbbells are ~5 inches from shoulder • Do not jerk or swing body for assistance • Allow elbows to slowly extend back to beginning position.
THE 'SENIOR' VARIATION
SQUAT Major muscles involved: gluteus, quadriceps, hamstrings • Stand 1 – 2 feet in front of a bench or chair, feet shoulder width apart. Squat down in a slow controlled motion, reaching your buttocks back toward the bench. • Allow hips and knees to slowly bend, squatting down in a slow controlled motion, reaching your buttocks back toward the bench • Maintain a flat back, chest up and out • Keep heels on floor and knees aligned over feet (try not to let knees go past toes as this puts extra stress on the knee joint) • Continue bending hips and knees until seated on bench. • Sit for a moment before extending hips and knees at the same rate until you reach beginning position
STEP-UPS Major muscles involved: gluteus, quadriceps, hamstrings • Stand ½ - 1 foot from a set of stairs • Step up onto stair with lead leg (placing entire foot on the stair if possible) • Keep torso erect, do not lean forward • Extend lead hip and knee to a standing position on top of the stair • Bring your trailing leg onto stair OR for an extra challenge, keep it extended just behind you, balancing on your lead leg. • At the highest position, stand and pause before returning to starting position • Repeat, alternating legs
DUMBBELL ROLL Major muscles involved: Back (lats, traps, rhomboids) Place left knee and hand on bench, keep a flat back with right foot on floor for support • Grasp dumbbell with right hand and fully extend arm, keep shoulders and hips square to the floor • Bend elbow, lifting dumbbell close to body and keep elbow close to hip • Lift until elbow slightly passes your hip, being careful not to rotate body • In a slow and controlled manner, lower the dumbbell back to starting position
PUSH-UP Major muscles involved: pectoralis Lie chest-down with hands at shoulder level, palms flat on floor, slightly wider than shoulder-width. • Keep feet together and parallel, toes underneath, legs straight • Straighten arms as you push body off the floor • Keep core muscles tight as you push up in order to keep body inline • Pause for a moment at the top of full arm extension • Lower body slowly toward floor, bending arms and keeping body straight, until chin touches floor
POINTERS Major muscle involvement: Lower back (spinal extensors) and gluteals • Begin on all fours, maintaining a neutral spine (when the three natural curves in your spine are aligned) • Knees should be hip width and legs parallel to each other • Slowly raise opposing arm and leg simultaneously until hip and shoulder height • Avoid lifting head, rotating hips and shoulders to maintain a neutral spine • Pause briefly at top of movement before slowly lowering back to the starting position. • Repeat with opposite arm and leg
FRONT PLANK Level One • Kneel on all fours with hands and knees shoulder and hip width apart, neck in line with spine • Lower elbows to floor, aligned directly under shoulder joint while maintaining neutral spine position • Balancing on forearms, elbows and knees; create one line from shoulders to hips to knees with abs contracted • Hold position for 30 – 60 sec. If you can’t maintain a neutral spine (ie, you feel back starting to arch and hips drop toward the floor) for the full time, just hold as long as you can and build up. Level Two • Straighten legs behind you until you are balancing on forearms, elbows and balls of your feet; creating one straight line from shoulders to hips to feet – as if you were a plank or board. • Contract your abs and hold position for 30 – 60 sec. If you can’t maintain a neutral spine for the full time, hold as long as you can and drop back down to knees for the remainder. Next time challenge yourself to hold a few seconds longer. Level Three • Lift one foot slightly off the ground and holding for several seconds, then return to floor. Alternate feet.
SIDE PLANK Level One • Begin lying on your side. Stack knees on top of each other and curl feet back toward your butt (knees should be around 90°). Bend elbow closest to the mat to 90° and place directly under shoulder joint. • Align body to create a straight line from shoulder to hips to knees • Slowly lift hips off the mat • Balancing on forearm, elbow and knees; creating one straight line, contracting abs • Hold position for 30 – 60 sec. If you cannot keep hip lifted for the full time just hold as long as you can and build up. Level Two • Straighten legs to balance on forearm, elbow and side of foot; creating a straight line from shoulders to hips to feet – as if you were a plank or board. • Contract abs and hold for 30 – 60 seconds. If you can’t keep your hip lifted for the full time, just hold as long as you can and drop back down to knees for the remainder of time. Next time challenge yourself to hold a few seconds longer. Level Three • Lift one foot slightly off ground and holding for several seconds, then return to floor
THE 'SEATED' VARIATION
SEATED LEG PRESS Major muscles involved: gluteus, quadriceps, hamstrings • Sitting, wrap your resistance band (essentially a giant rubber band with handles) around the bottom of your shoe, holding one end in each hand • Start with knee bent and lifted towards your chest • In a slow and controlled manner, extend your hip and knee down toward the floor, pushing through your heel. Extend the leg fully but do not lock the knee • Pause for two seconds at full extension and slowly bend the knee and hip until return to starting position • Switch legs, and repeat.
SEATED ROW Major Muscles Involved: Back (lats, traps, rhomboids) • Sitting, wrap your resistance band around the bottom of both shoes, holding one end in each hand. • Extend legs out in front with heels resting on the floor, arms straight out with palms facing each other • Bend elbows, pulling band toward you until elbows slightly pass your hips (remember to squeeze your shoulder blades together and down toward the floor) • Pause for 1-2 seconds, then slowly let arms fully extend.
BOW & ARROW Major muscles involved: Back (lats, traps, rhomboids) • Sitting with proper posture in your chair (sitting tall, shoulders back, chest up and out), hold one end of a resistance band in left hand • Extend left arm in front of you (about 45 degrees to the ceiling) • Grab the other end of resistance band with right hand a few inches from left hand. • Pull right elbow back past your shoulder in a smooth controlled motion (like a bow & arrow) • Pause for 1-2 seconds before returning right arm to extended position • Complete all your repetitions on one side then switch.
CHEST PRESS Major muscles involved: pectoralis • Sitting, wrap a resistance band around back (under your armpits) with an end in each hand • Begin with elbows at shoulder height and 90°. Have palms facing toward floor and wrists straight • Straighten arms out in front, pushing band away until full extension (arms parallel to each other and ground) • Pause briefly before returning to 90°
TRICEP EXTENTION (with tubing / band) • Standing or sitting hold one end of resistance band in left hand against chest. • Grab band with right hand, and slowly extend arm fully (keeping elbow close to body) • Pause briefly in full extension before allowing arm to slowly bend back up to starting position.
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Looking to shape up? Two words. Resistance training. 
