Exercise and Stretching Take Home

Student Trainer: Katie Lahmann

I just want to say thank you for working with me this semester especially on such short notice when Alex asked you and we started on the spot. I hope that you have learned a little more about exercise and stretching through our sessions over the past few weeks. I wanted to give you a hand out with most of the exercises we have done in our sessions and also the stretches so if you ever need a quick reference! We have talked about the importance of form over the amount of weight with our resistance machine exercises so I included pictures and some cues as well. I hope that you continue all of your exercise and physical activity because it seems like you are already excellent at it; not to mention knowledgeable! Keep it up and be confident in yourself because you can do whatever you put your mind to. I have seen a ton of growth in just the short weeks we had together this semester. Keep moving and remember that everything counts when it comes to physical activity!

Thanks again for a great semester,

Katie Lahmann

Some tips to always remember with weight training

- breathe out during the hardest part of the movement (when the weight stack goes up)

- go from largest muscle groups to smallest muscle groups when you are lifting (Legs, Back, Shoulders, Lats, Chest, Triceps, Biceps)

- do exercises that you use both arms or both legs before ones where you use one arm or leg

- take a look at the form/muscle group/safety diagram on the machine before you use it

- adjust the machine to fit you before you add weight

Here are the exercises we have done with fixed machines and a dumbbell exercise you can do to work the same muscle group! Following each muscle group, there is a stretch that goes along with it as well.

Legs – Quadriceps

Leg Extension Machine

-Quadriceps

Make sure the lower pad is at the bottom of your shin

Adjust the seat so that you are comfortable when you do

the movement

Squat with or without dumbbells

-Quadriceps, Hamstrings, and Glutes

Make sure your knees don’t go over your toes as you

come down

Squat with a chair or bench behind you so you can get

used to the movement and to improve form

Try to focus on sinking into your heels instead of staying

on your toes

Quadriceps Stretch

Stabilize yourself with your hand against a wall

Try to keep your knees close together during the stretch

Hold for 20 – 30 seconds

Legs – Hamstrings

Seated Leg Curl

-Hamstrings

Adjust the machine so that

the pad is touching the top

of your thighs and so that the

bottom pad is at the ankle

Reverse Lunge

-Hamstrings, Quadriceps,

Glutes

Just like a normal lunge, but you

lunge backward instead of

forward from the starting positon

Just like the squat, make sure the knee doesn’t go over the toe

The back front and back knee

should both end up at 90 degrees; don’t let the back

leg touch the floor

Hamstring Stretch

Make sure you are putting the

stabilizing weight (your hands) on the leg that isn’t being stretched

Put your toe down to the

ground to stretch the front of your

shin

Back

Mid or Low Row Machine

-Middle and Upper Trapezius

Focus on pinching your shoulder blades

together when you are pulling the weight

toward you

Always adjust the pad first to make sure that with your feet flat on

the floor, it is touching the top of your thighs

Bent over Row with Dumbbell

-Middle and Upper Trapezius, Bicep, and

Latissimus Dorsi

Focus on being bent over enough so that your dumbbell starts at knee level

Pick a spot on the floor and keep looking at it so that you don’t strain your neck while doing the exercise

Child’s Pose

Start by kneeling on the floor, then sit back

on your heels and bring your arms out in

front of you on the ground wherever you

feel comfortable

Shoulders

Shoulder Press Machine

-Anterior, Medial and Posterior

Deltoids

Try to get to 90 degrees with your elbows before you

press back up

Keep your feet flat on the floor in

front of you during the exercise

Upright Row

-Anterior and Medial Deltoids

Focus on keeping your back tall and flat; if it starts to arch backward, switch to lighter

weight

If the bar or dumbbells don’t

get to chest level, that repetition doesn’t count

Posterior Shoulder Stretch

-Posterior Deltoids

Front Shoulder Stretch

-Anterior and Medial Deltoids

Try not to pull on the elbow that is in front, just rest

the arm on it

With the front shoulder stretch, you may also feel

a stretch in the chest

Latissimus Dorsi

Lat Pulldown Machine

-Latissimus Dorsi

Make sure to adjust the seat so that your feet are

flat on the floor before you grab the bar or

handles

Try to keep your back flat and pull to the chest; don’t use momentum

Unilateral Lat-pull with resistance band

-Latissimus Dorsi-Abdominal Stabilization

The hand that is stabilizing the band in

the air shouldn’t move; just the arm on the side you are working should

move

Latissimus Dorsi Stretch

You should feel a stretch all the way down your

side

You can also put your hands together and

reach to one side with both arms or place one

hand on the hip and reach over with the

other arm

Chest

Chest Press Machine

-Pectoralis Major and Minor

Make sure the seat is adjusted so that your feet are flat

on the floor before you start the

exercise

Position your hands so that you have an overhand

grip on the handles

Push-up

-Pectoralis Major and Minor

Start on your knees and work up to doing them on

your toes

Focus on keeping your body in a

straight line while you move up and

down

Your hands should be right under your shoulders – start in the down position

to line them up

Chest Stretch

You should feel the stretch across your chest and the front

of the shoulder

Triceps

Tricep Push Down Machine

Focus on keeping your elbows on the pad throughout the

entire exercise

Just move at the elbow during this

exercise

If you aren’t able to do proper form,

decrease the weight

Tricep Kickback

Focus on hinging at the elbow; try not to move the upper

arm

Extend the elbow completely in order to engage the tricep on each repetition

You can also do this exercise on the floor on your hands and

knees (kneeling with other hand

stabilizing)

Tricep Stretch

Try not to pull on the elbow of the

arm you are stretching

You should feel a stretch in the back

of your arm

Biceps

Bicep Curl Machine

Make sure the seat is adjusted so that your

feet are flat on the floor while you are sitting

Focus on keeping your upper arms and elbows on the pad while you do

the exercise

Bicep Curl with Dumbbells

Focus on keeping your elbows tucked inward so they are touching your sides as you do the exercise

Begin and end each repetition with your dumbbells touching the sides of your thighs with palms facing inward (this fully lengthens the bicep back out)

Bicep Stretch against the Wall

You may also feel this stretch across your

chest as well and front of the shoulder