What is FITNESS?

1. What is FITNESS? Four components of fitness: Heart and Lung Fitness – how well your heart pumps blood and sends oxygen through your body. Muscle Fitness – includes: muscle strength – how much weight you can lift safely and muscle endurance – how many times you can life something. Flexibility – being able to move your joints easily and without pain through a wide range of motion. Body Composition – how much of your body is fat and how much is muscle.

2. What are the benefits of fitness? • Improves heart function and breathing • Makes muscles and bones stronger • Lowers the risk of getting some cancers, heart disease, osteoporosis, and type 2 diabetes. • Lowers cholesterol • Helps keep blood pressure under control • Helps control weight • Relieves stress and lowers risk of depression and anxiety • Improves energy levels • Helps you sleep better • Helps you live longer!

3. Before you begin an exercise program: • Start slowly. Build up gradually. This gives your body time to adjust to exercise. It also helps you avoid soreness or injury. • Check with your doctor before you being an exercise program if: • You have had one or more chronic health problems (e.g., heart disease, diabetes, arthritis, etc.). • You are overweight. • You are a man over age 40 or a woman over age 50. • You feel faint or very dizzy at times or you have chest pains. • You take prescription medicine (e.g., high blood pressure pills, etc.) • You are not sure how exercise will affect any physical problem you have.

4. MAJOR MUSCLE GROUPS • CHEST • BACK • TRICEPS • BICEPS • SHOULDERS • LEGS • QUADRICEPS • HAMSTRINGS • GLUTES • CALVES • ABDOMINALS

5. FORM Breathing – Slow and Steady – No Momentum Count: up one two down one two Slow and Steady – Controlled movements Repetitions Sets Slow and Steady – Slight bend – elbows and knees

6. BICEPS CURL Stand with your knees slightly bent, shoulder distance apart. Hold weight in arms, with palms facing up. Lift weight slowly until it almost touches your upper arm. Return to starting position. Shoulder to elbow stays still, only lower arm, from elbow to hand moves. Elbows stay close to the body. Think: Elbows stay close to body. MUSCLE: BICEPS

7. HAMMER CURL Stand with your knees slightly bent shoulder width apart. Hold weights in hands with palms facing body. Life weight slowly until is almost touches your upper arms. Return to starting position. Shoulder to elbow stays still, only lower arm from elbow to hand moves. Think: Keep elbows close to body. MUSCLE: BICEPS

8. OVERHEAD TRICEPS EXTENSION Stand with your knees slightly bent, hip distance apart. Hold weight in hands straight over head with a slight bend in elbow. Bending at the elbow lower weight until hands are level with top of head. Return to starting position. Think: Shoulder to elbow does not move, elbows stay close to head, only movement is from elbow to hands. MUSCLE: TRICEPS

9. TRICEPS DIP Feet on floor providing good base. Support yourself with arms on seat of couch. Bending at elbow, lower body. Return to starting position. Think: Elbow to hands stays still. Movement is from elbow to shoulder. Tip: Straighter your body the more difficult the exercise will be. MUCSLE: TRICEPS

10. FRONT SHOULDER RAISE Stand with your knees slightly bent, hip distance apart. Hold weight in arms and raise hands until they are level with shoulders. Return to starting position. Think: Squeeze abs with each repetition. Tip: Complete exercise with water bottles in each hand to reduce weight. MUSCLE: SHOULDERS

11. SHOULDER PRESS Sit in chair with good posture, using hands and forearms to create a good base. Holding weights in each hand with elbow bent next to shoulder. Extend each hand/arm straight up (do not lock elbows). Return to starting position. Think: Keep abdominal muscles tight to create a solid core. MUSCLE: DELTOIDS

12. LATERAL RAISE Stand with one foot on band, holding handle on opposite end. With a slight bend in elbow raise hand / arm until it is level with should. Return to starting position. Think: Squeeze abdominal muscles with each repetition. Tip: Use water bottle. MUSCLE: DELTOID

13. CHEST PRESS Lay flat with knees bent, feet flat on floor. Hold weight at chest level and extend arms straight overhead. Return to starting position. MUSCLE: CHEST, TRICEPS, SHOULDERS

14. PUSH UP Place hands on incline with a slight bend in elbow. Create firm base with knees and toes on the floor. Lean forward bending at the elbows. Return to starting position. Think: Keep abdominals contracted to keep body in correct form. Tip: Closer feet/ knees are to arms easier the exercise will be. To increase difficulty, extend feet back and raise knees off floor. MUSCLE: CHEST, TRICEPS, SHOULDERS

15. FLIES Lay flat on floor with knees bent and feet on floor. Begin with weights held in hands straight up above chest with arms slightly bend. Drop hands out towards floor keeping arms slightly bent. Return to starting position. Think: Hugging tree. MUSCLE: CHEST, SHOULDERS

16. STANDING CHEST PRESS Stand with feet shoulder width apart with knees slightly bent. Begin by holding handles of band on either side of chest. Extend hands until arms are almost straight (keep slight bend in elbow). Return to starting position. Think: Squeeze abdominal muscles with each repetition. MUSCLE: CHEST, TRICEPS

17. PULL OVER Lay flat with knees bent, feet flat on floor. Hold weight with arms extended above chest, with elbows slightly bent. Slowly bring weight back above head. Return to starting position. MUSCLE: LATISSIMUS DORSI, SHOULDERS

18. WIDE LAT PULL DOWN Stand with feet shoulder width apart, knees slightly bent. Hold band in both hands over head. Pull hands apart towards the floor, leading with elbows. Return to starting position. Think: Squeeze shoulder blades together. Lead with elbow. Tip: Closer together your hands are at starting point, more difficult exercise will be. MUSCLE: LATISSIMUS DORSI

19. BENT OVER ROW Begin with feet shoulder width apart, knees bent, then bend forward from hips keeping upper body straight. Arms are extended with weights in hand toward the ground. Bring both hands up and back at the same time, hands move towards hips/waist. Return to starting position. Think: Squeeze shoulder blades together. MUSCLE: BACK

20. SQUAT Stand with your knees slightly bent, slightly wider than hip distance apart. Hold weight in between legs. Focus on keeping your weight in your heals (this helps you stay in correct form). Drop your rear end just like you are sitting in a chair. Return to starting position. Think: Move straight down NOT forward. Tip: Begin with no weight to establish good form. MUSCLE: GLUTES, QUADS, HAMSTRINGS

21. LUNGE Stand with front foot firmly on ground, with slight bend in knee. Extend rear foot back with only ball of foot on floor. Holding onto chair bend front knee. Return to starting position. Think: Drop straight DOWN not move forward. Tip: Once you have extended rear leg, extend it 4 – 6 more inches. This will ensure proper form. MUSCLE: HAMSTRINGS, GLUTES, QUADS

22. LEG EXTENSION Sit in chair with good posture, using hands and forearms to create good base. Raise one foot of ground ~ 6 inches, extend that foot straight out in front of you. Return to starting position. Think: Keep from hip to knee still, only movement is from knee to foot. MUSCLE: QUADRICEPS

23. INNER THIGH LIFT Sit in chair with good posture, using hands and forearms to create good base. Extend one leg, keeping knee slightly bent, and leading with ankle. Raise entire leg ~6 inches. Return to starting position. Think: Squeeze abdominal muscles with each repetition. MUCSLE: ADDUCTOR

24. CALF RAISES Stand with feet shoulder width apart, knees slightly bent, supporting yourself on wall with hands. Raise yourself up onto the balls of your feet. Return to starting position. Think: Squeeze abdominal muscles with each repetition. Tip: Stand on step to do this exercise, creating a wider range of motion. MUSCLE: CALVES

25. REVERSE CURL Lay flat on floor with legs together, extended over hips. Hands are either out to side or under rear, whichever is more comfortable to support you. Using your abdominal muscles raise hips off floor (small movement ~4-6 inches). Return to starting position. Think: Soles of feet touch the ceiling. No rocking, swinging, or using momentum. MUSCLE: ABDOMINALS

26. ABDOMINAL CRUNCH Lay flat on back, place feet under couch. Place fingertips on back of head with elbows straight out to the side. Keeping eyes on ceiling lift straight up towards ceiling. Think ‘pull belly button to the floor.” Tip: Extending arms overhead will increase difficulty. Tip: Pretend an apple is in between chin and chest to help keep head and neck in proper form. MUCSLE: ABDOMINALS

27. Stairs!! Any stairs…anywhere….anytime! Excellent cross training exercise. THINK ROCKY!!

28. Physical Activity Recommendations • Adults should strive to meet either of the following physical activity recommendations:  • Adults should engage in moderate-intensity physical activities for at least 30 minutes on 5 or more days of the week.- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention/American College of Sports Medicine • OR • Adults should engage in vigorous-intensity physical activity 3 or more days per week for 20 or more minutes per occasion– Healthy People 2010

29. General Good Health • Healthy Diet • Stress Management • Quality Sleep • No Smoking • Physical Activity

30. YOURS IN GOOD HEALTH • Angelyn Holmes • Angelyn.holmes@okstate.edu • 594.8147