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 You’re in a quandary; where to begin, where to start, what to focus on? Easy answers would be to do whatever feels good. Correct answers need some thinking about in advance. Let’s put it all in perspective and find the right place to begin, the rest will fall into place nicely.
If you are new to exercise or an existing lifter who has reached a certain point and have remained stagnant ever since, this may help you get back on track and kick start your workout. The focus should be simply on basics, for novice lifters or seasoned veterans this is the one place that can do wonders for your training. The reasons for mishaps or injuries in gyms are basically due to the fact that the initial learning stages are overlooked, fast tracked or forgotten as most of us desire to see results such as an increase in weight and muscle size quickly.
Let’s say for a start we want bigger arms, a more defined chest or abs of steel, where do we begin? The best way to think about this is to understand how the body actually works, which gets stronger first; the muscles or the joints? The answer is the joints. These are the areas of connective tissue that are essential to joint support as well as handling all the stress that our body movements place on them. These tissues are the determining factor between developing strength or getting injured. The biggest mistake that effects most lifters are insufficient time spent strengthening the joints as these mechanisms are essential to gain strength and muscle development. They also exhibit the initial developments in strength that we all go through in commencement of training with weights.
So if you focus on the joints in the initial stages of training, it will help develop a platform that will enable you to focus on the bigger parts of the puzzle at a later stage. Thus, we need to select exercises that will help build this foundation. These exercises need to work on the principle of moving as many joints as possible as this way, we mimic what we do in everyday life as a fully mobile being. Hence, joints allow movements to link together and if we can give ourselves a stronger dynamic base to work from, the rest will follow, which will mean less injury and a great start in building the physique you desire.
The following exercises are aimed to develop stronger working joints as well as combining movements to maximise time and intensity. Perform the following exercises for 2 to 3 sets, for between 12 to 15 repetitions, at least 2 to 3 times a week. The weights should initially be comfortable so that you can focus on the correct execution and movement. As you feel the need to raise the challenge, begin gradual increments of the weight so that you can maintain good technique with added intensity. After 3 to 4 weeks of lifting, you will be on your way to stronger, more stabile joints and new levels of strength. |
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Squat and Press
Start with a pair of Dumbbell’s (that you can press above your head) at shoulder level. Place feet wider than your hips and sit yourself down so that your hips stay above your knees. From this position, drive yourself up by extending your arms above your head as you do so. Then slowly lower back to the starting position. This will target the muscles in your legs, shoulders and arms. |
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Push-up and Side Plank
Adopt a straight arm push-up position, hands below shoulders. Lower yourself towards the floor, keeping elbows by ribs. As you push away from the floor, rotate yourself towards one side so that you finish in a side plank position for 10 seconds. This should be a strong straight line from ankle to head. Make sure that as you rotate, your feet moves to face the way that you finished and this will make it easier and you will be able to control the movement. Focus on strong midsections and good posture. Alternate sides and stop when you cannot hold the side plank for 10 seconds, as this will be a sign of fatigue. This will strengthen through the core, hip and shoulder areas. |
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Lunges and Lateral Raise
Start with a pair of Dumbbell’s which you can lift from your sides to shoulder height. Take a stance that has one foot forward and one foot back, hip wide apart and suitable for you to lunge downwards, without feeling the pressure in your knees. Start by lowering your back knee towards the floor and as you do so, lift your arms to the side to shoulder height and your finish position should be your back knee at 90 degrees and arms parallel to floor at your sides with soft elbows. Rise slowly back to starting position and lower arms back by sides. Complete 10 reps, and then change legs. This will strengthen through the legs, core and shoulder areas. |
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Walking Push-up
Adopt a push-up position on the floor, hands wider than shoulders and on your toes. Perform a normal push-up and as you finish, move into a triceps push-up. After completing, move the outside arm to a normal push-up position and repeat. Try to complete as many combinations moving yourself in a full circle or until you feel fatigue. This will focus on developing strength through the whole upper body and core. |
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Squat and Row
Take a stance in front of a cable machine, set cables at lowest point. Take the handles and lower yourself into a squat position, maintaining good posture and ensuring you are using your abdominals to support your back. Slowly draw the handles towards your ribcage, pulling your elbows behind you and at the same time squeeze your shoulder blades together. Slowly release the arms back towards the machine, keeping body still and only moving through your arms and shoulder blades. This will help develop strength through the upper back and shoulder as well as the legs and core. |
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– Safety Note –
During all of the above exercises, it is important to be conscious of good posture, as well as using your abdominals to stabilise and support through all movements. If in need of help on any of the above, see a Fitness Instructor or Personal Trainer to help you get in the right positions. Good luck and enjoy stronger joints and more functional moves. |
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