Barbell Back Squats
Set up the squat rack so that the bar sits at about collar bone height. Place the hands either side onto the bar in an overhand grip no wider than halfway between shoulder-width and the plate. A narrower grip with your elbows pointing down will actually help keep your torso upright and make bar balance easier. This will however require good flexibility in the shoulders so start where it is comfortable and gradually narrow the grip as your flexibility improves.
Pop your head under the bar and then back up on the other side so that the bar sits on the traps, just below the base of your neck. Using your thighs, drive up under the bar to un-rack the weight. Carefully shuffle backwards a half step so that the bar will clear the rack on the decline phase of the movement.
Take a second to adjust your feet position - they should be flat on the floor just outside of hip-width and turned slightly outward in the same direction as your knee cap is pointing. This is your starting position.
Keeping your core tight and your torso as straight and upright as possible, make the descent by bending at the knees and inhaling. It should feel like you are sitting back into a chair rather that your knees going forward out in front of your feet.
Once you have reached the point where your thighs are parallel with the ground or just below, you can then commence the ascent. It is advised to choose a lesser weight and squat lower so that your form is correct. Exhale and drive up from the thighs and glutes back to the starting position making sure not to let your knees fall inward during the movement.
Barbell Front Squats
Set up the squat rack so that the bar sits at about collar bone height. Approach the bar with your hands up, palms facing forward just outside shoulder-width. You need to create a "shoulder shelf" for the bar to rest on. This is achieved by gripping the bar and bringing your elbows underneath and up as high as possible so that the bar sits on the deltoids and the upper arms are parallel to the floor. This will likely cause the bar to roll back into your fingertips because your wrist flexibility does not allow you to grip it fully. This is fine and is meant to happen.
Keeping your head up and your elbows high, use your thighs to drive up under the bar to un-rack the weight. Carefully shuffle backwards a half step so that the bar will clear the rack on the decline phase of the movement.
Take a second to adjust your feet position - they should be flat on the floor just outside of hip width and turned slightly outward in the same direction as your knee cap is pointing. This is your starting position.
Keeping your core tight and your torso as straight and upright as possible, make the descent by bending at the knees and inhaling. It should feel like you are sitting back into a chair rather than your knees going forward out in front of your feet.
Once you have reached the point where your thighs are parallel with the ground or just below, you can then commence the ascent. It is advised to choose a lesser weight and squat lower so that your form is correct. Exhale and drive up from the thighs and glutes back to the starting position making sure not to let your knees fall inward during the movement.
Inverted Smith Machine Leg Press
Load a suitable weight and adjust the position of the Smith Machine bar to about hip height. Take position laying underneath the bar with your back flat on the floor and arms outstretched to the sides to aid your balance. Your legs are elevated and the bar sits on the middle of your foot undersides. Push the legs out to full extension and unhinge the bar in preparation for the descent. This is your starting position.
Keeping your core tight and your back against the floor, lower the bar down toward the body by bending at the knee and inhaling through the movement. Make sure the descent is slow and controlled.
Once you have reached the point where your thighs are as close as you can take them to your chest, you can then commence the press phase. Exhale and drive up from the thighs, glutes and hamstrings back to the starting position.
Smith Machine Chair Squats
Set up the Smith Machine so that the bar sits at about collar bone height. Place the hands either side onto the bar in an overhand grip no wider than halfway between shoulder-width and the plate. A narrower grip with your elbows pointing down will actually help keep your torso upright and make bar balance easier. This will however require good flexibility in the shoulders so start where it is comfortable and gradually narrow the grip as flexibility improves.
Pop your head under the bar and then back up on the other side so that the bar sits on the traps, just below the base of your neck. Using your thighs, drive up under the bar to un-rack the weight. Carefully shuffle your feet forward a half step. This will really increase the focus on your thighs. They should be flat on the floor just outside of hip width and turned slightly outward in the same direction as your knee cap is pointing. This is your starting position.
Keeping your core tight and your torso as straight and upright as possible, make the descent by bending at the knees and inhaling. It should feel like you are sitting back into a chair rather that your knees going forward out in front of your feet.
Once you have reached the point where your thighs are parallel with the ground or just below, you can then commence the ascent. It is advised to choose a lesser weight and squat lower so that your form is correct. Exhale and drive up from the thighs and glutes back to the starting position making sure not to let your knees fall inward during the movement.
Dumbbell Lunge Step Ups
Take possession of suitable weight dumbbells and position yourself in front of a sideways flat bench. You are standing upright with arms hanging at your sides and palms face inward. Ensure you are close enough to the bench so that you remained balance when you lunge forward and step up. Core is tight, feet are flat on the floor. This is your starting position.
Keeping your core tight and your torso as straight and upright as possible, exhale and step your right leg up onto the bench. Drive up through the heel of the right foot to bring your left foot up to meet it on the bench. The finish position of the step up has both feet on the bench at shoulder-width, dumbbells hanging down at sides.
In the reverse phase, inhale and step down with the left leg first. Once it lands on the floor, step down with the right leg to return to the starting position.
You may elect to focus on one side to a set before changing or alternate repetitions one side then the other.
Leg Press Machine
Take position sitting in the leg press machine with your back pressed against the pad and your feet placed on the foot platform at shoulder-width. Adjusting the height of your feet on the platform changes the focus of the movement. Placing feet high on the foot platform will target the glutes and hamstrings; placing feet low on platform targets the thighs; a middle platform position gives an equal focus to both the front and back of the upper legs. In any position, the feet are turned outward slightly.
Drive through your upper legs until they are in the fully extended position but do not lock the knees out. Your extended legs and upright torso should now form a right angle. You should now be able to unhinge the safety brackets using the handles at your side. This is your starting position.
Keeping your core tight and your back against the pad, lower the platform back to the body by bending at the knee and inhaling through the movement. Make sure the descent is slow and controlled.
Once you have reached the point where your thighs are as close as you can take them to your chest, you can then commence the press phase. Exhale and drive up from the thighs, glutes and hamstrings back to the starting position.
Barbell Lunges
Set up the squat rack so that the bar sits at about collar bone height. Place the hands either side onto the bar in an overhand grip halfway between shoulder-width and the plate. A narrower grip with your elbows pointing down will actually help keep your torso upright and make bar balance easier. This will however require good flexibility in the shoulders so start where it is comfortable and gradually narrow the grip as flexibility improves.
Pop your head under the bar and then back up on the other side so that the bar sits on the traps, just below the base of your neck. Using your thighs, drive up under the bar to un-rack the weight. Carefully step backwards with the weight on your shoulders to allow you adequate room to lunge forward. Core is tight, feet are flat on the floor. This is your starting position.
Keeping your core tight and your torso as straight and upright as possible, inhale and lunge forward on one leg and drop down until the upper thigh of the leading leg is parallel to the ground. The knee should not go forward past toe line. The knee of the back leg will stop just before touching the ground.
At this point, commence the ascent by exhaling and driving up from the heel of the leading foot and back to the starting position.
You may choose to do your lunges either stationary or walking. You may elect to focus on one side to a set before changing or alternate repetitions one side then the other.