Exercises45 Degree Leg PressLungeSmith Machine SquatStep UpSeated Leg CurlLeg ExtensionCalf RaiseLateral RaiseRear RaisePull upLat Pull DownsBent over RowOne arm DB RowMachines for back musculatureBasic Dumbbell CurlBarbell CurlTriceps KickbackTriceps PushdownDB Triceps ExtensionBent over cable triceps extensionCable Seated CrunchCable Kneeling CrunchBasic CrunchA Trip to the Gym (weight room)Hello and welcome to Fitness and Wellness for a Lifetime. I'm Dr. Steve Ball. In a previous segment of this series I covered the importance of having good muscular fitness.In today's show I am going to show you how you can improve your muscular fitness. But before we get started I would like to remind you of a couple key points about the FIT formula for muscular fitness that we have previously discussed. Remember that we would like for you to perform somewhere between 8-12 repetitions per set. This means that you need to select a weight so that you fail or are unable to complete another rep somewhere between 8 and 12 reps. it may take you a few trials to figure out what this weight should be because it will vary depending on the movement. I recommend carryinga notebook with you so that you can write these weights down. A notebook can also be used to track your progress (show notebook). Remember; perform 2-3 sets of each exercise, resting no more than 2 minutes between sets. Also recall that proper lifting technique requires us to control the weight not throw the weight. There are hundreds of different resistances training programs out there that will yield results. Some programs are designed to work the entire body in one session while others may be designed to focus on just one specific body part. At the end of this program I will give an example of one program that I like. But for now I want to teach you how to perform a multitude of exercises designed at improving your muscular fitness. Hopefully these tips will help you reach your fitness goals. ExercisesLower Body45 Degree Leg PressThe quadriceps muscle group is one of the largest in the body. It consists of 4 separate muscles…. that’s where the prefix QUAD comes from. A great exercise that targets the quads is the leg press. Position yourself so that you’re back against the padded support. Place feet on platform and push the platform away from a little so that you can release thesafety lever. Now slowly lower the platform toward you until your knee is at about a 90-degree angle and then push upward. Make sure to not lock out your knee at the top of the movement as this can put a lot of stress on the knee joint. Plus when you do this you take the tension of the muscle. Foot placement is critical to performing this exercise safely. Many people put the feet way too low on the platform and when the weight is lowered the knee extends beyond the toe (maybe show a line illustrating this). Extend hips and knees. Release dock lever and grasp handles to sides. I don't recommend performing this lift one legged. Other very similar exercises are the seated leg press (show quick shot) and the lying leg press (show quick shot).LungeThe lunge is great lower body exercise. Grasp dumbbells in each hand andLunge forward with first leg and lower your body by flexing at the knee and hip of your front leg until your back knee is almost in contact with floor. Return to your original position by extending the hip and knee of the forward leg. Switch legs. It is very important to make sure you keep the torso upright during lunge during this movement. A short lunge will target the quads while a longer lunge will focus on your buttock and the back of your leg more. This movement can also be completed using a barbell (show quickshot). Or in a walking fashion (show quick shot). Other variations of this movement exist but we just don't have to time cover. Smith Machine SquatOver the years research has demonstrated the efficacy of the squat in developing lower body strength. Most experts would agree that if you were going to do one lower body exercise then the squat would be it. It mostly targets the quads but many other muscle are involved included the gluteus Maximus, adductor Magnus, the hamstrings, and the calf muscles. However, the squat has also been criticized because if done improperly it can lead to injury. It is a difficult movement to perform correctly and many people don’t havethe flexibility and balance to complete this movement properly. That's why I recommend using the Smith Machine when performing this movement especially for novices. The Smith Machine is a machine that has a bar that slides up and down on rails. It is a very versatile machine and many of the movement that we have already discussed can also be completed on the smith machine. I especially like it for the squat because you don't have to worry about balancing yourself or falling over. Many times, when people perform traditional squats, they end up leaning way too far forward. The smith machine allows you to sit back and down into the movement. Position the bar on the back of the shoulders and grasp bar to sides. I like to use the low bar position (show close-up). At first placing the bar on your back might feel uncomfortable but after a few times you will get used to it. Also there are pads you could place over the bar if you like (show close up of the pads) Place feet under bar and slightly forward. There is some disagreement on where to place the feet by the way. I like to put them a little bit forward. Disengage the bar and descend until your thighs are just about parallel to floor. Don't go beyond this point. Extend your hips and knees to stand up. Make sure to lower yourself slowly and have someone check to see if your knees are protruding beyond your toes. This should be avoided. You may have to move your feet forward a little. It is also important to keep your head up and your back straight with your feet on the floor. If you gym doesn't have a smith machine you can try free squats but please have a trainer check your form. Practice using a broomstick or just the bar. If you don't have someone there to help you stick with the leg press or try wall squats (show quick shot). Step UpGrasp dumbbells or place a barbell on your back and stand facing a benchStep up onto the bench with one leg and then keeping the torso upright brings the other leg onto the bench. Step down one leg at a time and repeat starting with the opposite leg. Count repetitions per leg. This