Photo by Jana Leon
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Strength-Training Exercises
By Wayne Westcott, Ph.D., September & October 2006
Follow this regimen to add muscle and boost life expectancy
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1. Abdominal curl
Lie on your back with your knees bent at a 90-degree angle. With your hands resting behind your head (but not pulling your neck forward), slowly lift your shoulders and upper back a few inches off the floor. Count to six, 3 seconds up and 3 seconds down, then relax. Repeat 10 times.
2. Abdominal curl with a twist
Lift your shoulders off the floor the same as you did for the abdominal curl, but this time, reach your right elbow toward your left knee. Count to six, 3 seconds up and 3 seconds down. Then reach your left elbow to your right knee. Repeat 10 times.
3. Trunk extension
Lie face-down on the floor, folding your hands underneath your chin. Keeping your hips stationary, lift your chest a few inches off the floor. Relax. Repeat 10 times.
4. Neck strengthening
Place both hands behind your head. Nod your head forward, then try to straighten your head against the resistance of your hands for a count of six. Relax. Repeat 10 times.
 5. Chest press
Lie flat on a bench, holding a small dumbbell in each hand (cans of soup work, too). With the weight at chest level, slowly extend your arms straight up. Count to six, 3 seconds on the way up and 3 seconds on the way down. Repeat 10 times.
6. Dumbbell row
Place your left knee on a bench, with your right foot flat on the floor. While keeping your left hand resting on the bench in front of you, slowly lift a small dumbbell to your chest and then lower it. Repeat 10 times. Then alternate arms.
7. Shoulder press
Grasp a small dumbbell in each hand and hold them just above your shoulders. Slowly raise your arms until they're extended straight overhead, then lower them. Perform the exercise to a count of six (3 seconds up and 3 seconds down). Repeat 10 times.
 8. Squats
Stand while holding small dumbbells, with your arms extended down by your sides. Lower your hips downward and backward until your knees are at a 90-degree angle, then slowly stand up. Repeat 10 times.
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