Free-weight exercises

Free weights, dumbbells, and barbells-the most basic strength-training tools- provide an extremely effective type of resistance exercise. Bodybuilders especially prefer them because, unlike machines, free weights can be used in various ways to exercise very specific parts of the body. The range of movement in any given exercise done with free weights is limited only by the body's range. To determine how much weight you should work with, you may want to use the sixty-seventy formula. That is, sixty-to-seventy percent of the weight you can lift only once comfortably. Begin with a five-minute warm-up on an exercise cycle and another five minutes of light stretching. And here's a basic routine for beginners: bench presses, squats, tricep pulls, leg extensions, incline presses, leg curls, dips, lat pulls, arm curls, flys (with dumbbells), and sit-ups. Do two back-to-back sets of four to six repetitions before moving on to another exercise. Do three or four sets if you're more energetic. Take a one minute rest between each exercise. At the end, do another five minutes of light cycling and stretching. For more information on free weight exercises, talk with your fitness professional.