StatinsR(not)us!: Exercise

Showing posts with label Exercise. Show all posts

Cannabis and exercise

According to recent research, cannabis use enhances both enjoyment of and recovery from exercise, and results in users exercising longer than nonusers
It’s an important public health issue as many Americans do not meet minimum exercise recommendations of 30 minutes of moderate intensity exercise five days per week, or 20 minutes of vigorous intensity exercise three days a week. The fear is that legalizing cannabis for medical and/or recreational use may worsen public health by promoting even more sedentary behavior
On average, those who used cannabis before or after exercise reported getting 159.7 minutes of aerobic exercise per week, compared to non-co-users who reported an average of 103.5 minutes/week
After using linear regression to control for confounding factors such as demographics, age and gender, the use of cannabis with exercise was still associated with an average of 43.4 more minutes of weekly aerobic exercise
While runner’s high is typically attributed to the release of endorphins, running also dramatically increases the cannabinoid anandamide in your body. According to research, your “cannabinoid receptors are crucial for main aspects of a runner’s high”

"In conclusion, these data provide some support for current recommendations that emphasize moderate activities, such as brisk walking. Further, they clearly indicate an association between vigorous activity and longevity. Thus, while the message of moderate activity may be more palatable for those recalcitrant to exercise, vigorous activity should receive no less emphasis among those for whom such activity is not contraindicated: In today's world where time is a precious commodity, a half-hour of vigorous exercise expends as much energy as does moderate activity carried out for 2-3 times as long."

https://pdfs.semanticscholar.org/43df/c412fd77c079c8657c5c2080769039056a79.pdf

also: http://lamb.cc/calories-burned-calculator/

How old is your body?

Exercise out this nonsense!

This morning the BBC (and other media outlets) ran a headline dissociating any link between rising obesity levels and a lack of physical activity. The story originated from an editorial piece written in the British Journal of Sports Medicine British Journal of Sports Medicine and an associated press release. The article itself is largely about emphasizing the relation between excess calorie intake and obesity, but the dismissal of the importance of physical activity was dangerous, based on the headline news it generated.

The editorial article in the BJSM by Dr Aseem Malhotra (cardiologist) starts by citing the February 2015 report from the UK’s Academy of Medical Royal Colleges titled: “Exercise: The miracle cure and the role of the doctor in promoting it”. Page 12 of the report says: ““Physical activity helps to manage over 20 chronic conditions, including coronary heart disease, stroke, type 2 diabetes, cancer, obesity, mental health problems and musculoskeletal conditions”.

So physical activity is good for us,.right? Right!

And Dr Malhotra was one of the co-authors of the Academy of Medical Royal Colleges report.

Well, read Dr Malhotra’s editorial article in the BJSM, and things get a little confusing. Here is what he writes:

“In the past 30 years, as obesity has rocketed, there has been little change in physical activity levels in the Western population.2 This places the blame for our expanding waist lines directly on the type and amount of calories consumed.”

Hold on. Let me just get that straight. So what you are saying is:

In the last 30 years:

Is that it? Is that the basis for the claim?

The BBC article cite Dr Malhotra as saying: “An obese person does not need to do one iota of exercise to lose weight, they just need to eat less.”

Oh dear, this is getting worse! So why is Dr Malhotra touting the value of exercise as co-author of the Academy of Medical Royal Colleges report “Exercise – The Miracle Cure?” and then advocating that obese individuals don’t need to be doing any physical activity?

And what was the evidence for

that Dr Malhotra cited? Is it a systematic review? A realist review? Possibly even a specific trial? A complex intervention? In other words, proper evidence. …..None of the above, I’m afraid….. It’s from another opinion piece

It feels like it’s time to go back to the basics of evidence based medicine (big sigh).

Therefore here is open letter to Nick Triggle, BBC Health correspondent:

Dear Nick

You recently wrote an article for the BBC, titled “Exercise ‘not key to obesity fight’”. You cited an editorial written in the British Journal of Sports Medicine led by the cardiologist Dr Aseem Malhotra.

As a teacher and clinical practitioner I would like to explain the principles of evidence based medicine (EBM) to you. They revolve around patients (and the values dear to them), clinicians (and their knowledge and expertise from their clinical and social experience), and the best available medical evidence. When the combination of all 3 is applied to clinical decision making, only then can we say that one is practising evidence-based medicine. Granted, there will be times when one or more of the 3 principles takes greater precedence, but that is the beauty of EBM and the ability that it gives to tailor decisions to the needs of individual patients.

Nick, when evidence is used in decision making in this way, it should be good evidence, given that we are making decisions about people’s lives. Therefore, there is a hierarchy of what counts as good sources of evidence. Unfortunately, expert opinion, the basis for your BBC report, is the lowest quality of evidence, as it comes with a high risk of bias.

Nick, as a health reporter, you and your colleagues in journalism have a responsibility to understand something about how evidence in medicine is acquired and applied and the implications of evidence for health care., I therefore invite you to come to spend a day with us to learn about EBM, in the hope that it will enrich your reporting.

Common Exercise Mistakes

Did you know that the average health club exerciser quits after just six months for one of the following reasons: not enough time or not seeing results?

Eight Common Reasons Your Workouts Don't Work

Sadly, most people become frustrated and quit exercising before they see any real results. But it's not too surprising, given the common mistakes many people make with their training programs. Are you making these workout mistakes?

1. All Quantity, No Quality

Take a look around the gym (if you haven't quit going yet) and see how many people are really getting a quality workout. I'm always amazed by how many people are wandering aimlessly, walking leisurely on a treadmill while reading a book, lifting weights so light that not one hair moves out of place, or simply looking bored. A lot of exercisers head to the gym out of habit, and as if on automatic pilot, put in some time and head back to work or home. If you are one of these people, ask yourself, "What do I want to get out of this?"

If you want serious results, you need to do serious exercise. That doesn't mean you can't enjoy it and have fun. But it does mean you need to focus on what you're doing and increase the quality of every movement. Once you start exercising with a real purpose and pushing both your aerobic capacity and your strength, you will find your workouts take half the time and yield better results:

2. Overestimating Your Exercise

Most exercisers are far too generous with estimates of exercise intensity and time, the amount of weight lifted, and the frequency of their workouts. To avoid overestimating, it's helpful to keep an exercise log and track these items.

Additionally, many people mistakenly believe that if they exercise at a moderate pace for 30 minutes, they've burned lots of calories and fat. Unfortunately, it's not that simple. While exercise does burn calories over time, and consistent exercise is one of the best ways to lose weight and keep it off, it's hard to lose body fat through exercise alone. Which brings us to the next mistake.

3. Underestimating Your Eating

Many people are in denial about the foods they eat, and particularly, the quantity consumed. If you want to lose weight, you need to be honest with yourself about what you put into your body and how that helps or hinders your weight-loss goals. To get real with yourself, write it down. Tracking what you eat in a food diary will help you break the cycle of food denial. You can also try using a calorie counter for more advanced diet support.

4. Doing the Wrong Type of Workout

Where did you learn your current exercise routine? By watching others at the gym (who may be exercising incorrectly)? From your friends, coworkers, the web, TV, the newspaper, the latest research findings, or perhaps your 5th-grade gym teacher? What you're doing for exercise directly determines the results you will get.

To learn what you should do, there's no better place to start than by writing down your goals and then working with a professional trainer to design the right workoutto meet those goals. Haphazard exercise will provide haphazard results:

5. Never Changing Your Workout

When you do the same thing day after day, you get very good at it. In exercise, this is called the principle of adaptation. It means that we become very efficient by doing the same exercise over and over. This is great for sports performance, but not that great for weight loss, increasing strength, or physical fitness progression.

If you always do the same workout for the same amount of time, you will eventually hit a plateau where you fail to see any additional change. One way of overcoming this plateau is to modify your workouts every few weeks or months. You can change the type of exercise you do, the length, the amount of weight lifted, or the number or reps. This is why professional athletes change their programs during the off-season. To learn more about how you can change up your workout, check out these great resources:

6. Using Incorrect Form or Technique

Learning the right way to exercise is essential to getting results. Form does matter, especially when doing any strength training exercise. Incorrect form or technique also sets you up for potential injuries, pain, and soreness. To learn proper technique, there's no better place to start than with a personal trainer or coach.

7. Setting Unrealistic Goals

So, what are your exercise goals? Are they realistic for you? If your goal is to be the next Lance Armstrong, and you only have 30 minutes a day to train, or you want to lose 25 pounds in a month . . . Ask yourself how realistic are your goals? Again, it comes back to being honest with yourself about your abilities, your level of commitment, and your lifestyle. You need to set appropriate goals that start from where you are and progress at a reasonable rate, or you're sure to get frustrated and quit.

8. Measuring the Wrong Results

Many people think their workout isn't working because they don't measure the right things. Looking for proof in a scale is often a set-up for disappointment because some new exercisers build muscle and lose fat, but the scale doesn't provide information about body composition. Better ways to measure your fitness progressinclude tracking your heart rate at a given pace, measuring the distance you can cover in a certain amount of time, tracking the amount of weight you can lift, or even writing down how you feel -- physically -- at the end of each day. Many of the benefits from exercise are subtle and not visible by looking into the mirror, but things such as cholesterol level, blood pressure, and the ease with which you can do daily chores are every bit as motivating -- if you monitor them.

_Sources:

_{Theresa Dwyre Young, Factors determining exercise adherence, American Fitness, Jan-Feb, 2005}

_{International Health, Racquet & Sportsclub Association, Health Club Statistics.}

_{Jones F, Harris P, Waller H, Coggins A. Adherence to an exercise prescription scheme: the role of expectations, self-efficacy, stage of change and psychological well-being., Br J Health Psychol. 2005 Sep;10(Pt 3):359-78.}

_{Annesi JJ., Effects of a computer feedback treatment and behavioral support protocol on drop out from a newly initiated exercise program. Percept Mot Skills. 2007 Aug;105(1):55-66.}

_{Belisle, M., Roskies, E. and Levesque, J.M. "Improving adherence to physical activity." Health Psychology 6 (1987): 159-172.}

_{Bull, S.J. Adherence Issues in Sport and Exercise. West Sussex, England: Chichester, 1999.}_{Read more}

Make your exercise habits stick

When it comes to exercise, one thing we often focus on is motivation. As in getting motivated to do it and staying motivated enough to continue doing it. Most of us may think motivation is the first thing we need to make exercise a regular habit, but that isn't necessarily the case.

Ask any exerciser if they're really motivated to get up at 5 am to go to the gym and they'll probably say no. Does anyone really feel like exercising first thing in the morning?

Not likely. The truth is that motivation isn't the first thing that gets an exerciser out of bed, although it is an important element.

What does get that exerciser out of bed? That major ingredient has nothing to do with being excited about a workout. It's all about the exercise habit. Because that person has made a habit out of exercise, his mind and body know exactly what happens at 5 a.m. He gets up, he puts on his workout clothes and he works outs.

And he doesn't just do it because it's a habit—there has to be a reward there to keep him going, something he's getting out of that early morning workout. If not, why would he keep doing it? Maybe that reward is feeling good, feeling accomplished, or anticipating a beer after work. Whatever it is, it's something worth working for, at least for him.

It sounds simple—give yourself a reward and you'll start exercising, but if that were the case, everyone would already be exercising.

So, how does the non-exerciser, the new exerciser, the exercise 'hater' create that habit? Certainly, waking up early to workout isn't something you start doing and fall in love with. Yet, look at any gym in the morning and you'll see plenty of people who are doing just that.

What do they know that you don't?

They're not smarter than you and they don't have some magical gene that you don't. The real secret lies in your brain.

What Is a Habit?

You already know that a habit is a behavioral pattern we perform repeatedly and consistently. You probably have hundreds of habits, from how you get ready in the morning to how you fold your laundry. When you look deeper into how we create habits, Charles Duhigg, author of "The Power of Habit," suggests there are three important elements: the cue, the behavior, and the reward.

One example of a cue is putting your workout clothes next to the bed. As soon as you get up, you see those clothes and that's your cue to put them on in preparation for your workout. The behavior is completing your workout and the reward might be anything—feeling good about yourself, getting that runner's high, or giving yourself permission to have pizza for dinner.

As this suggests, habits often happen automatically and the more we do them, the deeper they're embedded in our brains. In fact, one specific part of the brain, the basal ganglia, is what rules our routines and habits. It's what kicks in when you're doing something automatically, like loading the dishwasher or driving a car.

You don't have to think about how to open the dishwasher, pick up a dish, and put it in. Nor do you have to think of the hundreds of movements you need to do to drive a car—get the keys, open the door, sit down, put on your seatbelt, etc.

This automation allows you to do these things without thinking, allowing your brain to free up space for more important things. But the only way you make those behaviors automatic is by doing them over and over so you don't have to think about them anymore.

That means the fact that you haven't been able to stick to an exercise habit may not be because you're doing something wrong.

It may be that your brain needs some re-wiring. You need to figure out what is cueing your current behavior, like skipping the gym after work or hitting the snooze button in the morning, break it down, and start working on each part.

The Secret Ingredients to Your Exercise Habit

What's interesting is that you need more than just a cue, a behavior, and a reward. As Duhigg explains, there are two other things you need to make a habit work, especially with exercise: A craving for the reward and the belief that you can actually do the workout you've planned.

It seems crazy that you could actually crave exercise, but cravings are what drive all of our habits. You brush your teeth because you crave that clean feeling in your mouth. You make the bed because you crave the feeling of being organized and neat. Those are small habits, but what about exercise?

In one study published in the Journal of Applied Social Psychology, researchers found that people who worked out at least three times a week started on a whim but continued exercising because they craved the reward. The top rewards were feeling good, craving the endorphins released during exercise, and feeling a sense of accomplishment.

Another necessary ingredient to your success is this: believing you can do it—that you can set up your habit, plan your workouts, and complete those workouts.

That confidence doesn't just happen but comes about when you approach exercise in the right way. You know the ingredients for a solid exercise habit—now what? Here's where to start.

Creating Your New Exercise Habit to Make It Stick

The way we often approach exercise is often like this: "I want to lose weight, so I'm going to get up and go to the gym every day at 7 and workout for an hour." That new and improved future version of you is excited and the current you is raring to go. But what happens when reality hits?

Just think of everything you have to do to exercise every day, including the planning that goes into your workouts, the prep time of getting your exercise gear together and then the real work, from getting up to driving to the gym to doing your workout, and so on.

Working out involves a bunch of small behaviors but, added up, it's a lot when you don't already do those things. And when you realize how hard this process is, the reward may pale in comparison to the amount of work you'll have to do. That's especially true if your goal is to lose weight, a process that is usually very slow.

That's just one reason many of us fail to stick with that exercise habit, even though we want to be healthy and we want to lose weight. So, how do you do it?

1. Plan Your Cues

Studies of successful exercisers find that what works is choosing a very specific cue. Think of this cue as a kind of ritual that triggers your brain to think, "This is the time to exercise." This might be:

Scheduling your workouts on your calendar - Pick times and days you know you can squeeze in exercise, even if it's just 5 minutes. Maybe a walk after lunch every day or after dinner.
Putting on your workout clothes as soon as you wake up or get home from work.
Doing some other healthy behavior before your workout - Drink a glass of water, take some deep breaths, go for a quick walk or do some stretches. Sometimes just doing that one thing can put you in the mindset of exercise.
Write down your workout plan and put it next to the bed so it's the first thing you see when you wake up.

At the same time you're doing this, look at other cues you may have been following, the ones that trigger your urge to skip your workout.

Maybe you hit the snooze button instead of working out. Maybe you sit on the couch when you get home instead of changing into workout clothes. Just like you have a habit of sitting on the couch, you can create a new habit of exercising instead.

2. Plan Your Workouts

This is the critical part and often where we make our biggest mistakes. Because we're so eager to lose weight, wanting to make up for lost time, we tend to go too far with our workouts. Maybe you try to go back to a level of exercise you used to be able to sustain, or maybe you plan your workouts based on what you think you're supposed to do, such workout for an hour every day, do high intensity interval training and/or lifting heavy weights.

The problem with that approach is that you're not going to get a great reward. What you will get is very sore, a possible injury, and the question of why anyone would do this to themselves. The only way to really make exercise a habit is to make your workouts so easy and so doable that it feels silly not to do them.

Starting Small

As stated before, one of the key ingredients to making exercise a habit is the belief that you can do it. This is self-efficacy, knowing you can trust yourself to follow through. As Mark Sisson states in his article "Do You Really Believe You Can Change":

"Self-efficacy is your perception of your ability to complete a task - not to become a different person."

It's not about being a good or bad person based on whether you lose weight or not. It's about choosing your workout plan and knowing you can do it. It's that belief and mindset that really make an exercise habit stick. That means creating a workout you know you can do, even if that workout isn't even close to the exercise guidelines.

Forget working out for an hour or doing hardcore cardio training, and think more about workouts you can do no matter what, even when you're tired, stressed, or low on motivation.

Simple Workouts to Get You Started

5-Minute Walk - Set a goal for just 5 minutes every day. Chances are you'll keep going a little longer than that.
Quick and Easy Core Workout - This workout includes 5 simple exercises that focus on building a strong core.
Beginner Ball Workout for Balance and Stability - This easy-to-follow workout has simple, feel-good exercises that are perfect for introducing your body to exercise.
Body Weight Exercises at Home - Another way to keep things simple is to choose a few exercises that don't require any equipment. Try a chair squat, a wall pushup, a basic lunge, rear flies, crunches and back extensions. Do about 10-16 reps of each exercise and, as you get stronger, do 2 or more sets.

3. Plan Your Rewards

Some of the rewards of exercise come naturally. Just completing a workout can feel good and, over time, if you're consistent you'll crave that feeling.

As mentioned before, other rewards are feeling accomplished and feeling good from the endorphins released during exercise. You can also create your own rewards such as:

A guilt-free hour of TV
A glass of wine with dinner
Pay yourself. Give yourself $5 for every workout you complete and plan what you'll get with that money at the end of the month.
Buy a new song or album
A hot bath
A new book to read
A new app - You probably won't be surprised to learn that there are apps out there that offer rewards. Charity Miles allows you to earn money for charity while you walk, run, bike or do any kind of activity. Bounts is an app that connects to a variety of fitness apps and tracking devices. Every time you workout, you earn points and use them for things like discounts from big name retailers.

The point is to reward yourself every single time you workout so you start to crave that reward.

Tips for Making Your Habit Stick

Try doing your workouts at the same time every day.
Create a ritual around your workout. Put on your workout clothes first thing or, if you're leaving from the office, put your gym bag in the seat next to you so just seeing it will remind you of your goals.
Log your workouts. Keep a simple calendar and put an 'X' down every day you workout.
Do something you like. You don't have to love it, but it should be an activity you know you can do without too much pain or discomfort.
Focus on the habit first, then the results. Too often we're so focused on losing weight that we end up quitting when that doesn't happen soon enough. Instead of focusing on that, focus on just doing the workouts, no matter what those workouts are like.

The key to creating an exercise is to make it as easy as possible to do your workouts. Choose accessible activities that you like, keep your workouts simple and focus on just showing up. Getting started is often the hardest more, so the easier you can make that, the more successful you'll be.

Sources:

Duhigg C. The power of habit: why we do what we do in life and business. New York: Random House Trade Paperbacks; 2014.

Lally P, van Jaarsveld CHM, Potts HWW, Wardle J. How are habits formed: Modelling habit formation in the real world. Eur J Soc Psychol. 2010;40(6):998-1009. doi:10.1002/ejsp.674.

Universityof Kent. "Advocating for weight diversity: Prioritizing well-being over weight loss." ScienceDaily. ScienceDaily, 7 October 2014.

Muscle building 101

An all-around weight training program, such as the Basic Strength and Muscleprogram, gives you a solid foundation in strength training and muscle building. This basic muscle program targets muscle building more precisely.

Muscle building or bodybuilding requires more detailed attention to exercises that enhance the size and shape of muscles rather than encouraging pure strength. Strength building requires exercises that induce recruitment of muscle fibers and nerves which allow you to lift heavy weights.

Muscle building requires exercises that promote the size of muscle fibers (hypertrophy) -- long elongated muscle cells. Size does not equate perfectly with strength. You can find more information in the Best Weight Training Guide.

Who Can Benefit from the Basic Muscle Program?

While the Basic Strength and Muscle program may be all that many people will ever need, this program is specifically for trainers who wish to pay particular attention to body shape. The classic bodybuilding shape and look is defined by a low body fat level and high muscle definition that emphasizes the size and shape of muscles. The arms, back, shoulders, legs, abdominals, and butt take on a characteristic lean and “shredded” look, the popularity of which has not escaped magazine publishers looking for attractive covers.

You don’t have to reach the level of a competition bodybuilder -– man or woman. Well-developed muscles and low body fat are good for fitness, health, self-esteem, and personal image.

For women, muscle building does not have to mean a big bulky figure. However, it does mean low body fat, a flat stomach and bottom, and good looking arms, shoulders, and legs.

Basic Principles of Muscle Building

To get the sculptured look, you need three things:

A balanced nutrition program that supports low body fat maintenance and sufficient protein to build muscle.

Exercise activity that complements your nutrition program by helping to maintain low body fat and the maintenance and enhancement of muscle. This requires aerobic exercise and weight training.
A muscle building program that targets muscle size and definition for all body parts.

The Muscle Program Outline

Design: The muscle building program is deliberately simple in design in order to accommodate the widest range of possible users. It is suitable for men and women of most ages with an appropriate selection of weight and volume of work. I recommend you work up to this by starting with the Basic Strength and Muscle program of three sets of 12 repetitions maximum (RM).

Health and Safety: Stop training immediately if pain or acute discomfort is experienced during any exercise. If this continues beyond the normal discomfort and muscle soreness that occurs with weight training, seek medical advice. You are not meant to lift very heavy weights in this program.

Training Assistance: Note that this is a generic program designed to provide a template for developing muscle and body shape. You should always consider utilizing the services of a personal trainer or strength coach to individualize a program based on your goals, existing fitness level, access to resources, and time available for training.

Supersets: The program includes "supersets." Supersets are two consecutive exercises that work opposing, or sometimes the same, muscle groups to advantage. Examples: Biceps curl followed by triceps kickback; cable hip abductions followed by cable kickbacks. Supersets are noted in the list below with an “(SS)”. Supersets should be done with little or no break between exercises.

Alternatives: Note that dumbbells and barbells can be interchanged in some exercises. Dumbbells can be more convenient for home gym work or when benches and machines are busy at the gym. If you do not have access to a particular equipment piece, work around it with an alternative with similar function.

Number of Exercise Sessions: 10 exercises x 3 sets x 10 repetitions, 2 to 3 times per week. More than 10 exercises are listed in some workouts. Choose ten only per session.

Sets and Repetitions: In contrast to the basic strength program of five sets of 5RM repetitions, this muscle building program uses three sets of 10RM repetitions, alternating sessions as follows in a split system. Two to three sessions per week, with at least one day of rest between each session, is ideal.

Session 1 -- Legs and buttocks
Session 2 -- Back, shoulders and arms
Session 3 -- Abdominals and chest

Repetitions Maximum: You need to calculate, by trial and error, a weight for each exercise that will allow you to do 10 repetitions maximum. This is the stage at which you can’t do another repetition without resting. You need to be able to continue for three sets with about 30 to 60 seconds break time in between sets. Exercises such as squats and deadlifts are very taxing with heavy weights, so don’t expect too much too early. Try to pick a weight that allows you to complete all three sets of 10 repetitions.

Exercise Intervals: Rest for 30 to 60 seconds between sets.

Recovery and Progression: This applies if you do two or three sessions each week. After 10 sessions, you should take a week of recovery by doing only one weekly session, or do your normal weekly routine with only one set instead of three sets per exercise during each session.

Warm-up and Cardio: Precede each session with at least 20 minutes of mild aerobic work -- treadmill, bike, or step machine.

I’ve attempted to feature exercise equipment that would be available in most reasonably equipped gyms and health clubs.

The exercises below are in the order in which you should do them, pending availability of equipment. You should at least attempt to keep the supersets sequential. You will get sore after the early sessions until your body adjusts. Try two days rest between sessions and only two sessions a week if this is a problem.

Session 1 – Legs and Buttocks

Legs

Dumbbell or barbell squat Make sure you get through the full three sets of these. Lighten the weight if necessary.
Sled hack squat You can substitute these with barbell hack squats, if you wish.
Leg press Do these with your feet placed at the top of the plate to preferentially activate the hamstrings and butt muscles. The squats will take care of the quads. Note how your back responds with this exercise. Work hard, but lighten up if the lower back feels too stressed.
Leg curls (SS) Do either the standing leg curls or the prone bench curls, whichever you prefer. Or, alternate them.
Leg extension (SS) Make this a solid weight, but don’t over stress the knee joints. Back off if this exercise is uncomfortable or painful at the knee joint.
Dumbbell or barbell calf raises Hold the weights appropriately, then raise both heels off the ground and lower with a controlled motion. If you have trouble with balance, go to a single dumbbell and hold onto something, then alternate legs.
Calf raise machine Sit on the pad, hook your thighs under the bar, and lift the weight.

Buttocks

Dumbbell or barbell forward lunges The barbell can be held at the chest or behind the head at the shoulders. Dumbbells are usually held at the sides. Keep the toes behind the line of the knee when lunging. This is a good balance exercise as well.
Bridges Lie face up on the floor with your arms by your side. Lift and squeeze your buttocks, hold for four seconds, lower and repeat. No equipment is required unless you place your heels on a bench instead of the floor for variety.
Cable hip abductions (SS) Superset these. Lift your leg to side.
Cable kickbacks (SS) Lift leg to your rear.

Leg exercises like squats and deadlifts also work the buttock muscles.

Session 2 – Back, Shoulders, and Arms

Back and Shoulders

Lat pulldown Pull down in front; don’t pull down behind the neck. Vary the grip from wide to close to challenge different muscle groups.
Seated cable row Squeeze the shoulder blades together as you pull back.
Romanian deadlift These work the lower back and legs. This can be done with heavy dumbbells as well as barbells.
Lateral dumbbell raises Bend the elbows slightly to take pressure off the shoulder joint.
Seated dumbbell press Push straight up above the head while sitting upright on a bench.
Dumbbell shrugs Hold dumbbells at the sides and shrug the shoulders upward so that you feel the trapezius muscle across the back of the neck contracting.
Bent over lateral dumbbell raises (SS) Bend over at the waist with your back straight. Raise dumbbells to shoulder height and return. Don’t curve the back over. This is an advanced exercise that works back and shoulder muscles. Don't lift to failure with this and the next exercise. The shoulder joint can be sensitive to heavy work in this position.
Alternate front dumbbell raises (SS) Superset these with the previous exercise. Hold dumbbells by your sides with palms facing the rear. Lift to horizontal and return.

Arms

Dumbbell bicep curls (SS) Rotate the arm upward with your palm up. This can be done sitting or standing. Superset these with the following exercise.
Dumbbell tricep kickbacks (SS) Ensure you extend the arm fully to the rear without locking out the joint explosively. You can use a bench to support one knee or stand bent over.
Reverse barbell curls with E-Z bar The EZ bar is not essential but makes it easier on the wrists. This is the curvy barbell bar.
Tricep pushdowns Keep the elbows close to the sides for the best effect.
Barbell preacher curl (SS) Superset with the following exercise. If a preacher bench is not available, do concentration curls.
Dumbbell tricep extensions (SS) Alternate arms. Extend arms behind the head and return.

Session 3 – Abdominals and Chest

Abdominals

Crunches Standard, twist, or combination (legs up) crunches can be alternated.

Decline bench crunches or situps This is a little more difficult.
Kneeling cable crunches More crunch variety.
Machine crunches Some gyms will not have this machine.
Leg raises Uses the Captain’s chair equipment unit or do these hanging. Support arms in the frame or hanging and raise legs and return. This is an advanced exercise. Aim for three repetitions of 10.
Dumbbell side bends These work the obliques at the side of the abdomen. Hold a dumbbell in each arm at the sides and bend over one side then the other. Don't lean forward or back.

Chest

Incline dumbbell bench press This is for the shoulders and chest pectoral muscles. Raise the bench from flat to leaning back.
Bench press Lie flat on the bench. You may require a spotter if done with a barbell. You can use barbell, dumbbells, or a Smith machine.
Dumbbell pullover Lie on a flat bench with your feet on the floor. Hold one end of a dumbbell in your palms. Raise it up and, with arms fully extended, lower it behind the head and return.

Summary of Weight Training Programs

This 30-session program is designed to fit into a larger cycle of weight training and should not be done prior to the preparatory Basic Strength and Muscle program, or a similar program. A preparatory program conditions the body to the stresses, strains, and processes of weight training. Once you have completed a preparatory program, you may need to decide what suits your goals best.

This muscle building program includes quite a few more exercises than the Basic Strength and Muscle or Basic Strength programs and requires experience in selecting weights and executing exercises with good form.