I’m going to be primarily focusing on the topic of Building Muscle Over 50. However, any muscle building workout is going to have limited success without a solid nutritional foundation. Good nutrition is especially important for building muscle as you age because your body's natural muscle building processes become less efficient, so your body becomes more dependent on high-quality foods for creating muscle. So, before I start talking about muscle building exercises, I’m going to give you a brief introduction to what you need to be eating to get the most from your workouts.

Protein is an important macronutrient that’s responsible for building, maintaining and repairing all your body’s cells, the secret of increasing muscle mass is consuming protein with every meal. Protein is found in both animal and plant-based foods with some of the best food sources including:

• Dairy.
• Fresh fish.
• Fresh meats.
• Nuts.
• Seeds.

Many people try to restrict their fat consumption as they wrongly believe eating fats makes you fat. While fat is higher in calories than carbohydrates and protein (fat contains nine calories per gram whereas carbohydrates and protein contain four calories per gram), so eating a lot of it can lead to weight gain and extra body fat, it’s also an essential nutrient that you need to be eating.

Healthy fats don’t directly contribute to muscle growth but they do keep your bones and joints healthy and both these parts of your body are constantly engaged when you perform muscle building exercises. They also support all your vital organs and this ensures that your body can use protein to build muscle as efficiently as possible.

Like protein, healthy fats can be sourced can be sourced from a range of plants and animals with some of the top healthy fat foods including:

• Coconut.
• Dairy.
• Fatty fish.
• Extra virgin olive oil.
• Nuts.
• Red meats.
• Seeds.

Carbohydrates are a double-edged sword when it comes to building muscle. Filling up on the wrong kind of carbohydrates can cause your energy levels to crash and burn and give you no nutritional benefit. However, eating quality carbohydrates will give you a constant supply of energy during your workouts and also supply you with a range of vitamins and minerals which will allow your body to function effectively at all times.

To ensure that you’re eating quality carbohydrates, avoid anything processed (such as bread, cakes, cookies, pasta and sugary products) and instead go for fruits and vegetables. Also, try to incorporate a wide range of fruits and vegetables into your diet so that you can enjoy a mix of vitamins and minerals and give your body all the essential nutrients it needs.

As I mentioned at the start of this guide, learning about all the different types of equipment for building muscle over 50 can seem very daunting when you’re just starting out. However, they can be grouped into three main categories and once you understand these three main categories, learning how they help you build muscle becomes a lot easier. In this chapter, I’ll be discussing these three main types of muscle building equipment and their individual pros and cons.

Dumbbells consist of a small bar which has a weight on either end. This small bar acts as a handle and is designed to be held in one hand. The weights at either end then provide resistance as you perform exercises with the dumbbell.

Dumbbell Pros: The main advantage of dumbbells is that they allow you to exercise your left and right side in isolation and eliminate the possibility of the stronger half of your body compensating for the weaker half. For example, if you perform a dumbbell chest press, your left and right-hand side must exert an equal amount of force to complete the exercise. If you perform a chest press with a barbell or on a machine, the stronger half of your body can do more of the work and this sometimes leads to uneven muscle development.

Dumbbell Cons: The main disadvantage of dumbbells is that since your left and right side are working in isolation, you can’t lift as much weight compared to when they work collaboratively. For example, if you can lift 200lbs when performing a barbell chest press (an exercise where your left and right side work together to lift the weight), you may only be able to lift two 75lb dumbbells (a total of 150lbs) when performing a dumbbell chest press.

Barbells consist of a large bar which has a weight on either end. This large bar acts as a handle and is designed to be held with both hands. The weights at either end then provide resistance as you perform exercises with the barbell.

Barbell Pros: The main advantage of barbells is that they allow you to combine the strength in the left and right-hand side of your body and lift a greater total amount of weight than if you were exercising the left and right-hand side of your body in isolation.

Barbell Cons: The main disadvantage of barbells is that since you are using both your left-hand side and your right-hand side collaboratively, there’s a chance that the stronger side of your body may compensate for the weaker side of your body which can lead to uneven muscular development.

Muscle building machines come in all shapes and sizes, depending on the muscle groups they are targeting. They generally have an adjustable stack of weights and an adjustable seat. To operate them, you generally adjust the seat height, sit down then pull, press or lift the handle.

Machine Pros: The main advantage of the machines is that they guide you fully through the exercise, ensuring that you execute it with the proper form and the proper range of motion. For example, if you perform a machine chest press, you can’t wobble the handles from side to side or bend your elbows too far. However, with a barbell or dumbbell chest press, your arms can wobble or your elbows can dip too deep.

Machine Cons: The main disadvantage of machines is that since they guide you through the exercise, none of your stabilising muscles get brought into play and as a result, you only work a limited number of muscles. For example, when you perform a barbell or dumbbell chest press, there are lots of secondary muscles in your arms, back, chest and shoulders which are constantly working to keep the weight balanced. When you perform a machine chest press, these muscles are no longer required.

Now that you know all about building muscle over 50 workout equipment that you’re likely to see on health and fitness websites and hear being shouted out by trainer in the gym. In this chapter, I’ll be doing just that and explaining exactly what these terms mean.

Reps or repetitions refer to the amount of times you perform a specific exercise. For example, eight reps of bicep curls simply refers to performing eight bicep curls in succession.

Most people stick to a rep range of between 6-16 reps with a smaller rep range targeting muscle strength and size and a larger rep range targeting muscle endurance and tone.

For the workouts in this eBook I will be using the follow rep ranges; 20 (to warm up), 12, 10, 8. However, if you want to focus more on a specific goal (muscle strength and size or muscle endurance and tone), you can increase or decrease this rep range as you see fit.

Sets refer to groups of reps. For example, if you perform eight reps of bicep curls and then stop and have a rest, that’s one set of bicep curls. If you perform eight reps of bicep curls, stop and have a rest and then perform a further eight bicep curls, that’s two sets.

Most people stick to a set range of between 3-5 sets, depending on how many total exercises their workout includes. If their workout includes lots of exercises, they’re likely to go with three sets whereas if their workout includes very few exercises, they’re likely to increase the number of sets on each exercise to give their muscles a more challenging workout.

For the workouts in this eBook I will be using four sets per exercise (one warm-up set and three regular sets). However, if you want to skip certain exercises and increase the set range or add extra exercises and reduce the set range, feel free to do so.

Splits refer to the way you split up your training program throughout the week. For example, if you train your chest, triceps, and shoulders on a Monday, your upper back and biceps on a Wednesday and your legs, abdominals and lower back on a Friday, that would be a three-day split. If you train your chest and triceps on a Monday, your upper back, and biceps on a Tuesday, your shoulders and legs on a Thursday and your abdominals and lower back on a Friday, that would be a four-day split.

The way people split their workouts varies widely from person to person based on factors such as when they can get to the gym or whether they participate in any other physical activities during the week. For example, a person who plays team sports or attends exercise classes may prefer a three-day split. However, a person who has all their evenings free may find a five-day split more suitable.

In this eBook, I’ll be providing you a three-day workout split, a four-day workout split and a five-day workout split, so you should be able to find one that’s suitable for you. 

Compound exercises are muscle building exercises that utilize multiple joints and muscle groups. For example, the chest press is a compound exercise because it utilizes your elbow and shoulder joints and the muscles in your chest, shoulders, and triceps.

Compound exercises are useful for building muscle size and strength and for targeting multiple muscle groups at once. They’re also useful for building functional strength that can be applied in your day to day life, as most of the exercises involve natural movements such as pushing and pulling.

Isolation exercises are muscle building exercises that work a single joint and muscle group. For example, the bicep curl is an isolation exercise because it utilizes just your elbow joint and your bicep muscle.

Isolation exercises are useful for toning and shaping specific muscles. They’re also useful for building strength in your weaker muscles. For example, if you find your triceps keep giving out when you perform the chest press, performing some isolation exercises on the triceps is a great way to remedy this.

Equipment Required:

• 1 barbell.
• 1 preacher curl bench.

Instructions:

• Place the barbell on the preacher curl bench rack and load it up with the desired amount of weight.
• Adjust the preacher curl bench so that your armpits are comfortably resting on the top of the pad when you’re seated, then sit down and put your arms in position on the pad.
• Stand up, lean forward slightly, place your hands on the barbell’s handgrips with your palms facing toward you, lift the barbell off the preacher curl bench rack and then sit back down, making sure your arms are still in position on the pad.
• Slowly bend your arms and curl the barbell toward your chest, stopping once your biceps are fully flexed.
• Slowly straighten your arms and lower the barbell back down, stopping just before your arms fully lock.
• Repeat steps 4-5 for your chosen number of reps.
• Once you’ve done your last rep, stand up, slowly lower the barbell down in front of you and place it on the preacher curl bench rack.
• Rest for 1 minute and then adjust the amount of weight on the barbell so that it’s suitable for your next set.
• Repeat steps 3-8 for your chosen number of sets.
• Once you’ve finished all your sets, give the barbell a wipe with your towel and put the barbell and weight plates away.

Barbell Preacher Curl Variation:
Reverse Grip Barbell Preacher Curl: Perform the exercise as described above but instead of grabbing the barbell’s handgrips with your palms facing toward you, grab them with your palms facing away from you. Doing this places more emphasis on your forearms and also targets your biceps from a different angle.

Equipment Required:

• 1 barbell.

Instructions:

1. Place the barbell on the floor in front of you and load it up with the desired amount of weight.
2. Bend down, place your hands on the barbell’s handgrips with your palms facing toward you, stand up straight and slowly lift the barbell up off the floor.
3. Tuck your elbows in tight to your body, then slowly bend your arms and curl the barbell toward your chest, stopping once your biceps are fully flexed.
4. Slowly straighten your arms and lower the barbell back down, stopping just before your arms fully lock.
   Repeat steps 3-4 for your chosen number of reps.
5. Once you’ve done your last rep, slowly lower the barbell down in front of you and place it on the floor.
6. Rest for 1 minute and then adjust the amount of weight on the barbell so that it’s suitable for your next set.
7. Repeat steps 2-7 for your chosen number of sets.
8. Once you’ve finished all your sets, give the barbell a wipe with your towel and put the barbell and weight plates away.

Standing Barbell Bicep Curl Variations:

Seated Barbell Bicep Curl: Perform the exercise as described above but instead of standing up, sit on a flat bench. Doing this places less emphasis on your balance and core stability and allows you to fully concentrate on working your biceps.

Reverse Grip Standing Barbell Bicep Curl: Perform the exercise as described above but instead of grabbing the barbell’s handgrips with your palms facing toward you, grab them with your palms facing away from you. Doing this places more emphasis on your forearms and also targets your biceps from a different angle.

Equipment Required:

• 1 cable machine.

Instructions:

1. Adjust the cable so that it’s at its lowest height.
2. Grab a straight bar and attach it to the cable.
3. Move the pin and select the desired amount of weight.
4. Grab the straight bar with both hands, making sure that your palms are facing upward, your back is straight and your legs are slightly bent.
5. Tuck your elbows in tight to your body, then slowly bend your arms and curl the straight bar toward your chest, stopping once your biceps are fully flexed.
6. Slowly straighten your arms and lower the straight bar back down, stopping just before your arms fully lock.
7. Repeat steps 4-6 for your chosen number of reps.
8. Once you’ve done your last rep, bring the straight bar all the way back to the starting position and allow the plates on the machine to touch.
9. Rest for 1 minute and then adjust the weight so that it’s suitable for your next set.
10. Repeat steps 4-9 for your chosen number of sets.
11. Once you’ve finished all your sets, give the straight bar a wipe with your towel.

Standing Cable Bicep Curl Variation:
Lying Cable Bicep Curl: Perform the exercise as described above but instead of standing up, lie on the floor in front of the cable machine. Doing this hits your biceps from a different angle.

Many people neglect the forearms when getting started with weightlifting. However, by making forearm exercises part of your workout routine, you can build up your grip and ensure that your wrists don’t give out during other exercises. In this chapter, I’ll be providing you with five of the best forearm exercises around.

Equipment Required:

• 2 dumbbells.
• 1 bench.

Instructions:

1. Adjust the bench so that it’s flat.
2. Grab the dumbbells and then sit on the bench.
3. Rest your forearms on your knees, making sure that your wrists and the dumbbells are hanging over the edge of your knees and your palms are facing upright.
4. Slowly bend your wrists and curl the dumbbells upward, stopping when your wrists are fully flexed.
5. Slowly straighten your wrists and lower the dumbbells down, stopping just before your wrists fully lock.
6. Once you’ve done your last rep, slowly lower the dumbbells down in front of you and place them on the floor.
7. Rest for 1 minute, then put your existing dumbbells back on the rack and pick up a new set of dumbbells that are suitable for your next set.
8. Repeat steps 2-7 for your chosen number of sets.
   Once you’ve finished all your sets, give the bench a wipe with your towel and put the dumbbells back on the rack.
   
   Seated Barbell Wrist Curl Variations:
   Reverse Grip Seated Dumbbell Wrist Curl: Perform the exercise as described above but instead of grabbing the dumbbells with your palms facing you, grab them with your palms facing away from you. Doing this increases the intensity of the exercise and gives your forearms a much more challenging workout.
   Single Arm Seated Dumbbell Wrist Curl: Perform the exercise as described above but instead of using two dumbbells at the same time, use one dumbbell and perform the exercise with one wrist and then the other. Doing this allows you to fully focus on each wrist individually.

The majority of shoulder exercises are compound movements which involve pressing weights above your head but you can also target the shoulders with certain types of lifts. In this chapter, I’ll be highlight five of the top exercises for building up your shoulders.

Equipment Required:

• 2 dumbbells.
• 1 bench.
  
  Instructions:

1. Adjust the bench so that it’s upright.
2. Grab the dumbbells, sit on the bench and rest the dumbbells on your knees.
3. Make sure your back is straight up against the upright section of the bench, then lift the dumbbells up so that your palms are facing forward and the dumbbells are above your shoulders and parallel with the side of your head.
4. Slowly straighten your arms and press the dumbbells up above your head, stopping just before the dumbbells touch.
5. Slowly bend your arms and lower the dumbbells back down so that they are above your shoulders and parallel with the side of your head.
6. Repeat steps 4-5 for your chosen number of reps.
7. Once you’ve done your last rep, slowly lower the dumbbells down in front of you and place them on the floor.
8. Rest for 1 minute, then put your existing dumbbells back on the rack and pick up a new set of dumbbells that are suitable for your next set.
9. Repeat steps 2-8 for your chosen number of sets.
10. Once you’ve finished all your sets, give the bench a wipe with your towel and put the dumbbells back on the rack.
    
    Seated Dumbbell Shoulder Press Variations:
    

Standing Dumbbell Shoulder Press: Perform the exercise as described above but instead of using sitting on a bench, stand up straight. Doing this tests your balance and core stability at the same time as working your shoulders.

Seated Alternating Dumbbell Shoulder Press: Perform the exercise as described above but instead of pressing both dumbbells at the same time, press the left dumbbell and then the right dumbbell in two separate motions. Doing this tests your coordination and allows you to fully focus on each shoulder individually.

Equipment Required:

• 2 dumbbells.
• 1 bench.

Instructions:

1. Adjust the bench so that it’s upright.
2. Grab the dumbbells, sit on the bench and rest the dumbbells on your knees.
3. Make sure your back is straight up against the upright section of the bench, then bend your arms and curl the dumbbells toward your chest, stopping when your arms are fully flexed.
4. Slowly straighten your arms, press the dumbbells up above your head and as you do this, twist your hands so that your palms are facing outward.
5. Slowly bend your arms, lower the dumbbells back down in front of your chest and as you do this, twist your hands so that your palms are facing inward.
6. Repeat steps 4-5 for your chosen number of reps.
   Once you’ve done your last rep, slowly lower the dumbbells down in front of you and place them on the floor.
7. Rest for 1 minute, then put your existing dumbbells back on the rack and pick up a new set of dumbbells that are suitable for your next set.
8. Repeat steps 2-8 for your chosen number of sets.
   Once you’ve finished all your sets, give the bench a wipe with your towel and put the dumbbells back on the rack.

Seated Dumbbell Arnold Press Variation:
Standing Dumbbell Arnold Press: Perform the exercise as described above but instead of using sitting on a bench, stand up straight. Doing this tests your balance and core stability at the same time as working your shoulders.

Equipment Required:

1 barbell.
1 bench with a shoulder press rack.

Instructions:

1. Adjust the bench so that it’s upright.
2. Place the barbell on the shoulder press rack and load it up with the desired amount of weight.
3. Sit on the bench and make sure your back is straight up against the upright section of the bench
4. Place your hands on the barbell’s handgrips, making sure that your palms are facing forward, then slowly straighten your arms and lift the barbell off the shoulder press rack, stopping just before your arms fully lock.
5. Slowly bend your arms and lower the barbell down, stopping when the bar is parallel to your chin.
6. Slowly straighten your arms and press the barbell up above your head, stopping just before your arms fully lock.
7. Once you’ve done your last rep, slowly place the barbell back on the shoulder press rack and stand up.
8. Rest for 1 minute and then adjust the amount of weight on the barbell so that it’s suitable for your next set.
9. Repeat steps 3-9 for your chosen number of sets.
10. Once you’ve finished all your sets, give the bench a wipe with your towel and put the barbell and weight plates away.
    
    Seated Barbell Shoulder Press Variation:

Standing Barbell Shoulder Press: Perform the exercise as described above but instead of using sitting on a bench, stand up straight. Doing this tests your balance and core stability at the same time as working your shoulders.

Equipment Required:

• 1 barbell.
• 1 squat rack.

Instructions:

1. Place the barbell on the squat rack and load it up with the desired amount of weight.
2. Place your hands on the barbell’s handgrips, making sure that your palms are facing inward and then slowly lift the barbell off the squat rack.
3. Make sure your back is straight, bend your knees slightly and then slowly shrug your shoulders upward while holding the barbell out in front of you.
4. Slowly release the shrug and lower the barbell back down.
5. Once you’ve done your last rep, slowly place the barbell back on the squat rack.
6. Rest for 1 minute and then adjust the amount of weight on the barbell so that it’s suitable for your next set.
7. Repeat steps 3-7 for your chosen number of sets.
8. Once you’ve finished all your sets, put the barbell and weight plates away.
   
   Barbell Shrug Variation:

Reverse Grip Barbell Shrug: Perform the exercise as described above but instead of having your palms face inward, have them face outward. Doing this hits your shoulders from a different angle.

Equipment Required:

• 1 chest press machine.

Instructions:

1. Sit in the shoulder press machine and adjust the seat height so that the handles are parallel with the side of your head.
2. Move the pin and select the desired amount of weight.
3. Grab the handles with both hands using the wide grip and making sure that your palms are facing forward.
4. Slowly straighten your arms and lift the handles up in your air, stopping just before your arms fully lock.
5. Slowly bend your arms and lower the handles back down to the side of your head, stopping just before the plates on the machine touch.
6. Repeat steps 4-5 for your chosen number of reps.
7. Once you’ve done your last rep, slowly lower the handles all the way down to the starting position and allow the plates on the machine to touch.
8. Rest for 1 minute and then adjust the weight so that it’s suitable for your next set.
9. Repeat steps 3-8 for your chosen number of sets.
10. Once you’ve finished all your sets, give the shoulder press machine a wipe with your towel.

Machine Shoulder Press Variation:
Hammer Grip Machine Shoulder Press: Perform the exercise as described above but grab the handles in a hammer grip with your palms facing each other for a tougher version of this exercise.

Like the forearms, the legs are an area of the body that many people neglect when it comes to building muscle. However, if you want an evenly developed physique, you need to be incorporating leg exercises into your routine at least once per week. This chapter lists five of the best leg exercises you can use to build strong, solid leg muscles.

Equipment Required:

• 2 dumbbells.

Instructions:

1. Hold a dumbbell in each hand by your side, stand up straight and bend your knees slightly.
2. Tuck your elbows in tight to your body, turn your hands so that your palms are facing inward, then slowly bend your arms and curl the dumbbells toward your shoulders, stopping once your biceps are fully flexed.
3. Hold the dumbbells in this position and then slowly bend your knees and lower your body toward the ground while keeping your back straight, stopping when your butt is parallel with your knees.
4. Slowly straighten your knees and raise your body back up to the starting position.
5. Repeat steps 3-4 for your chosen number of reps.
6. Once you’ve done your last rep, slowly lower the dumbbells down in front of you and place them on the floor.
7. Rest for 1 minute, then put your existing dumbbells back on the rack and pick up a new set of dumbbells that are suitable for your next set.
8. Repeat steps 2-7 for your chosen number of sets.
9. Once you’ve finished all your sets, put the dumbbells back on the rack.

Dumbbell Squat Variation:

Alternate Grip Dumbbell Squat: Perform the exercise as described above but instead of holding the dumbbells up next to your shoulders, hold them down by your side. Doing this makes it easier to balance as you squat and hits your leg muscles from a different angle.

Equipment Required:

• 2 dumbbells.

Instructions:

1. Grab a dumbbell in each hand, hold them in front of your legs, stand up straight and bend your knees slightly.
2. Slowly lean forward by bending at the hips and lower the dumbbells toward the floor, stopping when your hamstrings feel tight.
3. Slowly straighten your hips and raise your body and the dumbbells back up to the starting position.
4. Repeat steps 3-4 for your chosen number of reps.
5. Once you’ve done your last rep, slowly lower the dumbbells down in front of you and place them on the floor.
6. Rest for 1 minute, then put your existing dumbbells back on the rack and pick up a new set of dumbbells that are suitable for your next set.
7. Repeat steps 2-6 for your chosen number of sets.
8. Once you’ve finished all your sets, put the dumbbells back on the rack.

Equipment Required:

• 1 barbell.
• 1 squat rack.

Instructions:

1. Place the barbell on the squat rack so that it’s in line with the top of your shoulders and then load it up with the desired amount of weight.
2. Stand in front of the barbell with your back straight, a slight bend in your knees and the top of your shoulders touching the bar.
3. Place your hands on the barbell’s handgrips, making sure that your palms are facing forward, then slowly lift the barbell off the rock and onto your shoulders.
4. Slowly bend your knees and lower your body toward the ground while keeping your back straight, stopping when your butt is parallel with your knees.
5. Slowly straighten your knees and raise your body back up to the starting position.
   Repeat steps 4-5 for your chosen number of reps.
6. Once you’ve done your last rep, slowly place the barbell back on the squat rack and take a couple of steps forward.
7. Rest for 1 minute and then adjust the amount of weight on the barbell so that it’s suitable for your next set.
8. Repeat steps 2-8 for your chosen number of sets.
9. Once you’ve finished all your sets, put the barbell and weight plates away.

Barbell Squat Variation:

Front Barbell Squat: Perform the exercise as described above but instead of standing in front of the barbell when you lift it off the squat rack, stand behind it and hold it above your chest as you squat. Doing this brings your biceps into play and hits your leg muscles from a different angle.

Equipment Required:

• 1 barbell.
• 1 squat rack.

Instructions:

1. Place the barbell on the squat rack so that it’s in line with the middle of your thighs and then load it up with the desired amount of weight.
2. Place your hands on the barbell’s handgrips, tighten your core muscles, slowly lift the barbell off the rack and take a couple of steps back.
3. Bend your knees, lean forward with your hips and lower your body down, stopping when your butt is parallel with your knees.
4. Straighten your knees, straighten your hips and raise your body back up to the starting position.
5. Repeat steps 3-4 for your chosen number of reps.
6. Once you’ve done your last rep, step forward and slowly place the barbell back on the squat rack.
7. Rest for 1 minute and then adjust the amount of weight on the barbell so that it’s suitable for your next set.
8. Repeat steps 2-7 for your chosen number of sets.
9. Once you’ve finished all your sets, put the barbell and weight plates away.

​Equipment Required:

• 1 leg press machine.

Instructions:

1. Sit in the leg press machine, place your feet on the center of the platform and lower the seat down until your knees are bent at a 90-degree angle.
2. Move the pin and select the desired amount of weight.
3. Slowly straighten your knees and push against the platform, stopping just before your knees fully lock.
4. Slowly bend your knees and lower your body back down, stopping just before the plates on the machine touch.
5. Repeat steps 3-4 for your chosen number of reps.
6. Once you’ve done your last rep, slowly lower your body all the way back down until the plates on the machine touch.
7. Rest for 1 minute and then adjust the weight so that it’s suitable for your next set.
8. Repeat steps 3-7 for your chosen number of sets.
9. Once you’ve finished all your sets, give the leg press machine a wipe with your towel.

Machine Leg Press Variation:

Low Foot Position Machine Leg Press: Perform the exercise as described above but instead of placing your feet in the center of the footplate, place your feet at the bottom. Doing this places more emphasis on your quads.

High Foot Position Machine Leg Press: Perform the exercise as described above but instead of placing your feet in the center of the footplate, place your feet at the top. Doing this places more emphasis on your hamstrings and glutes.b

Having strong core muscles is essential as they support your body while performing all the lifts and exercises discussed in the previous chapter. This chapter highlights five effective exercises you can use to tighten, strengthen and tone your core.

Equipment Required:

• 2 dumbbells.

Instructions:

1. Place the dumbbells on the floor in front of you.
2. Kneel on the floor, place your hands on the dumbbells, keep your arms straight, straighten your legs out behind you, balance on your toes and tighten your core muscles.
3. Slowly raise the left dumbbell off the floor, stopping when it’s at chest height.
4. Slowly lower the left dumbbell back onto the floor.
5. Slowly raise the right dumbbell off the floor, stopping when it’s at chest height.
6. Slowly lower the right dumbbell back onto the floor.
7. Repeat steps 3-6 for your chosen number of reps.
8. Once you’ve done your last rep, take your hands off the dumbbells and kneel down on the floor.
9. Rest for 1 minute, then put your existing dumbbells back on the rack and pick up a new set of dumbbells that are suitable for your next set.
10. Repeat steps 1-9 for your chosen number of sets.
11. Once you’ve finished all your sets, put the dumbbells back on the rack.

Equipment Required:

• 1 dumbbell.
• 1 mat.

Instructions:

1. Grab the dumbbell with both hands, lie down on the mat and hold the dumbbell just in front of your stomach.
2. Bring your upper body off the floor by bending at the waist, bring your feet off the floor by bending your knees slightly and get your balance.
3. Slowly twist the dumbbell to your left side, stopping just before it touches the floor.
4. Slowly twist the dumbbell to your right side, stopping just before it touches the floor.
5. Repeat steps 3-4 for your chosen number of reps.
6. Once you’ve done your last rep, slowly lower the dumbbell onto the floor and sit up.
7. Rest for 1 minute, then put your existing dumbbell back on the rack and pick up a new dumbbell that’s suitable for your next set.
8. Repeat steps 1-7 for your chosen number of sets.
9. Once you’ve finished all your sets, put the dumbbell back on the rack and put the mat away.
   
   Dumbbell Russian Twist Variation:

Two-Dumbbell Russian Twist: Perform the exercise as described above but instead of holding one dumbbell, hold two. This tests both your balance and core stability in a different way.

Equipment Required:

• 1 dumbbell.

Instructions:

1. Grab the dumbbell with both hands, stand with your feet a shoulder-width apart, then bend your back and your knees slightly.
2. Twist your body and your dumbbell to the right and then slowly lift the dumbbell up above your head in a diagonal motion, stopping when the dumbbell is parallel with your left shoulder.
3. Slowly lower the dumbbell back down in a diagonal motion, stopping when it is parallel with your right thigh.
4. Repeat steps 2-3 for your chosen number of reps.
5. Twist your body and your dumbbell to the left and then slowly lift the dumbbell up above your head in a diagonal motion, stopping when the dumbbell is parallel with your right shoulder.
6. Slowly lower the dumbbell back down in a diagonal motion, stopping when it is parallel with your left thigh.
   Repeat steps 5-6 for your chosen number of reps.
7. Once you’ve done your last rep, slowly lower the dumbbell onto the floor.
8. Rest for 1 minute, then put your existing dumbbell back on the rack and pick up a new dumbbell that’s suitable for your next set.
9. Repeat steps 1-9 for your chosen number of sets.
   Once you’ve finished all your sets, put the dumbbell back on the rack.
   
   Dumbbell Wood Chop Variation:

Two-Dumbbell Wood Chop: Perform the exercise as described above but instead of holding one dumbbell, hold two. This tests both your balance and core stability in a different way.

Equipment Required:

None.

Instructions:

1. Kneel on the floor, place your forearms on the floor in front of you, straighten your legs out behind you, balance on your toes and tighten your core muscles.
2. Hold this plank position for as long as you can.
3. Rest for 1 minute.
4. Repeat step 2 for your chosen number of sets.

Plank Variation:

Side Plank: Perform the exercise as described above but instead of balancing on both forearms, balance on your left forearm and then hold this position for as long as you can. Then balance on your right forearm and hold this position for as long as you can. Doing this places extra emphasis on your oblique muscles.

Equipment Required:

• 1 mat.

Instructions:

1. Lie down on the floor, making sure your legs are straight out in front of you and your arms are straight by your side.
2. Slowly raise your legs in the air by lifting with your hips, stopping when your legs are straight up and your feet are facing the ceiling.
3. Slowly lower your legs back down towards the floor, stopping just before your feet touch the floor.
4. Repeat steps 2-3 for your chosen number of reps.
5. Once you’ve done your last rep, slowly lower your legs all the way down to the floor.
6. Rest for 1 minute.
7. Repeat steps 1-6 for your chosen number of sets.
   
   Plank Variation:

Alternating Leg Raise: Perform the exercise as described above but instead of raising and lowering both legs at the same time, alternate between raising and lowering your left leg and right leg. Doing this makes the exercise more challenging and allows you to work your core muscles more evenly.

Now that I’ve provided you with plenty of exercises to work all the muscles in your body, it’s time to bring them together into a weekly plan and create your own workouts. In this chapter, I’ll be explaining exactly how to do that by going through the necessary steps.

1. Choose Your Rep Range

As mentioned in chapter 3, I’ll be using a rep range of; 20 (to warm up), 12, 10, 8 in the sample workouts. However, these rep ranges are for illustration only and you should base your rep ranges on your own specific goals.

If you want to focus on muscle strength and size, you should reduce your reps and increase the amount of weight you’re lifting. A suitable rep range for this goal would be 4-8 reps.

Alternatively, if you want to focus on muscle endurance and tone, you should increase your reps and lower the amount of weight you’re lifting. A suitable rep range for this goal would be 12-16 reps.


2. Choose Your Set Range

As discussed in chapter 3, I’ll be using four sets per exercise (one warm-up set and three regular sets) in the sample workouts. This is generally standard practice when working out but you can increase or reduce your sets, based on the total amount of exercises you plan to perform in the workout.

If you’re planning to perform 3-4 exercises per workout, go for six sets per exercise (one warm-up set and five regular sets). Alternatively, if you’re planning to perform 5-6 exercises per workout, go for four sets per exercise (one warm-up set and four regular sets). Finally, if you’re planning to perform 7-8 exercises per workout, go for three sets per exercise (one warm-up set and two regular sets).

3. Choose Your Workout Split

As covered in chapter 3, I’ll be providing you with three workout splits in this eBook – a three-day workout split, a four-day workout split and a five-day workout split.

The exact split you choose will depend on your own lifestyle and how much time you have available. If you lead a busy lifestyle and can’t workout every day, a three-day workout split is probably most suitable for you. However, if you would prefer to workout most days during the week, you should go with a five-day workout split.

4. Choose Exercises That Work All Your Muscles Over The Week

Once you’ve chosen your reps, sets and workout split, all that’s left to do is choose your exercises. When choosing them, simply make sure you hit all eight muscle groups discussed during this eBook over the course of the week.

So, if you’ve chosen a three-day split, you could hit your chest, triceps and biceps on day 1, your upper back, shoulders and forearms on day 2 and your legs and core on day 3. Alternatively, if you choose a four-day split, you could hit your chest and triceps on day 1, your upper back and biceps on day 2, your forearms and shoulders on day 3 and your legs and core on day 4. Finally, if you choose a five-day split, you can follow a similar pattern to the four-day split and then use the fifth day to give your weakest body parts the second workout.

5. Write It Down

After you’ve completed steps 1-4, your workout’s good to go. However, for the best results, you should write it down and track your progress as you workout. Not only does this allow you to complete your workouts in a more efficient manner but it also gives you a visual representation of your progress over time.

When it comes to the actual writing, you can either use the old-fashioned method of a pen and paper or alternatively, if you own a smartphone, you can get an app that creates and tracks your workouts for you. If you’re going to go down the app route, Fitness Builder is an excellent choice which comes pre-loaded with over 800 workouts and over 6,000 exercises (complete with instructions, images and videos). It also allows you to create your own exercises and workouts and save them in the app. Finally, it allows you to track the weight lifted, the reps and the sets for all the exercises you perform and graph them over time.

If you follow the five steps in the previous chapter, you’ll be well on your way to creating your workouts. However, if you’re in need of a little guidance, I’ve created three sample workouts for you below. You can use these as they are, adapt them as you see fit or use them as a basis for your own unique workouts.

1. Three Day Workout Split

Total Sets Per Exercise:
4 (one warm-up set and three regular sets)

Total Reps Per Exercise:
Set 1 = 20
Set 2 = 12
Set 3 = 10
Set 4 = 8

Day 1 Exercises – Chest, Triceps & Biceps:

Exercise 1 = Barbell Chest Press
Exercise 2 = Dumbbell Fly
Exercise 3 = Barbell Skull Crusher
Exercise 4 = Dumbbell Tricep Kickback
Exercise 5 = Barbell Preacher Curl
Exercise 6 = Standing Dumbbell Bicep Curl

Day 2 Exercises – Upper Back, Forearms & Shoulders:

Exercise 1 = Bent Over Barbell Row
Exercise 2 = Lat Pulldown
Exercise 3 = Seated Barbell Wrist Curl
Exercise 4 = Standing Dumbbell Wrist Curl
Exercise 5 = Seated Barbell Shoulder Press
Exercise 6 = Seated Dumbbell Shoulder Press

Day 3 Exercises – Legs & Core:

Exercise 1 = Barbell Squat
Exercise 2 = Barbell Deadlift
Exercise 3 = Dumbbell Romanian Deadlift
Exercise 4 = Dumbbell Renegade Row
Exercise 5 = Dumbbell Russian Twist
Exercise 6 = Plank

2. Four Day Workout Split

Total Sets Per Exercise:

4 (one warm-up set and three regular sets)

Total Reps Per Exercise:

Set 1 = 20
Set 2 = 12
Set 3 = 10
Set 4 = 8

Day 1 Exercises – Chest & Triceps:

Exercise 1 = Barbell Chest Press
Exercise 2 = Dumbbell Chest Press
Exercise 3 = Dumbbell Fly
Exercise 4 = Machine Chest Press
Exercise 5 = Dumbbell Skull Crusher
Exercise 6 = Cable Tricep Extension

Day 2 Exercises – Upper Back & Biceps:

Exercise 1 = Bent Over Barbell Row
Exercise 2 = Bent Over Dumbbell Row
Exercise 3 = Lat Pulldown
Exercise 4 = Seated Cable Row
Exercise 5 = Standing Dumbbell Bicep Curl
Exercise 6 = Standing Cable Bicep Curl

Day 3 Exercises – Shoulders & Forearms:

Exercise 1 = Seated Dumbbell Shoulder Press
Exercise 2 = Seated Dumbbell Arnold Press
Exercise 3 = Barbell Shrug
Exercise 4 = Machine Shoulder Press
Exercise 5 = Standing Behind Back Barbell Wrist Curl
Exercise 6 = Standing Cable Wrist Curl

Day 4 Exercises – Legs & Core:

Exercise 1 = Barbell Squat
Exercise 2 = Dumbbell Squat
Exercise 3 = Machine Leg Press
Exercise 4 = Dumbbell Wood Chop
Exercise 5 = Plank
Exercise 6 = Leg Raise

3. Five Day Workout Split

Total Sets Per Exercise:
4 (one warm-up set and three regular sets)

Total Reps Per Exercise:
Set 1 = 20
Set 2 = 12
Set 3 = 10
Set 4 = 8

Day 1 Exercises – Chest & Triceps:

Exercise 1 = Barbell Chest Press
Exercise 2 = Dumbbell Fly
Exercise 3 = Machine Chest Press
Exercise 4 = Machine Pec Deck
Exercise 5 = Standing Barbell Tricep Extension
Exercise 6 = Dumbbell Tricep Kickback

Day 2 Exercises – Upper Back & Biceps:

Exercise 1 = Bent Over Barbell Row
Exercise 2 = Bent Over Dumbbell Row
Exercise 3 = Kneeling Bent Over Dumbbell Row
Exercise 4 = Lat Pulldown
Exercise 5 = Standing Barbell Bicep Curl
Exercise 6 = Standing Dumbbell Hammer Curl

Day 3 Exercises – Shoulders & Forearms:

Exercise 1 = Seated Barbell Shoulder Press
Exercise 2 = Barbell Shrug
Exercise 3 = Seated Dumbbell Shoulder Press
Exercise 4 = Seated Dumbbell Arnold Press
Exercise 5 = Seated Barbell Wrist Curl
Exercise 6 = Seated Dumbbell Wrist Curl

Day 4 Exercises – Legs & Core:

Exercise 1 = Barbell Deadlift
Exercise 2 = Dumbbell Squat
Exercise 3 = Dumbbell Romanian Deadlift
Exercise 4 = Dumbbell Renegade Row
Exercise 5 = Dumbbell Wood Chop
Exercise 6 = Leg Raise

Day 5 Exercises – Full Body Combo:

Exercise 1 = Dumbbell Chest Press
Exercise 2 = Barbell Skull Crusher
Exercise 3 = Seated Cable Row
Exercise 4 = Barbell Preacher Curl
Exercise 5 = Machine Shoulder Press
Exercise 6 = Barbell Squat

By this point, you should be all ready to start working out and building those muscles. However, before you begin your new workout, I wanted to provide you with some final tips and advice that will help you get the maximum benefit and muscle development during your workouts.

1. Perfect Your Form

If you want to build up your muscles, then you need to be lifting weights that challenge you. However, you should never do this at the expense of proper form. So, when performing the exercises for the first time, select a lightweight that you can lift comfortably, practice going through the movements and make sure your form is spot on. Once you’ve mastered the proper form, you can then start increasing the amount of weight you lift. By taking the time to perfect your form, you not only reduce your risk of injury but you also ensure that your muscles get the best workout possible.

2. Aim To Improve In Every Workout

If you’re consistently lifting the same amount of weight week after week, your muscle growth is going to plateau and you’re not going to get the results you desire. Therefore, if you want big, strong muscles, you should aim to improve in every workout.

Ideally, this improvement will come in the form of lifting an increasing amount of weight each week. However, this isn’t always possible, so if you can’t increase the amount of weight you’re lifting, aim to do an extra rep or two at the end of your sets. These extra reps will give you the strength you need to increase the amount of weight you lift the following week.

3. Stay Hydrated

Staying hydrated is important for overall health but it’s especially important when you’re working out for two main reasons. First, water helps your muscles contract and helps to maintain performance during exercise. Second, you sweat more when you exercise and lose more water, so it’s extra important that you’re drinking water in order to replace the water you lose when you sweat.


4. Do Some Cardio

If you’re trying to build muscle, lifting weights should be your primary focus. However, this doesn’t mean you should neglect cardio completely. By doing some cardio, you can prevent your muscles from tightening up between workouts, enhance blood flow, burn some extra calories and much more.

For the best results, try and do a couple of hours of cardio each week and try and find a cardio activity you like. There are plenty of activities to choose from including exercise classes, sports, walking, running, cycling and cardio machines, so no matter what your preference, you should be able to find a cardio activity you enjoy.

5. Eat The Right Foods

As discussed in chapter 1, a successful muscle building workout needs to be built on a solid nutritional foundation. Therefore, make sure you re-read the advice in the first chapter of this eBook and ensure that your diet contains plenty of high-quality proteins, healthy fats, and nutrient-packed carbohydrates.

6. Make Sure You Rest

One final thing you need to do when building muscle takes time to rest and allow your muscles to recover and repair between workouts. To ensure that you’re taking enough time to rest, set aside at least 1 hour a day for a relaxing activity such as taking a hot bath, meditating or reading. Also, make sure you’re getting at least 6 hours of sleep every night. Finally, make sure you take at least one full day off from physical activity every week.