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Note: * In the examples given below the weights used are a pair of
15 lb. dumbbells. Feel free to use the weights that you are most comfortable with. If you want
you can use heavier weights (dumbbells or a barbell) for exercises like Deadlift and Squats. * The schedule of one session should last for around 100 minutes. Certain exercises with weights can be skipped in any given session to save on time. But all exercises should be performed on a consistent basis for maximum benefits. |
| # | Exercise Name | Exercise Description | Sets |
Reps/ Duration |
| 1 | Warmup | 5 minutes on the spot jog as well as smoothly performed stretching exercises for warming up. | 1 | 10 |
| 2 | Chest pulls | Stand with feet apart, bend arms, make fists and tuck arms across front of chest. Then bring forearms out to the sides. Keep flexing and pulling forearms back to chest. Repeat. | 1 | 50 |
| 3 | Calf stretch | Stand one and a half or two feet away from wall with hands touching the wall in front, then lean forward keeping legs straight. Remember to keep your heels firmly implanted to the floor. Return to the starting position. Repeat. | 1 | 20 |
| 4 | Wrist curls | Sit with forearms on thigh and parallel to the floor. Hold dumbbells first facing up and do curls using your wrists alone to lift the dumbbells upwards. Do as many as you are comfortable doing. Then repeat the same movements but now with the dumbbells facing down you curl your wrist upwards. | 2 | 25 |
| 5 | Forearm twists | Standing with arms bent at elbows hold dumbbells with forearms parallel to ground and twist arms, clockwise then anticlockwise. Repeat. | 2 | 25 |
| 6 | 90 degree curls | Holding dumbbells at your sides with arms extended and facing out do curls, one arm at a time, slowly. First lift up your right hand and do a slow curl while your left arm remains down. Now as you lower your right arm at the same time lift up your left arm to do alternate curls with both arms one after the other. | 2 | 30 |
| 7 | Crunches (with weights) |
Lie on bench with legs hanging down and dumbbells in hands outstretched over head. Using only your abdominal muscles lift your knees and at the same time your arms as well so that a crunch is performed with weights held above your head. Slowly return to starting position. Repeat. Remember that you have to first train yourself by doing ordinary crunches before you attempt to do this variation as it puts a great strain on your abdominals which could lead to injury. | 2 | 20 |
| 8 | Calf raises | Keeping feet together and parallel raise heels slowly, then lower, holding dumbbells in hand, if needed. Repeat. Also do other variations: toes apart and heels together; and toes together and heels apart. Repeat. For more effect you can also place the balls of your feet on the edge of a block or stair and then slowly lower your heel as far as your range of motion would allow and then slowly raise your heels upwards. Repeat this motion as many times as you feel comfortable doing. | 3 | 50 |
| 9 | Twists | Standing with feet apart and hands behind head and stomach tucked in perform twists by holding your stomach in and twisting your body to the left. Keeping your back straight, return to the starting position. Now repeat the whole movement by twisting to the right. | 1 | 50 |
| 10 | Squats | Do squats with a dumb-bell in each hand. Holding a dumb-bell in each hand let your arms hang down besied you. Now take a deep breath and slowly bend your knees and lower your body until your thighs are parallel to the floor. Rise from this position while exhaling. Option: You can also rest your heels on a block to ensure that your back is constantly kept straight throught the movement which is very important. | 2 | 30 |
| 11 | Lateral raise | Sit on edge of bench with a dumb-bell in each hand held slightly behind your legs and palms facing inwards. Bend your upper torso slightly forward. Lift weights out and up maintaining a slight bend in your arms. Lift hands to just above head. This motion should be done slowly and steadly as to put a good strain on your shoulders and upper arm. Also remember not to lock your elbow. Repeat this movement as many times as you feel comfortable doing. | 2 | 15 |
| 12 | Dead lifts | Stand erect with dumbbells in both hands a little wider than shoulder width and knuckles facing wall in front. Keeping your back erect bend forwards while bending your knees till your hands reach the floor with your feet just under, then gradually rise by straightening your legs and continue the movement till your back is perfectly straight. It is important to keep your back straight throughout the motion to prevent injury and for the best benefits. | 2 | 30 |
| 13 | Bent twists | Bend forward with legs spread wide and twist trunk to the right and left with hands alternatively touching opposite leg. | 2 | 30 |
| 14 | Pushups (standard incline) |
Lie on the floor with your face down and hands under your shoulders with your feet kept on a height like a stool. You are to keep your elbows close to your body. Keeping your back straight, push your body off the floor until your arms are fully extended. Keep it in mind that you are to tuck in your abdominal muscles and tighten your lower back and thighs while doing the movement. Then lower your body till your chin touches the floor. Slowly rise and repeat. You can do certain variations like keeping your hands on two solid supports like blocks of wood so that when you lower your body and touch your chin to the floor you are going to have to stretch your chest a lot more. You could also do pushups by supporting your body on your fingertips. | 1 | 50 |
| 15 | Pushups (wide incline) |
This is very much like the above mentioned variety but with a few changes. Lie on the floor with your face down and hands wide apart so that your arm forms a 90 degree angle from the floor. You are to keep your elbows away from your body and your feet on a height like a stool. Keeping your back straight, push your body off the floor but do not lock your hands when you rise. Keep it in mind that you are to tuck in your abdominal muscles and tighten your lower back and thighs while doing the movement. Then lower your body till your chin touches the floor. Slowly rise and repeat. You can do certain variations like keeping your hands on two solid supports like blocks of wood so that when you lower your body and touch your chin to the floor you are going to have to stretch your chest a lot more. | 1 | 50 |
| 16 | Bent rows | With legs spread apart bend forward and place head on chair back rest so that your back is almost parallel to the floor. Hold the dumbbells with knuckles facing outwards. Slowly raise hands to lift weight so that the dumbbells touch the side of your chest. Also note that your knees should be straight but just out of lock position. Now slowly lower your hands. Repeat. | 2 | 15 |
| 17 | Upright rows | Stand with feet shoulder width apart. Holding dumbbells in both hands let your arm hang straight down in front of you so each dumbbell rests on your upper thigh, palms facing your body. Slowly draw the weights up towards your chin, keeping your hands close to your body and letting your elbows extend outwards. At the top of your movement your hands should rest under your chin and your elbows should be slightly higher (up near your ears). Hold for a moment and then lower slowly. | 2 | 15 |
| 18 | Chair dips | With your back to a bench, place palms on edge of the bench. Keep your feet on a similar bench. Straighten arms and hold body just off edge while keeping your back straight. Slowly lower body until upper part of arms are parallel to ground. Hold for a moment then slowly rise. Repeat. | 2 | 30 |
| 19 | Side bends | Stand with feet apart and hands behind head. Hold stomach in and slowly tilt upper body so left elbow bends towards your hips. Remember to keep your back straight. Return to starting position and repeat by tilting to the right. Repeat. | 1 | 50 |
| 20 | Situps | Standard situps with feet close together. Lie on the floor with your feet close together on the floor and knees facing up. Now keep your hands behind your head and slowly raise your body off the floor while keeping your legs steady without movement. Remember not to use your hands to push up your head. Keep this position for a count of two and slowly go back from where you started. Do not fall back but do it slowly. | 1 | 50 |
| 21 | Twisting situps | Same as standard situps but perform twist when rising. Lie on the floor with your feet close together on the floor and knees facing up. Now keep your hands behind your head and slowly raise your body off the floor while keeping your legs steady without movement. Remember not to use your hands to push up your head. As you rise twist your body to first to your left with your right elbow pointing towards the left knee. Keep this position for a count of two and slowly go back from where you started. Do not fall back but do it slowly. Then repeat the whole movement while twisting to the right. Repeat. | 1 | 20 |
| 22 | Crunches (w/o weights) |
Lie on your back with your feet firmly on the floor and your knees pointing upwards throughout the movement. Now curl up slightly and try to bring your rib cage as close as possible to your pelvis. Exhale on contraction. Hold for a count of two and then slowly lower yourself back to the starting position. Repeat the required number of repetitions. | 1 | 30 |
| 23 | Pullover | Lie on a bench holding the dumbbells at arms length over your chest. Now from this position you slowly lower your hands until they almost touch the floor behind you. Lock your hands throughout the movement and return slowly to the starting position. Make sure that the distance between your two hands do not change during the whole motion. Do it slowly and steadly without any jerking movements. | 1 | 15 |
| 24 | Hammer curls | Stand with a dumb-bell in both hands, arms fully extended at your sides with your arms extended downwards and your palms facing your body. Slowly do curls one hand at a time while you hold the dumbbells like you would a hammer. This is very similar to ordinary curls but in the way you hold the dumbbells there is a greater emphasis on exercising your triceps as well while lowering the weights. | 1 | 30 |
| 25 | Tricep presses | Stand with back straight, one dumb-bell in your right hand and hold directly over shoulder, arms extended. Use your left arm to support the right hand by grasping it between the elbow and the shoulder. Slowly lower dumbbell behind you until it almost touches your upper back. Slowly raise arm to starting position. Repeat for as many rtimes as you want and then repeat the whole motion with the dumb-bell now held in your left hand. | 1 | 30 |
| 26 | Warmdown | Jog and do stretches in rapid succession. | 1 | 10 |