8 Movements to Improve Life

Frontiersman, Oct. 13, 2006

Go into any health club and you’ll see a huge assortment of exercise machines.  In fact, there are so many, that you might think there are at least 35 different basic movements.  Here is the surprise – you can perform 8 basic movements and work the same muscles.  Best of all, you can do all of them in your home with very little equipment!

I’m not encouraging you to stop working out at a gym.  Just realize that there are less expensive alternatives out there.  Never let money be an excuse not to exercise.  Exercising in a gym atmosphere is great to establish camaraderie, attend the various classes and workout with others.  Most gyms have personal trainers that can teach you to perform the moves correctly.

The disadvantage of doing the exercises with a machine is that many times you are sitting down with most muscles relaxed and only working one muscle per machine.  However, if you did the same move sitting on a stability ball using hand weights you would be working the same muscle including your abs, back, legs and your balance too.

When we move in everyday life, we utilize (or flex) more than one muscle at a time.  For example, when removing groceries from the car, we bend down in a squat movement, picking up the groceries and pulling the bags in close so we can carry them easier.  This involves lots of muscles, not just one. The best way to prepare muscles to work as a group is to train them as a group.

If your goal is to be a body builder, of course you need to train all your muscles, but most of us just want to feel and look good and be able to play with our kids or grandkids.

Here are those basic 8 movements with a practical example of activities using the same muscles.

1. Squat - going from standing to sitting in a chair

2. Leg Curl - while walking or running, your legs come up off the ground behind you

3. Calf Raise - standing on the tips of your toes to reach something high in the cupboard

4. Back Row – vacuuming

5. Chest Press – pushing something away from you while sitting at a table

6. Overhead Shoulder Press – putting a can of soup in the cupboard above your head

7. Tricep Extension – reaching behind you while driving to hand a soda to someone in the back seat

8. Bicep Curl – picking up a glass of water and drinking it

Don’t confuse my examples as a substitute for exercise.  It’s never that simple.  All these moves can be done with an exercise stability ball, a few hand weights and elastic tubing.