Resistant to Resistance Training- 5 Exercises for Beginners

1. Deadlifts: Start with feet shoulder-width apart and knees slightly bent. Before movement, contract your abdominal muscles to brace your core and maintain proper form. Slowly move your hands down the front of your thighs while only hinging at your pelvis. Keep your chest up and look at the wall in front of you. Move until your hands are about mid-calf to knee level and there is a feeling of tension in your buttock. At this point slowly rise back to your starting position while making sure you are maintaining a tight core. Perform this exercise eight more times and then assess your muscle fatigue. You should feel muscle fatigue in your buttocks and the back of your thighs.

Squat to Shoulder Press: Begin with your feet should-width apart and squat down until your thighs are parallel to the floor. Make sure your knees are aligned with your toes and feet shoulder-width apart. Then, as you return to a starting position lift your arms above your heads with your palms facing each other. Perform this exercise eight more times and then assess your muscle fatigue. You should feel muscle fatigue in your buttocks, thighs, and shoulders.

Loaded Carries: Using proper lifting mechanics squat down to the floor and pick up a weighted object. Then, walk and carry the object a short distance making sure to keep the object close to your body. Finally, squat back down and place the object back on the floor. Repeat this exercise eight more times and then assess your muscle fatigue. You feel this exercise mostly in your thighs and buttocks with the possibility of your arm and shoulder muscles. This is an important and functional exercise as this could translate to many daily activities such as carrying groceries.

Dead Bugs: Start on the floor lying on your back. This might be more comfortable if you choose to lie on a cushiony surface such as a yoga mat. Bend your legs to 90 degrees and then lift your arms and legs to form a tabletop position. Simultaneously lower your arm and straighten your opposite leg. Make sure you are breathing through this exercise while maintaining a tight core. Then repeat on the other side eight more times. You should feel this exercise mostly in your abdominal region with some muscle fatigue in your arms and thigh muscles.

Standing Y’s: Start by standing and facing a wall. Place your hands on the wall at shoulder level. Then slide your hands up diagonally until your reach your end of the range of motion and you form a “Y” position with your body. At the top, you should focus on squeezing your shoulder blades together and then slowly lower your hands back to the starting position maintaining contact with the wall. Repeat eight times and assess muscle fatigue. This exercise focuses on your back and shoulder muscles.