Description

Weight training is quickly becoming the workout of choice for men and women alike. These regimens incorporate resistance exercises that can increase bone density and metabolism while creating more lean muscle. Tracy York’s Shaping Up with Weights for Dummies will introduce these fundamental strength training exercises in language that even a first-time weightlifter will understand. York debunks fitness myths, describes muscle groups, and focuses on the safe execution of each exercise. All of the major muscle groups are trained through 12 basic exercises that are cleverly coined “The Daily Dozen.” A series of upper- and lower-body exercises are done in two sets of 12, with stretching spliced between each interval. York makes great use of these stretching segments to emphasize body alignment and proper form (however, these breaks may provide too much down time for the experienced fitness buff). This session delivers a four-minute warm-up, 35 minutes of resistance training (stretches, too), and five minutes of abdominal work. Light hand weights are recommended, but the first-time strength trainer may want to try this format without any weights. Overall this is a stellar pick if you are new to weightlifting, not familiar with muscle groups, or just need to brush up on the basics. Although the music is less than toe-tapping, this information-packed video will leave you anything but dumb