Weight training program

Always perform the exercises in slow and controlled movements. If the exercise calls for standing up, stand with legs shoulder width apart.
Lie flat on an incline bench with feet flat on the floor. Take the barbell off the bar rack and hold it out at arms length. Grip the bar and bring it down to your chest. Push it back to arms length. Return to the start position and repeat.
Same as above but using a flat bench.
Same as above but using a decline bench.
Using the Pec Deck Machine, seat yourself so that your back is fully supported by the backrest. Grab the handles and squeeze your forearms and elbows in together in front of your chest. Return to start position and repeat.
Lie flat on a bench with feet flat on the floor. Hold a dumbbell with both hands and straighten arms so that the dumbbell is directly overhead. Slowly lower the weight down behind your head until the dumbbell reaches the height of the bench. Bring it back to chest and repeat.
 

With the barbell resting on your upper thighs, hold it with palms facing upward and about 6 inches apart. Stand straight and curl the bar up as if to touch your shoulders. Keep elbows locked at sides and slowly return to start position. Repeat.
Same as above but with a wider than shoulder length grip and using a curved EZ barbell. As always, perform this exercise in a slow and controlled fashion, flexing both biceps at the peak of the movement for a one-count. Return to start position and repeat.
Sitting or standing up, grab a dumbbell in each hand. Starting with the right arm, slowly curl the dumbbell trying to touch your shoulder then return to start position. Alternate with left arm and repeat.
Sit on the end of a flat bench with legs apart and lean slightly forward. Grab a dumbbell in one hand with your palm facing upward and rest your elbow on the inside of your thigh and let the dumbbell hang. Slowly curl the weight up and twist your wrist to the outside while keeping your elbow locked in place against your thigh. Squeeze the muscle at the top of the movement for one second and then slowly return to starting position. Repeat and then switch arms. 
 

Position your feet slightly wider then hip width apart and hold a pair of dumbbells in each hand, letting them hang down at your sides. Slowly bend your knees and lower yourself down as far as you can without lifting your heels off the floor. Then push your weight back up until you are back at the starting position. To make it easier to keep your balance, lean against a wall with a Swiss ball behind your lower back and complete the exercise. s
Adjust the amount of weight you want on the Leg Press Machine then seat yourself with feet about 12-15 inches apart. Slowly bring your knees in toward your chest, lowering the weight platform. Once lowered, return the platform to the start position by fully extending your legs. Repeat.
Stand up straight and hold a dumbbell in each hand, letting them hang down at your sides. Begin by striding forward with one leg to execute a regular lunge while keeping the other leg set in place. Be sure to really stride forward so that you get a great stretch. Bring that leg back to the start position and repeat with the opposite leg.
Adjust the amount of weight you want and position yourself in the Leg Extension Machine. The cushion pad should be on top of your shins (front of the legs below your knees). Begin by lifting the weight by extending both legs out and up, flexing at the knees. Slowly return to the start position and repeat.
Adjust the amount of weight you want and lie on your stomach on the Hamstring Machine. Hook your heels under the cushion pad and begin by curling the weight upward so as to touch your heels to your rear end. Return to the start position in a slow and controlled fashion and repeat.
Position yourself in the Thigh Abductor Machine, with the pads firmly pressed against the outside of your calves. Execute this exercise by simply spreading and opening your legs as wide as you can. Slowly return to the start position and repeat.
Position yourself in the Thigh Adductor Machine with the pads firmly pressed against the inside of your thighs. Execute this exercise by simply squeezing your thighs together.
Position yourself on the Seated Calf Machine. Place your toes on the platform and push your toes down so that your heels become raised so that you are on your tip toes. Be sure to really flex your calves at the top of this movement for a one-count. Return to the start position and repeat until failure. The initial upward movement should be quick and explosive.

Sit with your back straight on the Lat Pulldown Machine and grab the bar with an overhand grip with hands as wide apart as possible. Next, pull the bar down until it is about even with the middle of your chest. Return the weight back up. — Lats and Biceps
Same as above, but this time, grab the bar with an underhand close grip. — Lats and Biceps
Sit on a cable row machine (with pulley), and grasp the rowing handle with both hands. Next, pull the handle into your stomach and return. Be sure to keep your back straight and perpendicular to the floor. — Erector spinae, lats, delts, trapezius and biceps
Place your left knee and left hand on a flat bench with your right leg set firmly on the floor. Lean forward so that your back is flat and parallel to the floor. Grasp a dumbbell in your right hand with your palm facing in toward your body and lift the dumbbell up and into your outer rib cage area. Return then alternate arms. — Trapezius and lats
Grab a barbell with both hands using an overhand grip about shoulder width apart. Begin this movement by bending at the waist and lowering the barbell to the floor. Be sure to keep your legs as straight as possible and really let the weight of the barbell bring you down. On the way up, focus on your glutes and hamstrings to pull the weight back up while keeping your back straight. — Lower back
Stand and hold a dumbbell in each hand with your palms facing in toward your body. Keep the dumbbells at your sides so that your arms are fully extended. Simply shrug your shoulders for one second while keeping your arms completely straight and return. — Trapezius
 

Stand and grasp a dumbbell in each hand and hold them over each shoulder with your thumbs pointing in toward each other. Simply press the dumbbells up over your head and return. — Medial deltoid and triceps
Stand and grasp an EZ Curl Bar with both hands in a narrow overhand grip. Let the bar and your arms hang down, fully extended. Next, raise the bar up to just under your chin by flaring your elbows up and out. Hold for a one-count at the top of the movement and return. —Trapezius and deltoids
Stand and hold a dumbbell in each hand, letting your arms hang down with your thumbs facing in toward one another. Simultaneously raise the dumbbells upward to where your arms become parallel to the ground. Pause for a one-count at the top of the movement and return. — Front deltoids
Stand and grasp a dumbbell in each hand and let it hang down at your sides with your palms facing in toward your body. Next, raise the dumbbells by bringing the backs of your hands to the ceiling while keeping your arms as straight as possible. Bring your arms to a point that is parallel to the floor. Hold for a one-count then return. — Deltoids
Sit at the end of a flat bench and lean forward so that your knees nearly touch your chest. Grasp a dumbbell in each hand and let them hang down. Focus your eyes on a spot high in front of you while keeping your back straight. Next, simultaneously raise the dumbbells up with the backs of your hands facing the ceiling. Once your arms are parallel to the floor, stop and hold them there for a one-count and return. — Rear deltoids
 

Lay flat on your back on a bench and grasp a dumbbell securely. Hold the dumbbell tightly with your arms extended and slightly bent. Lower the weight down behind your head while keeping your elbows in during the entire movement. Raise the dumbbell back. — Triceps
Attach a rope to the top portion of a cable machine. Grab the rope with your palms facing towards each other and position the rope at about chest level. Lower the rope down, making sure to keep your elbows in while extending your arms. When you reach the bottom of the movement, your arms should have a slight bend. Let the rope come back up while keeping your elbows in. — Triceps
Grab a dumbbell securely with one hand and while standing, extend your arm so that the dumbbell is up in the air. Place your other hand on the forearm holding the dumbbell. Bend at the elbow and lower the dumbbell behind your head. Press your arm back to a fully extended position, repeat then switch arms. — Triceps
Grab a dumbbell with your right hand and position your left knee and hand onto a flat bench. Keep your arm tucked into your side at a 90 degree angle. Extend your arm out and keep your elbow in. At full extension of the movement, make sure to keep a little bend in your arm and all the tension on your tricep muscle. Lower the dumbbell back, repeat then switch arms. — Triceps
 

Grab a dumbbell in each hand and stand with your feet about shoulder width apart. Let both arms hang down in front of your body, fully extended with your palms facing in toward your body. Next, simultaneously lift the dumbbells up, making sure your elbows are locked at your sides and return. — Biceps and forearms
This is almost the same exercise as dumbbell bicep curls except that you keep your wrists in a locked position throughout the movement with palms facing your thighs. Standing or sitting, grab a dumbbell in each hand and let your arm hang at your sides. Curl the dumbbells simultaneously trying to touch them to your shoulders. Be sure to squeeze your biceps for a one-count at the top of the movement and lower. — Biceps and forearms
Sit with bench between your legs and hold a dumbbell in one hand. Lay your forearm flat on the bench with the dumbbell extending over the edge, palm up. Using only your hand and wrist, curl the dumbbell up as high as possible, keeping your forearm flat on the bench. When you return to the start position, allow the dumbbell to roll all the way down into your fingertips and repeat. — Forearms
 

To get a flat and defined stomach, you cannot neglect to train your abdominal muscles.
Other reasons to train your core:
• Your core muscles are the primary requisite for stability; so by training them, you will have an improved posture.
• Training reduces back pain and reduces your chances of low back injury and backache.
• A strong core can help you better perform exercises and can increase breathing capacity.
The following exercises will train all your abdominal muscles if done together. Complete 3 sets of as many reps as your body can handle every other day. Just remember to pull your belly button towards your spine for each to really contract your muscles.
Lie on your back with your knees bend and feet flat on the floor. Place your hands behind your head or across your chest. Slowly contract your abdominals, bringing your shoulder blades about one or two inches off the floor. Exhale as you come up and keep your neck straight, chin up. Hold at the top of the movement for a few seconds, breathing continuously. Slowly lower back down. — Upper abdominals
Lie on your back on the floor and place your hands next to your hips.  Bend your knees and raise your legs until your knees are directly over your hips. Your knees should make a 90 degree angle as your lower legs are parallel to the floor. Using your lower abs, raise your hips off the floor and pull your thighs into the chest. Keep feet together throughout and return. — Lower abdominals
Lie on your back on a bench with your legs off the end, remaining parallel to the ground. Place your hands back next to your head and grab the edge of the bench. Keeping your legs as straight as possible, raise your legs as high as possible, making sure that your abs do the work. Lower legs back down. — Lower abdominals
Lie on your back on the floor with your knees bent and feet flat on the floor. Place your right hand over your right ear. Crunch your midsection up and across, trying to touch your right elbow to your left knee. Concentrate on contracting your midsection throughout the movement. Return then switch sides, trying to touch your left elbow to your right knee. — Obliques and upper abdominals
Lie on your back with your knees bent and feet flat on the floor. Place your hands on either side of your head and execute the exercise by crunching your abs forward, so as to touch your elbows to your knees. Really focus on keeping your midsection contracted throughout the entire exercise and hold momentarily. Slowly lower your body back — but do not let your shoulders and head touch the floor  — then repeat. — Upper abdominals
Lie on your back and lift legs straight out at about 45°. Open legs wide — or as wide as your current flexibility allows. Crisscross back and forth by taking the left over the right then the right over the left. — Lower abdominals
Lie on your back on the floor with your hands behind your head. Keep both legs straight about one inch off of the floor. Immediately raise one knee up to the elbow that is on the opposite side and try to touch your elbow to that knee. Repeat this step with your other knee and elbow for as many repetitions as you can. The idea is to execute the movement in a smooth and controlled fashion so as to simulate riding a bicycle while lying on your back. Be sure to concentrate on having your abdominals do the work. — Upper and lower abdominals and

• With input from . Visit the website to see animations of the exercises mentioned. Simply click on “Exercise Guides” and search the name of the exercise.
*This weight training program is part of a special three-part series on diet and exercise. In part one, personal fitness trainer, Eric Garcia, gives tips and information on cardio and weight training. In part two, dietician, Lea Matar, gives healthy eating tips to help you lose weight. In part three, Garcia provides a list of health benefits you can gain from cardiovascular exercise, strength training and stretching.