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Planner
Choosing the right exercise
This lists exercises by major muscle groups/movements. Each movement has different exercises ranging from easy to more complex. Select an exercise from the Exercise Planner that suits your ability and available equipment. Substitute an alternative exercise targeting the same muscles as needed. To view an exercise, click on the name to go to a video clip showing you 2-3 reps of the exercise.
Follow a progression when designing a strength program. Spend 2-3 weeks mastering an exercise before moving to a more demanding/complex variation of the same exercise. Exercises that may be right for one person may be far too difficult for another, and potentially dangerous.
Performing the same exercises with the same number of reps and weight over a period of time will not increase strength. Varying exercises for the same muscle group is an effective way to improve strength. A little variety can maintain your interest and get you beyond a plateau period.
An example of an exercise progression would be to cycle from a barbell bench press to a Dumbbell (DB) bench press then to a DB bench press on a stability ball (SB)to a single arm DB press on a SB. Spend 3-4 weeks at each exercise, then repeat the cycle. The total training cycle would be 12-16 weeks. When you go back to the barbell bench press you will feel a lot stronger.
The planner below has exercises for different muscle groups/movements listed in order from easiest to more complex. Progressions to increase difficulty of each exercise are listed in parenthesis and indicated by a ">". Check off an exercise from the menu that works for your situation, and enter into your strength training log sheet.
Contact us if you have a question about how to plan a program best for you.
Quadriceps (2x leg push)
Leg Press
SB Squat (body weight>dumbbells)
Back Squat (barbell>standing on balance board)
Front Squat (barbell>standing on balance board)
Dead lifts - dumbbell, barbell, diamond bar
Quadriceps (1x leg push)
Lunge (body weight>dumbbells>barbell>step on airex pad or bosu ball)
Lunge Walk (body weight>dumbbells>medicine ball with twist)
Step up (body weight>dumbbells>barbell)
Split Squat (body weight>dumbbells>barbell
1x leg Bench Squat - body weight
1x leg squat (holding onto rope>dumbbells - this is hard!)
Glutes/Hamstrings (Hip extension)
SB Leg Curls (2 legs>1 leg)
SB Hip extension (2 legs>1 leg)
SB Reverse Hyper (1x leg at a time or both together)
Back extension-roman chair or SB (hands on shoulders/behind head/weight or MB)
Single Leg Straight Leg Dead lift - medicine ball or dumbbell
Straight Leg Dead Lift - dumbbells or barbell
Back (pulls)
Pull downs - wide grip, palms away, keep bar in front of body
Modified pull-up
Pull-ups (weighted)
Front Pull - close grip, palms facing you
Modified Chin-up
Chin-ups (weighted)
Back (rows)
Cable or Band row
1x Arm Cable row - alternating positions, high/mid/low
1x Arm Cable row (standing-2 feet>1 foot> stand on bosu ball>sit on SB>sit on SB with 1 foot on floor)
Bent over row - barbell or dumbbell
Chest (push-upper body)
Standing Band Press (2 arms>alternating arms>1x arm)
Push-ups (wall>knee>incline>regular>decline>1 foot off ground, weight vest)
Medicine ball push-ups (1 hand on ball>2 hands on ball>alternate ball from left to right)
Stability Ball push-up -hands on SB (wall>knees>feet>1foot>feet on bench)
Stability Ball push-up - legs on SB (knees>shins>toes>1 foot)
Flat Bench Press (Barbell/Dumbbell>1x arm at a time)
DB Bench Press on SB (2 arms>1x arm)
Incline Bench Press (Barbell>Dumbbell>1x arm at a time)
DB Incline Bench press on SB
Shoulders (Presses/raises)
OH press (Barbell>Dumbbell>Standing>Sitting>Sitting on SB)
DB or Plate Front Raise
DB Side Raise
Shrugs
Upright row (Barbell or Dumbbell)
Arms - Biceps/Forearms/Triceps
Curls (DB>BB>1x arm>sitting on SB)
DB wrist curls
DB reverse wrist curls
Pushdowns
DB OH extensions
Band arm extension
Dips (bench>Feet on SB>bar,weighted)
Calf/Ankles
Standing heel Raise (double>double up-1x leg down, single leg)
Stabilization (2x leg>1x leg -dyna disc/airex foam)
Combo's
Curl/press combo - sitting/standing/sitting on SB (2x arms together>alt. arms>1x arm)
DB Upright row/OH press combo
Rows/OH press/Arm Curls - use DB's, 1 exercise after the other, no rest
DB dead lift/arm curl combo
DB dead lift/arm curl/OH press combo
DB dead lift/upright row combo
DB dead lift/upright row/OH press combo
Injury Prevention and Rehab
Hip abduction (bent leg>bent leg with band, straight leg)
Shoulder Abduction/Adduction
Other
Torso
Click here for detailed Torso Training Section
Explosive*
Jumpies (body weight>hold plate or use weighted vest)
Box Jumps (slowly increase height of box)
Push/Press
1x arm DB Snatch
Hang Clean
*Explosive exercises should be done first during the training session. They also require a lot more skill and technique and should only be performed after proper instruction from a qualified individual.