The following free weight exercises are designed to strengthen many of the major muscles of the upper body using free weights. You should discuss the suitability of these exercises with your physiotherapist prior to beginning them. Generally, they should only be performed provided they do not cause or increase pain.
For those who are untrained, you should begin by performing one or two sets of only a few free weight exercises, with light resistance, working a variety of muscle groups and gradually increase the number of exercises, resistance and sets over a number of sessions provided there are no signs of injury.
For beginners, it is generally advisable to begin with light weights that allow you to perform 20 – 30 repetitions of each exercise with good control, posture and form. Allow approximately 1 minute rest and recovery between exercise sets.
As your endurance and strength improves, aim to gradually increase the number of sets of each exercise over a number of sessions until you are eventually performing 3 – 4 sets of each exercise provided the exercises are pain free. These free weight exercises can then be progressed by gradually increasing the weights used so that fatigue is achieved by 8 – 12 repetitions and by progressing to other unaccustomed exercises provided they are pain free.
Specific requirements may vary between individuals depending on the functional goals they wish to achieve. Your physiotherapist can advise on the most appropriate resistance, sets and repetitions to meet your needs.
Ensure you always perform an appropriate warm up before beginning any strengthening exercises, an appropriate cool down after and ensure you balance recovery periods from training to prevent injury. Generally, it is advisable to perform a selection of the following free weight exercises 1 – 2 times per week provided they do not cause or increase pain. Allow approximately 4 – 7 recovery days before repeating the same exercises, to allow muscle recovery.
Begin this chest strengthening exercise lying in optimal posture with your back and neck straight and your hands holding a bar with light weights slightly further apart than shoulder width as demonstrated (figure 3). Slowly bring the bar down towards your chest and then straighten your elbows tightening the chest (pectoral) muscles and returning to the start position. Your elbows should remain either directly below your wrists or slightly closer to the lower half of your body than your wrists throughout the exercise. Perform 1 – 4 sets of 8 – 30 repetitions provided the exercise is pain free.
Bench Press
Lie Down. Sit at the end of your flat bench first. Then lie down by lowering yourself back on the bench. Put your eyes under the bar.
Squeeze Your Shoulder-blades.
Raise your chest and tighten your upper-back.
Put your shoulder-blades back and down.
Squeeze them.
Grab The Bar.
Pinky inside the ring marks. Hold the bar low, close to your wrist.
Squeeze the bar using the full grip so it can’t move. Set Your Feet.
Feet flat on the floor using a shoulder-width stance.
Set your one foot under your knee first, then set the other one. Unrack.
Straighten your arms to lift the bar out of the uprights. Move it horizontally until it’s balanced over your shoulders.
Perform 1 – 4 sets of 8 – 30 repetitions provided the exercise is pain free.
Dumbbell Bench Press
Begin this chest strengthening exercise lying in optimal posture with your back and neck straight and holding some light dumbbell weights as demonstrated (figure 4). Slowly bring the weights down to the sides of your chest and then straighten your elbows tightening the chest (pectoral) muscles and returning to the starting position. Your elbows should remain either directly below your wrists or slightly closer to the lower half of your body than your wrists throughout the exercise. Perform 1 – 4 sets of 8 – 30 repetitions provided the exercise is pain free.
Flyes
Grasp two dumbbells. Lie supine on bench. Support dumbbells above chest with arms fixed in slightly bent position. Internally rotate shoulders so elbows point out to sides.
Execution
Lower dumbbells to sides until chest muscles are stretched with elbows fixed in slightly bent position. Bring dumbbells together in wide hugging motion until dumbbells are nearly together. Repeat.
Comments
Keep shoulders internally rotated so elbows point downward at bottom position and outward at top position. Keep elbows at fixed angle, only slightly bent.
Perform 1 – 4 sets of 8 – 30 repetitions provided the exercise is pain free.
Incline Bench Press
Position your body on an incline bench on a 30-45 degree angle. Grab a barbell with an overhand grip that's shoulder-width apart and hold it above your chest. Extend arms upward, locking out elbows.
Lower the bar straight down in a slow, controlled movement to your chest. Pause, then press the bar in a straight line back up to the starting position.
Perform 1 – 4 sets of 8 – 30 repetitions provided the exercise is pain free.