Starting a balanced weight training program including a good workout for abs, back, core, butts and thighs

Weight training is an important part of any fitness program. Combined with aerobic exercise, weight training can boost your strength, tone your muscles and even help you lose fat. Warm up with five to 10 minutes of stretching or brisk walking. Then choose a weight or resistance level heavy enough to tire your muscles after about 12 repetitions. With the proper weight, a single set of 12 repetitions can build muscle just as efficiently as can multiple sets of the same exercise. To give your muscles time to recover, rest a day between exercising each specific muscle group and remember to complement weight training exercises with daily aerobic activity. Chest press The chest press is an exercise you can do with dumbbells to strengthen the pectoral muscles in the front of your chest. Lie on your back with your knees bent and a dumbbell in each hand. Hold your upper arms perpendicular to your body and your forearms perpendicular to the floor. Slowly press the weights upward until your elbows are almost straight but be careful to avoid locking your elbows into a straight position. You'll feel tension across your upper chest. Return to the starting position, being careful not to drop your elbows below the surface of the bench. Repeat. Although the chest press is usually done lying on a weight bench, you can also try it lying on the floor.

Bent-over row with dumbbell The bent-over row is an exercise you can do with a dumbbell to strengthen the muscles in the back of your shoulder. Start with one knee resting on a weight bench. Lean forward, supporting yourself with your hand. Hold a dumbbell in your other hand, letting your arm hang straight below your shoulder. Slowly raise the weight until your elbow lines up just below your shoulder. You'll feel tension in the back of your shoulder and the muscles across your upper back. Then slowly lower the weight to the starting position. Repeat. You can also do the bent-over row without a weight bench. Stand with your feet comfortably apart. Then bend your knees and lean forward at the hips

Triceps extension The triceps extension is an exercise you can do with a dumbbell to strengthen the triceps muscle in the back of your upper arm. Lie on your back with a dumbbell in your hand. Point your upper arm toward the ceiling, with your elbow bent to 90 degrees. Slowly straighten your elbow, moving the weight upward. Avoid using momentum to force your elbow straight. You'll feel tension in the muscles in the back of your upper arm. Then slowly lower the weight to the starting position. Repeat. If necessary, use the opposite hand to help keep your arm in a 90degree position during each extension. You can do triceps extensions lying on a weight bench or on the floor.

Biceps curl with dumbbell The biceps curl is an exercise you can do with a dumbbell to strengthen the biceps muscle in the front of your upper arm. Stand up straight with your feet about shoulder-width apart and your knees slightly bent. Hold the dumbbell with your palm facing upward. Slowly curl the weight up by bending your elbow, keeping your elbow close to your body. Then slowly lower the weight to the starting position. You'll feel tension in the muscles in the front of your upper arm. Repeat. For best results, don't swing your arm or elbow. Keep your wrist straight and rigid. For a core and stability challenge, work both biceps at the same time by alternating arms during the exercise.

Knee extension The knee extension is an exercise you can do with an ankle weight to strengthen the quadriceps muscle in the front of your thigh. Secure an ankle weight to your ankle. Then sit on a chair or weight bench, with your feet dangling in a relaxed position. Slowly straighten your knee, pause, and then return to the starting position. Repeat. Keep your movements smooth and controlled, and be careful not to snap or lock your knee into extension. You can do the same exercise with a knee extension machine

Hamstring curl The lying hamstring curl is an exercise you can do with a weight machine to strengthen the hamstring muscles in the back of your thighs. Lie facedown on the weight bench. Position the pad just above your ankles. Slowly bend your knees, pulling your feet toward your buttocks. Only go as far as you can without feeling your pelvis or spine move. You'll feel tension in the back of your thighs. Then slowly return to the starting position. Repeat. When you're doing lying hamstring curls, use the handgrip for support only. Let your leg muscles do most of the work. Don't pull with your arms or arch your neck or lower back

Pushup Weight training includes exercises that use your own body weight for resistance. The pushup, for example, strengthens the pectoral muscles in the front of your chest and the triceps muscles in the back of your upper arms. Position yourself on your hands and feet with your eyes facing the floor. Place your hands slightly greater than shoulder-width apart and your feet comfortably apart. Slowly bend your elbows and lower your chest until your chin reaches the ground. You'll feel tension in the muscles in your back, your abdomen and your upper arms. Then slowly return to the starting position. Repeat. When you're doing pushups, be careful not to let your back sag down or arch up. Keep your movements smooth and controlled.

Calf raise The calf raise is a body resistance exercise that strengthens the calf muscles in the back of your legs. Stand with your feet slightly spread apart, your abdominal muscles tight and your back straight. Slowly rise up onto your toes, as shown here. Pause, and then return to the starting position. Repeat. For greater challenge, hold dumbbells at your sides with your palms facing your body while you rise up onto your toes

Squat The squat is a body resistance exercise that strengthens the quadriceps muscles in the front of your thighs and the hamstring muscles in the back of your thighs. Stand with your feet slightly greater than shoulder-width apart and your toes pointing ahead. Slowly descend, bending through the hips, knees and ankles. Keep your back in a neutral position, and don't let your knees roll inward or outward. Stop when your knees reach a 90-degree angle. You'll feel tension in your legs and buttocks. Then return to the starting position. Repeat. If you can't bend your knees to a 90-degree angle, simply go as low as you can. For greater challenge, hold dumbbells at your sides with your palms facing your body while you squat.

Bicycle Exercise: The most effective ab exercises start with the bicycle, which is the best move for targeting the rectus abdominis (i.e., the 'six pack') and the obliques (the waist), according to the study. How to: 1. Lie face up on your mat and place your hands behind your head, lightly supporting it with your fingers. 2. Bring the knees in to the chest and lift the shoulder blades off the floor without pulling on the neck. 3. Rotate to the left, bringing the right elbow towards the left knee as you straighten the other leg. 4. Switch sides, bringing the left elbow towards the right knee. 5. Continue alternating sides in a 'pedaling' motion for 1-3 sets of 1216 reps. Captain's Chair Leg Raise The captain's chair leg raise is the second most effective move for the rectus abdominis as well as the obliques. You can do a variety of exercises on the captain's chair, which is a rack with padded arms that allows your legs to hang free and can be found in most health clubs and gyms. The key to keeping this move safe and effective is, first, to avoid swinging the legs or using momentum to bring the legs up. Second, keeping the knees bent will help you focus more on the abdominals and less on the hip flexors. How to: 1. Stand on the chair and grip handholds to stabilize your upper body. 2. Press your back against the pad and contract the abs to raise the legs and lift knees towards your chest. 3. Don't arch the back or swing the legs up. 4. Slowly lower back down and repeat for 1-3 sets of 12-16 reps.

Exercise Ball Crunch The exercise ball is an excellent tool to strengthen the abs and is the third most effective move for targeting the rectus abdominis. What makes this move a bit more effective than crunches on the floor is that the legs are often involved in floor crunches. On the ball, the abs do more work, but you still involve the entire body to help stabilize you throughout the movement, a nice bonus that floor crunches don't always offer. How to: 1. Lie on the ball, positioning it under the lower back. 2. Cross your arms over the chest or place them behind your head. 3. Contract your abs to lift your torso off the ball, pulling the bottom of your ribcage down toward your hips. 4. As you curl up, keep the ball stable (i.e., the ball shouldn't roll). 5. Lower back down, getting a stretch in the abs, and repeat for 1-3 sets of 12-16 reps. Vertical Leg Crunch The vertical leg crunch is another effective move for the rectus abdominis and the obliques. It's similar to a regular crunch, but your legs are straight up, forcing you to use your abs to do all the work and adding intensity to the exercise. How to: 1. Lie on the floor and extend the legs straight up with knees crossed. 2. Place your hands behind the head for support, but avoid pulling on the neck. 3. Contract the abs to lift the shoulder blades off the floor, as though reaching your chest towards your feet. 4. Keep the legs in a fixed position and imagine bringing your belly button towards your spine at the top of the movement. 5. Lower and repeat for 1-3 sets of 12-16 reps.

Long Arm Crunch: The long arm crunch is ranked the 6th most effective ab exercise, changing the traditional floor crunch by straightening the arms behind you. This adds a longer lever to the move, adding a bit more challenge and difficulty. This move also emphasizes the upper part of the abs, although it's important to remember that your rectus abdominis is actually one long muscle that travels from your lower chest to your pelvis. While you can emphasize one part, any exercise you do will work the entire muscle. How to: 1. Lie on a mat and extend the arms straight out behind the head with hands clasped, keeping the arms next to the ears. 2. Contract the abs and lift the shoulder blades off the floor. 3. Keep the arms straight and avoid straining the neck. If you feel neck pain, take one hand behind the head while keeping the other arm extended. 4. Lower and repeat for 1-3 sets of 12-16 reps. 5. You can add intensity by holding a light dumbbell if you need more of a challenge. Reverse Crunch: The reverse crunch comes in 7th place for effective ab exercises, with a focus on the rectus abdominis. With this move, you're curling the hips off the floor, so you'll feel this in the lower part of the abs. The key to this move is to avoid swinging the legs to raise the hips. This is a small, subtle move, so you only need to lift your hips a few inches off the floor. How to: 1. Lie on the floor and place hands on the floor or behind the head. 2. Bring the knees in towards the chest until they're bent to 90 degrees, with feet together or crossed. 3. Contract the abs to curl the hips off the floor, reaching the legs up towards the ceiling. 4. Lower and repeat for 1-3 sets of 12-16 reps. 5. It's a very small movement, so try to use your abs to lift your hips rather than swinging your legs and creating momentum. Back Extension 1. Lie face down on a mat and place the hands on the floor or behind the head (more advanced). 2. Contract the abs and keep them contracted throughout the exercise. 3. Squeeze the back to lift the chest a few inches off the floor. 4. Lower and repeat for 1-3 sets of 10-16 reps total on each arm.
Tips

Imagine that you're lengthening the torso as you lift the chest up. To add intensity, you can also lift the legs off the floor at the same time.

Plank on Elbows and Toes The plank exercise ranked number 10 in the ACE study and is a great way to build endurance in both the abs and back, as well as the stabilizer muscles. This move is also great for building strength for pushups, an exercise that requires quite a bit of core strength. How to: 1. Lie face down on mat resting on the forearms, palms flat on the floor. 2. Push off the floor, raising up onto toes and resting on the elbows. 3. Keep your back flat, in a straight line from head to heels. 4. Tilt your pelvis and contract your abdominals to prevent your rear end from sticking up in the air or sagging in the middle. 5. Hold for 20 to 60 seconds, lower and repeat for 3-5 reps.

Knee Tucks Knee tucks are great for targeting balance, stability and, core strength. The arms and torso help stabilize your body as you draw the knees in and, at the end of the movement, give your abs an extra squeeze to intensify the challenge. 1. Get into a pushup position with the ball under the shins/ankles (easier) or the tops of the feet (harder). 2. Make sure the body is straight, back flat and the abs engaged. 3. Roll the ball in, bending the knees towards the chest as you squeeze the abs. 4. Try not to push back with your arms but, instead, keep all the movement in the knees. 5. Don't collapse the back as you roll the knees in. 6. Return to start and repeat for 10-16 reps. Ball Rollouts Place your arms on the ball, parallel to one another. Pulling your belly button towards your spine and tightening your torso, slowly roll forward until your chest touches the ball. Keeping form, slowly pull your body back using your arms and abdominals. Don't collapse as you roll forward. Repeat for 12 reps.

Bridge with Leg Lift Lie face up on the floor, knees bent. Push body into a bridge position, supporting your weight on your feet and arms. Straighten one leg up, heel flexed and slowly lower leg out to the side a few inches without moving the rest of the body. Use the abs to stabilize your body and don't hold your breath. Complete 12 reps before switching sides.

Balancing Ab Twist Begin by lying on your side and push up so that your body is supported by right arm, feet stacked. Straighten left arm and balance for a moment, then sweep the left arm down and twist the body, turning it towards the floor while keeping the rest of the body in place. Squeeze the abs and hold for 2 seconds, then go back to starting position. Repeat for 12 reps before switching sides. To modify, rest the bottom knee on the floor.

Leg Extensions with Medicine Ball Position the ball under upper back to engage your abs and to stabilize the hips. Hold a medicine ball straight up over chest and make sure knees are at 90 degrees. Lower arms behind you while simultaneously extending the right leg straight. Return to start and repeat, alternating legs for 10-16 reps. For less challenge to balance, do the leg extension without the medicine ball.

Crunch With Heel Push The crunch with a heel push looks like a traditional crunch, but in this version you push your heels into the floor, which engages the rectus abdominis muscles more than regular crunches. How to: 1. Lie on your back with the knees bent and the hands gently cradling the head. 2. Flex your feet and keep them flexed as your contract the abs, lifting the shoulder blades off the floor. 3. Try not to pull on the neck with your hands, but lightly support your head. 4. At the top of the crunch, press your heels into the floor while pressing your back against the mat and slightly raising the glutes off the floor. 5. Lower and repeat for 1-3 sets of 12-16 reps Oblique Crossover Crunches Lie on your back with knees bent, hands behind your head. Keeping lower back pressed into the floor, lift your shoulder blades off the floor and then curl your upper body diagonally across your body towards your right knee. Contract your abs and obliques as hard as you can at the top of the movement. Lower back down and repeat on the same side before switching sides. Plank Begin by placing elbows on the floor and resting body on the knees. Pull the abs tight to hold your body in a straight line from head to knees without sagging in the middle, eyes looking naturally forward. Hold this position for as long as you can, relax and repeat 3 or more times. Dead Bug Begin by lying on back, knees up and bent at 90 degrees. Take the arms straight up overhead and hold this position for a moment, making sure abs are in tight and your back isn't arching off the floor (if it is, lower the feet to the ground for this exercise). Slowly lower the right arm and left leg towards the floor while keeping the lower back on the floor. Bring them back up and lower the left arm and right leg to the floor. Continue lowering opposite arm and leg for a total of 10 reps. Back Extensions Lie face down with hands either behind the back or lightly cradling the head. Lift upper body off the ground a few inches, keeping head and neck in alignment. For a challenge, then lift feet off the ground keeping legs straight (knees don't have to be together), hold for 2-4 counts and lower. Superhumans Begin on hands and knees, hand directly under shoulders, knees under hips and back straight, abs tight. Slowly raise right arm and left leg up until level with the body, holding your balance and keeping torso tight. Lower back down and repeat with the left arm and right leg. Take your time--this exercise will challenge your balance! Deadlifts Hold a barbell or dumbbells in front of thighs, feet hip-width apart and abs pulled in. Tipping from the hips and keeping the weight close to your legs, lower the weight to mid-shin (or wherever is comfortable) while keeping the legs straight (but not locked). Lift back to starting position and make sure the abs are pulled tight throughout the movement. Repeat for 12 reps.

Alternating Arm and Leg Lifts Lie face down on the mat, arms straight out in front of you. Contract the abs and keep them contracted as you lift the left arm and the right leg at the same time, feeling your back doing the work. Lower and repeat on the opposite side, lifting the right arm and left leg. Lower and repeat for 12 reps. 1 rep includes both sides. Modified Cobra Face down on the mat, take the forearms onto the mat, hands under the shoulders. Pull the shoulder blades together and down your back as you lift the chest off the floor. Try not to push too much on the floor, but use it as a support. Lower and repeat for 12 reps. You can also try a full upward dog if you're more advanced. Bridge Lie face up with knees bent and hands at your sides. Lift the hips up until you're in a bridge position, body in a straight line from knees to head. Lift as high as you can, squeezing the back. Lower and repeat for 12 reps.

Knees to Chest Bring the knees in towards the chest, resting the hands on the shins or under the knees. Gently pull and focus on stretching through the glutes and lower back. Hold for 30 seconds. Knee to Chest Lie on the floor and bring the knee into the chest. Straighten one leg and pull the other knee into your chest until you feel a stretch in your hip. Hold for 15-30 seconds and repeat for 1-3 sets on each side. Spine Twist While lying face up on the mat, bend the right leg and place the right foot on the left knee. Slowly twist to the left while taking the right hand straight out on the floor, the left hand gently pressing on the right knee. Relax into the stretch and feel it in your lower back and hips. Hold for 15-30 seconds and repeat on the other side. Knee Drops Bring the knees up and bend them to 90 degrees, shins parallel to the floor and arms out to the sides. Contract the abs and rotate the torso to lower the legs to the right, bringing them down to the floor. Bring the knees back to center and lower to the left side. Repeat for 12 reps to each side. Cat and Cow Kneel on all fours, knees under hips and hands under shoulders. Spread the fingers out on the floor with palms flat and contract the abs to bring the head, neck and back in alignment. Inhale and tip the hips towards the ceiling while drawing the shoulders back and down away from your ears; look up. Exhale and tuck the chin while pulling your belly towards your spine. Round the back and feel a stretch down your spine. Repeat for 4 to 6 breaths, moving smoothly between each move. Child's Pose From the Cat Stretch, sit back on your heels and bring your arms down along your body, palms facing up. Relax and breath for as long as you like. One-Legged Deadlift Stand with one foot on the ball, standing leg slightly bent, dumbbells in front of thighs. Keeping shoulders back, back flat and abs in, tip from the hips and bring weights down to knees, hands close to thighs. Contract your glutes and hamstrings to pull your torso back up. Switch legs and repeat. Chest flyes with leg raise Lie on ball holding dumbbells straight up, palms facing in. Extend one leg and, keeping it extended, lower arms down to chest level. Contract chest to pull arms back to starting position. Keep the leg extended throughout the set, switching legs for each set. Hamstring Rolls Lie on the floor and place heels on the ball. Squeeze glutes and lift hips until your body is in a straight line. Contracting the hamstrings, press the heels into the ball and roll it towards you while keeping the glutes and abs tight (don't sink in the middle!).

Seated lateral raise with hip flexion Sit on the ball with dumbbells at sides. Lift one foot off the ground and, keeping it lifted, raise arms out to the sides to shoulder level, elbows slightly bent and wrists straight. Lower arms and repeat, keeping leg lifted throughout the set. Switch legs for each set. One-legged lunge Stand a few feet away from a ball (prop it against a wall for more stability) and place one foot on the ball in a split stance. Slowly bend front knee and lower hips towards the ground, keeping knee behind the toe and back straight. Squeeze the glutes and hamstrings to come up and repeat, switching legs for each set.

Oblique lift In sidelying position on the ball with leg bent, fists on the temples, tighten obliques (muscles around the waist) and lift torso off the ball, pulling the ribcage toward the hip. Repeat and switch sides. Pushups Place toes, shins or knees on the ball, hands on the floor a little wider than shoulders. Keeping abs tight and back flat, slowly bend elbows and lower torso, stopping when elbows are 90 degrees. Push up to starting position and repeat., Bent over rows on one leg Bend torso parallel to floor, back flat and weights straight down. Extend one leg and prop toe on the ball and bend elbows, squeezing the back to pull weights up to torso level. Lower arms and repeat, keeping leg extended. Switch legs for each set. Squat with leg extension Place ball on a wall directly behind mid-lower back. Lean against the ball (slightly) and bend knees, lowering the body until knees are at 90 degree angles. At the bottom of the movement, extend one leg out, hold and lower, pushing back to starting position. Alternate legs with each repetition..