A show of some muscle

Resistance training is a type of workout that is used to enhance muscle strength by making the muscles work against a weight or force. Each exercise targets multiple muscle groups, which results in a boom towards strength-training. There are various forms of exercises that may also include weights or resistance bands. By just doing these exercises three to four times a week, it can lead to good results and maintain muscle mass. Maintaining strength and building muscle is good for the metabolism as it makes you strong, prevents injury and elevates your mental frame of mind. Overtime with progression, you can increase the weights, repetitions and set count further.

The writer Manish Jaswal is the director of Spa. The exercises have been performed by Ullas S, a fitness instructor.

Stiff Leg Dumbbell Dead lift
The single exercise goes beyond other conditioning workouts. The Stiff Leg Dead lift activates the lower back muscles all the way to the hamstrings. With a slight bend in your knees, move your feet shoulder-width apart. Make sure your lower back is arched and head in line with you spine. While keeping your balance on your heels, inhale and lower the weight down toward your ankles. Slide your hips back as you lower the weight, until you feel you can no longer move your hips further. Exhale and move back toward starting position, by moving your hips forward. Do two sets of 15 repetitions each.

Alternating Dumbbell Bench Press
This bench press builds strength throughout the entire upper body, specifically targeting the chest. The alternating structure allows for isolation on a particular side, improving muscular balance and stability. Grab a pair of dumbbells. Lie on your back on a bench, and hold the dumbbells a few inches above your chest. Press one dumbbell upward, until your arm is fully extended. Pause, and slowly retract extended arm to start position. Then complete the same motion on the opposite side. Do three sets of eight to 10 repetitions.

Squat Overhead Press
Squats are popular and should be part of your workout regime as they are known to build lower body strength. The targeted muscles are the quadriceps, hamstrings and calves. With the help of a pair of dumbbells, the exercise becomes a little challenging but gives you the desired results for a stronger lower body frame. This also includes the strengthening of the bones and ligaments. Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart, and your elbows bent, with a 2 kg weight in each hand at shoulder height, palms forward, lower into a squat (don’t let knees go past the toes); hold for a moment. Push through the heels to stand up, pressing the weights overhead. Return to starting position. Do two sets of 10 to 12 repetitions each.

One-Legged Dumbbell row
The focus of this exercise is towards building overall strength as it targets the back, biceps, shoulders, abs, glutes and hamstrings. The equipment needed for this exercise are dumbbells. You can take the support of a chair or bench to maintain balance as you do the exercise. Standing with your feet shoulder-width apart, and the knees slightly bent; hold a dumbbell in one hand. Lean forward at your waist, lift the opposite leg until you form a T with your body. Hang the dumbbell in front of your body with a neutral grip. Contract your back, and move the dumbbell towards the side of your abdomen. Pause for a bit and then lower your arm and leg to the starting position. Do two sets of 15 repetitions on each side.

In and Out Crunch
This is a great core exercise that works your upper and lower abdominals as well as your hip flexors. It also improves balance and coordination. Lie on the back with your feet together, legs extended, and hands behind the head with elbows wide. Lift shoulder blades and feet off the floor, bending knees in toward the chest, and lifting the upper body in a standard crunch. Do two sets of 12 to 15 repetitions for better results.