1. Wall push-ups (chest, front of shoulders and triceps)

• Place your hands shoulder-width apart, body straight and abdominals tight.
• Inhale as you bend your arms and allow the chest to move towards the wall.
• Straighten your arms and exhale on effort.

2. Push ups (chest, front of shoulders and triceps)

• Kneel on all fours as shown, hands placed slightly wider than shoulder-width apart.
• Bend your elbows to allow your chest to move towards the ground.
• Straighten your arms, exhaling on effort.

3. Squat/lunge combo (buttocks, hamstrings, quadriceps and calves)

• Stand with feet more than hip-width apart, knees and toes aligned with hands on your hips.
• Keeping body weight on your heels, bend knees into a squat (A).
• Straighten legs, tightening buttocks and inner thighs (repeat 15 times).
• Now set feet hip-width apart.
• Step forward into a lunge, keeping front knee aligned with front ankle and back leg extended, knee bent and heel lifted (B).
• Bring feet together (hip-width apart) and repeat with other leg (repeat 15 times with each leg).

4. Dumbbell Fly (chest and front of shoulders)

• Lie with your back on a flat bench and your feet flat on the floor.
• Extend your arms upward, directly above your chest, whilst holding a dumbbell in each hand.
• Your elbows should be slightly bent.
• Move your arms towards the sides of your body, slowly lowering the dumbbells towards the floor.
• Lower the dumbbells until they are slightly below your chest.
• Pause, then slowly recover to the starting position, keeping elbows slightly bent.

5. Dumbbell Front Shoulder Raise (shoulders)

• Stand with one foot in front of the other, knees slightly bent and arms fully extended at your sides with a dumbbell in each hand.
• Your arms should hang at your sides with your elbows slightly bent.
• Slowly raise both dumbbells to the front, away from the body, until your arms are parallel to the floor (no higher).
• Pause, then slowly recover to the starting position and repeat.

6. Bench Dips (triceps)

• Stand with your back to a firm bench or support.
• Place your hands (shoulder-width apart and fingers facing forward), behind you close to your buttocks.
• Extend your legs, with knees slightly bent so that you're balancing on your heels, toes pointing upwards.
• Squeeze your shoulder blades down and together to hold body up.
• Keep your back straight and your torso vertical.
• Keeping buttocks as close to the bench as possible, bend elbows until you feel tension in the shoulders.
• Straighten arms but don't lock elbows.

7. Bicep curls (biceps)

• Start with the dumbbells at your sides with your palms facing the ceiling, elbows tucked into your sides.
• Bend your arms lifting the dumbbells; hold in position for 5 secs, keeping elbows tucked in and then return to starting position.

8. Abdominal curls (abdominals - stomach muscles)

• Lie flat on your back, knees bent at a 90o angle, with your hands supporting your head.
• Keep your neck relaxed and straight and exhale as you lift your head and shoulders.
• At the same time you should feel your abdominals contracting.
• Keep lower back on the ground at all times.

9. Oblique abdominals (oblique abdominals - stomach muscles)

• Lie flat on your back, knees bent at a 90o angle, with your hands supporting your head.
• Cross your right leg over your left knee and extend your right arm out sideways for stability.
• Use your other hand to support your head and keep your neck relaxed.
• Bring your left shoulder across your body towards your right knee, tightening your oblique muscles on the left side of your body.
• Return to the starting position, repeat 1 set and then repeat exercise with the other leg.

10. Adduction (inner thigh muscles)

• Lying on your side, as shown in the photograph, tighten the muscles of the front of the thigh (quadriceps).
• Lift your leg 20cm from the floor, then lower it.
• You should feel a tightness in the inner thigh area.

11. Abduction (outer thigh muscles)

• Lying on your side, as shown in the photograph, tighten the muscles of the front of the thigh (quadriceps).
• Lift your leg 20cm from the floor, then lower it.
• You should feel a tightness in the outer thigh area.

12. Side leg lifts -standing (buttocks, outer thigh muscles)

• Support your body by holding on to something stable.
• From standing position, place your body weight on one foot and raise your other leg sideways, keeping this leg straight and your foot flexed.
• You can increase the resistance by using a Cliniband if you wish to.
• Repeat for the other side.

If you have any suggestions for this programme or stories you would like to share with other participants, e-mail kmcquaide@ssi.uct.ac.za.

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