The Basic Eight hit all the major muscle groups and insure you equally develop strength, power, and endurance. Together these elements give your muscles the ability to perform quickly and efficiently, while also preventing the loss of muscle tissue that occurs naturally through aging and disuse. And for anyone trying to lose weight or maintain weight loss, strength training is indispensable — nothing does a better job of reshaping your body and helping to keep your metabolism in high gear.
Whether you’ve never lifted weights before, or are an experienced exerciser who has never found the right strength training regimen, you’ll find The Basic Eight straightforward and not at all intimidating. It consists of the following:
- Squats: upper legs (quadriceps and hamstrings).
- Lunges: upper and lower legs (quadriceps, hamstrings and calves).
- Chest Press: chest and back of upper arms (triceps).
- Shoulder Press: shoulder muscles.
- Butterfly upper back muscles (trapezius and latissimus dorsi)
- Dumbbell Fly: chest muscles.
- Biceps Curl: upper arms (biceps).
- Triceps Extension: backs of the arms (triceps).
Source: Bob Greene/Best Life
See videos of these exercises below:
Squats
Lunges
Chest Press
Shoulder Press
Butterfly
Dumbell Fly
Biceps Curl
Triceps Extension