You don’t have to have a health club membership to reap the benefits of resistance training. All you need is a bench and some dumbbells, elastic tubing, or a barbell. Many exercises can also be used with simple items in your house (i.e. laundry detergent, soup cans, etc.). The key is understanding how to properly perform the exercises. Here are some samples of exercises you can do (both video clips and printable handouts with step-by-step instructions).

• Upper Body Exercises
• Lower Body Exercises
• Core/Torso Exercises

All exercises are courtesy of Choose Good Health. A complete set of resistance training exercises are available on their CD which provides excellent information for the general consumer as well clinicians or fitness professionals who want to print the handouts for their clients and provide important educational information. The CD can be purchased directly from Choose Good Health by visiting their website at www.choose-good-health.com. Look for the CDs coming soon to the NWHSU bookstore with special pricing. Make sure you consult your physician before attempting any of these exercises. And make sure you stretch thoroughly after your workout.