Weight Range & Calorie Intake

Step 1: Weight Range & Calorie Intake

NECESSARY WISDOM

This “Align food plans” mission has to do with the preparation of healthy eating plans that determine the amounts of calories or kilojoules we need to maintain a healthy weight range, and to provide the nutrients our bodies require to remain healthy. These steps essentially help us to align our eating habits with practices recommended by the experts.

A healthy weight range is one that takes into account our height, age, where the weight is sitting on our body and our usual lifestyle.

Many studies show that people who are overweight or significantly underweight are at an increased risk of suffering a number of preventable, diet-related diseases or conditions such as:

-          reduced life expectancy

-          an increased likelihood of type 2 diabetes

-          high blood pressure (hypertension)

-          an increased risk of suffering cardio-vascular disease or a stroke

-          an increased risk of gallstones and problems with the gall bladder

-          an increased risk of respiratory dysfunction

-          an increased risk of certain types of cancers

-          aggravation of arthritis, joint and back problems

-          an increased risk of gout

-          an increased risk of complications with some types of surgery

-          an increased risk of sleep apnoea

Furthermore, studies show that individuals with a waist measurement over 94cm for males, or 80cm for females have an increased risk of developing a chronic disease. The risk becomes significant if waist measurements are over 102cm for males or 88cm for females.

To avoid these problems and maintain a healthy lifestyle, experts advise us to keep our weight within the recommended healthy weight ranges based on our height (to produce our body mass index) and frame size.

We need to consume sufficient calories or kilojoules each day to maintain this designated healthy weight range, also taking into account our daily amount of physical activity and exercise.

If we are over the healthy weight range, we are advised to carefully reduce our calorie intake and increase our level of exercise until our healthy weight range is obtained and maintained.

The first thing to do is to establish our ideal weight range.

Recommended Ideal Weight Ranges (Males & Females)

This chart provides a general guide to ideal weight ranges for both males and females based on height without shoes.

Height             Weight Range  Height             Weight Range

142 cm                        40-50 kg          173 cm                        59-74 kg

145 cm                        41-52 kg          175 cm                        61-76 kg

147 cm                        43-54 kg          178 cm                        63-79 kg

150 cm                        45-56 kg          180 cm                        65-81 kg

152 cm                        46-58 kg          183 cm                        67-84 kg

155 cm                        48-60 kg          185 cm                        68-86 kg

157 cm                        50-62 kg          188 cm                        71-88 kg

160 cm                        51-64 kg          191 cm                        72-90 kg

163 cm                        53-66 kg          193 cm                        74-93 kg

165 cm                        54-68 kg          196 cm                        76-95 kg

168 cm                        56-71 kg          198 cm                        78-98 kg

170 cm                        58-72 kg

Determining Recommended Calorie Intake

Once you know your target weight range, you need to then establish your recommended calorie intake to maintain that weight range. This figure will differ depending on your age and the average amount of activity involved in your lifestyle. The following two tables show approximate recommended calorie intakes for three types of lifestyles at three general age levels:

Sedentary Lifestyle: This includes office workers, or those who sit most of the day and who experience little or no regular exercise or work activity.

Moderate Activity Lifestyle: One that involves a fair bit of walking or a sedentary occupation with a regular exercise program equivalent to walking 30km a week.

Strenuous Activity Lifestyle: One that includes constant and vigorous activity equivalent to walking around 80km a week.

Calorie Requirements for Females 18-65 years

Multiply these amounts by 4.2 to obtain your daily requirements in terms of kilojoules

Sedentary Lifestyle                 

KG’s   18-35yrs          36-55yrs          55+yrs

45        1,780               1,580               1440

50        1,880               1,675               1495

55        1,980               1,770               1550

60        2,080               1,865               1605

65        2,180               1,960               1660

70        2,280               2,055               1715

75        2,380               2,150               1770

80        2,480               2,245               1825

85        2,580               2,340               1880

90        2,680               2,435               1935

95        2,780               2,530               1990

100      2,880               2,625               2045

Moderate Activity

KGs     18-35yrs          36-55yrs          55+yrs

45        2,020               1820                1680

50        2,150               1945                1765

55        2,280               2070                1850

60        2,410               2195                1935

65        2,540               2320                2020

70        2,670               2445                2105

75        2,800               2570                2190

80        2,930               2695                2275

85        3,060               2820                2360

90        3,190               2945                2445

95        3,320               3070                2530

100      3,450               3195                2615

Strenuous Activity

KGs     18-35yrs          36-55yrs          55+yrs

45        2,260               2,060               1920

50        2,400               2,195               2015

55        2,540               2,330               2110

60        2,680               2,465               2205

65        2,820               2,600               2300

70        2,960               2,735               2395

75        3,100               2,870               2490

80        3,240               3,005               2585

85        3,380               3,140               2680

90        3,520               3,275               2775

95        3,660               3,410               2870

100      3,800               3,545               2965

Calorie Requirements for Males 18-65 years

Multiply these amounts by 4.2 to obtain your daily requirements in terms of kilojoules

Sedentary Lifestyle

KG’s   18-35yrs          36-55yrs          55+yrs

55        2,350               2,200               1800

60        2,500               2,300               1900

65        2,650               2,400               2000

70        2,800               2,500               2100

75        2,950               2,600               2200

80        3,100               2,700               2300

85        3,250               2,800               2400

90        3,400               2,900               2500

95        3,550               3,000               2600

100      3,700               3,100               2700

105      3,850               3,200               2800

110      4,000               3,300               2900

Moderate Activity Lifestyle

55        18-35yrs          36-55yrs          55+yrs

60        2,650               2500                2100

65        2,830               2630                2230

70        3,010               2760                2360

75        3,190               2890                2490

80        3,370               3020                2620

85        3,550               3150                2750

90        3,730               3280                2880

95        3,910               3410                3010

100      4,090               3540                3140

105      4,270               3670                3270

110      4,450               3800                3400

120      4,630               3930                3530

Strenuous Activity Lifestyle

55        18-35yrs          36-55yrs          55+yrs

60        2,910               2,760               2360

65        3,100               2,900               2500

70        3,290               3,040               2640

75        3,480               3,180               2780

80        3,670               3,320               2920

85        3,860               3,460               3060

90        4,050               3,600               3200

95        4,240               3,740               3340

100      4,430               3,880               3480

105      4,620               4,020               3620

110      4,810               4,160               3760

120      5,000               4,300               3900

NOTE: If you are significantly over your healthy weight range, you may need to first determine a safe, reduced level of calorie intake to follow until your healthy weight range is obtained. There are many internet sites that have calculators to determine a recommended calorie intake to reduce weight e.g. the Australian CalorieKing site at http://www.calorieking.com.au .

CREATIVE RESPONSES

CREATIVE RESPONSE (SU): Use the chart above to determine your ideal weight range.

Use the “Recommended Ideal Weight Ranges” chart to locate and your recommended ideal weight range.

CREATIVE RESPONSE (SU): Use the appropriate chart to determine your recommended average daily calorie intake.

Use the “Calorie Requirements” charts for your gender, age and lifestyle to determine your recommended average daily calorie intake. set of exercises above as the starting point for your own strength development routine.

Flexibility & Balance Exercises

NECESSARY WISDOM

Flexibility exercises are those that work and stretch our muscles and joints so that we have an improved range of motion in our bodies and limbs. Balance exercises help us to maintain and even improve our sense of balance.

According to the 2008 Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans, the daily activities of some people might provide a reasonable set of stretches for some muscles, but almost every adult needs to include a full range of flexibility exercises in their exercise regimes in addition to cardio-respiratory and strength development activities.

Experts recommend that you complete stretching and balance exercises at least three times a week. You could alternate them with strength exercises, which require a day’s rest after each session. (See “Step 2: Strength Development Exercises” below)

Those muscles and joints not periodically stretched and worked will, over time, lose some of their flexibility and range of motion, and as a consequence, some of their effectiveness.

Our bodies require flexible muscles to complete many common daily tasks, and to ensure the effective operation of key joints.

As for balance, most young adults have an adequate sense of equilibrium, but as we age, our ability to maintain our balance slowly diminishes. Regular exercises and activities that force us to hold balanced poses for a period can help us to maintain our stability and poise well into old age.

An effective flexibility and balance exercise routine needs to include a range of safe stretches that cover all the major muscles and joints in the body, and one or more activities that promote balance.

Where possible the exercises should proceed logically and smoothly from one to the next so you can quickly remember the routine by heart. The last few flexibility exercises should ideally act as a “cool down” routine gradually returning your body to a resting state.

Some less demanding yoga exercises work well as stretching exercises, particularly in the “cool down” phase.

As you complete each activity, avoid any sudden jerking movements. Gently ease into each stretch and hold it for 10 to 20 seconds, or as long as is comfortable. Avoid pushing or holding any stretch to the point of pain. You should not experience any pain in a flexibility routine.

Many stretches benefit by particular breathing patterns through the activity such as breathing in or out at a particular time. Take note of any breathing guidelines in each ex in each excise description, and attempt to follow them precisely. Unless advised in the instructions, do not hold your breath whilst completing these stretches.

As well as flexibility routine several times a week, experts suggest that sedentary workers can benefit by a short stretching routine every hour or so during the day. Such a routine can focus on wrist, shoulder, neck and back stretches, and even eye exercises for those who constantly work at a computer.

Here is a suggested flexibility and balance exercise routine that takes around twenty minutes to complete, and includes some yoga exercises in the cool down phase.

Recommended Flexibility /Stretching Exercises Routine

Complete the following routine at least three times every week after a cardio-respiratory activity. If you cannot complete the routine after cardio-respiratory activity, precede it with 5 minutes of warm up activities from the list in Mission 1, Step 2. Unless specified, start with one set of each exercise, and after a couple of weeks, increase this to two or three sets i.e. complete each stretch for both the left and right sides of the body - where applicable - and then do it again before moving onto the next exercise. I have labelled each exercise here with a common name in the fitness industry followed by the part of the body being exercised (in brackets).You can find more information on each exercise by looking it up in an internet search engine.

1. Neck Rotation stretch (Neck): Standing or seated, slowly turn your head over your right shoulder and hold stretch. Repeat to left side.

2. Neck Retraction stretch (Neck): Standing or seated, slowly lift your head as far as possible and hold the stretch. Then move your chin down to your chest and hold.

3. Eye Focus (Eyes): Seated or standing, focus on one of your fingers held 10 to 15cm in front of your face, and then focus on an object at least 10 metres away. Complete 10 times.

4. Single arm wrist extensor stretch (Wrists): Hold your right arm out straight in front of you, level with your shoulders, with the palm down. Grasp the fingers of your right hand with your left hand and gently pull the fingers towards the right forearm. Hold and feel the stretch in your right wrist for 10 to 20 seconds. Repeat with your left wrist.

5. Overhead Triceps Stretch (Triceps): Hold your right arm over your head and bend it so that your right hand is behind your neck between your shoulder blades. Grab your right elbow with your left hand and pull the elbow back towards the middle of your back. Hold the stretch for 10 to 20 seconds. Repeat with left arm.

6. Overhead Lat Stretch (Outer Back - Latissmus Dorsi): Bend your right arm over the back of your head. With your left hand, pull your right elbow down towards your left shoulder and bend your torso to the left. Hold for 10 to 20 seconds. Repeat with left arm. NOTE: Avoid pushing your neck forwards as you complete this exercise.

7. Side Deltoid Stretch: (Shoulders): Hold your right arm across your upper chest. Grab right elbow with your left hand and push elbow towards the chest. Hold the stretch for 10 to 20 seconds. Repeat with left arm.

8. Hugging Stretch (Upper Back - Rhomboids): Cross both arms in front of your chest with elbows together. Raise your elbows and hold the stretch for 10 to 20 seconds.

9. Straight Arm Chest Stretch (Chest - Pectorals): Grasp a fixed structure like a door frame with your right hand whilst your right arm is extended to the side at shoulder height. Turn your body to the left so you feel the stretch in your chest. Hold for 10 to 20 seconds. Repeat with left arm.

10. Wall Straight Leg Calf Stretch (Legs - Calf): Place both hands on a wall or a doorframe and lean towards the wall with your left leg bent forwards and your right leg extending back. Push your right heel towards the floor whilst moving your hips slightly forwards. Feel the stretch in your right calf and hold for 10 to 20 seconds. Repeat with left calf.

11. Ankle Stretch (Ankles): Sit on a chair or bench with your right ankle resting on your left knee. Use both hands to gentle stretch your right foot so that the sole is pointing to the ceiling. Hold the stretch for 10 to 20 seconds. Repeat with your left ankle.

12. Lying Shin Stretch (Legs - Thigh & Shin): Lie on your left side on the floor. Grasp the top of your right foot with your right hand and pull your foot towards your buttocks. Feel the stretch in your right shin and hold for 10 to 20 seconds. Repeat with left shin.

13. Seated Single Leg Hamstring Stretch (Legs - Hamstring): Sit on the floor with legs straight and wide apart. As you breathe out, reach towards your right foot whilst bringing your body forwards over your right knee. Reach as far as you can without pain and hold the stretch in your hamstring for 10 to 20 seconds. Repeat with the left hamstring.

14. Seated Groin Stretch (Groin): Sit on the floor with the soles of your feet together and close to your body. Hold your feet with both hands and gently use your elbows to press your knees towards the floor. Hold the stretch for 10 to 20 seconds.

15. Pretzel Stretch (Hips, Waist and Sides): Sit on the floor or mat with legs out straight in front of you. Bend your right leg over your left and place your right foot to the left of your left knee. Turn your body to the right whilst supporting yourself with your right arm behind you. Place your left elbow to the outside of your right knee and gentle press the knee to the left. Feel the stretch in your right side muscles and hold for 10 to 20 seconds. Repeat with left side.

16. Toe Scrunch (Toes): Whilst seated on the floor with your legs out in front of you, alternatively scrunch the toes of your feet and hold the scrunch for a few seconds, then splay or spread your toes and hold the splay for a few seconds. Repeat this procedure 10 times.

17. Lying Lower Back Stretch (Lower Back): Lie on the floor on your back. Raise both knees to your chest and pull or hug them to your chest. Feel the stretch in your lower back and hold for 10 to 20 seconds.

18. Lying Abdominal Stretch (Abdomen): Lie on your back on the floor with your arms at your sides. Breathe in as you raise your arms above your head. Feel the stretch in your abdomen and hold for 10 to 20 seconds. Relax and return your arms to your sides.

19. Table Pose, Cat and Dog Stretches (Spine): Perform these three yoga postures as one sequence. Start with the table pose by kneeling on the floor with your hands a shoulder width apart. When you feel balanced, move your body into the cat stretch by stretching your spine upwards whilst bringing your chin to your chest. Hold the stretch for 10 to 20 seconds. Move into the dog stretch by relaxing your spine, allowing your abdomen to sink down as you slowly raise your head and look at the ceiling. Hold this stretch for 10 to 20 seconds and then relax back into the table pose.

20. Lion Pose - simplified - (Face and Neck): From the table pose in the previous exercise, move into a kneeling position with your knees in line with your hips and your big toes together. Sit back on your heels with your feet pointing out behind you. With your back straight but not arched, place your hands on your thighs with fingers spread apart. Take a deep breath in through your nose as you complete the following four actions simultaneously. 1) Open your mouth as wide as possible. 2) Stick out your tongue and move it as far as it will go down towards your chin. 3) Open your eyes wide and look up at the ceiling. 4) Splay your fingers out as far as they will go. Hold the stretch for 5 seconds and then slowly exhale through your mouth making a “Haaa” sound as the air passes over the back of your throat. NOTE: If you have knee problems, complete this activity sitting on a kitchen chair.

21. Child Pose (Hips, Thighs and Ankles): From the position of the lion pose, sitting on your heels, breathe out as you bend the top half of your body over your knees and allow your head to relax towards the floor. Place your arms down by your sides, or stretch them out in front of you. Hold the stretch for 3 or 4 breaths and then, as you inhale, slowly move back to your starting position. NOTE: Avoid this pose if you have knee problems. If you find it difficult to sit on your heels, place a thick blanked under your thighs.

22. Tree pose (Balance): Stand up slowly after the child pose to avoid dizziness. From a standing position, place the sole of your left foot against the inner thigh of your right leg with toes pointing downwards. Focus on a fixed spot on the wall or somewhere in front of you and establish your sense of balance. Keep your hips level and avoid leaning towards the leg you are standing on. Once you have your balance, place your hands in a prayer position in front of your chest. Hold this pose for 10 to 20 seconds. Repeat with your right foot on your left thigh.

Alternative Balance Exercise: If you find the Tree pose difficult, here is a simpler balance exercise. Stand on your right leg with your left knee raised to be level with your left hip. Hold the position for 10 to 20 seconds. Repeat with your right leg raised. As a variation, whilst holding the balance pose, use your hands to pass any small object such as a tennis ball around (under and over) your raised thigh 10 to 20 times. Another variation is to pass a small object around your body whilst you are balancing on one leg. A third variation is to pass the object around your raised thigh 10 times and then around your body 10 times.

Details, photos and some animations on how to complete most of these exercises can also be found on the Internet at www.exrx.net or by simply typing the exercise title into a search engine.

Exercise Routine for Sedentary Workers

Exercises 1 to 7 in the above routine will serve as a stretching routine for people working in sedentary occupations or activities:

1. Neck Rotation stretch (Neck)

2. Neck Retraction stretch (Neck)

3. Eye Focus (Eyes)

4. Single arm wrist extensor stretch (Wrists)

5. Overhead Triceps Stretch (Triceps)

6. Overhead Lat Stretch (Outer Back - Latissmus Dorsi)

7. Side Deltoid Stretch: (Shoulders)

Experts suggest that we spend a few minutes completing such exercises after every fifty minutes to an hour of sedentary work.

CREATIVE RESPONSES

CREATIVE RESPONSE (SU): Develop a set of flexibility and balance exercises for the major muscle groups in your body, and plan to perform them at least three times each week.

Use the guidelines and suggested set of exercises above as the starting point for your own flexibility and balance exercise routine.

Plan to complete your routine at least three times each week after a cardio-respiratory activity, or after 5 minutes of warm up activities.

Prepare a chart or instruction sheet on your flexibility and balance exercise routine and either display it in, or take it with you to your exercise area. Try to learn the routine by heart so you can eventually complete your program without referring to instructions.

CREATIVE RESPONSE: If you work in a sedentary occupation, prepare a small collection of stretches to complete after each 50 to 60 minutes of sedentary work.

Use the guidelines and suggested set of exercises above as the starting point for your own sedentary work exercise routine.

Plan to complete your after every 50 minutes to an hour of sedentary work.

Prepare a chart or instruction sheet on your sedentary work exercise routine and display it in your work area. Try to learn the routine by heart so you can eventually complete it without referring to instructions.

Strength Development Exercises

NECESSARY WISDOM

Strength development exercises are those that work and strengthen our muscles and joints to develop increased strength and endurance in the targeted areas of our body.

The well-researched 2008 Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans suggest that whilst the daily activities of some people might provide strength development for some muscles, most adults also need a range of regular strength development activities that work on all the key muscle groups.

Strength exercises not only help to increase the strength of muscles, but build muscle size, increase the strength of ligaments and bones, and help to prevent physical injuries.

Experts recommend that for general health, we complete strength development exercises around three times a week with a day of rest from strength work every second day. I suggest the alternate days could be used for stretching and balance exercises as recommended in Mission 2, Step 1 above.

Exercising for strength is also known as resistance training, and effective resistance training requires a progressive and controlled increase in loads on our muscles. Whilst exercises without special equipment can achieve positive results, the most effective way to build progressive resistance is to use weights and/ or exercise machines. You can use weights or machines in any nearby gymnasium under the guidance of a trainer, or, if you take due care, you can purchase the necessary equipment and exercise at home. The most cost effective set of apparatus for light resistance work is a set of two adjustable dumbbells and an adjustable bench-press. Adjustable dumbbells can be purchased at most sports shops and inexpensive models typically allow a weight range for each dumbbell from 2kg - for just the handle and locking nuts, up to around 10kg for the handle and all the plates. This is sufficient to get most people well into an ongoing light resistance routine for general health. These weights will not make you look like a muscle builder, but they will help you to increase and maintain all round strength. An adjustable bench press for light dumbbell work is also relatively inexpensive. A plain, flat bench press serves for most exercises, but you can only work some muscle groups when the bench is set to an incline position, which is why we need the adjustable bench. In addition to these items, you will require a thick piece of wood, a flat rock or a brick that can serve as a shallow step around 7 - 10cm (3 to 4 inches) high.

Advantages of Adjustable Dumbbells for Weight Routines

-          Relatively inexpensive

-          Allows for a progressive increase in loads

-          Permits a range of exercises covering the important muscles

-          Relatively portable - can be packed in a car and taken on a road trip

-          Long -lasting - it is not easy to damage metal dumbbells

-          Requires no or very little maintenance

-          Requires no electricity to operate

There are several potential dangers in strength training and that is why you should exercise under the supervision of an expert, or take due care if you use resistance training at home. There are hundreds of stories we can read about of people who enthusiastically start weight programs only to strain and injure themselves soon after commencement, and who then have to give up on their strength workouts altogether. Here are the key guidelines and warnings from weight training experts.

Guidelines for Weight Training

-          Learn to complete the movements of each exercise properly, or with “good form”, before you start completing them with weights. This means following exercise instructions and diagrams carefully, and if necessary, viewing further diagrams and videos on the internet. If you plan to complete your exercises at home, consider first visiting a gymnasium where a trainer can supervise your routine until you have a good understanding of what is required.

-          Start your routine with light resistance, and increase repetitions and resistance very gradually. Resist the temptation to move to heavier and more impressive resistance levels too soon. Follow a steady and gradual path to minimize the chance of strains and other injuries.

-          Do not exercise until it hurts! The “no pain, no gain” saying certainly does not apply to strength training. Pain during an exercise is a sign that something is wrong or not working. If you experience pain, stop what you are doing immediately.

-          Have a rest day after every strength development session. Muscles need time to adjust to increased loads. Use the alternate days for stretching and balance exercises.

-          Do not hold your breath while lifting weights or working on exercise machines.

-          If you need to have a break from your routine for any reason, start again with less resistance, and fewer sets or repetitions.

The following strength program covers all the major muscles of the body using just a set of adjustable or light dumbbells, an adjustable bench press and any item that works as a shallow step. The routine starts with the same levels of resistance (weights) and numbers of sets (repetitions) for every exercise. This will be all right in the early stages, but as you add resistance and sets, you will be able to complete some exercises more easily than other exercises. Take note of your comfortable limits with each activity and adjust your resistance levels or sets accordingly.

Recommended Strength Development Routine Using Dumbbells and a Bench Press.

Complete the following routine at least three times every week after a warm up period such as a cardio-respiratory activity or 5 minutes of warm up activities from the list in Mission 1, Step 2. Follow the following routine until you reach a point where you attain your current limit in terms of weight or the number of sets i.e. repetitions for both sides of the body - where applicable - for each exercise. In other words, if it becomes difficult to complete extra sets, or work with extra weight, stay at the level you are until you can comfortably move on. I have labelled each exercise here with a common name in the fitness industry followed, in brackets, by the part of the body being exercised. You can find more information on each exercise by looking it up in an internet search engine, or by visiting an exercise directory web site like www.exrx.net.

Week 1: Complete 2 sets of each exercise using just the handle and locking nuts of adjustable dumbbells or pre-formed dumbbells of 1.5 to 2kg in each hand.

Week 2: Complete 2 sets with ONE of the smallest plates added to your dumbbell bar giving a total weight of 3 to 3.5kg per dumbbell. Yes, the dumbbell will be unbalanced, but it will be manageable if you hold it close to the end with the plate.

Week 3: Complete 3 sets with 3 to 3.5kg in each dumbbell.

Weeks 4-10: Complete one extra set each week with 3 to 3.5kg

Week 11: Complete 5 sets with an extra plate added to each dumbbell giving a total weight in each hand of 4.5 to 5kg. You will now have the handle plus one plate on each end.

Weeks 11-15: Complete one extra set each week with 4.5 to 5kg. By the end of this series, you should be completing 10 sets unless you reach your comfortable limit beforehand.

Week 16: Add plates to your dumbbells to reach around 7.5kg in each hand. Drop the number of repetitions back to 5.

Weeks 17-20: Complete one extra set each week with 7.5kg.

Continue the process of adding around 2kg to 2.5kg of weight to each hand after comfortably lifting 10 sets. Drop the number of sets back to 5 or less when you add extra weight.

1. Dumbbell Lunge (Quadriceps & Gluteals): Stand with dumbbells held at the sides. Lunge forward with left leg landing on your heel first. Return to standing position. Repeat with your right leg.

2. Dumbbell Straight-back, Straight-leg Dead lift (Hamstrings): Stand with dumbbells held at your sides. Keeping knees, arms and back straight, bend forwards at hips until a stretch is felt in the hamstrings. Straighten up and pull your shoulders back.

3. Dumbbell Lateral Raises (Middle Deltoids - Shoulders): Stand, leaning forwards slightly with dumbbells in front of your thighs and arms slightly bent. Raise dumbbells outwards until level with your shoulders without twisting arms but keeping them slightly bent. Return to the starting position

4. Dumbbell Hammer Curl (Forearms): Stand with one dumbbell in each hand down by your sides - arms straight, palm facing inwards. Bend your left elbow and raise the dumbbell in your left hand towards your left shoulder. Raise it to the point where your left forearm is vertical. Repeat with your right arm.

5. Dumbbell Side Bend (Obliques): Stand and hold a dumbbell in your left hand down by your left side. Bend your body to the right until you feel a slight stretch in your left side. Bend your body to the left for the same distance - still with the dumbbell in your left hand. Repeat with the dumbbell in your right hand.

6. Dumbbell Single Leg Calf Raise (Calves): Stand with a dumbbell at your left side; position the ball of your left foot on a flat rock or block of wood 5-8 cm high with your heel and arch extending off. Whilst holding onto support with your right hand, lift up on the ball of your left foot as high as possible and lower until you feel the stretch in your calf. Repeat your number of sets with your left leg and then complete the same number with your right leg.

7. Dumbbell Bent-over Row (Back): Place your left knee on a flat bench press, bend over and support your body with your left arm whilst your right leg is on the floor and back a little. Your right arm picks up a dumbbell from the floor, and lifts it your right chest and then returns it to the floor. Repeat with your right arm.

8. Dumbbell Kickback (Triceps): Place your right knee on a flat bench press. Bend over and support your body with your right arm whilst your left leg is on the floor and back a little. Your left arm picks up a dumbbell from the floor, and raises it to the point where your left upper arm is parallel to your body. From this position, lift and move the dumbbell back so that your left arm is straight and your pinkie finger of your left hand is closest to the ceiling. Repeat with your right arm.

9. Dumbbell Shoulder Press (Anterior Deltoids - Shoulders): Sit on a bench-press with dumbbells held at your shoulders and elbows below your wrists. Raise dumbbells by straightening your arms and returning to the starting position.

10. Dumbbell Bench Press (Chest): Sit on the one end of the bench press with dumbbells on your thighs. Lie back slowly and bring dumbbells to your shoulders. Raise dumbbells by straightening your arms upwards and then returning the dumbbells to your shoulders. To end, place dumbbells on thighs and sit up.

11. Dumbbell Curls (Biceps - Arms): Seated on one end of the bench press with dumbbells at your sides. Raise the dumbbell in your left hand to left shoulder as you give it a half twist and then return to the starting position. Keep elbows tucked in. Repeat the exercise with the dumbbell in your right land.

12. Dumbbell One-arm Triceps Extension (Triceps - Arms): Hold a dumbbell between your shoulder blades with your left hand and raise it upwards by straightening your left arm above your head and then returning to the starting position. Repeat the exercise with your right hand.

13. Weighted Crunch (Abdominals): Lie on the bench press with your knees and thighs bent and your head extending over the edge of the press. Hold a dumbbell plate behind your head. Using the muscles in your abdomen, raise your body as far as possible and return to the starting position.

14. Dumbbell Lying Rear Delt Raise (Deltoid Posterior): Lie chest down on a flat bench press. Grasp a dumbbell in each hand, palm down, and whilst breathing out, raise the dumbbells to be level with your shoulders whilst bending your arms slightly. Breathe in as you lower the dumbbells to the floor.

15. Dumbbell Incline Shoulder Raise (Serratus Anterior - Shoulder): Adjust your bench press to an incline position. Sit on the flat end of the bench press with one dumbbell in each hand resting on your thighs. Lift the dumbbells to your shoulders and lean back onto the inclined part of the bench. Raise both dumbbells directly above your shoulders by straightening your arms. Keeping arms straight, raise your shoulders towards the dumbbells as high as you can lift them. Lower your shoulders back to the bench press and repeat. That is one set.

CREATIVE RESPONSES

CREATIVE RESPONSE (SU): Develop a set of strength development exercises for the major muscle groups in your body, and plan to perform them at least three times each week.

Use the guidelines and suggested set of exercises above as the starting point for your own strength development routine.

Plan to complete your routine at least three times each week after a cardio-respiratory activity, or after 5 minutes of warm up activities.

Prepare a chart or instruction sheet on your strength exercise routine and either display it in, or take it with you to your exercise area. Try to learn the routine by heart so you can eventually complete your program without referring to instructions.

CREATIVE RESPONSE (SU): Determine the methods or activities you will use to warm up before, and cool down after your strength development activity.

Use the guidelines in Mission 1, Step 2 to select an appropriate warm up and cool down routine for your chosen strength development activity.

Remember to include time in your exercise program for such warm ups and cool downs.