Body Sculpting Exercises

Body sculpting exercises work towards toning the muscles in specific parts of the body. Defining the muscles by placing resistance on the muscles to strengthen them is the core idea of body sculpting exercises.

All the major muscle groups are targeted through these exercises. Muscle groups in the back, chest, biceps, legs, triceps, shoulders and abdomen can be easily worked upon. When compound exercises are chosen, people can target more than one muscle at a time.

Body sculpting exercises that involve the entire body help in reducing the exercising time considerably. These exercises combine one or more exercises and focus on working out the entire body. Common and popular body sculpting exercises include stretching exercises and resistance training.

Many people use body sculpting exercises to target the thighs, abs and upper arms muscles. Muscles in the neck, pectorals, claves, wrists, ankles and upper back can also be exercised. Body sculpting exercises should be done on alternate days as the muscles require rest.

There are a variety of exercises that target different muscle group and there are different methods to work out too. Adapt to new routines every few weeks so that you don't get bored with the exercises. This will also energize your workout and keep it interesting. While embarking on body sculpting exercises, begin with one or two sets of 10 repetitions and build to three sets of 12 repetitions. Remember to warm up the body before performing these exercises so as to prevent fatigue, muscle cramps, etc.

Upper body sculpting exercises

Reverse flies

• Stand erect.
  
  
• Hold the weights and lean forward with a straight back and softened knees.
  
  
• The elbows should be slightly bent and the abs should be held tight.
  
  
• Lift the arms to shoulder level and squeeze the shoulder blades together.
  
  
• Lower the weights and repeat.

Normal squats

• Spread your feet to hip distance.
  
  
• Bend your knees lightly.
  
  
• Sit back as if you are sitting down in a chair.
  
  
• Do not bend knees forward over the ankles; remember to push gluteus backwards at the hips.
  
  
• Keep the back straight as you exercise.

Lunges with arms raises

• Take a step forward and do a lunge.
  
  
• Bend your knees until your back knee is a few inches from the ground.
  
  
• Using hand weights lift your arms to the same level as your shoulders while you dip down with the lunge.
  
  
• Alternate legs.

Biceps curls

• Stand or sit and hold the weights loosely.
  
  
• Keep your arms at your sides and bend the arms upwards.
  
  
• Hinge at the elbow.
  
  
• Slowly lower, relax and repeat.

Triceps curls

• Stand erect and hold one arm at your waist level.
  
  
• Hold the weight in the right hand.
  
  
• Lean forward but hold the back straight.
  
  
• Press your elbow and your right upper arm against your body.
  
  
• Extend your right arm back behind you, hinging at the elbow.
  
  
• Take care not to hinge at the shoulder.
  
  
• Swing the arm forward and repeat.
  
  
• Change side.

Lower body sculpting exercises

Lower leg (calf) rises

• Standing with both feet flat on the floor.
  
  
• Rise up onto your toes.
  
  
• Lower yourself back down.
  
  
• Hold onto a chair or a wall if you need support.

Abs and core muscles

• Lie on your back.
  
  
• Keep your hands behind your head.
  
  
• Do not dip the chin.
  
  
• Keep the shoulders and elbows down.
  
  
• Raise your upper body until the upper back is just off the floor, you should feel your abs tighten.
  
  
• Pull your legs towards your chest; using bicycle movements extend the first leg and then the other leg.

Leg Raises

• Get down on the floor on all fours.
  
  
• Place your knees at hip distance and hands directly under the shoulders.
  
  
• Lift up the right leg to the ceiling and slightly lower until you feel the tightness in the gluteus muscle.
  
  
• Do not put your knee back on the ground between reps.

Full body workout exercises

Squat with upward shoulder press

• Spread your feet about shoulder-width apart.
  
  
• Hold weights in your hand and bend at knee level and squat down.
  
  
• Squat in such a way that the knees are above the toes.
  
  
• As you squat down press the arms above the head/shoulders.

Pushup/leg lift

• Get down on the floor on all fours.
  
  
• Hands should be placed directly under your shoulders.
  
  
• Lift one leg so that it is in straight line with your back.
  
  
• Lift the leg up and as you do it, lower your upper body down in a slight pushup.
  
  
• Raise the upper body up as you lower your leg back to the straight position.

Plie with upright row

• Place your feet about shoulder width apart.
  
  
• Turn your toes outward as far as you can without falling over.
  
  
• Take a weight in both your hands or share a weight on both your hands.
  
  
• Hold the weight in front of your body near your waist.
  
  
• Plie by bending your knees and lowering your body (just a few inches).
  
  
• While doing the above lift the weight in front of you to your chest level.

Benefits of body sculpting exercises

When done properly body sculpting exercises:

• Raise the metabolic rate.
  
  
• Improve the tone of the muscle.
  
  
• Increase functional strength and endurance.
  
  
• Improve posture
  
  
• Full body sculpting exercises reduce the time in the gym without reducing the benefits for the body.
  
  
• Initially while beginning freshly with these exercises, ensure that you do them slowly and without weights.
  
  
• Get to understand the exercises and follow the set pattern as they need to be done.
  
  
• As you get better and comfortable with the movements, you can create your own full body sculpting exercises.

Arm sculpting exercises

Flabby arms can make a person feel self-conscious and uncomfortable. Arms can be easily and quickly reshaped and sculpted. Weights help in sculpting the arm muscles. Begin by using light weights as they will minimize the risk of injury.

Biceps curls

• Hold weights with palms facing out.
  
  
• Elbows should be placed next to the body.
  
  
• Bend the elbows and curl the weights toward the shoulders without moving the elbows.Lower and repeat.

Hammer Curls - biceps

• Hold weights with palms facing inwards.
  
  
• Elbows should be placed next to the body.
  
  
• Bend the elbows and curl the weights toward the shoulders without moving the elbows. Lower and repeat.

Barbell curls - biceps

• Stand with feet about hip-width apart.
  
  
• Abs should be engaged while you hold the weight in front of the thighs.
  
  
• Squeeze the biceps and bend the arms as you curl the weight up towards the shoulders.
  
  
• Keep the elbows stationary while you only bring the weight as high as you can without moving the elbows.
  
  
• Slowly lower the weight, maintain a slight bend in the elbows at the bottom i.e. do not lock the joints.

Dips using chair - triceps

• Sit on a bench or chair.
  
  
• Keep your hands close to or slightly under the hips.
  
  
• Lift up onto the hands as you bring the hips forward.
  
  
• Bend the elbows and lower the hips down while keeping them very close to the chair.
  
  
• Keep the shoulders down.
  
  
• Push back up without locking the elbows.

If you have shoulder problems, avoid this exercise.

Triceps push-up using one arm

• Lie on your right side.
  
  
• Bend your knees and the hips should be stacked.
  
  
• Wrap the bottom arm around the waist while you place the left hand on the floor in front of you.
  
  
• The fingers should point towards the right.
  
  
• Contract the triceps and push the body up and off the floor.
  
  
• Straighten the left arm as much as you can without locking the elbow.
  
  
• Lower a few inches and continue pushing up and down.
  
  
• Switch sides.

Arm sculpting with a band - workout biceps and triceps

• Sit in a chair with feet wide.
  
  
• Place one end of band under left foot.
  
  
• Grip other end with right hand.
  
  
• Keep arm straight.
  
  
• Allow your elbow to rest on the right inner thigh.
  
  
• Curl arm toward shoulder.
  
  
• Lower arm
  
  
• Switch sides
  
  
• Repeat.

Leg sculpting exercises

If you want a chiseled pair of legs, strengthen the muscles and burn body fat. Proper exercises and training will help build the tone of your leg muscles. However if your legs are covered by a layer of fat, the muscles might not stand out. Therefore you have to burn fat as much as you condition the muscles.

Lateral lunge workout

• Stand with feet hip width apart.
  
  
• Place hands on waist.
  
  
• Step laterally 2-3 feet and place foot onto a raised platform/structure, say 12-24" high.
  
  
• Bend knee into a lunge.
  
  
• Push off from foot, return to start position.
  
  
• Repeat and change legs.
  
  
• Keep head and back upright in a neutral position.
  
  
• Shoulders and hips should remain squared at all times.

Side lunge

• Stand with feet hip-width apart.
  
  
• Left foot should rest on a paper plate, so that you don't slip.
  
  
• Bend the right leg while sliding the left foot to the side.
  
  
• Torso should be upright and abs should be in.
  
  
• Slowly slide left foot back to starting position.
  
  
• Switch legs and repeat.

One-leg squats

• Stand in an upright position with your back to the side of the bench.
  
  
• Place one foot behind you, the toes should be on top of the bench.
  
  
• The other foot should be flat on the floor.
  
  
• Bend the knee of the foot on the floor and allow your body to drop until your leg is bent at a 90 degree angle.
  
  
• Do not allow your knee to move in front of your foot rested on the floor.
  
  
• Keep your rear foot stationary on the bench.
  
  
• Slowly straighten your support leg and return to the starting position.
  
  
• Repeat and change legs.

One-leg hop

• Stand in an upright position with your back to the side of the bench.
  
  
• Place one foot behind you, the toes should be on top of the bench.
  
  
• The other foot should be flat on the floor.
  
  
• Bend the knee slightly.
  
  
• Do not allow your knee to move in front of your foot rested on the floor.
  
  
• Keep the rear foot on the bench; hop up and down on your leg that is on the floor.
  
  
• Repeat and change legs.