Kenneth Gardner

If your aim is to get into shape for better sport performance or just for general fitness, combining muscle strengthening exercises with aerobic activities should definitely do the trick.

Building strength and stamina incorporates a complete training programme. The primary purpose of strength training exercises is to improve your muscle function. Strength training exercises will also help you to develop stronger bones, tendons and ligaments, which will enable you to achieve more in all physical activities.

Strength training also reduces your risk of medical problems including low back pain, diabetes, and degenerative problems such as osteoporosis. If you struggle with keeping your weight down, then strength training is the activity for you. Regular strength training not only increases your daily energy expenditure, it also boosts your resting metabolism. This enables you to burn more calories all day long and so achieve and maintain a more desirable body weight.

Cardiovascular health

On the other hand, the purpose of endurance exercise is to improve your cardiovascular system. This includes your heart, lungs and blood vessels. Some benefits of cardiovascular conditioning include a lower resting heart rate, reduced resting blood pressure, improved exercise performance and faster recovery after exercise of any kind. Endurance exercises also reduce your risk of coronary artery diseases, strokes and other cardiovascular illnesses.

Combining strength training and endurance exercises will certainly help you develop the strength you desire by effectively burning extra calories and reducing body fat. Here is a list of exercises that will help you to develop your strength.

Excercise instructor Kurt Dunn demonstrates front barbell curls at Gymkhana, Hilton Kingston hotel. - Ricardo Makyn/Staff Photographer

Prone leg curls (leg exercise using the Nautilus machine)

Stand between bench seat and adjustable movement pads.

Lie face down with legs straight and knees just off bench.

Grip handles lightly.

Pull movement pads to hips by contracting hamstring.

Return slowly to starting position and repeat.

Lateral raise (shoulder exercise using Nautilus machine)

Sit with shoulders in line with machine axis of rotation.

Placearms against sides inside the movement pads.

Lift movement pads just above horizontal space.

Return slowly to starting position and repeat.

Bicycle manoeuvre (abdominal exercise)

Lie flat on your back with your knees bent and feet flat on the floor.

Place your fingers on the side of your head just behind your ears.

Push your lower back into the floor flattening the arch and hold.

Bring your knees up to a 45 degree angle and slowly go through a bicycle pedal motion.

Front curl (biceps exercise using the curl bar)

Assume a comfortable stance with bar resting across the thighs.

Take an underhand grip (palms pointing outwards) of bar, then slowly flex your arm bringing bar to your chest.

Prevent elbows from moving backwards and body from leaning.

Return to initial position and repeat.

Behind neck press (back exercise using the Universal machine)

Assume a seated position facing the bar.

Arms should be fully extended with a wide grip on the bar.

Tilt head forward and pull bar to base of neck.

Return to initial position and repeat.

Chest cross (chest exercise using the Nautilus machine)

Sit with shoulder joint with machine axis of rotation.

Place elbows against pads and palms against handles.

Move elbow pads together as close as possible.

Return slowly to starting position and repeat.

Triceps kickback (triceps exercise using barbell)

Take a shoulder-width overgrip of the handles.

Lie on your back on a flat exercise bench with feet flat on the floor.

Rest barbell above middle of chest with arms fully bent.

Slowly push barbell directly to the rear until arms are fully extended.

Return to starting position and repeat.