Train one side, then the other

Most of us are stronger on one side of our bodies than on the other, so it’s a good idea to train one side of the body at a time to correct any muscle imbalances. In this exercise, you’ll move one arm at a time and use a staggered leg stance to direct more of the work into the forward leg.

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1) Stand upright, holding a heavy dumbbell in your right hand. (You can also hold two lighter dumbbells.) Stagger your feet, with the right foot in front of the left and with your knees slightly bent.

2) Place your left hand behind your hips with your right hand close to your right leg. Bend forward at the hips. Maintain a long spine as you feel a stretch in the back of your thighs. Pause at the bottom, then squeeze your buttocks and hamstrings to return to the start position. Do 12 reps, then switch legs, hold the weight in the other hand and repeat on the other side.

- Karen Voight

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Karen Voight can be reached at kvoightla@aol.com.