With the fall semester almost over, it’s likely that late-night pizza deliveries and dining-hall snackfests have packed on a few pounds. Doing cardio is an excellent way to torch calories fast, but muscle mass is needed to help burn more calories — and it keeps them burning off around the clock.

“Building muscle is going to burn fat and gives that toned look everyone is looking for,” says American College of Sports Medicine certified SRC personal trainer Nate Delafield. So get to the weight room.

One thing that’s easily noticed upon entering the SRC: the weight room seems to be dominated by iron-pumping frat boys.

“There’s a lot of testosterone in the SRC weight room,” Delafield says.
“I don’t see a lot of girls in the weight room, but I can understand a bit. It seems to be swarming with dudes,” says senior Elan Chen.

Ladies, it’s time to shake off the nerves and get lifting in the sea of testosterone that is the SRC weight room.

Don’t worry about bulking up like the boys. “It takes a high level of testosterone and a certain genetic make up to get big and cut,” Delafield says.

Here’s a quick twenty minute routine that targets many major muscle group to get firm fast. Couple the plan with a few less beers/pizza slices and more fresh foods and water and you’ll be seeing results by spring break.

These exercises are a great foundation to any fitness plan. “If you really want to tone up, you need to challenge yourself,” Delafield says. So no whimpy two-pound weights.

Delafield says to add exercises to this routine when they become manageable or less difficult. Would five exercises that only take around 20 minutes to execute really make a difference? “It’s completely possible to get a whole body workout with five good exercises,” Delafied says. And here they are. ..

1. Assisted Squat: works quadriceps, hamstrings, glutes

Assisted squat is a good option for women because it allows maximum weight loading without the danger of dropping a barbell. Works all major muscle groups of the lower body and strengthens the lower back.

Execution: set barbell with ten pound weights on each side. Stand with legs hip length apart, toes straight to wall, knees slightly bent. Squat down to a sitting position (90 degrees) and return to a standing position with a controlled movement. Do eight to twelve repetitions, repeat twice.

Variation: One legged assisted squat. Execute squat with one leg off the ground behind body.

2. Bench Tricep Dip: works triceps
Here’s an exercise to steal from the boys’ routine: Works the back of the arm (tricep) giving the arm a lean, firm look.

Execution: Find a free bench around the SRC weight room. Sit on bench and walk feet out so body is in plant position, facing away from bench. Bend arms so body lowers to the bench and raise back to plant position in a controlled movement. Do eight to twelve repetitions, repeat twice.

3. Incline sit-up: works transverse abdominal, upper and lower abdominal.

Execution: Find the incline sit up bench (often located on the right side of the main weight room.) Lock ankle in under foot restraint, lay back to an incline. Cross arms about chest and in a smooth, controlled movement contract abs. Contract abs on the decline of the exercise back to starting position. Do repetitions to failure (until you can’t go anymore) and repeat that number for two sets.

4. Bicep Curl: works biceps

Another exercise to steal from the boys camp. Women don’t have the testosterone needed to build beefy muscles like boys can.

Execution: Grab an eight pound free weight. Stand holding the weight level at hip level, palms facing away from the body. Inhale, then curl the weight. Exhale, return to resting holding position. Do twelve repetitions, repeat twice.

5. Bench Press: works pecs, triceps, deltoids

Guys seem to dominate this machine — so put one to work as a spotter. It’s important to have someone spotting this exercise so if the weight becomes to heavy to safely re stack, there’s a buddy to help.

Execution: Lie back on a flat bench. Take an overhand grip on the barbell with hands more than a shoulder-width apart. Inhale slowly and lower the barbell until it reaches your chest. Press the weight back up, exhaling as you complete the movement.

Reach the reporter at michelle.masek@asu.edu.