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Strengthening the Future
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Fitness Finders ® Lift-A-Ton™ Fitness Finders is a registered mark of Fitness Finders, Inc.
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Strengthening The Future
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An incentive based, resistance training program designed to motivate
participants to develop and maintain upper body strength.
Upper Body Strength
Lift-A-Ton — Adaptable
= Elementary through high school and adults
= Full class participation or individual programs
= With or without equipment
= Fit and unfit
With or Without Equipment
Lift-A-Ton — Easy-to-implement
= No weighing of participants
= No calculations
= Blends into your current program
Lift-A-Ton — Upper body conditioning
= Increase muscle strength
Easy-to-Implement
= Better posture
= Less neck and back pain
= Stronger and more dense bones of
the upper body (which may help prevent
osteopenia and osteoporosis later in life)
= Greater capacity to meet the physical challenges of life
Flexible
Let Lift-A-Ton give your program “definition.”
Lift-A-Ton™, Fitness Finders, Inc. © 2008
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CORE CONCEPTS
Lift-A-Ton is built on four core concepts.
1. Resistance Training
2. Flexibility
3. Simplicity
4. Incentives
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Core #1 – Resistance Training1
®
These exercises were selected for:
= Familiarity.
= Suitability for large group settings.
= Availability to school, recreational
and home settings.
The Benchmark Exercises and the other
exercises provided in Lift-A-Ton can improve
upper body strength by focusing on the:
= Pectoral muscles of the chest.
= Triceps on the back of the arms.
= Deltoid muscles of the shoulders.
= Trapezius and rhomboid muscles of
the upper back.
6,000
Push-ups use body weight
as resistance.
= Chest Press uses resistance bands.
=
Deltoid
Bicep
Bicep
Pectoral
Front
Deltoid
Trapezius
Tricep
Rhomboid
Tricep
Back
The terms “strength training” and “resistance training” are used synonymously in the Lift-A-Ton program. See page 7 for
definitions.
2
Chest Press may be replaced with bench press using free weights or weight machines.
1
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Lift-A-Ton uses three exercises as Benchmarks for
upper body resistance training.
= Bent-knee Push-up
= Chest Press (using Thera-Band resistance bands2)
= Straight-leg Push-up
1
Resistance training includes any type of activity that resists or overcomes a force. Most people think of
free weights or weight machines when they think of resistance training. However, body weight (as in
push-ups) or resistance bands may also be used in resistance training.
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Introduction
Core #2 – Flexibility
Lift-A-Ton is flexible. This program:
Lift-A-Ton allows an entire
= May be implemented anywhere – gym, classroom, class to be actively involved all
recreation center, recess, at home.
at the same time in upper body
= Requires little or no equipment.
resistance training.
= Covers elementary through adult age groups.
= Allows for multiple levels of strength.
= May be used individually or with an entire class.
Lift-A-Ton is designed to fit into your current program. There is no need to rearrange the warm-up or
conditioning sections of your class. Lift-A-Ton can be incorporated with minimal disruption.
Core #3 – Simplicity
Strength training programs are often difficult to implement. A limited number of weights or weight
machines means participants spend most of their time waiting in line – which can result in discipline
problems with young people and frustration for all age groups.
Lift-A-Ton was purposely developed to eliminate these and other challenges. To keep things simple, LiftA-Ton provides:
= Exercises with little or no equipment.
= Simple-to-read charts – which eliminate all calculations.
= Easy-to-use recording – conducted by the participants.
Lift-A-Ton is the best way to provide an upper body strength training program for your participants. You
will enjoy the ease of implementation as well.
Core #4 – Incentives
Incentives are an important part of Lift-A-Ton. Not only is it fun to receive an award, but participants are
able to easily keep track of and exhibit their progress using the Weight Plate incentives.
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Lift-A-Ton™, Fitness Finders, Inc. © 2008
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For every 2,000 pounds (1 ton) a participant lifts, a Weight Plate is awarded. Instructors have opportunity
to award participants on a continual basis. This motivates individuals to strive for the next level.
Bent-knee
Push-up
Start Position
Place hands flat on floor, shoulder width apart, slightly
in front of armpits.
Keep fingers forward with arms completely extended.
Place knees and feet on floor.
Action
Inhale, bend arms and lower body toward floor. Take
elbows to a 90-degree angle or touch chest to a 3-inch
high object.
Exhale, push against floor to straighten arms and return
to start position.
(Keep back straight and abdominal muscles tight.)
Lift-A-Ton™, Fitness Finders, Inc. © 2008
Strengthening The Future
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Pumped Program
Shoulder Extension*
Start Position
= Grasp one end of the band in each hand. Use Proper Grip.
= Place one arm at each side.
= Keep the left arm straight and move it across the front of the body until it
is 12-18 inches in front of right arm at elbow level, with the thumb pointed to the right.
Action
= Hold the left arm stationary and pull the right arm backward as far as possible, keeping the elbow straight.
= Slowly return the right arm to the start position (keep the left arm in front of right arm).
(Repeat using the left arm once all right side repetitions are completed.)
Shoulder
Extension
Shoulder Shrug
Start Position
= Stand with both feet on the middle of the band, feet hip width apart.
= Grasp one end of the band in each hand. Use Proper Grip.
= Place the arms at the side with thumbs pointing forward.
Action
= Keep the arms straight and draw the shoulders upward, toward the ears, as far as possible.
= Slowly return the shoulders to the start position.
Shoulder Shrug
Triceps Extension*
Start Position
= Place the band behind the back.
= Grasp an end of the band in each hand. Use Proper Grip.
= Make a fist with the right hand and place it against the hip.
= Bend the left arm so the thumb of the left hand is pointed toward the top of the left shoulder.
Action
= Keep the right hand against the hip and straighten the left arm upward until the elbow is fully extended.
= Slowly return the left arm to the start position.
(Repeat using the right arm once all left side repetitions are completed.)
Participants who have trouble properly performing these exercises may have
weak core muscles. Be sure to include core muscle exercises in your program.
See Appendix A, pages 80-85 for Core Exercises.
Lift-A-Ton™, Fitness Finders, Inc. © 2008
Triceps
Extension
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Table 9 - Lift Weight for Straight-leg Push-ups (Adult)
By age and combined average body weight
of males and females19
Age
Average
Weight20
19
20-29
30-39
40-49
50-59
60-74
75+
160
170
175
185
185
180
160
Lift Weight for
Number of Reps to
Straight-leg Push-up
Lift One Ton
(75% of weight)
120
128
131
139
139
135
120
17
16
16
15
15
15
17
Example: A 45-year-old adult
= Average weight of 185 pounds.
= Lift Weight of 139 pounds for Straight-leg Push-ups.
= It will take 15 Straight-leg Push-ups for a 45-year-old adult to lift
2,000 pounds (one ton).
Does your weight differ greatly from the average weight posted for your age? Simply check the average
weight columns on this table or Table 7 (page 56). Ignore the age column and use the figure closest to your
actual weight.
19
20
Appendix E provides a description of how to use a person’s actual weight when doing Straight-leg push-ups.
National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) 1999-2002.
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Making Exercise Fun
Exercising can be extra enjoyable when the activity is conducted in a game-like fashion. The following
activities do just that, they provide creative ways to keep muscle development fun.
Many of the following activities are found in Aerobics with Fun. This 300+ page book includes activities
for all segments of a workout – warm-up, muscle development, cardiovascular conditioning and cool
down. This one book could revolutionize your workouts. Aerobics with Fun is available from Fitness
Finders, Inc. at www.fitnessfinders.net or call 1-800-789-WALK.
Circuit Training
1 sign for each station
= Create a series of exercise stations. Participants progress from one station to the next. The stations may
all be upper body conditioning exercises or a variety of strength training exercises. A set number of
repetitions may be established for each station, or a time limit may be used with participants trying to do
as many repetitions as possible in the set time.
A fun variation is to use dice to determine the
number of repetitions. Once the groups are at their
stations, roll the dice to determine the number of
repetitions. Each group will do the same number
of repetitions, but different exercises.
To accommodate different
abilities, establish 2 or 3 levels
of repetitions for each station:
prelevel, at level, prolevel
Color Corners
= 4 large sheets of paper, each a different color (for example, blue,
red, yellow, green)
= 3” x 5” index cards, one for each participant plus 6 more
Write the name of a different exercise on each piece of paper (for example, bent-knee push-up,
isometric push-up, Spiderman push-up, straight-leg push-up). If possible, include a drawing on the
sheet for younger participants. Place one sheet in each corner of the activity area. Each corner is now
a designated color and exercise. Make index cards for each corner. Mark one-fourth of the index cards
with the color of each of the sheets of paper. Simply place a colored circle or mark on one side of each
card. Do this for all four colors.
Take the entire group to each corner, explain the exercise, tell them the number of repetitions expected,
and then, as a group, practice the exercise. Once done, take the group to the center of the activity
area. Give each participant one index card. Place the extra cards face down in the center of the room.
Explain that they are to go to the corner designated by the color on their card, do that exercise, then
return to the center. They will then place their card face down in the center, pick up another card,
proceed to the corner noted on the new card and do that exercise. Participants continue to do this for
the allotted time (2-3 minutes at most).
Lift-A-Ton™, Fitness Finders, Inc. © 2008