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Strength Training Recommendations for Alphas

Strength training is a key part of any exercise program. It can help increase your stamina and reduce shortness of breath. This means you can do more of the things you want to do.

Download Strength Training Recommendations for Alphas as a PDF.

Let’s look at some strength training exercises for your upper and lower body.

Strength training: Lower body

Lower body strength training is a cornerstone of any exercise program. These exercises target the large muscles of your lower body. They help fight muscle weakness that might limit your activities. They also boost your stamina or endurance, which can help you feel less breathless.

Recommendations for Lower Body Strength Training

  • How often (Frequency): Three times per week
  • How hard (Intensity): One set of 10 repetitions (reps)
  • Progression: Increase to one set of 20 reps (as monitored by RPE and RPD)

Once you can perform two sets of 20 reps for two exercise sessions in a row, you can increase the resistance. This is known as the 2-for-2 rule of strength training.

Options for more resistance:

  • Use a stronger resistance-band
  • Add one pound in free weights
  • Add a plate if you’re using a weight machine

Straight leg raises:

  1. Lie on your back with one leg bent.
  2. Raise your other leg 6-8 inches with knee locked.
  3. Exhale and tighten thigh muscles while raising leg.
  4. Repeat using your other leg.

Person lying on their back with one knee bent and raising the other. This is called a straight leg raise.

 

Hip sidekicks:

  1. Hold a chair for balance.
  2. Stand with legs shoulder-width apart and toes pointed forward.
  3. Kick one leg out to the side, keeping the knee straight. Do not lean.
  4. Repeat using your other leg.

View of a man standing up from behind. He's holding a chair and swinging one leg to to the side and up in an arc. This is called a hip side kick.

Step-ups:

  1. Using stair or stool, step up and then down with the same leg 5 times.
  2. Repeat using your other leg.

Man stepping up and down from a low platform as part of a strength training routine. This is called a step up.

Modified knee bends:

  1. Stand up from a sitting position.
  2. Once standing, keep your back straight. Do not bend at the waist or slump.
  3. Sit down slowly.

Man standing up from a seated position, as part of strength training routine. This is called a modified knee bend.

Bridge:

  1. Lie on your back with feet shoulder-width apart.
  2. Lift hips toward the ceiling.

Side view of a man lying on his back with his arms by his sides, palm down. He is lifting his pelvis and buttocks off the ground. This strength training exercise is called a bridge.

Single-leg Bridge:

  1. Lie on your back with feet shoulder-width apart and one leg straight.
  2. Lift hips toward the ceiling while keeping your leg straight.

Side view of a woman lying on her back with her arms by her sides, palm down. She has one bent leg. Her other is straight, and she's lifting it toward the ceiling This strength training exercise is called a single-leg bridge.

Crunch:

  1. Lie on your back with knees bent and fingertips touching ears.
  2. Exhale as you slowly try to lift your shoulders about four inches off the floor. (Keep the small of your back against the floor.)
  3. Inhale as you return to the floor.

Side view of a man lying on his back with his hands behind his head, lifting his head off the ground. This is a strength training exercise called a crunch-up.

Strength training: Upper body

Alphas with lung problems frequently use their arm and shoulder muscles for breathing. As a result, they may have shortness of breath (dyspnea) when dressing, showering, and doing household tasks.

Strength training for your upper body targets your arms and shoulders. It helps you do more activities at or above shoulder height and improves your posture. Strong upper body muscles and good posture can help you breathe more easily.

Tips for Better Posture

DO:

  • Stand tall and erect.
  • Tuck your chin.
  • Align your head and shoulders
  • Check your posture regularly in a mirror or window

DON’T:

  • Slouch or slump while watching TV or reading.
  • Sit, stand or lie in one position for too long.
  • Hold your breath while you stretch.
  • Stretch without warming up.

Recommendations for Upper Body Strength Training

  • Frequency (How often): Three times per week
  • Duration (How long): Increase in two-minute intervals with one-minute rest periods until you can perform the exercise for a total of 15 minutes without resting.
  • Intensity (How hard): Work at a perceived exertion of 3-4 on the RPE and adjust using the RPD.
  • Progression: Add a .5 pound cuff weight to each wrist to a maximum of 1.5 pounds per wrist as tolerated.

Chin tuck: Gently pull your chin in while lengthening the back of your neck.

Side view of a woman tucking her chin to her chest as part of a strength training routine. This is called a chin tuck.

Shoulder shrugs: Raise your shoulders toward your ears.

Person shrugging their shoulders up and down as part of a strength training routine. This is called a shoulder shrug.

Shoulder circle shrugs:

  • Raise shoulders.
  • Rotate backward for 15 seconds.
  • Then, rotate the other way for 15 seconds.

Man shrugging and rotating his shoulders as part of a strength training routine. This is called a shoulder circle shrug.

 

Shoulder pinches:

  1. Pinch your shoulder blades together.
  2. Hold 10 seconds while counting out loud.

View of a person from behind, squeezing their shoulder blades together, as part of a strength training routine. This is called a shoulder pinch.

Dowel raise:

  1. Sit in a chair.
  2. Bend your arms slightly and inhale for one count (one second) as you raise your dowel. (You can also use a cane.)
  3. Exhale for two counts while lowering the dowel.
  4. Continue raising and lowering your dowel at this rate. (20 times per minute.)
  5. Work for up to 15 minutes, and then add ½ pound weight to each wrist.

Side view of a person sitting in a chair holding a dowel rod in front of them and lifting it up. This is called a dowel raise.

Weighted arm raises:

  1. Sitting or standing, hold a weight in one hand.
  2. Keeping your elbow straight, raise your arm above your head.
  3. Very slowly, return the arm to your side.
  4. Repeat with the opposite arm.

 

Man holding an object and lifting it up as part of a strength training routine. This is called a weighted arm raise.

Standing arcs:

  1. Sit or stand with your arms at your sides, holding weights.
  2. Lift your arms out to the side and up as far as possible.

Person holding small hand weights at their sides and lifting their arms in an arc above their head as part of a strength training routine. This is called a standing arc.

Resistance band rowing:

  1. Anchor your resistance band to a door, and grasp both ends.
  2. With your elbows bent, pull back, squeezing shoulder blades together.

Man pulling back on a resistance band anchored in a door frame as part of a strength training routine. This is called resistance band rowing.

Note: Resistance bands are elastic bands that can be cut to any length. They come in a variety of strengths. You can buy them at any store that sells medical supplies as well as many rehab centers and drugstores.

Round out your fitness program with more exercise recommendations:

Warm-up & stretching
Cardio endurance training

For more in-depth information on this topic, please visit the Big Fat Reference Guide (BFRG). If you are enrolled in AlphaNet’s Subscriber Portal, you can access the BFRG here.

Download Strength Training Recommendations for Alphas as a PDF.