Easy Shaper Exercises

The Easy Shaper is a piece of exercise equipment that marries a padded metal bar to resistance bands to create a lightweight exerciser that lets users perform resistance, abs, cardio and pilates workouts. Wrapping the elastic bands around the bar creates more resistance, simulating more weight--up to 66 pounds, according to its maker.

The Easy Shaper is best known for its ability to create resistance exercises, including many traditionally done with dumbbells or barbells. You can work upper and lower body muscles, as well as core/trunk muscles.

Biceps Curls

Place the bar on your shoulders (not your neck) and wrap the cord around the bar two or more times, depending on how much resistance you desire. Slowly pull the bar up, then hold for one second at the top of the rep or when your hands are even with the shoulders. Slowly lower the bar until your arms are not quite straight. Doing this prevents gravity from pulling the bar down and requires you to resist the bands on the way down, getting a better workout. Repeat the exercise until you feel a slight burn in your biceps; then perform three or four more repetitions.

Leg Abduction/Adduction

Place the bar across your shoulders after wrapping the cords to obtain your desired resistance. You need to experiment with this in the beginning. Standing with good posture and legs about even with your shoulders, slowly move one foot away from your side until the leg is fully extended, then bring back, resisting gravity. You may do a full set of repetitions with one leg, then change legs, or you may alternate legs. After you are done with this exercise, take the Easy Shaper off your shoulders, and turn the bar around once, crossing the cords. Place the Easy Shaper bar back on your shoulders and repeat the exercise. Crossing the bands creates the opposite resistance from the previous exercise, allowing you to work both the inner and outer leg.

Abdominal Crunch

Lie down on the floor, and place the Easy Shaper above your head, on the floor, by placing your arms straight back. To find your starting position for this exercise, raise your shoulders off the floor, using your stomach, rather than your back or neck muscles. From this position, slowly raise your knees toward your head as you move your head toward your knees. Return to your starting position, slightly off the floor. Try not to bend your neck in an attempt to pull yourself off the ground to prevent neck strain. Try not to use your shoulders to pull yourself up to avoid back strain.

Flyes

Place the Easy Shaper on the floor, and stand on the bar to prevent it from moving. Hold one cord in each hand, wrapping the cords around your hand to get your desired resistance. Place your arms straight down at your sides. Raise your hands upwards, palms down, until they are perpendicular to your shoulders; then bend your elbows in until your fists touch in front of your nose. Slowly move your hands back down to your sides.