Big basic exercises like the bench press, pull-up, and barbell row are great for building your back, chest, and even shoulders, but they might not suffice to fill your sleeves and build an impressive set of guns. Credit: pixelheadphoto digitalskillet / Shutterstock Training your biceps directly will not only contribute to specific muscle growth, but
Exercise Guides
Exercises like the chin-up and the deadlift are seen as the kings of back-builders by many lifters, but they are only the meat and potatoes. You have to add some seasoning if you want the best final product, and the extra flavor (and extra results) will come from your exercise choices. The problem is that
Most shoulder exercises involve pressing a weight overhead, while most back exercises involve pulling a weight toward your body. The upright row is a little bit of both. This unique vertical pulling exercise targets your shoulders as well as your upper back. Credit: Benoit Daoust / Shutterstock This movement forms the basis of the Olympic
In growing numbers, most commercial gyms are adding at least one trap bar to their arsenal of available equipment. As a gym member, you should be counting your blessings. With all of the unique benefits a trap bar can provide for almost every serious lifter, there’s a good case to make for it to become
Most lifters in the gym have performed the classic flat bench press to build chest size and upper body pressing strength. When it comes to variations of this time-honored exercise, most lifters adjust the angle to target the “upper chest” using an incline press or focus on the “lower pecs” with a decline bench. Credit:
Pull-ups are often called the king of upper body lifts — but do you know what is even more worthy of the crown? Adding resistance and doing more pull-ups. There will come a point when bodyweight pull-ups won’t provide you the gains they used to. When that happens, simply doing more reps will be less
It’s difficult to walk into a gym and not run into someone trying to develop their posterior chain with set after set of hip thrusts. The exercise has actually been around for a long time, but it’s gotten a surge of popularity in the last 10 years or so, possibly fueled by social media trends
Bodyweight exercises are often shunned by “hardcore” gym-goers who only deem worthy exercises when you lift heaps of hard-cast iron. Yet they forget that bodyweight movements can be very beneficial, and even humbling. Some would argue that being able to lift a proverbial ton isn’t very worthy if you can’t lift yourself and master your
When leg day rolls around, many lifters prioritize barbell exercises like squats and Romanian deadlifts. That’s a generally reliable approach for building size and strength, but an aversion to machine exercises can make lower body workouts less effective and it can make gains harder to come by. If lifters do incorporate machine-based movements, it’s often
Push-ups might be one of the few exercises that most people on the planet have performed (or attempted to perform). Whether it’s as part of physical education in school, in a fitness test, or as a quick and simple way to get into better shape, many people are familiar with hitting the deck and pressing
Some people completely shy away from direct ab exercises, either out of boredom or because they believe the big compound exercises like squats and overhead presses work their abs enough. But plenty of other lifters make ab training a priority, be it to improve performance or their physique. When it comes to a good-looking set
Mention the triceps kickback in certain lifting circles and you might generate some side eye looks of disappointment or even a bit of mocking laughter. This short-sighted response comes from the exercise’s unfortunate and unfair reputation of being ineffective, or being performed only by people with “less-than-serious” goals. The dumbbell kickback was once a staple
If you want the most well-developed chest possible, the bench press is not enough. Sure, big multi-joint lifts are very efficient at putting heaps of meat on your frame, but if you really want to take your muscular development to the next level, you’ll have to include some isolation (single-joint) movements to specifically target individual
Some people go to the gym just to look good, and that’s a fine goal to have. They spend time and effort working various muscle groups to improve their aesthetics and reach their dream physique. Yet, some body parts aren’t always given the same attention as others. Credit: Ruslan Shugushev / Shutterstock Let’s be real.
In the gym, simple training does not always mean easy training. Some of the most simple-looking exercises can be the most challenging, as well as the most beneficial. Many lifters are familiar with the basic squat movement and the lower body benefits it delivers. But squatting with a barbell isn’t the only option. Many lifters
Most dedicated lifters show up to the gym ready to do what it takes to work towards their goals. But it’s not always fun and games, and some workouts are approached with less enthusiasm than others. Leg day usually separates goal-focused lifters from those who’d get a tongue tattoo rather than train. Many leg exercises
Kettlebells are a fantastic tool that had a resurgence in the lifting world over the last 20 years, after well over a century of use around the world. They’re versatile and can be used to get stronger, put on size, improve athletic performance, and even develop iron-clad conditioning. Credit: Jacob Lund / Shutterstock The kettlebell
Some lifters hail the classic barbell bench press as the king of the upper body lifts, but its cousin the incline bench press could be a serious contender for the throne. Unjustly frowned upon in favor of the flat version, the incline bench press should be a staple for most lifters. Credit: as-artmedia / Shutterstock