Top Trainers Agree, These Are the 10 Best Muscle-Building Exercises

Introduction:

what are the best all-round  exercises for building muscle   we've asked experts and top  trainers around the world   to bring you a complete guide to the 10 most  effective exercises to stimulate muscle growth our experts recommended compound exercises   because these are movements that use  a number of muscles at the same time they all come with the standard version plus  variations to work the muscles in different ways   and an advanced option to help you pack on muscle.

Bench Press:

1. So let's get started with bench press the bench  press works one of the biggest muscles in the body  chest secondary muscles are front delts   and triceps for the standard barbell bench press  take a grip slightly wider than the shoulders   elbows out as you come down coming  up by bringing the elbows together using dumbbells allows a greater range of movement helping the stretch and the squeeze changing the angle of the bench lets  you hit different parts of the chest   a decline bench for the lower part.

2. incline bench to target upper chest again change to dumbbells for  a greater range of movement dumbbells also let you vary your grip this   is a close grip press helping with the  squeeze and working more of the triceps   our trainers found that the bar is most useful  for adding weight over time from one workout   to the next this is called progressive overload  a key technique for muscle building making flat   bench barbell press our survey's most  effective exercise for building chest.

Deadlift:

1. next one of the best all-round exercises  the deadlift deadlift works pretty much   all the muscles down the back of the body  legs and glutes to upper and lower back   the magic of the deadlift is that it works  all these muscles in one coordinated movement   keeping a straight back lift the weight  by pushing down through the heels   at the same time driving the hips forward  at the top lock out by bringing the chest up

2. shoulder blades together locking the hips body  upright let the weight come to a full stop on the  floor before the next rep weave a full explainer  on correct deadlift technique in the link but a   good way to start is with rack poles an exercise  which isolates the top half of the movement   there are many variations of the deadlift stiff  leg deadlift throws more emphasis on hamstrings   keeping the legs as straight as  possible without rounding the back sumo deadlift uses a wide stance working  more on the quads and hips deadlift is such   a multi-faceted exercise it's essential to master  all elements of technique before you progress to heavier weights once you're ready start adding  weight to steadily build muscle over time next.

Pullups:

• the pull-up a great exercise for building the lats  the wide muscles that give you a full broad back secondary muscles are biceps and core this is a bodyweight exercise  the key is to keep control   slowly up bringing the chin  to the bar and slowly down variations on pull-ups are about grip.

• standard grip palms facing away  from you wider than the shoulders   narrow grip works more on biceps an extra wide  grip targets the lats for width not everybody   can lift their own body weight straight away so  start with a cable pull down using a wide bar   also an incline pull-up on a bar once you've mastered the pull-up there  are different ways you can use it to.

• help you add muscle using a slow tempo on  the way down for added time under tension move from the bar to rings these  need greater control and effort   especially from all the  smaller stabilizing muscles   but as ever our trainers say the best way to  build muscle is through progressive overload   adding more weight over time allowing you  to push through to failure on your pull-ups.

Pushups:

1. The push-up is a standard exercise  everybody's done since high school   but don't discount its  potential for building muscle   the push-up primarily builds chest  it also works triceps and front delts standard push-up has hands  wide elbows out to the sides   bringing the elbows closer to  the body works the triceps more

2. change the angle to work  different parts of the chest   this decline push-up works upper  chest as well as front delt   changing the hand position works  on the stretch across the chest  push-ups are great for  combinations such as burpees   but the best way to build chest with push-ups  is the old-fashioned way just go to exhaustion the main advantage of a push-up is versatility you  can do it anywhere there are plenty of variations   and it's effective as part of a superset  or as a finisher our survey found that   even advanced trainers continue to use  push-ups as part of their regular routine.

Overhead Press:

1. our next muscle building exercise is overhead  press this works all three parts of the shoulder  plus upper chest and triceps elbows  wide shoulder blades together   take the weights up above the shoulders not  touching our trainers recommend the seated   version of this exercise because you can  change the angle of the bench for example   setting the seat back to about 70 degrees lets  you focus on the front part of the shoulder

2. variations include the arnold press   adding a twist as the weight comes  down for a greater range of motion   you can also alternate one side than the other   keeping the resting side in tension  while the other side is moving   this barbell press variation  takes the bar to the front then back of the head working the  front and rear shoulder muscles   as with our other compound movements our trainers   recommend adding weight over  time to build shoulders using overhead press and using a slow movement on  the way down for greater time under tension.

Squat:

• the squat is known as the king of exercises  using the biggest muscles in the body the quads  as well as other key lower body muscles  like glutes hamstrings and calves   it's also an extremely functional  exercise especially for core strength   advanced lifters often use extremely heavy weights  but it's important to master correct form before   you go heavy head up feet shoulder width apart  back straight chest out bend at the hips and knees

• taking the knees straight out in front of you  the lower you go the more you work the glutes  make sure you have a weight  you can control on the way up   a wider stance will also work more on the glutes   the squat performed correctly  is a challenging exercise   so build up with a hack squat with the machine  providing stability while you build up strength

• but it's also important to master correct form   so our trainers recommend starting off with  a lighter weight and build up from there there's also many ways to mess up your squat so  if you want to check your form and avoid injuries   here's a link to fit media's full  explainer on fixing your squad.

Dips:

many gyms have a machine that lets you change  the weight again leaning forward to hit chest and keeping upright to work triceps once you've mastered the body weight dip you can  really start to build muscle by adding weight over   time keeping good form and locking out and  going to failure for maximum muscle growth.

Bent Over Barbell Row:

here's our survey's recommended exercise  for building thickness in the back bent   over barbell row working the lats and middle  back as well as triceps rear delts and core lock the lower body no bouncing from the hips   back straight pull the elbows up and  back to draw the bar in to the hips   this exercise can also be done with dumbbells letting you bring the weight closer in to your  body for more of a squeeze on the middle back you can also do this exercise off an incline  bench although this version takes away the need  to engage your core it does let you increase  the weight as well as changing the angle  overall it's the standing bent over barbell row   that comes out top in our survey  for building thickness in the back.

Lunges:

1. next recommended exercise for lower body  lunges working quads hamstrings and glutes   the simple version is without weights adding  a barbell like this makes it more challenging   using dumbbells helps with balance  a short lunge emphasizes quads   bringing the knee forward as far as the front toe  but no further a lunge with a long step forward

2. works more on the glutes but the lunge isn't  an exercise to add more weight as you progress instead for a more advanced option do one leg at  a time with this version a bulgarian split squat or for a really tough challenge here's a jumping  lunge with a mat in place to protect that back   knee these will get your heart rate up as  well as working the whole of your lower body.

Bicep Curls:

1. finally bicep curls not a compound movement like  the others we've shown you but our trainers know   that everyone wants bigger biceps bicep curl  is an isolation movement working just one   muscle standard version is a straightforward  curl up and down with a squeeze at the top   then slowly down elbows tucked in to the sides  the hammer curl holding the dumbbell upright   hits biceps and a muscle underneath  the bicep called the brachialis this is an important muscle  because it pushes the bicep   up from underneath making the arms look bigger

2. bringing the dumbbell up close to the  body hits the brachialis even more however   if you want to target only the bicep go for an  isolation movement like this concentration curl using a cable rather than dumbbells keeps the  same resistance across the whole of the movement   including that squeeze at the top but our trainer's best tip for  building bigger biceps may surprise you   it's about a part of the  muscle known as the long head   the part that creates that impressive bicep peak  any exercise where the elbow is behind the body

• focuses directly on the long head  like this seated incline curl while the squeeze gives you a full thick  bicep the stretch gives you that high   peak which makes seated incline bicep curl  our recommended exercise for bigger biceps so key lessons from all our top trainers   on how to build muscle are work  on correct form before progressing   go to failure maximize time under tension and use  progressive overload to build up weight over time   also essential having a plan that will help  you progress in your training from week to week

• and nutrition always key to helping you grow there are many exercises which will help you  add muscle but what turns a good exercise   into a great exercise is also functionality  that's why the key exercises we've chosen   work multiple muscles together not just building  muscle but also core strength and stability   making your body more efficient  and protecting from injury.

Building exercises, categorized by muscle group:

Muscle Group	Exercise	Description
Chest	Barbell Bench Press	Lie on a bench and press a barbell upward from the chest.
Back	Deadlift	Lift a loaded barbell from the ground to a standing position.
Legs	Squats	Bend your knees and hips to lower your body and then rise.
Shoulders	Overhead Press	Press a weight overhead while standing or seated.
Biceps	Barbell Curl	Curl a barbell upward, targeting the biceps.
Triceps	Tricep Dips	Lower and raise your body using parallel bars for triceps.
Abs	Plank	Hold a push-up position with the body forming a straight line.
Quadriceps	Leg Press	Push a weighted platform with your feet, targeting quads.
Hamstrings	Romanian Deadlift	Hinge at the hips, lowering a barbell towards the ground.
Calves	Standing Calf Raise	Lift your body using your calves by standing on a raised surface.

Top 10 Muscle Exercises. FAQS:

Q1: What is considered one of the pinnacle muscle-constructing physical activities by means of many running shoes? A1: Deadlifts are widely appeared as one of the first-rate muscle-constructing sporting activities with the aid of top running shoes. Q2: Why are deadlifts taken into consideration powerful for muscle constructing? A2: Deadlifts interact multiple muscle corporations simultaneously, along with the back, legs, and core, promoting general energy and muscle development. Q3: Which exercise is commonly advocated with the aid of running shoes for building chest muscle mass? A3: Bench press is a popular desire amongst running shoes for constructing chest muscle mass, as it goals the pectoral muscle tissues successfully. Q4: What is a key benefit of incorporating squats into a muscle-constructing workout routine? A4: Squats are useful for building decrease body strength and muscle groups, concentrated on muscle tissues consisting of quadriceps, hamstrings, and glutes. Q5: Why do trainers often emphasize the importance of incorporating compound physical games into a muscle-constructing program? A5: Compound exercises, which include squats, deadlifts, and bench press, engage multiple muscle organizations in a unmarried motion, main to extra green and powerful muscle improvement.