Subscribe To This Site

Best Strength Training Exercises and Techniques

When it comes to strength training exercises, not all of them are created equally. That's why you see so many people going to the gym and failing to see results. Working out in any way is a good thing, but to maximize your gains and really see some great progress, you need the right exercises, techniques and tips to get the job done. Take a look at this guide to strength training which should get you moving in the right direction.

First, what's the one factor that separates the best strength training exercises from ones which you can probably do without? The word you're looking for is "multi-joint". Multi-joint exercises, also known as compound exercises, are the ones that require you to use more than one of your body's joints in the movement. For example, squats will bring your knees and your hips into play, and even your ankles for support.

Strength Training Exercises Compound exercises are ideal for strength training because when you involve multiple joints, by definition you are also involving multiple muscles and muscle groups. The more muscles you target with each movement, the harder you're forcing yourself to work and the more completely you're training your body.

You'll get more done in less time while hitting all of your biggest and most important muscle groups when you focus primarily on performing compound exercises. Plus, you'll help to avoid long plateaus by always pushing your body and moving forward instead of staying stagnant and failing to achieve gains.

Once you're out of the gym, compound exercises still will be paying dividends for your training. By targeting larger muscle groups, and more muscles at once, you will be doing everything from burning more calories to releasing more testosterone into your bloodstream, boosting your overall strength gains.

Multi-joint exercises are so important that ideally your workouts and your entire training program should consist of no less than 90% compound movements. This might sound difficult at first, but when you evaluate your programs and which exercises will get you the best results, it's not challenging at all. Knowing that, what are the go-to exercises and compound moves which should be included?

As mentioned above, squats are an ideal exercise, and they are one of the most effective strength and mass builders out there. Dead-lifts are a total body strength builder, and they bring almost all of your major muscle groups into play in one motion, as do movements like power cleans, or the clean and press, or snatch. Pull-ups are a fantastic choice and continue to be one of the most overlooked exercises out there. All types of rows are also great, as are most presses, including the ubiquitous bench press, the military press, and more.

Think about your own time at the gym. How much of your effort goes into things such as bicep curls, which isolate one single, small muscle? What about triceps kick backs or calf raises? These are all fine exercises which can be used in the right way for a complete program, but they are isolating movements which don't provide the benefits that compound strength training exercises do. Another general rule of thumb will be that if you're sitting down to complete the exercise, you can either skip it, or include it in that 10% minority of your program.

From there, also remember that technique and proper form are also very important when you're performing strength training exercises. You never should make the trade of using more weight if you have to sacrifice your form. Using proper technique is what will enable you to really maximize your gains, as you slowly and securely go through the complete range of motion for an exercise.

Additionally, when you use more weight than you can handle, you're also putting yourself at risk of injury. Everything from muscle sprains to potentially severe injuries involving your back or neck depending on the exercise you're doing. So, make sure you are always comfortable with the weight you're using, and resist the urge to pile on more pounds at the expense of technique.

Hopefully by now you've learned a bit more about strength training exercises, which ones are the best, and why that's the case. Follow the 90% rule above of using compound, multi-joint exercises, and you'll really be able to kick things up, push past plateaus, and continue to gain strength and lean muscle mass. Quit wasting your time at the gym and begin training the right way when you're serious about seeing results.