EXERCISES That Are A Must!

[havoc]

These are exercises in my opinion that are a must. No matter how you incorporate them I truly believe the following exercises are somewhat of a key to that particular body part. Please add any that you feel are necessary. In a purposeful fashion I am trying to name only 2 per body part.

Chest- Incline Bench Press, Dumbell Flyes
Back- Deadlifts, Bent Over Rows
Quads- Squats, Front Squats
Hams- Lying Leg Curls, SLDL
Arms- Barbell Curls, Concentration Curls
Triceps-Skull Crushers, Reverse Cable Pushdowns
Shoulders-Dumbell Mil. Presses, Laterals
Traps- Seated DB Shrugs
Calves- Standing Calf Raises, Seated Calf Raises
Abs- should always be done without use of an ab machine, most ab machines are operated on weight of the body and not the abs, stick to old school ab exercises.
Peace

 

[Belial]

I wouldn't say any exercises are a must, but here are ones I think work extremely well... and can be used, on their own, to build up a given body part effectively.


Chest- Flat DB bench, crossovers/flyes
Back- Pull ups, bent-over BB rows
Quads- Squats, Front Squats
Hams- SLDLs, reverse hypers/standing curls
Arms- Barbell curls, pull-ups.
Triceps- Weighted dips, close grip bench
Shoulders-Dumbbell OHP, Clean and push-press
Traps- DB shrugs, deadlifts
Calves- Standing Calf Raises
Abs- Weighted crunches, hanging leg raises

 

[The Shadow]

Good post.

I would add:

Incline Curls for Biceps
Hacks for quads
Rotator cuff exercises for shoulder girdle

 

[mattcanning99]

Incline Curls for Biceps

curious as to why? i only ask seeing as ive never done them before and started doing a little reading up on them recently, but hadnt yet concluded if they were a mass or shape building exercise.

any additional comments on incline curls?

thanks

- matt

 

[gymtime]

curious as to why? i only ask seeing as ive never done them before and started doing a little reading up on them recently, but hadnt yet concluded if they were a mass or shape building exercise.

any additional comments on incline curls?

thanks

- matt

To me, incline curls isolate the bicep like no other excercise. They're completely cheat-proof. Try them and you'll see.

 

[DaCypher]

To me, incline curls isolate the bicep like no other excercise. They're completely cheat-proof. Try them and you'll see.

I don't think I would call them "completely cheat-proof" because you can use some front delts to pull the upper arm up a bit letting the weight fall down near the top of the lift (similar to many other bicep exercises). However, the incline bench definetly makes this more difficult and I find it seems to hit my bi's slightly differently than other exercises (maybe the muscle is stressed differently in this position?). Nonetheless, I would consider it a good biceps exercise.

 

[gymtime]

True. Nothing is completely cheat-proof. But one thing that the incline curls does eliminate is swinging, which is a common mistake. But when I do them, my upper arms never move. They're always perpendicular to the floor, so I'm able to eliminate most if not all of the shoulder help.

 

[ZZuluZ]

All isolation exercises aren't very good. This means flyes, concentration curls, kickbacks, extensions...all BS IMHO.

My list:

Chest: Flat Bench and Incline
Back: Deadlifts, Chins
Quads: Squats
Hams: SLDL
Bis: Barbell Curl
Tris: Dips, CGBP
Shoulders: See chest OR Military Press
Traps: Deadlift, Shrugs
Calves: Weighted raises
Abs: Weighted Crunches

-Zulu

 

[The Shadow]

Well - all stretch positions are important:

Sissy Squats
Stiff-Deads
Incline/Flat flyes
French press
Incline Curls

BTW - The only difference between a mass building and "shaping" exercise is the weight.

 

[DaCypher]

All isolation exercises aren't very good. This means flyes, concentration curls, kickbacks, extensions...all BS IMHO.

My list:

Chest: Flat Bench and Incline
Back: Deadlifts, Chins
Quads: Squats
Hams: SLDL
Bis: Barbell Curl
Tris: Dips, CGBP
Shoulders: See chest OR Military Press
Traps: Deadlift, Shrugs
Calves: Weighted raises
Abs: Weighted Crunches

-Zulu

Wouldn't barbell curls and calf raises be considered isolation exercises?

 

[theoak01]

for back i must add old school t-bar rows with the olympic bar,thanks to needsize the middle part of my back is getting much thicker

 

[havoc]

Good replies, I have to agree with Incline curls being one of the best for me at least.
peace

 

[Belial]

BTW - The only difference between a mass building and "shaping" exercise is the weight.

This explanation I've got to hear.

 

[NateDogg]

This explanation I've got to hear.

NateDogg

 

[ZZuluZ]

[q] Wouldn't barbell curls and calf raises be considered isolation exercises?
[/q]

Too a large extent, yes.... however I don't see an alternative to training the calves and biceps.



-Zulu

 

[furious]

No power cleans in that list?

 

[USMC_Devildog]

BAHAHAHA I'm the Guru

Just kidding about me being a guru. Most exercises that are productive I believe in are:

Quads: Squats, SLDL, Leg Curls
Chest: Bench Presses, Dips Weighted
Shoulders: Military Presses, Laterals
Back: Chins/Pulldowns, Rows, Shrugs
Arms: Barbell Curls, Incline Dumbbell Curls, Triceps Extensions, Cable Pressdowns, Dips, Wrist Curls/Extensions
Abs: Crunches, Raises, Side Bends

 

[The Shadow]

This explanation I've got to hear.

...meaning that ANY exercise is a mass building one if the proper weight scheme and rep range is used. Too many people shy away from "Isolations" because they don't think they will build mass. Not true and a very big mistake.

For example on Laterals, concentraion curls, etc. Rep range is usually 10-15 reps generally. Drop thos into the 6-8 range and see the improvement.

 

[havoc]

I concur with the above statement by Cornhalitosis. Any exercise is the same when used properly and to its full extent, no exercise is better than the other, I have started off with squats and ended with them, same with deads or whatever, its all in the execution and how you have learned to use that particular exercise, stop reading the magazines, make up your own shit. peace out

 

[Belial]

That was my point. You stated that there was a difference between "shaping" and "mass building", though, and it had to do with rep range "Shaping" to me would be exercising a weak part differently, say altering your routine to bring up a lagging chest.

But changing rep range will not "shape" a muscle rather than "build" a muscle. All lifting is mass building, there's no such thing as shaping.

 

[The Shadow]

That was my point. You stated that there was a difference between "shaping" and "mass building", though, and it had to do with rep range "Shaping" to me would be exercising a weak part differently, say altering your routine to bring up a lagging chest.

But changing rep range will not "shape" a muscle rather than "build" a muscle. All lifting is mass building, there's no such thing as shaping.

Agreed!!!

 

[110%]

heres my list:

chest: incline dumbell press
biceps: seated alternating dumbell curls
triceps: tricep pressdowns
shoulders: overhead barbell press
traps: dumbell shrugs
quads: squats, leg presses
hamstrings: lying leg curls
abs: crunches

 

[mekannik]

While I agree with both Havoc and Cornholio - I feel you have to throw in an Olympica lift or functional excercise. All the excercises you have stated are great for mass building and shaping - but coordinating your movement and control of your muscles is necessitated by the functional/Olympic lifts.

 

[Belial]

Agreed!!!

Word.

 

[MarshallPenniford]

Zulu,

Alternatives to doing barbell curls: Pull-ups and reverse-grip pull-downs.


Alternatives to doing calf-raises: Squats, SLDL maybe.

Just going with your isolation's are BS thing....