Basic exercises for back muscles in bodybuilding. A complete list of basic bodybuilding exercises

Most uninformed gym goers favor machines by using a variety of isolation block machines in their workout routines. In fact, it is free weights - barbells, dumbbells, kettlebells - that can speed up the process of increasing the volume of all muscle groups due to the peculiarities of the basic exercises with which the equipment is used.

What are basic exercises?

Basic exercises are techniques that use free weights (barbells, dumbbells), simultaneously using several muscles or muscle groups, as well as several joints. These exercises are recommended to be performed by a trained person, since they are technically complex and require good control of your own body.

The best basic exercises for gaining mass

Squats

1. Lie down on a horizontal bench, position your head under the barbell.
2. Grab the bar with a wide grip, remove the bar from the racks and place it above your chest, forming a slight arch in your chest.
3. As you inhale, gently lower the barbell to the highest point of your chest, but without touching it. Elbows point to the floor.
4. Exhale and press the barbell up.

Pull-ups

There are several options, depending on the grip and position of the hands, you can either expand or thicken the back muscles. Mainly work latissimus dorsi muscles, additionally– biceps, deltoids. One of the most common basic exercises in bodybuilding.

1. Grab the bar with a wide grip.
2. Exhaling, straining your back and arms, pull yourself up to the bar with the middle of your chest, arching your chest.
3. Bring your shoulder blades as close as possible to each other.
4. As you inhale, relax, but straighten your elbows without jerking.

Bent-over barbell row

develops latissimus dorsi, teres major, biceps brachii, posterior deltoids and trapezius.

1. Grasp the barbell with a medium grip and lift it off the floor.
2. Bend your knees, slightly tilt your body forward and stabilize the motionless position of your torso. The spine should be straight.
3. Hands are lowered freely, with an exhalation, pull the barbell to your stomach, gather your shoulder blades together. It is important to feel the tension more in the muscles of the back, not the arms.
4. As you inhale, smoothly straighten your arms. Raise your body only at the end of the exercise, most importantly, don't sway.

Army press

Develops deltoid muscles (anterior and middle bundles), triceps, serratus anterior muscles.

1. Grasp the bar with a shoulder-width grip and place the barbell in front of you under your chin. Elbows in the same plane as the body.
2. Exhale and press the barbell overhead, fully extending your elbows.
3. As you inhale, lower the barbell a little slower, without touching your collarbones.

Dips

The exercise requires special equipment and good physical fitness. will involve triceps and pectoralis major muscles.

1. Place your palms on the bars under your shoulder joints.
2. As you inhale, bending and moving your elbows back, lower your body until the shoulder and elbow joints are in the same horizontal plane.
3. Exhale as you push up, reaching the starting position.

Barbell row to the chin

It also belongs to the basic ones, as it involves two joints. Develops deltoids, trapezius, partially biceps.

1. Grasp the barbell with a shoulder-width grip. Keep your arms straight at the elbows.
2. As you exhale, stretch the bar along your torso to your chin, pulling your elbows toward the ceiling.
3. As you inhale, slowly lower your arms. It is important not to rock your body.

A set of basic exercises

Day 1 (Legs, shoulders)

• Squats 4x8-12;
• Deadlift 4x8-12;
• Lunges 4x8-12;
• Romanian deadlift 4x8-12;
• Military press 4x8-12;
• Barbell row to the chin 4x8-12.

Day 2 (Back, chest, arms)

• Wide grip pull-ups 4x8-12;
• Pull-ups with a narrow reverse grip 4x8-12;
• Bent-over barbell row 4x8-12;
• Bench press 4x8-12;
• Dips 4x8-12;
• 4x8-12.

Detailed video about basic exercises

This article will reveal the best exercises for gaining muscle mass that will make your workouts more effective and make your muscles grow.

Each workout consists of different exercises, a certain number of repetitions. A set of exercises compiled without a specific goal can be a waste of time. If you want to increase muscle mass as quickly as possible and develop strength indicators, then you need to take a responsible approach to choosing the necessary mass exercises.

Let's define what basic exercises for gaining muscle mass are and why they are called that. These are movements that involve at least 2 joints, for example, for the biceps, these are pull-ups, because they involve the elbow and shoulder joints. But this does not mean that this is the “base” for muscle growth. You can gain weight without heavy exercises such as squats and deadlifts. Beginners need to work with isolating movements for several months and pump up all muscle groups and only then move on to more complex movements.

The exercises presented below are the most effective because they involve large muscle groups and well load smaller ones and stimulate maximum release of the hormone testosterone. You may notice that they are divided into 3 categories:

1. Exercises with dumbbells.
2. Exercises with a barbell.
3. Bodyweight exercises.

Studying various training programs, it can be noted that primary attention is paid to exercises with dumbbells and barbells. They are best suited for targeted training of certain muscle groups, only then should you move on to isolating exercises on machines. However, their effectiveness is lower than that of exercises with dumbbells and barbells.

The Smith machine press is not as good as the dumbbell or barbell bench press. The machine leg press is not as effective as weighted squats. And pull-downs on the upper block are not as effective as pull-ups.

If you are a complete beginner and are just about to join the gym, then basic exercises for gaining weight will not suit you. First you need to prepare your ligaments and joints for working with weights and only then move on to heavy multi-joint exercises with barbells and dumbbells.

Here you will find classes for the first month.

Here is a list of the 7 most effective exercises. If your goal is to build muscle, then be sure to add them to your training routine.

Squats

This is the main exercise for developing strength and building a muscular body. No training program should be complete without it. Typically, squats are performed with a barbell in a squat rack. The exercise affects not only the leg muscles, but also the entire upper body. Squats are like a hormonal nuclear bomb for the body, causing every part of the body to become stronger and bigger with each repetition.

Deadlift

The second most effective exercise, which helps to quickly gain muscle mass and makes a person strong as a bear. Similar to squats, it is performed only with a barbell.

Dips

The exercise is often called "upper body squats," and for good reason. The main load falls on the muscles of the shoulders, chest and triceps. This is a good exercise for general development of the upper body of a person. Push-ups are performed on parallel bars specially designed for this purpose.

Sometimes it turns out that even the strongest weightlifters cannot do even a couple of pull-ups. This is a great exercise for working your back and biceps muscles. If possible, you should give preference to it rather than pulling down on a high block.

Bench press

This is a basic exercise for working the muscles of the upper body. There are several options for performing the exercise: barbell bench press, dumbbell bench press, incline barbell press, incline dumbbell press.

Standing press

Just like the bench press, there are several variations to perform the exercise. These are presses with dumbbells or a barbell, standing and sitting. You can also use the Arnold press or the overhead press. Shvung press is also popular.

Both barbell and dumbbell variations are great exercises for the upper back. You can choose the age-old option - T-bar row to the chest. While many exercises using simulators do not bring tangible benefits, the pull-down of a horizontal block to the chest is very effective.

Squats are the main exercise for developing strength and building a muscular body. No training program should be complete without them. Squats are like a hormonal nuclear bomb for the body, causing every part of the body to become stronger and bigger with each repetition.

How to do the exercises correctly

For maximum training results, all movements must be performed under control, with correct technique and at a sufficient level of intensity. Let's look at each point in order.

Under control- means performing a movement using the strength of the working muscle group that we want to pump. There should be no throwing of projectiles, jerking movements or uncontrolled returns to the starting position. The target muscle group will pump well only when it is fully engaged and under tension. Neuromuscular connection (mental connection between brain and muscles) - in simple words, you should feel how your muscles contract when doing exercises. Thanks to this, strength increases faster, more muscle fibers are involved in work and they grow faster.

Correct technique It is needed not only for safety during training, without it there will be no point in exercising. The simplest example is when performing a bench press to train your chest, you can pump your back, triceps, shoulders, even legs, but not your chest. The target muscle simply will not be included in the work and you will never pump it up, and you will also load other fibers so that they will not work efficiently in their main movements.

Intensity determined by the number and pace of repetitions. The classic exercise scheme: strong, quick lifting of the weight and a calm, smooth movement in the negative phase.

How to do an exercise to gain muscle mass, fast or slow? It is necessary with a quick movement, in which you feel the muscles working, to lift the weight and slowly return it to its original position.

The best exercises for gaining mass in different muscle groups

Now let's look at the most effective exercises for different parts of the body. Here you will find many of the exercises from the previous list.

For the pectoral muscles

• Bench press. The main exercise for the muscles of the upper body. It is so popular that it is often given a separate day in training programs.
• Bench press on an incline bench. Often professional bodybuilders make it their main thing.
• Dips. A great exercise called the “upper body squat.”
• Bench press with dumbbells. You'll really feel your pecs working with this variation of the exercise.
• Bench press with dumbbells on an incline bench. A good alternative to the incline bench press.

This list does not include some variations of the exercise, since they have a shorter working distance when pressing, and the emphasis is on the triceps.

For back muscles

• Deadlift. No other exercise works the back muscles as effectively. Even simply holding the barbell in its original position puts the latissimus dorsi muscles under extreme tension.
• Pull-ups. The exercise is much better than the high pulldown. You can do one pull-up, two pull-ups. You can do two pull-ups, try for a third rep. If you can't do it even once, use a pull-up rack.
• Bent-over barbell row. No workout should be complete without this exercise, especially with the barbell.
• Bent-over dumbbell rows. An excellent choice after the previous exercise, especially if you have weak lower back muscles.
• Power clean. Explosive movements effectively work the back muscles, from the trapezius and below.

For shoulders

• Standing press. An exercise that has remained a staple in many training programs for decades.
• Shvung press. A similar exercise to the previous one, only with a larger explosive movement.
• Bench press. Yes, you read that right. When performing the exercise, the deltoid muscles are wonderfully worked out. If you perform several variations of bench presses on your pectoral training day, you don't have to devote a separate exercise to working your deltoids on your shoulder training day.
• Seated overhead press. Great choice. Your arms should be lowered to parallel to your shoulders relative to the floor.
• Seated press with dumbbells. The execution is a little easier, since the hands with dumbbells can be placed in a more natural position.

For legs

• Squats. Basic exercise, nothing more to add here.
• Front weight squats. Another popular exercise among bodybuilders. The exercise is more difficult to master, but the benefits from it will be enormous.
• Deadlift from the knees. Strengthen your hamstrings.
• Leg press. A good alternative if you don't have access to a squat rack.
• Forward lunges with dumbbells. Another basic exercise for working the leg muscles.

For arm muscles

• Reverse grip pull-ups. An incredible exercise (palms facing your face) to work your biceps. Probably even better than weighted biceps curls.
• Close grip press. The exercise allows you to redistribute the weight of the projectile to the triceps.
• Dips. This arm exercise is better than many others that target specific muscles.
• Biceps curls with barbell. Classic.
• Bend your arms behind your head for triceps while sitting. Allows you to work with heavy weights and work out your muscles well. An assistant is needed to monitor the correct execution.

Worth mentioning

• Press crunches with weight. Don't chase quantity, add weight and pump up your muscles well.
• Shrugs for training the trapezius muscles. Can be performed with heavy weights to quickly increase the volume of the trapezius.
• Torso twisting on a block. Forget crunches on the floor, add weights and get 6-pack abs.
• Hanging leg raises. The exercise not only helps to work out the muscles of the torso and warm up the muscles before more complex exercises, but also works well on the rectus and oblique abdominal muscles, allowing you to get an excellent appearance of the abs.
• Seated leg raises on the calf muscles. The best way to work your calf muscles.

Bodybuilding exercises are also isolating techniques aimed at strengthening skeletal muscles, improving body aesthetics, and developing endurance.

• The first ones immediately involve several muscle groups, stimulate;
• the latter locally pump up the lagging zones, form the relief and provide definition.

Why do athletic people attract so much attention? Because no one has canceled the beauty of the body. Men with powerful shoulders and torsos literally captivate the eyes of women. Not a single guy will calmly walk past girls with toned figures. You can achieve such forms at any age if you choose exercises for different muscle groups, create a comprehensive program and overcome laziness. The review will help you understand which exercises train which muscles and what they are needed for.

Bodybuilding exercises for triceps for men

Well-pumped triceps bundles give the arms power. You can achieve decent results only by combining different bodybuilding exercises for muscle building. The complex includes lifting apparatus, extensions, and block pulls. In the list of techniques for pumping up the triceps, number one is listed.

1. The lateral head is worked out using a bench press in a block simulator.
2. For a detailed drawing of the medial and lateral bundles, a reverse grip press with one limb is used.
3. For the middle zone, a technique is selected.
4. The best practice for pumping 3 heads at the same time, symmetry and highlighting the upper contours is.

To model the form, training programs are included.

An excellent exercise for muscle growth and adding volume to the lower triceps is variation. For local load on a long beam, take a barbell with an EZ bar in your hands. To visually distinguish the triceps from the biceps, the press is performed in a machine with a straight or bent handle.

Top best biceps exercises for men

Powerful arms are formed only after comprehensive muscle development. Exercises for the muscles of the whole body form a powerful frame that allows you to handle large weights.

1. One of these practices is aimed at developing the shoulder girdle, triceps and deltoids.
2. help pump up the lower body, shoulders and arms, hips.
3. the muscles of the upper body are loaded, athletic shoulders appear, and the mass of the triceps heads increases.
4. develop explosive strength and stimulate the growth of muscle tissue.

EZ-bar curls and raises are performed at the beginning of the training, until the energy is used up. For work, large weights are taken, creating a critical load on the double-headed bundles. Dumbbells are provided to detail the contours. They make it easier to control the biomechanics of strength exercises.

1. Must be present in the program
2. In the development of biceps, curls with dumbbells on a Scott bench have become a classic.
3. To create sculpted and voluminous biceps, it is important to practice developing muscle strength -.

The peculiarity of these practices is not the lifting of heavy weights, but the precise execution of movements. For effectiveness, supersets and fractional sets are used. Reducing weight by 20% each time, working without rest with a minimum break between approaches thoroughly loads your arms. The effect of continuous repetitions is no worse than pumping, when cell enlargement occurs due to the concentrated supply of osmotic substances that fill them with water. In order not to “kill” the biceps muscles, the block is included in the program no more often than after 4 workouts.

What techniques develop the pectoral muscles?

At the top of the body are the massive fan-shaped and minor muscles. The first is triangular in shape and one end rests on the collarbone. The second is hidden under it and serves for stabilization. It is impossible to upgrade them in isolation. Depending on the practice, the process includes the upper abs, deltoids and back. Therefore, when choosing a complex, you need to know what exercises are needed to pump up in order to work out the chest from different angles.

Top best practices for the upper torso:

1. Raising arms with apparatus to the sides on a horizontal and inclined bench.

Effective exercises for pumping up the middle part:

1. with a load on your back from the floor.
2. Crossovers from the lower blocks.
3. Bench press lying on a flat bench.

Each technique requires maximum effort and mental control so that the muscles have time to smoothly contract and stretch. For results, the complex is changed once every 2 months, the weight increases by 2 kg every week.

List of exercises for the lower body

Strength exercises for girls and men aimed at strengthening the muscles of the buttocks, legs, and thighs:

• leg extensions in the simulator;
• platforms;
• squats: , ;

The following will help tighten your sides and make your stomach flat:

Exercises to develop back strength

This group includes: the broadest, trapezoid, long, located along the spine, deep-lying diamond-shaped and serrated. It is recommended to train them after basic practices and not to combine them with techniques aimed at working massive muscles such as the pectoral muscles. Can be combined with a complex for deltoids and abs.

The path to building an ideal body, which has the common name “bodybuilding” (or, less commonly, bodybuilding), attracts a multimillion-dollar army of fans, consisting of people of both sexes and all ages. After all, every person dreams of looking beautiful - and one of the main criteria of physical beauty is necessarily the figure. A low percentage of subcutaneous fat, harmoniously developed muscles, defined relief of muscle groups - this is the goal of every bodybuilder.

The word “bodybuilding” itself, naturally, is not Russian. Coming to us from overseas (from the English “body” - body and “building” - to build), this name has firmly entered into the everyday life of millions of athletes - both professionals and inexperienced beginners.

Bodybuilding exercises

Difference between bodybuilding and powerlifting

A huge number of beginners and people unfamiliar with “heavy” sports often confuse essentially different concepts - bodybuilding and powerlifting. If the first option involves achieving an ideal figure, then the second aims to lift the maximum possible weight. Athletes who choose bodybuilding perform exercises in a completely different way, and the training complex itself is significantly different. In addition, as a rule, “lifters” do not have a beautiful relief, and often even the opposite - they have a considerable percentage of subcutaneous fat in the body.

It is necessary to know such a difference for the simple reason that the training of “builders” and “lifters” is significantly different from each other.

The main nuances of training in bodybuilding

Building sculpted and “lean” muscles is not an easy and quite lengthy process. Even with pharmacological support, athletes spend a significant amount of time to achieve their goals - often they have to wait not even months, but years for changes. However, rest assured: once you achieve the desired result, you will never regret the time spent.

Like any other sport, bodybuilding, the exercises in which are significantly different from the training of “lifters,” has a lot of nuances. Let's list the main ones.

1. Working weights. For a “builder”, the use of maximum weights (even in basic exercises) is an optional condition. Muscle fibers will grow well even with an average weight - for this reason, you should not work at the limit of your capabilities, trying to squeeze the barbell a couple of times.
2. Number of repetitions. The same can be said about the number of repetitions and approaches: the development of relief and the growth of muscle mass is well stimulated by 5-10 repetitions in 3-4 approaches. Depending on the exercise performed and the training period (more about the periods below), this number can reach 15-20 times.
3. Training intensity. A fairly important aspect of training, which has a positive effect on the relief, is to constantly maintain a certain heart rate limit. Only when its frequency exceeds the norm to the required extent can maximum efficiency be achieved. For this reason, movements can be performed a little faster, and breaks between approaches can be reduced to a minimum.
4. Using supersets. If we talk specifically about bodybuilding, the exercises in it are quite effective if you perform them not separately, but as a superset - that is, two exercises without a break. Typically, this method is used to work out antagonist muscles - muscles that perform functions opposite to each other (for example, triceps and biceps, or back and chest). A similar technique is also applicable in powerlifting, but it is more often used by “builders”, since it allows you to achieve the maximum possible filling of the muscles with blood, hence their increase in volume.

Set and “drying”

The bodybuilder divides each year into 4 seasons that are not familiar to the average person. For people who are fond of “heavy” sports, there are only 2 periods: gaining and “drying”.

Let's look at each of them in more detail.

Muscle gain

Before you work on the relief, you need to build muscle. After all, what will you use to form a powerful torso and legs if you weigh 60 kilograms? First you need to gain weight.

This period usually begins with the onset of cold weather: open clothes - T-shirts, T-shirts, shorts - go into the closet, and the time comes for “mass” training. This means a radical change in the regime and training complex: low-carbohydrate and low-calorie diets are replaced by multiple meals full of proteins, carbohydrates, fats and calories, and isolation exercises are replaced by “base”. The principle of training is also changing: the use of large weights and a small number (5-8) repetitions becomes relevant.

The goal of the period is to increase muscle mass. In this case, usually, a clear relief is lost, hidden by the invariably appearing fatty deposits.

Work “on relief” (“drying”)

For ordinary athletes who train for themselves and do not compete, “drying” begins closer to warming. Depending on the individual structure of the body, the amount of excess weight, the intensity of training and the chosen course of medications, it can begin either at the end of winter or in mid-spring.

Most athletes consider this period much more difficult than the previous one: in order to increase the effectiveness of training and achieve ideal relief, for many it is not enough to just visit the gym. In addition, you have to go on fairly strict diets - which is actually a very difficult task.

In addition to dietary restrictions, changes will also affect the training program. If you are really attracted to bodybuilding, the “cutting” exercises must be changed. In addition to the “base”, the training complex includes numerous isolating movements, as well as cardio loads, and the intensity and frequency of training (ideally) increases to the maximum possible. Working weights are reduced, but the number of repetitions increases (up to 8-20, depending on the exercises).

The purpose of the period is to “cut” the resulting mass gain. At the same time, be prepared for the fact that the kilograms of weight you have gained will decrease, as will your body volume, but instead of a massive figure that has excess fat, you will get a beautiful and sculpted structure.

“Base” and isolation exercises

All exercises used by weightlifters (not just “builders”) are clearly divided into two groups: basic and isolating.

1. Basic exercises. It is more correct to call these exercises multi-joint - their implementation involves more than one joint. They form the basis of any training program, both during bulking and cutting, and are always performed at the very beginning of the session. They are relevant to use in both periods (with differences in working weight and number of repetitions).
2. Isolation exercises. When performing isolation exercises, only 1 joint is moved. It is most important to use them when “drying”, however, some exercises are included in the program when gaining - in order to load small muscle groups for which there are no basic exercises (for example, curling arms with a barbell).

The importance of sports nutrition and cardio exercise

If you really want to quickly achieve serious results in a sport like bodybuilding, lifting weights is only one part of the “path.” Let's consider additional “components” of successful training.

Taking sports nutrition

Every day our body needs a certain amount of calories (energy), useful elements, minerals and vitamins. When he receives them, he works efficiently and uninterruptedly; without receiving them, he accordingly begins to work worse.

Naturally, with regular and intense physical activity, the daily norms of all elements increase. Getting such amounts of substances from food is not just difficult, but practically impossible. For this reason, athletes who exercise frequently and give it their all are recommended to make up for the lack of useful elements by taking sports supplements.

Cardio loads

This nuance is more important, first of all, when “drying”. For burning fat deposits, cardio exercises (running, swimming, cycling, active and outdoor games, martial arts classes) are much more effective than working with hardware. For this reason, it is recommended to dilute exercise in simulators with regular jogging (or any other type of cardio).

1. (Best exercise for legs. Base.)
2. (An exercise that will unload the spine)
3. (Relieves the spine. Basic exercise. Can be used as an alternative to squats.)
4. (Working the glutes and quadriceps.)
5. (Quads and glutes work the same way.)
6. (Isolated exercise for quadriceps.)
7. (Isolated hamstring exercise.)
8. (Working the calf muscles.)
9. (Isolated exercise for calves.)
10. (Biceps, quadriceps and glutes work.)
11. (A complex type of squat. Loads the quadriceps and glutes.)
12. (The hamstrings are well used.)
13. (The biceps femoris muscles are actively working.)
14. (The gluteal and hamstrings are more heavily loaded.)

1. (It’s more convenient to perform than with a barbell.)
2. (Working with heavy weights.)

1. (Pumping up the lats.)
2. (Additional effect on the biceps.)
3. (Wings, large round, rear delts.)
4. (Assumes changing hands. For symmetry and variety.)
5. (Similar to pull-ups on a bar.)
6. (In addition, it works the biceps.)
7. (The lats work.)
8. (Powerful basic exercise.)
9. (More often used in powerlifting.)
10. (Spinal extensors.)
11. (Latissimus, and other muscles of the back and shoulder girdle.)
12. (Similar to barbell row.)
13. (Spinal extensors, quadriceps, gluteal muscles.)

1. (Pectoral, serrated, anterior deltoids.)
2. (Deep lowering of the weight. Top of the pecs.)
3. (Deep lowering of the weight.)
4. (Powerful work on the upper chest.)
5. (The main basic exercise for the pectoral muscles.)
6. (Lower chest, triceps.)

This concept refers to some exercises from the world of bodybuilding and powerlifting. Basic exercises include those exercises that have a targeted effect on large muscle groups and are the most effective for the development of strength and muscle mass.

As in any sport, bodybuilding training has certain features. Each athlete sets certain goals before training, and, depending on them, creates his own program. And to make the exercises even more effective, many athletes actively use those that are considered basic in their training. There are four basic principles that allow us to call the exercise basic:

1. With the exception of push-ups and pull-ups, all basic exercises are performed with a barbell
2. Impact falls on large muscle groups
3. When performing the exercise, at least two joints are set in motion
4. The starting position in the exercise is the most convenient for developing greater effort from an anatomical point of view

The benefits of basic exercises

The main effect is the development of strength and muscle mass. If you set these goals for yourself, then basic exercises should be the basis of your training. During their execution, the muscles receive maximum load, in addition, most muscle fibers are actively involved in the work. Another positive effect is its powerful effect on the nervous system.

All body systems receive maximum training impact during basic exercises. Thanks to this, a maximum response is caused on their part, which leads to the greatest increase in strength and muscle mass.

There are also isolated exercises that complement the basic ones. They are used when they want to more fully work out a particular muscle group.

Basic exercises in bodybuilding and strength sports

Today there are nine basic exercises:

1. Standing or seated barbell press
2. Bench press on a flat or incline bench
3. Close grip bench press
4. Dips (possibly using weights)
5. Deadlift
6. Overhand rows or pull-ups on the bar with any grip
7. Bent-over barbell row
8. Squats with a barbell on your shoulders
9. Front Squats

These exercises are considered the basis for developing strength and mass.

In weightlifting, exercises such as the snatch and clean and jerk are actively used. As for bodybuilding, there are several non-basic exercises that also have an effective effect on arm strength. The most famous of these exercises are the French press and standing barbell curl.

Effective workouts at home

Not everyone has the opportunity to go to the gym and train with a heavy barbell or use special racks for squats and presses. But they shouldn’t be upset; with the right approach to home training, you can achieve equally impressive results. Performing the right exercises with heavy dumbbells is almost as effective as basic exercises with a barbell. Exercises such as dumbbell presses in a lying or seated position can develop strength and mass well.

In addition, to perform some basic exercises you don’t need or need to come to the gym. You can do push-ups from the comfort of your room; pull-up bars and push-up bars are available on almost every sports ground. In terms of their effectiveness, these exercises are in no way inferior to exercises with a barbell; they are also basic.

The most important thing in home training– drawing up the right training program. It is necessary to select the best exercises that allow you to maximally load the muscles. The training itself must be carried out carefully and wisely, then you will achieve impressive results. There are many athletes who have been able to develop amazing strength and gain significant muscle mass by training at home.

Is it possible to do only three exercises?

Some athletes claim that there are only three effective compound exercises: the back squat, the deadlift, and the bench press. They say with complete confidence that you need to do only these three exercises and that’s it, you don’t need to do any others. Most of those who think this way are involved in powerlifting (powerlifting).

This is a completely wrong view of strength sports, it is too “limited”.

The reason why many powerlifters hold this opinion is understandable, because these are the three lifts that are competitive. The goal of each of them is to lift maximum weight, which is why misconceptions arise in this regard.

By the way, during the preparatory period these same athletes use a fairly wide range of different exercises. But some time before the competition itself, they discard everything “unnecessary” and focus entirely on basic training.

The effect of training only competitive exercises will only be if we are talking about a professional athlete with a harmoniously developed body. As for amateur athletes, this technique is unlikely to suit them.

If you are not involved in powerlifting, but in bodybuilding or other strength sports, then you definitely shouldn’t limit yourself to a basic program of three exercises.

The human body consists of countless muscles, joints and ligaments that provide it with excellent mobility. This motor system needs to be developed, and this must be done in a variety of ways so that each link is distinguished by its strength. Let's take any sport represented at the Olympic Games - only the use of a large arsenal of exercises allows athletes to achieve high results in them. An athlete's preparation should consist of both basic and auxiliary exercises.

The best way to develop strength and muscle mass is to perform basic bodybuilding exercises. You shouldn’t limit yourself to just three of them, use the entire arsenal, this is the only way you can effectively develop your body. Naturally, we are not talking about one training session, but about a training program that includes activities of various types. If necessary, supplement the program with additional exercises. As already mentioned, proper training consists of performing basic exercises, with the help of which the body’s abilities are comprehensively developed, and auxiliary exercises that need to be used to work on individual muscle groups. These could be exercises that help additionally work the abs, lumbar region, and any other lagging muscles.

It is necessary to distribute all the exercises into separate workouts, at each of them you need to solve some specific problems.

Muscle structure and basic exercises in bodybuilding

It is necessary to very clearly know the area of ​​influence of basic exercises, which muscle groups are involved when performing them. You need to know the structure of a particular muscle group in order not to just say to yourself and others: “Yes, such and such an exercise affects such and such a muscle.” You need to have a good understanding of muscle anatomy and a clear understanding of their location on your body, then the effectiveness of your training will increase many times over. So, it’s time to move on to describing the structure of the muscles and those exercises that have the most impact on them:

1) Shoulders (shoulder girdle). Its basis is the deltoid muscles, which consist of an anterior, posterior and lateral bundle. The shoulder girdle also includes the trapezius muscle, or rather only the upper part of the trapezius. The main exercises for the shoulders are: bench press from behind the head in a sitting position (impact on the front and side beams), bench press from the chest while sitting (front beams), raises with dumbbells while standing (the main load falls on the side beams, the secondary load on the front and rear), pulling the barbell to the chin with a narrow grip (top of the trapezius), raising the shoulders with arms down, holding the barbell or dumbbells (top of the trapezius).

2) Rib cage. It is based on the pectoral muscles and the serratus muscle. The most effective exercises are: bench press with a wide grip in a lying position on a horizontal bench (increasing the total mass of the pectoral muscles), exactly the same bench press, but on a bench inclined to the upper side (redistribution of the load on the upper part of the pectoral muscles), push-ups on the parallel bars (external and lower pectoral muscles).

3) Back. Consists of the latissimus muscles (wings), the erector spinae muscles and the lower part of the trapezius muscle. Basic exercises: wide-grip rear pull-ups (widening the top of the wings), bent-over barbell rows with a close and medium grip (outer part of the latissimus muscles), one-arm bent-over dumbbell rows (working the lats), seated pull-downs with a close grip to the stomach (lower lats and general development of the spinal muscles) and deadlift (spinal extensor muscles).

4)Hands. Their structure is known to every athlete; they consist of the forearm, biceps and triceps. The main exercises: close-grip barbell press on a horizontal bench (triceps), dips (triceps), French press (triceps), seated dumbbell curls (biceps) and standing curls with a barbell or dumbbells (biceps).

5) Legs. Much more complex in structure than hands. They consist of the quadriceps femoris (quadriceps), biceps femoris (biceps), calves and calf muscles. Key exercises: squats (quadriceps), deadlifts (thigh development), and calf raises (calves).

6) Press. The press itself is the rectus abdominis muscle, which can be divided into two sections: upper and lower. In addition, the abs are made up of oblique muscles. Key Exercises: Supine Curl (Upper Abs), Roman Chair Curls (Upper Abs), Leg Raises (Lower Abs), Flat Tucks (all rectus) and Crunches with Torso Curls or Leg Raises (Obliques) muscles).

Basic exercises in bodybuilding: Newbie mistakes

Many of those who are just starting their journey in bodybuilding make the same mistake, namely, they almost completely ignore basic exercises and focus all their attention on isolated exercises. Moreover, almost all of them have only some general and rather vague idea of ​​what isolated exercises are. Such athletes come to training and spend all their time moving from one auxiliary exercise to another. Naturally, they think that I’m doing everything right and expect results. But the only result in this case can only be the complete destruction of one’s own muscles.

And some beginners, having seen a professional’s training method in some specialized magazine, immediately begin to practice it. But we must understand that they are at the initial level of development, and the training plan described applies to professionals, and only a few will be able to withstand it. Most beginner athletes understand this only over time and begin to look for other ways. Sooner or later, they all come to the realization that basic exercises are the basis of any training.

Testosterone

Due to the fact that when performing basic exercises in bodybuilding or other strength sports, several joints are involved in the work at once, as a result, more testosterone is produced.

The term testosterone does not mean various stimulants, but what our body naturally produces. Testosterone– a male hormone, almost all athletes consider it the main muscle builder. In other words, the more hormone our body produces, the better good muscle mass is built. In addition, the amount of fat in the body is significantly reduced.

Research has revealed a number of important factors that need to be taken into account during training in order to achieve the production of more testosterone. First of all, it is produced while working with weights. Its amount depends on the intensity of training and the volume of muscle mass that was stimulated. That is, lifting a lot of weight in itself will not do anything. For active testosterone production, workouts must be varied; muscles must be influenced by different methods, and not just by lifting heavy “iron”. As already mentioned, the main factor is gaining muscle mass; let’s dwell on this point in more detail.

There is a very simple relationship: if during training, muscle mass is stimulated to a considerable extent, then testosterone will be produced in increased quantities. It is for this reason that basic exercises naturally stimulate an increase in hormone levels, since they affect several joints at once. A special study was conducted in which participants performed bench press and squats with a barbell. Testosterone levels increased in both conditions, but higher levels of production were recorded with squats, since this exercise stimulates several muscle groups.

A very successful example can be given - weightlifters competing at the Olympics. They produce simply gigantic amounts of the hormone. Therefore, beginners should spend more time on deadlifts, squats and other basic exercises, rather than spending almost the entire workout on isolated biceps or leg muscles.

The most active production of testosterone occurs in the first 45 minutes of weight training, after which its level decreases sharply. So athletes who spend hours doing one exercise after another should think about the productivity of this method.

Another important factor is intensity, that is, the number of repetitions in 60 seconds. One of the studies involved two groups. The first performed exercises to increase muscle volume according to the following scheme: 10 repetitions were performed per minute, the break between approaches was also exactly one minute. Participants in the second group developed strength by performing 5 repetitions per minute and taking a three-minute break between sets. According to the study results, higher testosterone levels were recorded in participants in the first group. However, participants in the second group also experienced a significant increase in the level of hormone produced.

So, one main conclusion can be summed up: if the basis of your training is compound exercises, then you do not have to worry about the fact that your body will secrete too little testosterone. Everything will happen exactly the opposite.

When working out in the gym, pay attention only to yourself. You don’t have to think about the fact that someone training next to you is looking at you and evaluating how you train. The most optimal training duration is considered to be 40-50, including warm-up; you should not spend more than this time in the gym. Between approaches you need to rest for 1-2 minutes; longer breaks can be harmful to the body. You need to exercise several times a week, it is best to train 3 times a week, but no more. And don’t forget: growth in strength and mass occurs not during exercise, but during rest and sleep.

The number of approaches and repetitions in them depends on your goal. If you want toned muscles, then do 4-6 sets of 7-13 repetitions. Do not do more than this, this is too much stress for the muscles, as a result they can simply burn. The working weight should be such that during the last repetitions you apply maximum effort.

Exercises such as squats and deadlifts are best performed with a regular bar, without weight, in the beginning. This will help you get used to the correct technique. Any discomfort during the exercise can only mean one thing - you are doing something technically incorrect. Without doing basic exercises, your progress will be very slow and minimal.

Do you need muscle, or do you want to get lean and get rid of fat? If you come to the gym for muscle mass, then your diet should mainly consist of high-calorie foods. Some fat is burned on its own during exercise, but exercise alone is not enough to completely get rid of it.

If you have any questions, do not hesitate to approach any experienced athlete in the gym and ask them. Most bodybuilders are open people who are happy to advise and explain to beginners all controversial issues.

A different opinion about basic bodybuilding exercises

As already mentioned, most athletes are well aware of the need to take basic exercises as the basis of their training. But there are also those who openly declare that the base is a matter of taste, an alternative for which, if desired, you can easily find a replacement. And we are not talking about amateur athletes, but rather experienced bodybuilders. Of course, such a point of view seems absurd, but not everything is so simple.

Many famous bodybuilders, in all their years of training, have never done basic exercises, and, nevertheless, achieved amazing muscles. They performed completely different exercises and with different equipment, for example, the barbell was replaced with heavy dumbbells, and instead of squats they trained on a machine. Thus, everyone decides for themselves how necessary these exercises are.