The 25 Best Exercises for Men and Women To Build Muscle Part 3.

Chris
Jul 9, 2019
2 min read

5. Work Your Entire Body with the Deadlift

One of the big lifts that hits just about every muscle in the body. Learn this move the proper way and your overall strength and power will skyrocket.

How to do a barbell deadlift:

1. Stand over a loaded barbell with your feet about shoulders-width apart and your toes very slightly pointed outward.

2. Engage your core, drop down, and grip the bar at shoulders-width.

3. Keep your back as straight as possible at all times.

4. Push your hips back and pull the weight up from your heels while engaging your lats, glutes and hamstrings.

5. Pause at the top and repeat the process.

6. Work Your Upper Body with the Bench Press

Another big lift, but more focused on upper body strength and power. Cycle this move with dumbbell bench presses for variety and plateau breaking effects.

How to do a barbell bench press:

1. Flat flat on your back on a bench.

2. Grip the barbell with your hands slightly wider than shoulder-width.#

3. Engage your core, retract your shoulder blades, and lift the barbell off the rack.

4. Slowly lower the bar down to your chest while tucking your elbows and maintaining a slight and natural arch in the low back.

5. At the bottom, drive through the heels of your feet and put the weight up to the top.

6. Squeeze, then repeat the process.

7. Work Your Lower Body with the Squat

Arguably one of the best exercises for the human body. Every muscle is engaged from head to toe. Can’t quite do a barbell back squat like this yet? Start with body weight squats or the goblet squat.

How to do a barbell back squat:

1. With a barbell resting across your lower traps, stand with your wide approximately shoulders-width with your toes slightly pointed out.

2. Engage your core and slowly lower your body while keeping your hips and butt back.

3. Keep your knees from folding inward or forward.

4. At the bottom (when your thigh/quads are about parallel with the floor) drive back up with the weight on your heels.

5. Extend your hips at the top and repeat the process.