TOP 5 Weight Training Exercises: Do these exercises and you will see results!

You’re entering the gym and see all the equipment and you start asking yourself: ‘’Which one should I choose? Which ones are the best? What can I do with them? How can I maximize my training?”

Well, there can be many doubts and that’s why in this article we’ve selected the best bodybuilding exercises that you can do in a strength training.

Weight Training Exercises

Bodybuilding exercises are important for you to increase your strength and muscle mass and to improve muscular endurance.

At the same time these exercises are great to lose and gain weight. You can learn more about this in our blog posts exercises to gain weight and exercises to lose weight.

The exercises that we’ve selected for you are multi-joint exercises, so exercises that involve multiple joints and large muscle groups and they are extremely effective.

Are you ready to find out what the top 5 is?

TOP 5 Weight Training Exercises

N.º5: Bench Press

It’s considered to be one of the best exercises ever to train the chest area, it increases the muscles in terms of definition and volume.

How?

It allows to activate the muscles of the upper body (large pectoral) and allows to achieve maximum strength in the chest and arms (upper deltoid, triceps and small pectoral). Result: more volume on the front of the upper body.

How to perform:

This exercise can be done in various angles (Declined, Flat and Inclined) and in various ways, depending on your intended goals.

Best technique:

• On the gym bench lie on your back and position your body according to the bar. The bar should be upright to the chest area. Make sure, with light weight, that the bar almost touches the chest and adjusts the weight.

• Hold the bar well with your arms at shoulder length and prepare yourself to do the exercise (the goal may vary according to the exercise).

• Lower the bar to the chest area and inhale.

• Then raise the bar to the starting position and exhale.

Important: Make sure your back is entirely supported on the bench and your feet are flat on the floor. Keep the abdominals always contracted throughout the exercise.

Nº4: Barbell Bent Row

Do you want a V-shaped body, with a toned, strong and defined back? Nothing’s better than barbell row training!

This exercise has many variants and allows to work the back and the abdominal area at the same time (as a lower back support), avoiding an imbalance during the exercise.

The main muscles that this exercise works on are: the large dorsal, large round posterior deltoid, trapezius, rhomboid, and brachial biceps (secondary).

Although it’s usually recommended to work the back, this exercise can work the lower part, in particular the glutes and the posterior thigh.

How to perform:

• Facing the bar, with your feet slightly apart (shoulder-width) and your abdomen contracted, lower your torso to pick up the bar.

• Pull the bar to the abdominal / belly button area and exhale (here you should keep the spine in neutral position and the knees semi-flexed).

• When the bar touches the abdominal area, extend the arms until you return to the initial position. Slowly inhale throughout the process!

N.º3: Leg Press

How many times do you walk into the gym and see a lot of weight on a device with someone pulling on the person that’s doing the exercise? One of the devices for which it’s normal to see this scenario is the Leg Press.

It’s perhaps the most contested equipment amongst men and women to see who can push more weight.

This exercise is considered one of the most versatile for the lower body, because it works the quadriceps, posterior thigh and glutes. If you change the position of the feet, it’s also possible to work the adductors.

Careful! Control your anxiety of reaching the limit, don’t stretch your legs too much nor put a load that you can’t hold, your knees may weaken during a repetition and you can injure yourself … and you don’t want that, right?

How to perform:

• Sit on the bench of the equipment, confirm that your feet are aligned with the basin (or slightly apart, depending on the muscles that you want to work).

• Keep the abdominal area contracted during the exercise. Make sure that your column and shoulders are placed firmly in the backrest and unlock the machine (if there is a brake).

• Push the platform, exhaling at the same time (the knees are almost extended).

• Relieve tension on the platform by returning to the starting position (without letting the weight settle). Inhale!

• Repeat as many times as necessary (as prescribed).

N.º2: Deadlift

As a complement, this exercise intends to work the muscles of the lower, upper, back and front part of our body. How?

It’s considered an old school exercise in the gyms, as well as one of the fundamental exercises for gaining muscle mass in essential areas (femoral biceps, quadricycles, large glutes, common mass, large dorsal, trapezius, rhomboids and rounds).

Activates various muscle groups allowing you to work your posture, gain strength, endurance and explosion.

Attention! This exercise has a small snag … if we don’t have a good posture, abdominal strength and well reinforced backs, we run the risk of serious injuries in the lower back and knees in the short and medium term.

How to perform:

• Start position: Straight column and look forward, feet shoulder-width apart and place your hands on the bar with your thumbs touching the outside of the bar.

• Contract the glutes and shoulders to help to lift the weight.

• In the phase of applying force, secure the bar, and following, lift it with help of the legs – upward movement of the torso, until you have your column in a vertical position and the bar a little above the area of the knees.

• Once you are upright, you should always do the downward movement in a controlled and slow manner to not damage the spine (don’t completely pound the bar until you finish the exercise).

N.º1: Squatting in the free bar or Smith Machine

The famous and unequaled “squatting”!

This exercise is considered one of the best exercises for the lower part of the body (quadricypus, glutes, hamstrings and great adductor) and one of the most sought after by the female sex because it has the power to create firm and toned legs without cellulite.

Note: A wrong posture in this exercise can cause severe damage to the spine, knees, and joints. A mirror helps to check whether your posture is correct or not.

If you’re going to use a bar, position it with the weights on the shoulders and not on the trapezius muscles, to avoid spinal injuries and to ensure comfort during exercise.

In addition, it can also work the upper part, namely the abdominal area.

How to perform:

• Feet to base width always pointed frontward. Keep your feet firm to avoid imbalances.

• Place the bar in the area of the shoulders and not in the cervical area.

• Try to stabilize your back and look forward. Keep the abdomen contracted.

• Inhale as you descend, until your legs are at an angle of 90 degrees with your glutes contracted (the upper body slightly inclined and the base to the back). The knees shouldn’t cross the foot line.

• Exhale on the way up and always with the abdominal area contracted until you reach the initial position.

In an initial phase, always try to pay attention to the technique and increase the number of repetitions: start with 15, then 20 and … challenge yourself by increasing the number.

These exercises were selected by us because we think they are quite complete and they will help you to evolve your entire body. Also, try to get out of your comfort zone by challenging yourself daily.

But don’t forget! Always consult a professional to tell you what exercises you should (or can) do and clarify all your doubts with him. He will also teach you the right posture to adopt during the exercises.

Ready to try this Top 5? Do you have questions? Leave a comment below ?

Good training!