Bodybuilding exercises are divided into. Basic exercises for all muscle groups

In this article, you will find the best exercises for recruitment. muscle mass that will make your workouts more effective and make your muscles grow.

Each workout consists of various 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, develop strength indicators, then you need to responsibly approach the choice of the necessary mass exercises.

Let's define what is basic exercises for gaining muscle mass and why they are called that. These are movements that include at least 2 joints, for example, for biceps, pull-ups are such, 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 exercise such as squats and deadlifts. Beginners do need to work with isolators for several months and pump 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 the maximum release of testosterone hormone. You may notice that they fall into 3 categories:

  1. Exercises with dumbbells.
  2. Barbell exercises.
  3. Exercises with own weight.

Studying various training programs, it can be noted that they give priority to exercises with dumbbells and a barbell. They are best suited for point work on certain muscle groups, only then should you switch to isolating exercises on simulators. Yet their effectiveness is lower than that of exercises with dumbbells and a barbell.

The Smith machine press is not as good as the dumbbell or barbell bench press. The leg press on the machine is not as effective as the weighted squat. And pull down on top block not as effective as pull-ups.

If you are a complete beginner and are just about to go to gym, then basic exercises for gaining mass will not work for you. You first need to prepare the ligaments and joints for work with weights and only then move on to heavy multi-joint exercises with a barbell and dumbbells.

Here you will find the first month of classes.

Here is a list of the 7 most effective exercises. If your goal is muscle building, then don't forget to add them to your training process.

Squats

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

Deadlift

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

Push-ups on the uneven bars

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

Sometimes it turns out that even the most strong weightlifters can't pull up even a couple of times. This is a great exercise for working out the muscles of the back and biceps. If possible, it should be given preference over pulling down on a high block.

Bench press

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

Standing press

As with the bench press, there are several options for performing the exercise. These are dumbbell or barbell presses, standing and sitting. You can also resort to the Arnold press or the press for the head. The push press is also popular.

Both barbell and dumbbell variations are great exercises for the upper back. You can choose the old option - traction t-bar to the chest. While many exercises in the version with the use of simulators do not bring tangible benefits, the pull of the 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 nuke for the body, causing each part of the body to get stronger and bigger with each repetition.

How to do the exercises correctly

For maximum effectiveness of training, all movements must be performed under control, with correct technique and with sufficient intensity. Let's analyze each of the points in order.

under control- means the execution of a movement due to force working group muscles that we want to pump. There must be no throwing of projectiles, jerking movements or uncontrolled returns to starting position. The target muscle group will swing well only when it is fully engaged and under tension. Neuromuscular connection (mental connection brain - muscles) - in simple terms, you should feel how your muscles contract when exercising. As a result, strength increases faster, more muscle fibers gets involved in the work and they grow faster.

Correct technique is needed not only for safety during training, without it there will be no sense in training. The simplest example, doing a bench press for chest training, you can swing 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 even 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: a strong, quick weight lift and a calm, smooth movement in the negative phase.

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

The best exercises for gaining mass of 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 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.
  • Incline bench press. Often professional bodybuilders make it the main one for themselves.
  • Push-ups on bars. Great exercise, which is called "upper body squats".
  • Bench press with dumbbells. You will really feel how the pectoral muscles work in this version of the exercise.
  • Bench press with dumbbells on an incline bench. A good alternative to the incline bench press.

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

For back muscles

  • Deadlift. No other exercise works as effectively on the back muscles. Even simply holding the barbell in the starting position puts the latissimus dorsi in the strongest tension.
  • Pull-ups. This exercise is much better than pulling down on a high block. You can pull up once, pull up twice. You can pull yourself up twice, try to complete the third repetition. Can't do it once, use a pull-up rack.
  • Bent over barbell. No workout should be complete without this exercise, especially with a barbell.
  • Incline dumbbell row. An excellent choice after the previous exercise, especially if you have underdeveloped muscles in the lower back.
  • Power take on the chest. Explosive movements effectively work the muscles of the back, from the trapezium and below.

For shoulders

  • Standing press. An exercise that has remained a staple in many training programs for decades.
  • Shvung bench press. A similar exercise to the previous one, only with more explosive movement.
  • Bench press. Yes, you read correctly. When performing the exercise, the deltoid muscles are remarkably worked out. If on a training day dedicated to working out pectoral muscles, you perform several options for bench presses, then you can not select a separate exercise for working out deltoid muscles on a training day dedicated to the study of the shoulder muscles.
  • Press sitting behind the head. Great choice. Hands should be lowered to a parallel line of the shoulders relative to the floor.
  • Bench press sitting with dumbbells. A little easier to do, as the arms with dumbbells can be placed in a more natural position.

For legs

  • Squats. The main exercise, there is nothing more to add.
  • Front weight squats. Another popular exercise with bodybuilders. The exercise is more difficult to master, but the benefits from it will be huge.
  • Deadlift from the knees. Pump 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 out the muscles of the legs.

For arm muscles

  • Pull-ups reverse grip. Incredible exercise (palms facing the face) to work out the biceps. Probably even better than bicep curls.
  • bench press narrow grip. The exercise allows you to redistribute the weight of the projectile to the triceps.
  • Push-ups on bars. An exercise for the muscles of the hands is better than many others that focus on specific muscles.
  • Bicep curls with a barbell. Classic.
  • Bending the arms behind the head for triceps, sitting. Allows you to work with large weights and work out muscles well. An assistant is needed to control the correct execution.

Worth mentioning

  • Twisting on the press with weight. Do not chase quantity, add weight and pump your muscles well.
  • Shrugs for training the trapezius muscles. Can be carried out with a lot of weight rapid increase trapezoid volume.
  • Twisting the torso on the block. Forget floor crunches, add weight and get 6 pack abs.
  • Hanging leg raise. The exercise helps not only to work out the muscles of the body and stretch the muscles before more complex exercises, but it also engages the rectus and oblique abdominal muscles well, allowing you to get an excellent appearance press.
  • Sitting leg raise calf muscles. The best way work out the calf muscles.

In bodybuilding, there are various types of exercises that can be divided into:

  • multi-articular– work with a barbell, free weight, own body weight;
  • isolated– work on simulators, blocks, frames.

They differ from each other in that the first is basic exercises for mass gain, and the second - grinding / polishing, carving specific details from the total volume of the mass.

The classic basic exercises in powerlifting are:

There are more basic exercises in bodybuilding, full list basic exercises for muscle groups in bodybuilding are presented below.

The bench press is a basic free weight exercise. To perform it, they lie down on a bench, lower the bar of the bar until it touches the chest, and then raise it until the elbow joint is fully extended. The grip should be wide enough, more than shoulder width. In bodybuilding, the bench press is used as an exercise to develop the muscles of the chest, triceps, and also the anterior delta bundle.

The bench press on an incline bench allows you to work out the upper sections of the chest muscles (if performed in the “head over legs” position) or their lower sections (in the head-down position).

With the dumbbell press, the bottom point of the movement is much lower than with the barbell press, which allows you to perfectly work out the pectoral muscles. In addition, you can change the trajectory of movement, squeeze parallel dumbbells, bring them together at the top point, which involves new muscle bundles and has a slightly different effect on them.

Due to the fact that the lying dumbbell breeding involves the same muscles as the bench press, the load is focused on the inner edge and middle of the pectoralis major muscle. In this case, the chest is given a convex shape, a clear separation between its muscles is achieved. The layout is also done to improve the relief of the pectoral muscles. By performing this exercise, you can improve your results in wrestling, tennis, boxing, gymnastics, acrobatics, basketball, badminton.


This auxiliary exercise is aimed primarily at strengthening the pectoral muscles, latissimus dorsi back and, indirectly, triceps. Pullover is usually performed as additional exercise when working on the pectoral muscles.

One of the main exercises for strengthening the back muscles. To perform, you need a horizontal bar or crossbar, which is easy to make even at home. This is the simplest exercise, but its value lies in the fact that it is basic and allows you to use a large number of different muscle groups.

As a complex movement, almost all muscles are involved in the deadlift: either to stabilize the position or to lift the weight. This exercise is used to increase the strength and mass of the muscles of the legs, back, and indeed the whole body.

Regularly performing this exercise, you can develop the latissimus dorsi, large round muscles, as well as influence a number of others, which will allow you to achieve a visual and actual thickening of the back. This exercise is used as an addition to various deadlift variations in order to fully work out the back muscles.

This exercise allows you to create an aesthetic V-shaped torso. In this case, the hands should not go back, but move strictly in the plane of the body. The grip should not be wide, optimally when at the bottom point the forearm is perpendicular to the crossbar. The back should bend, and the legs should be in focus.

already described above

Squatting with a barbell primarily involves quadriceps, synergists (helping in movement) in this case are gluteal muscles, soleus muscles together with the adductor muscles of the thigh. The calf and thigh muscles act as stabilizers. Also work the extensors of the back, muscles abdominals other.

Exercise perfectly develops the calf muscles. You can perform both sitting and standing. For achievement best result both options are reasonable to combine.

Performing this exercise requires very simple equipment - bars. You can find them in almost any yard, not to mention gyms. For the development of the triceps and pectoral muscles, this is perhaps the most best exercise. This also applies to a large number of auxiliary muscles located in the shoulder girdle. Push-ups allow you to qualitatively work out the triceps and chest, but the degree of load depends on the position of the hands.

In order to increase the strength and volume of the triceps, apply french press. It affects all bundles of the triceps, especially the upper and long ones. It also allows you to visually increase the volume of the hand.

To develop the upper part of the triceps and increase its strength and volume, it is worth using a bench press with a narrow grip. At the same time, despite the largest working weight compared to other triceps exercises, this exercise is used, as a rule, as an addition to pumping the triceps. The reason is simple: in addition to the triceps, the front bundle of the delta and the top of the pectoral muscles work. Another advantage of the close grip press is that you can work out the shape of the triceps very well. When this muscle goes into failure, and the performer continues the exercise with the help of the anterior deltoids and chest muscles, it is these repetitions that allow for excellent grinding of the triceps.

With this basic exercise, you can increase the strength and build mass of the biceps. The load is distributed evenly over both bundles of the biceps, the muscles of the inner surface of the forearm and the shoulder muscle.

If you change the width of the grip, you can shift the load on different bundles of biceps. The narrower the grip, the more the internal beams work. And vice versa.

In order to develop biceps shoulders and forearms, lifting dumbbells for biceps is used. The exercise involves turning the hands outward during lifting. This allows you to achieve maximum contraction of the biceps and synergistic muscles. For bicep training this exercise is considered one of the best, as turning the palm while bending the elbow adds efficiency.

This basic exercise is used by most bodybuilders for development. shoulder girdle. It perfectly loads the middle and anterior deltoid muscles, as well as the upper part of the trapezius muscles.

For the development of triceps and muscles of the shoulder girdle, it is recommended to perform a dumbbell or barbell press overhead in a standing position. Here, the main load falls on the deltoid muscles with the main emphasis on the anterior section, as well as on the triceps.

With the help of this exercise, the rear deltas, the rotator cuff muscles and the trapezius muscle are pumped. Incline dumbbell raises are best for developing the shape and definition of the deltoid muscles.

The exercise is suitable for working out the middle deltas, top and middle of the trapezoid. Also, the pull to the chin separates the trapezius from the deltas, allowing you to draw and hone the shape of the trapezius muscles, as well as draw a clear line between the deltas and the trapezoid.

Scars are used to develop the trapezius muscle. The exercise is quite simple: holding the weight in straight arms, lowered along the body, the shoulders are raised as high as possible, after which the shoulders fall back without bending the arm at the elbow. Shrags are usually performed with kettlebells, dumbbells, barbells or on a special simulator. The bar can be positioned both in front of the hips and behind the body.

Basic exercises and technique — Video

Hello everyone, the ABC of Bodybuilding project is in touch! Well, the long-awaited spring has come - the snow is melting, the birds are singing, there are less and less clothes. There are only a few left before the beach season 3-4 months, which means that now is the hottest time for those who have decided to lose weight, pump up and acquire those proportions that they have always wanted. Today's topic is basic exercises.

Spring is felt not only on the street, but also in gyms and fitness rooms. In particular, if earlier such establishments were empty, now there is simply nowhere for an apple to fall, wherever you spit, everywhere there are new bodies and faces. The female half just brings down an endless stream, and beginners arrive with every workout. Of course, on the one hand, all this cannot but rejoice, however, on the other hand, it is clear that people do not know what to grasp, how and where to start their training. This is exactly what we will deal with today, i.e. we will learn how to properly organize your training process, what exercises and how to perform them technically correctly. in general, let's get acquainted with the basic exercises in bodybuilding or, in other words, work on the base.

So, we sit down comfortably, prick up our ears and listen, let's go ...

Basic exercises: a guide to use for a beginner

I am always glad to see new faces in gyms, fitness rooms, and because. in the spring-pre-summer season, the movement rises unrealistic, then I am doubly glad. A lot of green, inexperienced people come to the gym, their eyes just run wide from the number of simulators and from the fact that there is so little time ahead, and the results were needed yesterday.

I would like to say that most of those passing by are very actively involved in the work at the first stage. They rush headlong from one simulator to another, trying to fit into 1 hourly workout exercises on all simulators at once. And what did you want, time is running out, and you need to do a lot: develop your shoulders, and remove your stomach, and press in 6 pump up cubes and a whole lot more. Of course, there is also a minority who have already heard a lot about the pieces of iron, training programs and go with their own specific goal - for example, to try out the program of some eminent athlete live.

That those of others have the same question in their heads: “Where should I start?”, “What exercises should I do first?”. And I must say that this question requires the most detailed answer. In order to find a solution to the problem, let's dive into the theory.

In one of our previous articles (here in) we talked about human muscle anatomy and muscle groups. As we remember, the human muscle frame is made up of various muscle groups. (both small and large), and some specific exercise involves one or another of them. Some exercises involve two or more muscle groups.

Now the question is: "If we want a comprehensive (head to toe) affect the whole body at once, then what exercises will help us with this? Everything is very simple: those exercises that bring to work (use) the maximum possible number of muscles will help. In bodybuilding, they received a special name - multi-joint, basic exercises or, in common people, the base.

Note:

From many coaches you can hear such words about newcomers: “Don't know where to start? Fuck the base.”

Very often, beginners are tempted to jump on the simulators and “score” on the base, because. in their understanding, this is something incomprehensible, complex, and they simply visit thoughts - I came to the gym to pump biceps, and not to do some kind of base. Often, those who come to the gym think: it’s necessary to pump up the chest, otherwise it lags behind other parts of me and start doing exercises specifically for the chest, but, often, all muscles lag behind for beginners, and therefore local training is far from the most effective. So, morality - for a beginner to start building a body with a local impact on some muscle - is fundamentally wrong.

To make it completely clear, I will explain in a popular way: exercises on simulators are isolating movements that polish our body. (Like the cherry on the cake), a multi-joint exercises- this is the cake itself, which must first be knocked out of your body.

So the base strength training any beginner - basic exercises with free weights. They act on different muscle groups at the same time. (each one does its job), although none of them get the full load. This puts more muscle mass into action than any isolation, single-joint exercise. This makes it possible to work with large loads and provide more fast growth muscle mass.

To completely dispel all doubts about the usefulness of the “base” on initial stage training, I will give the advantages that it has:

  • These exercises are more physiological than isolating (local) ones. movements in them correspond as much as possible to the anatomy of the human musculoskeletal system, therefore the risk factor (with the right technique) minimized;
  • When they are performed, less energy is consumed, because. several muscle groups work at once, which redistribute the load on themselves;
  • There is a rapid strengthening of the ligamentous and articular apparatus, due to the overall greater load on the body, which allows for the growth of muscle mass in a much shorter time.

It should be remembered that without a properly set technique for performing basic exercises, all your efforts will come to naught. In addition, you can easily get injured and switch off from the training process for quite a long period.

Therefore, we will pay close attention to technology, read on.

Basic exercises: execution technique

Classic set of basic exercises (who, by the way, switched to bodybuilding from the discipline) the following are considered: lying on horizontal bench, squats with a barbell on the shoulders.

Also for multi-joint (not classic) can include the following: (bench press from the chest), pulling up on the horizontal bar, pulling the bar in an inclination, push-ups on the uneven bars, and a couple of others. In general, as you already understood, these are all those exercises in which a large number of muscle groups are involved. (from largest to smallest). Let us consider in more detail the technique for performing these three golden exercises in bodybuilding. Golden because it is on them that your entire training process will be based and the foundation of future muscle volumes will be laid.

Note:

If you think that recognized bodybuilding stars (For example, Schwarzenegger or Dorian Yates) you are not familiar with the base, the technique of its implementation, and pumped up only due to your genetics and some special training programs, then you are deeply mistaken. Almost all athletes work with basic exercises, so for a beginner, these exercises should be like a balm for the soul.

It depends on how well you learn the technique of performing multi-joint exercises (how well will you perform them), depends on all further progress in training and the time period that you need to move to the next level in body building.

Now about the technology itself. And we'll start with...

1. Deadlift

Despite the fact that beginners devote too little time to the base (or not given at all) it's still half the trouble. The other "gender" is the absence correct technique doing the exercise. Very often in the gym you can see quite depressing pictures - a person performs an exercise, thinks that he is doing it absolutely right, and then at one fine moment one of the trainers “fucks” all his technique (and “fuck” for the cause).

And all because over time, initially incorrect performance ceases to become a habit and the body is already on the machine, every workout repeats this programmed program. As a result, we have that the person seems to be already experienced (1-1,5 years went to the hall), and the basic exercise was performed incorrectly, thereby robbing himself during the entire period of training. Therefore, in order not to step on such a rake, but immediately give yourself an attitude and do everything right and right, you need to study all the nuances of the execution technique.

Well, let's get started.

The first of the big three exercises is the deadlift. This is an excellent, stimulating overall muscle growth, basic exercise with free weights.

The main workers here are (see image):

  • hamstrings ( 1 ) ;
  • Buttocks ( 2 ) ;
  • Spinal straighteners ( 3 ) ;
  • Latissimus dorsi ( 4 ) ;
  • Muscles of the upper back 5 ) ;
  • Quadriceps ( 6 ) ;
  • adductor muscles ( 7 ) ;
  • forearms ( 8 ) ;

Starting position (see image)

So, the step-by-step sequence of actions (preparation for execution) as follows (see image):

  1. Come close to the neck, the feet are narrower than the shoulders and parallel to each other ( 1 ) ;
  2. Sit down and grab the barbell with a straight grip, slightly wider than your shoulders. The arms are vertical, the shoulders are under the bar of the bar, the gaze is directed straight up ( 2 , 3 )

Note:

There are two types of grip: power (different grip) - allows you to hold significantly big weights and classic - two hands with palms facing you.

Execution technique

After you have moved to the starting position, i.e. completed all the steps and stood up, you can proceed to the exercise. The sequence of actions will be as follows (see image):

  1. Inhale deeply and as you exhale begin to pull the barbell. Breakaway is smooth and even (no jerking off the floor), the bar slides along the legs ( 1 ) ;
  2. After the bar has passed the knees, you should fully straighten up and slightly reduce the shoulder blades ( 2 );
  3. Return to starting position.

So, an illustrative step-by-step series will be as follows.

During the deadlift, the muscle that straightens the spine performs the function of strengthening and stabilizing it, and the gluteal muscles and the hamstrings extend the spine in the lower back.

What you should pay attention to:

  • You need to lower and raise the bar rather slowly and smoothly;
  • The downward movement must begin with the abduction of the pelvis back;
  • The bar should slide along the hips throughout the entire movement;
  • The loin should be arched;
  • Having passed the knees (bottom movement), it is necessary to lightly touch the floor bar with pancakes.
  • Mentally imagine that instead of lifting up, you press your feet into the floor;
  • Breathing: inhale - slowly down, exhale - up.

Note:

Because multi-joint exercises are classified as heavy, then it must be done 1 once a week. If you are a beginner, then do not take big weight (hang a lot of pancakes), it is enough to practice with the weight of the bar or light weights (on 10 kg per side of bar) to hone the execution technique and filigree movement. When working with large weights, use weightlifting belt in order to protect the spine from excessive load.

Mistakes

Despite the fact that I tried to state everything in as much detail as possible and demonstrate illustratively, very often there are the following errors: rounded back ( 1 ) , beating the bar off the floor ( 2 ), when lifting - the pelvis overtakes the body ( 3 ) (see image).

Try to catch errors (fix your attention) performed in the process of execution, as well as memorize the movement to automatism and do everything technically right from the very beginning. At first, a mirror, or rather, your reflection in it, can become a non-illusory assistant for you at first. Look at yourself from the side (in the mirror) when you perform deadlift, and then errors will be minimized, if any at all.

Implementation options

In addition to the classic version, there are also the following options. This is a deadlift: on straight legs, in the style of "sumo" and deadlift of the block (we will talk about them in our next issues). It should be said that this multi-joint exercise not only develops the strength of the athlete “from head to toe”, but also causes a neuro-endocrine response in the body - the release of anabolic hormones. (including testosterone). So after doing the deadlift, you feel a surge of strength, “male” as well.

Actually, the deadlift is over, let's move on to ...

Barbell bench press

This is a multi-joint free-weight exercise that is used to develop strength and mass in the upper body muscle groups. We can say that the bench press is the most beloved and most popular exercise for all times and peoples. The main load in it is received by: (see image):

  • chest muscles ( 1 ) ;
  • deltoid muscles ( 2 ) ;
  • Triceps ( 3 )

Starting position(see image)

So, the step-by-step sequence of actions is as follows (see image):

  1. Lie down on a bench and grab the barbell with a grip slightly wider than your shoulders; head - press firmly against the bench ( 1 ) ;
  2. Flatten your shoulder blades, bend in your lower back, spread your legs wide, let your feet rest firmly on the floor ( 2 ) ;

Execution technique

(see image):

  1. Remove the bar and bring it to the chest, then slowly (while inhaling) lower it until it touches the lower part of the chest ( 1 ) ;
  2. As you exhale, push the bar up and return to the starting position. The width of the grip should be such that at the bottom of the movement, the forearms are vertical ( 2 ) ;
  3. During the exercise, the bar must move strictly in a vertical plane, and the elbows must be under the bar ( 3 ) ;
  4. The shoulder blades remain compressed throughout the movement, the lower back is bent. Breathing: on inhalation - slowly down, on exhalation - powerfully up.

Note:

Exist various options hand positions - classical, it is also average. Narrow - the load is shifted to the sternum and requires more effort from the triceps. Wide - the load is shifted to the sides of the chest, reducing the efforts of the triceps. You can do the bench press not in full (shortened) amplitude - this allows you to load the pectoralis major muscle more, relieving tension from the triceps.

Mistakes

When performing the bench press, the following mistakes often occur: raising the head / turning it to the sides, tearing the pelvis off the bench ( 1 ) , incomplete range of motion ( 2 ) (see image).

Implementation options

There are various options for performing the bench press: classic ( 1 ) , with arched back ( 2 ), with raised and arched legs ( 3 ) (see image).

Although this exercise is unofficially the most beloved among bodybuilders, however, not all athletes can feel the work of the pectoral muscle, in this regard, some simply exclude it from their training program.

Everybody is here, next exercise next in line...

Shoulder barbell squat

This is a basic leg workout. It is the best way to increase muscle mass and strength of the muscles of the whole body, however, it is mostly used to achieve a bulging buttocks. (girls - this is your part :)). The maximum impact is on (see image):

  • Quadriceps (quadriceps hips) (1 ) ;
  • hamstrings ( 2 ) ;
  • Buttocks ( 3 ) ;
  • Muscles of the lower back (static voltage) (4 ) .

Starting position (see image)

The step-by-step sequence of actions is as follows (see image):

  1. Go to the power rack / rack where the bar is located (bar with pancakes), grab a wide grip and go under it, then put the bar on your shoulders and bend your lower back ( 1 ) ;
  2. Remove the bar from the racks, take a step back and put your feet shoulder-width apart, pull your elbows back, bring your shoulder blades together and tighten your back muscles, look up ( 2 ) .

Execution technique

After you have taken the starting position, you can proceed to the exercise. The sequence of actions will be as follows (see image):

  1. Take a deep breath and slowly sit down to the parallel of the thigh with the floor (or slightly lower), while exhaling, stand up in the starting position. Remember, the knees should not go beyond the toes and should not be fully extended at the bottom ( 1 ) ;
  2. Move your pelvis back as you move down (shifting the weight of the body to the heels and the outer edge of the foot), balance will help you keep your body tilted forward ( 2 ) ;
  3. The back is arched throughout the movement. Breathing: inhale - down, exhale - up. The gaze is directed in front of you ( 3 ) .

So, an illustrative step-by-step series will be as follows.

Note:

There is a small trick that will help you perform the exercise better, it sounds like this: you should take the bar strictly in the center, and you need to go under it with the shoulder blades brought together in advance. Thus, a special layer of tense muscles is created on the upper back and above the shoulder blades, which eliminates the unpleasant feeling of pressure from the neck on the back.

Mistakes

Very often the following mistakes occur in this exercise: round back ( 1 ) , bringing knees together ( 2 ), separation of the heels and bringing the knees forward by the toes ( 3 ) , barbell on the neck ( 4 ) (see image).

Implementation options

There are various options for performing squats with a barbell, and they depend on both the setting of the legs ( 1 ), and on the location of the bar - front squats (2 ) (see image).

When the legs are narrower than shoulder width ( 1 ), the lateral wide muscles of the thigh and the abductor muscles are loaded. When feet are shoulder width apart 2 ), all thigh muscles are worked out as much as possible. When setting exceeds shoulder width ( 3 ), the emphasis shifts towards a greater study of the inner part of the quadriceps, tailor and adductor muscles.

In addition to performing squats with a barbell on the back, it can also be performed with a barbell located on the collarbone. (upper chest), in this case, the load is shifted from the gluteal muscles towards the quadriceps. If you are new to bodybuilding (experience up to 1 of the year), then squats in the Smith machine may be an ideal option for you. This machine will provide better control over the technique and generally increase the stability of the body.

Note:

In order to perform a squat with a barbell technically correctly, you must first use the “lock” technique. It consists in sequential and simultaneous execution 3 actions: inhalation with a full chest and holding the breath, tension of all the muscles of the abdomen, deflection of the lower back. All this helps to avoid excessive tilt of the body forward and possible negative effects of large weights on the spine.

Actually, we finished with squats, and somehow imperceptibly our article also came to its logical conclusion. (what, really? well, finally), but before I say goodbye, I will bring interesting statistics, which speaks about the value of basic exercises. A scientific experiment was conducted, during which it was found that muscles grow more from hormones than from training (see image).

Exercises that maximally affect the production of testosterone and growth hormone are just these three classic, basic ones. So fuck it :) base! So, as always in the conclusion, you are waiting for some results on all of the above.

Basic exercises: F.A.Q.

In order to assimilate all the material as much as possible and put it on the shelves, remember the following benefits that basic exercises will give you.

  • When performing basic exercises, the production of growth hormones and testosterone increases, which has the most beneficial effect on muscle growth;
  • Gradually honing the execution technique and adding weight, you can achieve constant progress in training;
  • Maximum simultaneous involvement of a large number of muscles in the work;
  • Colossal energy costs will inevitably lead to the “melting” of excess subcutaneous fat;
  • All muscles will grow evenly
  • There is no need to “hollow” your body with exhausting approaches and huge repetitions;
  • The “base” period must be provided with appropriate support from the outside.

Remember these benefits when you do your next multi-joint exercise and you will see progress!

Afterword

So, dear readers, today we got acquainted with the big three, or basic exercises: deadlift, squat and bench press - these basic exercises are exactly the foundation on which you have to build your initial muscle frame. From now on, it is the multi-joint exercises that are your initial task in training and that reserve for the future, which will allow you to progress further, so pay close attention to the above exercises and especially the technique of their implementation.

PS. Yes, I completely forgot, do not try to do the exercise like this ...

PS2. If you have any questions, something is not clear or anything else, write in the comments, I will be happy to help.

© luckybusiness - stock.adobe.com

    What will be required

    Often we hear from various fitness bloggers that without doing basic exercises, there can be no growth. What confirms their effectiveness? In this article, we will try to answer this question, as well as figure out how to do basic basic exercises and how to implement them into your training process.

    What are basic exercises?

    Basic exercises are those in which several muscle groups are involved in movement at once and at the same time flexion or extension of several joints occurs at once. Due to this, the body receives more intense training stress, and desired result achieved much faster. In basic exercises, you can use more working weight, which is why it is believed that they form the strength "foundation" of the athlete.

    The best basic exercises for different muscles

    There are both basic and isolation exercises for each muscle group. It is especially important to perform basic exercises for beginner athletes. So you will quickly lay a certain power base, with which it will be easier for you later to build muscle, improve the functionality of your body or increase record weights in power movements. But even experienced athletes are not recommended to abandon the base, in any case, it should be a large part of your program.

    It is worth noting that not all athletes will benefit from regular basic exercises. Many of them (for example, deadlift and squats) involve a strong axial load on the spine. They are not recommended for herniated discs and protrusions, especially in lumbar. In addition, performing these exercises with large working weights is a rather traumatic exercise, and the slightest deviation from the correct technique can not only exacerbate existing health problems, but also cause new ones.

    For beginners who are engaged without a coach, it is also better not to include deadlifts and squats with a barbell in their program, since it will be quite difficult to learn the technique from scratch on your own. It is better to first develop skills in working with iron with the help of simpler basic exercises, and only then move on to complex ones. Or start working with a trainer right away.

    Below we provide a list of basic exercises for each muscle group. They are suitable for both men and women, the most important thing in them is the observance of the correct technique.

    Basic leg exercises

    Let's talk about basic leg exercises first. After all, many ignore this muscle group, but in vain.

    Squats

    it is one of the fundamental exercises in many sports. In this movement, one way or another, almost all the muscle groups of your body work. The main dynamic load falls on the quadriceps, biceps femoris, spinal extensors, gluteal muscles and adductors of the thigh. When working with serious weight, a significant static load falls on the abdominal muscles, shoulders and trapezius muscles.

    The main thing in this exercise is to monitor your breathing (exhalation is done strictly when lifting) and keep your back straight throughout the movement - this way you will protect yourself from injury.


    © Vitaly Sova - stock.adobe.com

    A clear position of the head helps to stabilize the movement - the gaze should be directed strictly in front of you or slightly up, so it will be psychologically easier for you to get up from a lower position.


    Do not forget about the position of the legs - in general, they need to be placed a little wider than the shoulders, while the socks should look to the sides. When rising from a squat, in no case do not bring your knees together.


    This also includes squats in Smith and the hack machine. These movements are slightly easier in terms of technique. General principle there is the same, but the position of the body and the projectile is more fixed, which is why fewer stabilizer muscles are involved in the work.



    © mountaira - stock.adobe.com

    leg press

    It cannot fully replace heavy barbell squats, but the load on the legs is no less: the front, back and inner thighs and gluteal muscles work. Perfect for beginners who, at the initial stage, the squat technique will be too complicated.


    The most important thing in this exercise is not to overdo it with the working weight. This will make it harder for you to control the correct position of your knees. If you bring them inside the trajectory of movement, you risk injury to the ligaments.

    It is also important to work in a comfortable amplitude. Do not try to lower the platform as low as possible. The geometry of most simulators is designed in such a way that at the lowest point your spine will be rounded in the coccyx area. This is an extremely dangerous position. At the top point, you do not need to straighten your knees to the end, leave them slightly bent.


    Lunges

    You can perform lunges with your own weight, or. In any variation, you will engage all areas of the leg muscles. Depending on the width of the step, the direction of movement and the position of the foot, you can slightly emphasize the load in one area or another: with a shorter step, the emphasis is on the quadriceps, with a wide step, on the hamstrings.


    If you perform a step in such a way that at the bottom point the angle between the lower leg and the thigh of both legs is 90 degrees, the load is equally distributed on the front and back of the thigh.


    Sumo deadlift

    This is a variation on the classic deadlift that puts more emphasis on the legs (adductors, quads, and hamstrings) and less work on the back. This is achieved through a wider setting of the legs. The amplitude of movement in the sumo stance is a little shorter, but this does not negate the powerful static tension in the abdominal muscles, back, trapezium and arms.

    The correct sumo deadlift technique involves a deep squat in the starting position and keeping a straight back throughout the exercise. So you minimize the risk of back injury or umbilical hernia.


    Athletes who are not involved in powerlifting should not use a mixed grip, as it can also lead to spinal injury. Use a regular straight grip, you can connect the straps if the weight is too big.

    Romanian draft

    It is often mistakenly called a deadlift, although in fact the deadlift is the usual classic deadlift. In the Romanian version, the legs remain slightly bent throughout the approach, the work is mainly carried out due to the extensors of the spine and biceps femoris. That is why this exercise can be attributed to the basic on the back. The gluteal and other additional stabilizers (trapezoid, calf, etc.) also turn on well.

    It is not necessary to perform this movement on fully extended legs, this is fraught with injury. The angle at the knees should not change throughout the approach. The slope must be performed to a comfortable point, stretching is different for everyone, it should not be done through pain. It is also important not to hunch your back, if you can’t do it, reduce the working weight.


    Another version of this exercise is with dumbbells, the technique here is identical, but the emphasis is more on the gluteal muscles.


    Basic back exercises

    Now let's talk about how to achieve a powerful muscle corset and swing your back.

    Pull-ups on the horizontal bar

    The bar is a wonderful machine with which you can work out the entire muscle mass of the upper back. If you are, then the latissimus dorsi, trapezius and rhomboid, posterior deltoid muscle bundles, as well as large and small round muscles are involved in the work.


    If you use more, then the muscles of the hands will be strongly included in the work: biceps, brachialis and forearms. To partially reduce the load on the hands, use the wrist straps. If you want to load the back muscles even more, make a slight deflection in the thoracic spine and bring the shoulder blades together at the top of the amplitude.

    Pull-ups for the head (as well as thrust for the head on vertical block) is only recommended for people with a flexible shoulder girdle. In general, it is best to perform this movement towards the chest, in order to avoid injuries to the shoulder joints.


    This group of exercises can include all vertical traction on the block, as well as pull-ups on the gravitron - this special simulator with a counterweight that facilitates movement. Pull-ups on the block involve the same muscles, but are slightly less effective. They are well suited for beginners who do not have enough strength to pull themselves up, as well as for those who do not know how to “turn on” their back and pull themselves up due to the muscles of their arms.


    Bent Over Barbell or Dumbbell Row

    Horizontal rows make your back thicker, which is important for building a massive torso. loads the entire array of the upper back, rear deltas and biceps. Also, a strong static load goes to the extensors of the spine and abdominal muscles.


    Experienced athletes can emphasize the load on a particular area of ​​the latissimus dorsi. If you want to hit the bottom of your lats more, use a reverse grip and pull the bar straight up to your waist. If your goal is powerful upper lats, rhomboids, and trapezius muscles, work with an overhand grip and lift the bar to the bottom of your chest.

    Leaning is also important, many athletes only lean forward slightly, which reduces the range of motion, and the emphasis goes to the trapezoid. It will be optimal to tilt to about an angle of 30 degrees relative to the floor.


    © Makatserchyk - stock.adobe.com

    It helps to pump up the back no worse. This is a one-way movement, so the stabilizer muscles will work even harder here: the extensors of the spine, abs and deltoid muscles. It is recommended to perform both of these exercises with moderate weight and not to use cheating (swinging the body). It is much more important to include the back muscles in the work as much as possible, bringing the shoulder blades together at the top point, than to try everything accessible ways throw a barbell or dumbbell up.


    This also includes pulling the barbell to the belt while lying on an incline bench. This exercise is good because static position body eliminates cheating, and also reduces the load on the lower back. The working weight is taken less than with normal standing traction.


    © Makatserchyk - stock.adobe.com

    Another variation is the thrust on horizontal block. It also targets the thickness of the back and engages the same muscle groups. If you take a wide handle instead of a narrow one and take it wider than your shoulders, you can shift the focus to the back delta.


    © tankist276 - stock.adobe.com

    T-bar pull

    Almost every modern gym has a special machine for working out the muscles of the back - the T-bar. They come in two types: with and without an emphasis on the chest. A variation of the T-bar row with an emphasis on the chest allows you to almost completely simulate the performance of a barbell row in an incline while lying on an incline bench.

    Another plus of this simulator is more grip variations. For example, a narrow parallel grip allows you to perfectly work out the middle of the back, you cannot imitate such a movement by working only with a barbell or dumbbells.


    If your gym does not have such a simulator, it does not matter. You can imitate the T-bar pull using a regular Olympic bar from a barbell and a handle with a narrow parallel grip from block simulator for the back. In any case, this exercise is worth doing on an ongoing basis - the back will quickly become more bumpy and massive.

    Deadlift in the classics

    With the classic setting of the legs, it implies a shift in the load on the back muscles. However, the legs are also included quite strongly, and although this movement is traditionally referred to as exercises on the back, it can also be considered basic for the legs.

    The classic stance implies the location of the legs shoulder-width apart, the hands hold the barbell a little wider, a slight squat is made and a forward lean is made. Hold the bar as close to the lower leg as possible, then the trajectory of movement will be strictly vertical. The legs here work only at the moment the bar is lifted off the floor, the buttocks and quadriceps work mainly. But the upper 2/3 of the amplitude you pass through the work of the extensors of the spine. A strong static load falls on all the muscles of the upper back, trapezium and biceps.


    It is essential to keep your back straight throughout the entire set.

    Doing the “hump” deadlift is one of the most common mistakes among beginner athletes, but in no case should you lift serious weight in this way, it can put an end to your sports career.


    It is very important to breathe correctly during the deadlift. Expiration too late will increase intracranial pressure, which may cause dizziness, and the workout will most likely have to be completed.

    If you want to increase strength and work out the upper phase of the movement, perform deadlifts from plinths (stands). This will reduce the load on the legs to almost zero, and you can pump your back even more.


    Basic chest exercises

    Bench press

    - probably the most common exercise in all gyms. This exercise cannot be called isolated, the triceps and shoulders work here no less than the pectoral muscles. The static load falls on the extensors of the spine, the latissimus dorsi and trapezius muscles of the back, biceps and abdominal muscles.


    Many athletes pull the shoulder blades as hard as possible, arch the lower back, make a bridge and use a wide grip - this shortens the range of motion and further reduces the load on the chest muscles. There is no point in this, only if you are not engaged in powerlifting. It will be optimal to bring the shoulder blades together and make a slight natural deflection. At the same time, the legs rest on the entire foot, and not on the socks.


    You can press the barbell on an incline bench or lying upside down. This emphasizes the load on the top or bottom of the chest, respectively, but the load from the triceps and front deltas will not disappear anywhere. With too much positive angle (more than 45 degrees), the emphasis shifts from the upper chest to the deltas. The optimal angle is 30 degrees.


    © Makatserchyk - stock.adobe.com


    © Odua Images - stock.adobe.com

    Dumbbell bench press

    A similar exercise to the bench press. There are also three main variations - bench press on a horizontal bench, inclined and upside down.

    Due to the fact that in each hand is held separate projectile, more small stabilizer muscles are involved. You can also increase the amplitude by lowering the dumbbells a little lower; in the barbell version, this will not work.

    As part of the training program great option will combine presses with a barbell and dumbbells under different angles, for example, first perform a barbell bench press on a regular bench, and then a dumbbell bench press on an inclined bench.


    © Makatserchyk - stock.adobe.com

    Push-ups on the uneven bars

    - This is an equally effective exercise for working out the lower part of the chest, but the triceps and front deltas are no less involved here. Correct position body and elbows will help you focus on working out a particular muscle group. If you spread your elbows to the sides and make a slight tilt forward, the pectoral muscles will work harder. If you keep your back straight and lead your elbows along the body - triceps. Also, to emphasize the triceps, it is recommended to use a little more narrow bars. In this variation, this exercise will be basic for the hands.

    If necessary, use additional weights in the form of a disc or a dumbbell suspended from a belt.


    Pushups

    The simplest chest exercise that you can even do at home. Nevertheless, it is basic, because it involves, in addition to the chest, both triceps and the front delta.

    In push-ups from the floor, you can also focus on a specific muscle group. In the case of the chest, the setting of the hands should be wider than the shoulders, the elbows are bred to the side.


    For greater amplitude, use armrests, you can perform the movement on dumbbells or kettlebells.


    © kucherav - stock.adobe.com

    To shift the load on the upper chest, the legs should stand on some elevation.


    If you want to emphasize the load on the triceps more, then the setting of the hands should be narrower than the shoulders, almost close, while the palms are turned towards each other. Elbows when lowering should be along the body. In this version, this exercise can be attributed to the base for triceps.


    © Roman Stetsyk - stock.adobe.com

    Here you can also use additional weights, such as a heavy backpack.

    Basic hand exercises

    In addition to the variations of push-ups from the floor and bars for triceps mentioned above, we will consider a few more exercises.

    Close Grip Bench Press

    This is the foundational movement for triceps growth. Here, all three of its beams work uniformly, as well as inner part pectoral muscles and anterior deltas. When performing, it is important to unbend your arms in the same trajectory. To do this, concentrate on the position of the elbows, they must be pressed to the body all the time.

    Triceps is a fairly stubborn muscle. In order for it to grow, you need to do both strength work and just pump blood into the muscle in a more high-rep mode. That is why, during a set of muscle mass, it is recommended to focus on this movement, supplementing it with 1-2 isolating exercises.


    Pull-ups with a narrow reverse grip

    The only basic exercise for biceps. All other movements for this group are variations of curls with a barbell, dumbbells or on simulators. They only involve elbow joint and only one muscle group, which is why they are isolated.

    Close-grip pull-ups also work your back muscles well. To emphasize the load on the biceps, do not use the straps, try not to reduce the shoulder blades and reach up precisely due to the strength of the arms.


    Basic shoulder exercises

    Consider the most effective exercises that will help strengthen your shoulders.

    Bench press standing or sitting

    In this movement, you work all three bundles of the deltoid muscles, triceps and a little upper chest. But only the front beam receives the greatest load in any presses up (even from behind the head).

    In addition, the bench press is very important for the development of control over the entire body, because all other muscle groups, to one degree or another, play the role of stabilizers.

    In this movement, there is a fairly strong axial load on the spine, so it is recommended not to chase record weights in it and, if necessary, use an athletic belt. If you want to reduce the load on the lower back, do the barbell bench press instead. But even here the load is not completely excluded - with a sufficiently heavy barbell, the athlete automatically makes a deflection in the lower back.


    Until now, there are numerous disputes about how to lower the bar correctly: behind the head or in front of you. The beam here works the same - the front. But lowering behind the head is an extremely dangerous movement for the shoulder joints. If you don't have a certain amount of shoulder flexibility, you're more likely to get injured. So it is worth doing this exercise only in the form of lowering to the chest.

    This also includes bench presses sitting in Smith. Here, the trajectory of movement is set by the design, fewer stabilizing muscles are turned on, cheating is excluded due to a small squat.

Chose bodybuilding? And the first advice, especially for beginners, will sound like this: “Immediately take the bull by the horns!”. I hasten to clarify: this does not mean at all that you immediately need to run to the gym and around the clock, drenched in sweat, randomly tear your muscles until you lose your pulse. A implies an initial serious and responsible approach to the choice of exercises and the proper organization of training based on them. From the very beginning!

I agree that the phrase "a serious and responsible approach" sounds boring, but it will save you from possible disappointments and will become a guarantee of inevitable progress in the future. And here we will talk about one of key points for bodybuilding - basic exercises. Let's find out what is their peculiarity and why basic exercises are needed in general.

What exercises are called basic

In bodybuilding, there are two main types of exercises - basic and isolated. Both of them are very important. Each plays a specific role.

The main effect that isolated and basic exercises give and their difference is that isolated ones act as if aiming, pointwise, forcing a certain muscle or a certain group of muscles to work, while when performing basic exercises, a much larger number of them work. In other words, the former activate the minimum number of muscles, while the latter seek to use the maximum number of them.

And they are called basic because in weightlifting they are the basis, that is, mandatory. In bodybuilding, opinions are divided on this matter, but more on that below.

So, there are three main basic exercises:

  1. Deadlift;
  2. Squats;
  3. Bench press.

There are also others, for example, a bench press up while standing or sitting, as well as derivatives of the above three main ones.

Thus, they can be characterized as follows:

  • Basic basic exercises are always performed with a barbell. Derivatives from them can be performed both with a barbell and with the use of other projectiles, for example, kettlebells or dumbbells. And also without their use at all - push-ups from the floor and others.
  • They are performed using free weights- not in the gym.
  • Such exercises involve large muscle groups and, obviously, more than two joints. Therefore, they are also called multi-joint.
  • When performing basic exercises, the greatest body tension is achieved, due to which training is carried out with the maximum possible weights.

What are the basic exercises in bodybuilding

Basic exercises increase strength, promote muscle gain and develop the body as a whole.

On a physiological level, the development of strength and muscle mass depends on the presence in the body of a hormone such as testosterone, the release of which is stimulated by the pituitary gland - a small, rounded appendage in the lower part of the brain less than a centimeter in diameter and weighing less than one gram.

Thanks to the male hormone testosterone, a strong half of humanity develops facial hair, broad shoulders and narrow hips, as well as a much more developed muscle mass compared to women.

It accelerates the formation of new muscle tissue (anabolism), which increases the rate of muscle recovery after intense training and, accordingly, their growth. So, basic exercises are necessary because they are the most powerful tool that stimulates the increased production of testosterone hormone, and its release into the blood in a huge volume.

Thus, basic exercises are needed for:

  1. development of strength and power;
  2. a set of muscle mass;
  3. powerful stimulation of testosterone production.

Do you really need a base?

In the world of bodybuilding, there are two opposing opinions about the mandatory basic exercises. Some argue that they are simply necessary, that without them it is impossible to achieve significant results in bodybuilding. And therefore, some of the supporters of this opinion advise beginners to practice for a whole year using only basic exercises. And that the most significant effect is given by the basic exercises.

And others, on the contrary, consider them completely optional, that they are traumatic and, in general, with regard to testosterone, it is produced not only during basic, but also any physical activity.

If you listen to all the arguments for the exceptional importance and mandatory execution bases, they will seem exhaustive and more than convincing.

But, having studied the arguments of the opposite side, who, respectively, are against the mandatory presence of basic exercises, the logic is also traced and their words sound no less convincing.

These opposites can confuse and confuse the beginner. What to do in this case? How to determine: to fulfill the base or limit yourself to isolation? Let's try to answer this question.

The fact,

that both sides are right. And the dispute arises only because the former focus on the pluses, while the latter only talk about the minuses, while the truth lies in the golden mean.

The golden mean implies a competent approach to training, in which the base is not opposed to isolation, but harmoniously complement each other. Where both basic exercises and isolation exercises give their definite effect.

Basic exercise program

  • Strict adherence to the correct technique for performing exercises;
  • Selection of the optimal projectile weight;
  • Frequency of exercise per week.

And after that, you can “finish off” individual muscles or a group of muscles with targeted isolation.

Thus, we found out that basic exercises are just as necessary and important as isolation exercises. That the greatest surge in the release of testosterone, which is so important and necessary for building muscle volume, is given precisely by basic exercises, while isolation exercises correct and refine individual muscle groups.

The conclusion from all that has been said can be drawn as follows: it is important to remember that bodybuilding is a whole science. Therefore, you should not get carried away by extreme points, but rather, in order to achieve maximum progress and success, stick to the golden mean (that's why it is golden). Regularly learn something new, get acquainted with different techniques, experiment and, at the same time, most importantly, carefully listen to your body.

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