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- Strength Training Exercises
- The Best Exercises to Build Muscle and Add to your Weight Training Routines
- Our Philosophy: Choosing the Best Exercises to Build Muscle
- All Strength Training Exercises by Muscle Group
- Strength Training Bicep Exercises and Tricep Exercises
- Strength Training Back and Shoulders Exercises
- Muscle Building Chest Exercises
- Muscle Building Leg Exercises
Strength Training Exercises
The Best Exercises to Build Muscle and Add to your Weight Training Routines
Welcome to our Strength Training Exercises directory!
Below you’ll find our chosen best exercises to build muscle mass—steel bending, sleeve bulging, muscle mass. Use these exercises along with our Muscle Building Tips to move from lean to LARGE. Before we get to the exercises, we’d like to give some quick insight on our methodology on choosing the strength training exercises.
Shut up and let me skip to the exercises!
Our Philosophy: Choosing the Best Exercises to Build Muscle
To build more muscle, you have to challenge your body to move more weight. Makes sense right? The important distinction, however, is not trying to move from 20 to 30 pounds on dumbbell curls, it’s moving from say 200 to 400 pounds on barbell squats.
Compound Exercises like squats, deadlifts, military press, bench press, and others allow you to pile on the weight and engage large muscle groups to build functional strength. Focusing on large muscle groups also releases more muscle building testosterone and growth hormone than isolation exercises, so what’s not to love?
To try and sum it up in four bullet points:
- Stick to Compound exercises
- Be bias to Barbells
- Don’t you dare skip your leg workouts
- Read our Muscle Building Tips
All Strength Training Exercises by Muscle Group
Below we’ve listed all of our strength training exercises sorted by primary muscle(s) trained resulting in the following sections:
- Arm Exercises
- Back and Shoulder Exercises
- Chest Exercises
- Leg Exercises
Strength Training Bicep Exercises and Tricep Exercises
Bicep Exercises | ||
Exercise Name |
Primary Muscle(s) |
Addl Equip. Required |
Chin Ups | Biceps, Forearms, Lats, Upper Back | Pull Up Bar |
Gironda Sternum Chin Ups | Biceps, Forearms, Lats, Upper Back | Pull Up Bar |
Narrow Parallel Grip Chin Ups | Biceps, Deltoids, Forearms, Lats, Upper Back | Pull Up Bar |
Check out all of our Arm Exercises or skip directly to our Bicep Exercises or Tricep Exercises page!
Tricep Exercises | ||
Exercise Name |
Primary Muscle(s) |
Addl Equip. Required |
Bench Tricep Dips | Triceps, Chest, Deltoids, Lats, Upper Back | Two Benches |
Close Grip Bench Press | Triceps, Chest, Deltoids | Barbell, Bench |
Decline Close Grip Bench to Skull Crushers | Triceps, Chest, Deltoids | Barbell, Decline Bench |
Machine Tricep Dips | Triceps, Chest, Deltoids, Lats, Upper Back | Weight Machine |
Reverse Triceps Bench Press | Triceps, Chest | Barbell, Bench |
Smith Machine Close Grip Bench Press | Triceps, Chest, Deltoids | Bench, Smith Machine |
Tricep Dips | Triceps, Chest, Deltoids, Lats, Upper Back | Parallel Bars or Dip Station |
Check out all of our Arm Exercises or skip directly to our Bicep Exercises or Tricep Exercises!
Strength Training Back and Shoulders Exercises
Back Exercises | ||
Exercise Name |
Primary Muscle(s) |
Addl Equip. Required |
Barbell T-Bar Row | Upper Back, Lats, Biceps | Barbell |
Bent Over Row | Upper Back, Lats, Biceps, Shoulders | Barbell |
Climber Pull Ups | Lats, Upper Back, Biceps, Shoulders | Pull Up Bar |
Close Grip Front Lat Pull Down | Lats, Upper Back, Biceps, Shoulders | Cable |
Dumbbell Rows | Upper Back, Lats, Biceps, Trapezius, Deltoids | Dumbbell |
Lat Pull Down | Lats, Upper Back, Biceps, Shoulders | Cable |
Pull Ups | Lats, Upper Back, Biceps, Shoulders | Pull Up Bar |
Reverse Grip Bent Over Row | Upper Back, Lats, Biceps, Shoulders | Barbell |
Reverse Grip Lat Pull Down | Lats, Upper Back, Biceps, Shoulders | Cable |
Seated Cable Row | Upper Back, Lats, Biceps, Shoulders | Cable |
V-Bar Lat Pull Down | Lats, Upper Back, Biceps, Shoulders | Cable, V-Bar |
Check out all of our Back Exercises or link directly to all of our Lat Exercises, Upper Back Exercises, or Lower Back Exercises!
Shoulder Exercises | ||
Arnold Press | Deltoid, Trapezius, Chest, Triceps | Dumbbells |
Seated Military Press | Deltoid, Trapezius, Chest, Triceps | Barbell |
Barbell Shrugs | Trapezius | Barbell |
Clean and Press | Shoulders, Arms, Back, Chest, Forearms, Legs | Barbell |
Dumbbell Shoulder Press | Deltoid, Trapezius, Chest, Triceps | Dumbbells |
Dumbbell Shrug | Trapezius | Dumbbells |
Hang Cleans | Shoulders, Arms, Back, Chest, Forearms, Legs | Barbell |
Machine Shoulder Press | Deltoid, Trapezius, Chest, Triceps | Machine |
Smith Machine Shrug | Trapezius | Smith Machine |
Standing Overhead Press | Deltoid, Trapezius, Chest, Triceps | Barbell |
Check out all of our Shoulder Exercises!
Muscle Building Chest Exercises
Exercise Name |
Primary Muscle(s) |
Addl Equip. Required |
Bench Press Exercise | Chest, Deltoids, Triceps | Barbell, Flat Bench |
Decline Bench Press | Chest, Deltoids, Triceps | Barbell, Decline Bench |
Incline Bench Press | Chest, Deltoids, Triceps | Barbell, Incline Bench |
Wide Grip Bench Press | Chest, Deltoids, Triceps | Barbell, Flat Bench |
Wide Grip Decline Bench | Chest, Deltoids, Triceps | Barbell, Decline Bench |
Chest Dip | Chest, Deltoids, Triceps | Parallel Bars or Dip Station |
Tricep Pushups | Chest, Deltoids, Triceps, Upper Back | N/A |
Decline Dumbbell Bench Press | Chest, Deltoids, Triceps | Dumbbells, Decline Bench |
Dumbbell Bench Press | Chest, Deltoids, Triceps | Dumbbells, Flat Bench |
Dumbbell Incline Press | Chest, Deltoids, Triceps | Dumbbells, Incline Bench |
Hammer Grip Incline Press | Chest, Deltoids, Triceps | Dumbbells, Incline Bench |
Smith Machine Bench Press | Chest, Deltoids, Triceps | Smith Machine, Flat Bench |
Smith Machine Incline | Chest, Deltoids, Triceps | Smith Machine, Incline Bench |
Check out all of our Chest Exercises!
Muscle Building Leg Exercises
Exercise Name |
Primary Muscle(s) |
Addl Equip. Required |
Barbell Deadlifts | Back, Forearms, Legs, Traps | Barbell |
Barbell Hack Squat | Forearms, Legs | Barbell |
Barbell Lunge | Legs | Barbell |
Barbell Squats | Legs, Lower Back | Barbell |
Barbell Squats to Bench | Legs, Lower Back | Barbell |
Dumbbell Lunge | Legs | DBs, Bench |
Dumbbell Step Ups | Legs | DBs, Bench |
Front Squat | Legs | Barbell |
Front Squat to Bench | Legs | Barbell, Bench |
Jefferson Squats | Legs, Lower Back | Barbell |
Leg Press Exercise | Legs | Machine |
Lying Squats | Legs | Machine |
Machine Hack Squats | Legs | Machine |
Narrow Stance Leg Press | Legs | Machine |
One Arm Side Deadlifts | Abs, Legs, Lower Back, Traps | Barbell |
Overhead Squat | Legs, Lower Back, Shoulders | Barbell |
Power Clean | Forearms, Legs, Lower Back, Shoulders | Barbell |
Reverse Barbell Lunge | Legs | Barbell |
Romanian Deadlift | Back, Forearms, Legs | Barbell |
Smith Machine Hack Squats | Legs | Smith Machine |
Smith Machine Squats | Legs, Lower Back | Smith Machine |
Step Ups | Legs | Barbell, Bench |
Stiff Leg Deadlift | Back, Legs | Barbell |
Sumo Deadlift | Back, Forearms, Hip Adductors, Legs, Traps | Barbell |
Walking Lunges | Legs | Dumbbells |
Wide Stance Squats | Legs, Lower Back | Barbell |
Zecher Squats | Legs, Lower Back | Barbell |
Check out all of our Leg Exercises or link directly to all of our Calf Exercises, Hamstring Exercises, or Quadriceps Exercises!
Well there you have it, all of the best exercises to build muscle. Now that you’ve learned all our strength training exercises, check out some of our related pages below and get started on your quest for colossal gains.
Final Related Pages:
- Muscle Building Workouts
- Full Body Strength Training Routine
- Get Jacked Muscle Building Workout
- Muscle Building Tips
- Weight Gain Tips
You know the Strength Training Exercises. Learn the Workout Routines. Start at our Home Page.