Strength Training Exercises

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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.

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