8 of the Best Weight Training Exercises

8 of the Best Weight Training Exercises

Weight-training exercises are an essential part of a well-rounded exercise routine. Not only do they help build muscle, but they also promote strength, balance, and overall physical health. Many weight-training exercises even help with daily life, giving you an extra boost to power through daily activities, from picking up your child with ease to lifting that heavy box without hurting your back.

However, it’s important to add an even mix of exercises that target the various muscle groups throughout your body. It’s easy to hone in on one muscle group, such as the chest or back, but it’s important that you don’t forget about those smaller muscles (hello, calves and shoulders!).

8 Weight Training Exercises to Add to Your Routine

A well-rounded workout routine is essential for building a balanced physique. Here are eight phenomenal weight training exercises that can add to your workout plan:

1. Squats

Squats are a staple in a well-rounded exercise routine. They represent motions we do every day–getting into and out of a chair, standing up from bed, or dipping to raise heavy objects. So, adding them to your routine is an excellent idea.

They primarily target the quadriceps, hamstrings, and glutes, although the core also helps stabilize each dip into the motion. Multiple variations of the exercise exist, including adductor squats (which target the inner thighs) and sumo squats (which are great for the glutes).

2. Deadlifts

Deadlifts are a phenomenal way to focus on the muscles of the hamstrings and glutes, although they also engage the muscles of the lower back and core. They’re a compound movement that hones your strength and power, particularly in the posterior chain.

By adding deadlifts to your routine, you’ll improve your hip hinge mechanics, enhance grip strength, and promote spine and hip stability.

However, since deadlifts involve heavy weight, proper form is vital because improper form could injure your lower back. So, here’s a tip for weight training: take it slow and perfect your form before upping your weight.

3. Bench Press

The bench press is a core exercise in countless exercise routines. It targets the chest, shoulders, and triceps, focusing primarily on the chest muscles. It’s a foundational movement for upper body pushing strength and helps improve pressing power for various activities, like pushing objects or performing athletic maneuvers.

Like many exercises, there are variations that target different muscles. For example, the standard bench press focuses on the chest muscles and front deltoids, while the close-grip bench press works on the upper chest, triceps, and anterior deltoids.

4. Pull-Ups and Chin-Ups

Pull-ups and chin-ups are an excellent way to work the upper back, employing the biceps and forearms as well. These bodyweight exercises hone in on the latissimus dorsi, those massive “wing” muscles that wrap around from your underarm to your back.

While challenging, these exercises are highly effective for developing upper body strength and muscle definition. They can help dramatically improve grip strength, shoulder stability, and scapular retraction, promoting better posture and reducing the risk of shoulder injuries.

5. Overhead Press

The overhead press shifts the spotlight to the shoulders, inciting an impressive burn through those muscles. It also engages the deltoids and triceps, serving as a fundamental exercise that improves your shoulder strength, stability, and mobility.

Since you’ll be holding the weights above your head, you need to contract your core to ensure proper posture and spine stabilization during the move. This functional exercise, which helps with pressing strength for activities like lifting objects overhead, is a great addition to your workout regimen.

6. Bicep Curls

Don’t forget to focus on your biceps with an exercise or two in your exercise routine. Bicep curls are a superb addition, as they hone in on the biceps brachii, which are responsible for elbow flexion. Since the biceps are the star of the show, this is an isolation exercise.

It can help develop the size, strength, and definition of your biceps, enhancing both the functional and aesthetic side of your physique. It’s also a functional movement that helps with everyday activities, such as picking up your child from the ground.

7. Dips

Add a few dips to your workout routine to feel the burn in your triceps, the horseshoe-shaped muscle wrapping around the back of your upper arm. It’s the muscle that is responsible for elbow extension (straightening your arm).

While these dips focus on the triceps, they also engage your chest, shoulders, and core muscles to varying degrees. So, if you did your chest and back workout the day before, you might feel the burn in those areas, too.

These dips are an effective bodyweight exercise for developing the strength, size, and definition of your triceps. They complement other exercises you may have in your workout routine, including the bench press and shoulder press.

8. Lunges

Lunges are a unilateral lower body exercise that targets the quadriceps, hamstrings, and glutes. They help build your lower body strength, stability, and balance while simultaneously enhancing hip mobility and flexibility.

There are all sorts of lunges you can add to your workout routine, each with varying levels of difficulty. The standard walking lunge or rear lunge are good options for those starting out, but if you want a bit of a challenge, try the Bulgarian split squat. These are a hybrid between a one-legged squat and a lunge, bringing an intense burn to the forward leg.

Get a Personalized Workout Plan From Svetness

Crafting a workout plan customized to your needs is no easy feat. You’ll need to ensure each muscle group gets enough attention to build your physique evenly and avoid unnatural-looking imbalances. However, building such a plan can be tricky. That’s where our experienced personal trainers come in.

At Svetness, we’re here to help you reach your fitness goals. Our knowledgeable personal trainers, located across the United States, craft personalized fitness plans tailored to your goals. So, if you’re ready to kickstart your fitness journey with a customized exercise plan, we can help. Fill out our online contact form to start with a free consultation.