Often I am asked, “What’s the best way to grow my shoulders?” or “How can I strengthen my hamstrings?” There are so many exercises out there–too many to count! But, there are tried and true weight training exercises that I have incorporated into routines over the years. Below is a mini exercise library. It’s my gift to you. Bookmark it and reference it the next time you are looking to focus on a specific body part.
Chest
- Bench press*
- Dumbbell press
- Incline dumbbell press
- Decline dumbbell press
- Dumbbell fly (flat)
- Incline dumbbell fly
- Cable fly
- Underhand cable fly (bottom to top)
- Pushup*
- Chest dip*
- TRX press
Triceps
- Triceps dip*
- Barbell skull crusher
- Dumbbell skull crusher
- Triceps overhead press
- Triceps kickback
- Triceps pressdown
- Triceps overhead cable press
- Close grip barbell bench press
- Narrow grip pushup
- TRX overhead triceps extension
Back
- Pullup*
- Chinup*
- Underhand bent over barbell row*
- Overhand bent over barbell row*
- Dumbbell single arm row
- Seated row
- Seated cable row
- Wide grip seated cable row
- Straight arm lat pulldown
- Lat pulldown
- Inverted row
- TRX row
Biceps
- Barbell curl
- Preacher curl
- Concentration curl
- Dumbbell curl
- Incline bicep curl
- Hammer curl
- Chinup
- Zottman curl
Core
- Cable crunch
- Russian twist
- V situp
- Decline situp
- Cable chop
- Lying leg lift
- Plank
- Side plank
- Thread the needle
- Ball crunch
- Toe touch
- Bicycle crunches
Shoulders
- Shoulder press
- Military press*
- Arnold press
- Front raise
- Side lat raise
- Bent arm lat raise
- Around the world
- Rear delt dumbbell fly
- Rear delt cable fly
- Neutral grip shoulder pres
Quads
- Leg extension
- Raised goblet squat
- Wall sit
- Kneeling banded lean back
- Stationary lunge
- Sguats*
- Front squat
- Zercher squat
- Goblet squat
Calves
- Standing calf raise
- Seated calf raise
Hamstrings
- Leg curl
- Ball leg curl
- Nordic curl
- Romanian deadlift
- Stiff legged deadlift
- Cable hamstring curl
- Squats*
- Adductor machine
- Deadlift*
Glutes
- Sumo deadlift*
- Deadlift*
- Hip thrust (variations)
- Glute bridge
- Squats*
- Cable kickback
- Donkey kickback
- Frog pulse
- Side lying leg lift
- Banded crab walks
- Abductor machine
- Reverse lunge
- Lunge
- Step ups
- Walking lunge
- Elevated glute bridge
- Hyperextension
- Reverse hyperextension
- Clam shells
- Fire hydrant
*Compound movements that work more than one body part.