Below is a listing of my favourite exercises, listed by bodypart used & ranked on a 0-10 scale.
Pectoralis (chest muscles)
The thorax or chest is a part of the anatomy located between the neck and the abdomen. Pectoral muscles are the muscles that connect the front of the chest with the bones of the upper arm and shoulder. This region contains four muscles that provide movements to the upper limbs or ribs.
- Pectoralis major is a thick, fan-shaped convergent muscle, which makes up the bulk of the chest muscle. It lies under the breast. It serves to flex, extend, and rotate the humerus, the long bone of the upper arm.
- Pectoralis minor is a thin muscle beneath the pectoralis major. It attaches to the ribs, and serves to stabilize the scapula, the large bone of the shoulder.
- Along with the pectoralis major and pectoralis minor, the subclavius muscle forms the axilla (armpit). The subclavius moves the shoulder downward and forward.
- Serratus anterior is a muscle on the front of the chest. It moves the scapula forward around the torso.
Between the ribs are various groups of intercostal muscles, which help with breathing.
12 exercises in my rotation of which I’ll use 3-6 in any one session with most sessions utilizing around 4 exercises. Generally speaking these 4 exercises will comprise of 1) dumbbell flyes; 2) incline dumbbell bench press; 3) decline dumbell press & 4) one other from the remaining 9 options.
Dumbbell Flyes – I regard the dumbbell fly as the single most useful all around chest exercise. This is because apart from minor activation of the delts and it works the chest almost exclusively. Additionally it also improves shoulder mobility.
Decline Dumbbell Flyes
Incline Dumbbell Flyes
Incline dumbbell bench press
Decline dumbbell bench press
Dumbbell Bench Press
Pushups (including holds, weighted & assisted)
Decline Push-Up
Incline Push-Up
Chest dips
Neutral-grip dumbbell bench press
Flat Barbell Bench Press
Triceps
The triceps, or triceps brachii (Latin for “three-headed muscle of the arm”), is a large muscle on the back of the upper limb. It consists of 3 parts: the medial, lateral, and long head. It is the muscle responsible for extension of the elbow joint (straightening of the arm).
10 exercises in my rotation of which I’ll use 2-4 in any one session with most sessions utilizing around 3 exercises. Generally speaking these 3 exercises will comprise of 1) tricep dips; 2) close grip bench press (with a tricep bar) & 3) one other from the remaining 8 options.
Triceps dips (including weighted &/ assisted)
Close Grip Bench Press
Skullcrusher
Cable V-bar push-down
Dumbbell floor press
Single-arm cable triceps extension
Kneeling cable triceps extension
Triceps Pushdown – Rope Attachment
Seated triceps press
Lying cable triceps extension
Shoulders
15 exercises in my rotation of which I’ll use 4-6 in any one session with most sessions utilizing around 5 exercises. Generally speaking these 5 exercises will comprise of 1) Incline dumbbell reverse fly; 2) seated dumbbell press; 3) side lateral raise; 4) dumbbell external shoulder rotation & one other from the remaining 11 options.
Incline dumbbell reverse fly
Dumbbell external shoulder rotation
Seated Dumbbell Press
Face pull
Military press
Bradford press
Standing palms-in shoulder press
Band Pull Apart
Side Lateral Raise
Alternating dumbbell front raise
Front Plate Raise
Single-arm cable front raise
Arnold press
Barbell upright row
Incline face-down bar front raise
Latissimus Dorsi & Rhomboids (Back)
10 exercises in my rotation of which I’ll use 4-6 in any one session with most sessions utilizing around 5 exercises. Generally speaking these 5 exercises will comprise of 1) pullups; 2) lat pull-down (narrow grip); 3) lat pull-down (wide grip); 4) one-arm dumbbell row & 5) one other from the remaining 6 options.
Pullups (including weighted and/or assisted)
Lat pull-down (narrow grip)
Lat pull-down (wide grip)
One-Arm Dumbbell Row
Back extension
Seated Cable Rows
T-Bar Row with Handle
One-Arm Long Bar Row
Rack pull
Shotgun row
Biceps
7 exercises in my rotation of which I’ll use 2-4 in any one session with most sessions utilizing around 3 exercises. Generally speaking these 3 exercises will comprise of 1) EZ-bar curl; 2) hammer curls (with tricep bar); 3) one other from the remaining 5 options.
EZ-Bar Curl
Concentration curl
Barbell Curl
Hammer Curls
Dumbbell Bicep Curl
Preacher Curl
Zottman Curl
Abs or Core
8 exercises in my rotation of which I’ll use 3-4 in any one session with most sessions utilizing around 4 exercises. Generally speaking these 4 exercises will comprise of 1) crunches; 2) elbow plank 3) bottoms up; 4) one other from the remaining 5 options.
Crunches (including bodyweight & weighted)
Elbow plank
Bottoms Up
Suspended ab fall-out
Decline reverse crunch
Landmine twist
Oblique bodyweight seated twists
Oblique bodyweight seated crunches
Forearms
4 exercises in my rotation of which I’ll use 3-4 in any one session with most sessions utilizing around 3 exercises. Generally speaking these 3 exercises will comprise of 1) palms-down wrist curl over bench; 2) palms-up wrist curl over bench & 3) one other from the remaining 3 options.
Palms-down wrist curl over bench
Palms-up wrist curl over bench
Neutral grip dumbbell wrist curl
Wrist roller
Powerball
Quadriceps
10 exercises in my rotation of which I’ll use 4-6 in any one session with most sessions utilizing around 5 exercises. Generally speaking these 5 exercises will comprise of 1) teardrop squat; 2) barbell full squat 3) dumbbell lunges; 4) dumbbell goblet squat & 5) one other from the remaining 6 options.
Teardrop Squat
Barbell Full Squat
Dumbbell Goblet Squat
Dumbbell Lunges
Barbell front squat
Narrow-stance squat
Zercher squat
Barbell side split squat
Bodyweight squat
Forward lunge
Glutes
5 exercises in my rotation of which I’ll use 2-4 in any one session with most sessions utilizing around 3 exercises. Generally speaking these 3 exercises will comprise of 1) bulgarian split squat; 2) barbell hip thrust & 3) one other from the remaining 3 options.
Bulgarian Split Squat
Barbell Hip Thrust
Dumbbell sumo squat
Glute bridge
Side-lying leg lift
Calves
4 exercises in my rotation of which I’ll use 2-4 in any one session with most sessions utilizing around 3 exercises. Generally speaking these 3 exercises will comprise of 1) elevated seated calf raise; 2) elevated single-leg standing dumbbell calf raise & 3) one other from the remaining 2 options.
Elevated Seated Calf Raise
Elevated Single-leg standing dumbbell calf raise
Elevated Standing Dumbbell Calf Raise
Elevated Standing Calf Raise
Hamstrings
Romanian Deadlift
Trapezius
The trapezius is a muscle that starts at the base of your neck, goes across your shoulders and extends to the middle of your back. The trapezius (traps muscle) helps you move your head, neck, arms, shoulders and torso. It also stabilizes your spine and helps with posture. Muscle strains can affect the traps and cause pain and decreased mobility.
Standing dumbbell shrug
Barbell shrug
Barbell behind-the-back shrug
Cable shrug