Get the best results possible while spending the least amount of time pulling and pushing weight at the gym.
Top 10 Muscle Mass and Strength Building Moves
While everyone who goes to the gym to lift weights has their own set of specific goals, one common thread that runs through most is the desire to get bigger and stronger. Bodybuilders are unique bunch in that they look to build every muscle in the body to the greatest possible degree, while trying to make sure everything remains in perfect proportion and symmetry. Because of this they must utilize a myriad of specific and varied exercises for each body part, so that every muscle fiber and motor unit pool is exhausted at every workout.
It is not uncommon for a bodybuilder to spend 5-7 days per week in the gym, for up to two hours per session, sculpting and refining their physiques. However, not everyone has that kind of time, nor the desire to look like a walking anatomy chart.
That being said, here are my top-10 “best bang for your buck” muscle mass and strength building movements. You'll still have to work hard on these exercises to add another X (or two) to the L on your t-shirts, but you won't have to spend hours in the gym each day to be the biggest/baddest “action hero” on your block.
1. Bench Press
Main Muscles Worked: Pectorals/Anterior Deltoids/Triceps
*Quick Tip: For maximum stimulation of the chest, position your torso on the bench with a slight arch in the lower back; the ribcage held high; and the shoulders shrugged back and downward.
2. Barbell Pullover
Main Muscles Worked: Upper Pectorals/Lats/Teres Major/Triceps
*Quick Tip: Whether looking to target the chest or lats, get the most out of this movement by using a weight that allows you a full and deep stretch while keeping the hips down.
3. Bent Over BB Row
Main Muscles Worked: Lats/Rhomboids/Mid-Traps/Rear Delts/Lower Back/Biceps/Brachialis/Forearms
*Quick Tip: Use a wide/overhand grip to work the muscles of the upper back most strongly, and a closer/underhand grip to target the belly of the lats (for more of a V-shape).
