Top 10 Exercises to Build Serious Strength

There isn't a top-tier physique out there that has been built without having serious strength behind it. Champion bodybuilders such as Arnold Schwarzenegger, Chris Bumstead, and Ronnie Colman; TV/Movie stars such as Chris Hemsworth (Thor), Hugh Jackman (Wolverine), and Henry Cavill (Geralt of Rivia/Superman) are all huge believers in strength training and have used so to build their phenomenal physiques! Strength training is not something just for strong men competitors and powerlifters these days. Studies have shown that as a natural lifter you need to focus on strength training more so than an enhanced lifter. Below I will lay out my top 10 choices for exercises to build some serious strength. The Big 4: 1: Deadlift

2: Squat 3: Bench Press

4: Overhead Press

6 Big Accessory Movements:

5: Pull-ups/Chin-ups 6: Split Squats 7: Romanian Deadlifts

8: Dips

9: Rows

10: Farmer Carries

There are a few reasons that I have chosen these exercises:

1. They are all multi-joint compound movements. Compound movements are those which use multiple muscle groups to get the most bang for your buck.

2. They will all allow you to increase the amount you can lift. For building strength the more weight you can safely move the stronger you will get (shocking I know). While isolation movements are great for building muscle, compound movements are superior for building strength.

3. Balance. The exercises I have picked will keep a nice balance between the upper and lower body allowing you to build both a solid physique and serious strength.
   

The Big Four:

The big 4 strength-building exercises that I believe will help you gain the most strength are the Deadlift, Squat, Bench Press, and Overhead Press. These exercises for building strength lower reps higher weights are your friends.

Deadlift:

Deadlifts look incredibly simple, I mean you're just picking a bar up and putting it back down. I mean how hard can it be? It is an exercise that differs from the rest on this list for there is only you vs gravity.

It's a staple and a member of the big four for a reason. It is a movement so fundamental to strength gains I believe that everyone who is serious about becoming stronger should train it.

A fantastic full body exercise that is just beyond impressive when moving massive amounts of weight. There are a few variations for the deadlift that you can choose from either conventional or sumo. Both are real and neither is cheating regardless of what Instagram fitness influencers tell you.

Conventional Deadlift stance:

• Feet stay inside of your hands

• Hinging at the hip

• Keeping the chest up

• Shoulders pulled back, neutral spine

• Bar pulled against your chins

• Push the floor away as you stand up.

*Hey look it's me doing a deadlift!

Sumo Deadlift stance:

• Feet are wider then your hands

• Feet point out maybe 45 degrees maybe more depending on your rotation

• Hinging at the hip

• Keeping the chest up

• Shoulders pulled back, neutral spine

• Bar pulled against your chins

• Push the floor away as you stand up

*Hey look it's me doing a sumo deadlift!

Can't recommend doing these enough, just make sure you are careful as they do have a higher risk of injury if not performed correctly.

A good goal to shoot for for your deadlift will be about 2.5 times your weight.

Squat:

Not my personal favorite, but I feel like that is just because I am bad at them. Working on it I swear...

Anyway, squats are another crazy impressive lift to perform. If you want to see some truly crazy and impressive squats look no farther then Tom Platz, The Quad father.

“Nothing compares to squats, you can do leg presses, but why? Why do inferior movement, why do a movement that looks good but produces hardly any results. I don’t care how much weight you use, I’d rather do 3 good plates and get in 15, 20 good reps and reap the benefit. there’s a reason why people don’t do squats, it’s hard!.” -Tom Platz

The "Quad Father" himself making 495lbs look easy

There are a lot of variations on the squat, Front squat, back squat, Goblet squat. But this article we are looking at the back squat as it sits for the big 4.

Squats will help you strengthen your lower body, give you more defined leg muscles, help you jump higher, and run faster.

Squats will tend to be your second biggest lift right after the dead lift. There is nothing wrong with this as with a squat you are loading the bar onto your back rather then just lifting from the ground.

The back squat targets largely the quads as well as the hamstrings and glutes. That's why anyone who is anyone who has great legs squats.

Back Squat:

• Feet just outside of shoulder width

• Bar resting on your upper traps and shoulders

• Big breath into the diaphragm

• Shoot hips back

• Squat down so hips dip parallel to the ground or even better yet so your hips drop below your knees

• Pause briefly at the bottom

• Drive through the floor as you return to your starting position

In short squats are great for strength and muscle growth, so make sure they are in your program, and don't skip leg day!

A good goal to shoot for your squat will be about 2x your weight.

Bench Press:

So imagine with me if you will for a bit here, you walk into your local gym on Monday, International chest day as it were, and you look down the gym and there is one phenomenon that you will see at every gym around the world. Every single bench is being used.

From the first moment you stepped in the gym, the bench press was most likely the exercise that you focused on first. Whether your goals are to build muscle or build strength. There is no question that a big bench will lead

Arguably one of the most well-known and effective chest exercises, the bench press is a staple in the gym to build both more strength and chest increase muscle mass. Studies have shown that the bench press is an extremely effective strength-training exercise, eliciting a high-level of muscle activity in the pectoralis major. If your goal is to build a well-rounded physique, and more functional strength, then bench press needs to be in your training program.

Bench press will work the pec major, tricep, serratus anterior, and more. Without adding a bench press to your routine the dream of getting a chest like Arnold will only just be a dream.

How to set up for a bench press:

• Set the barbell to the appropriate height on the rack and lie underneath it so that it is directly over your eyes.

• Lie flat on your back on a bench with your feet planted on the floor.

• Grip the barbell with an overhand grip, between 1-1.5 times wider than your shoulders.

• Take a deep breath in and hold it while removing the barbell from the rack. Lower it from over the shoulder joint down until it lightly grazes the chest.

• Press forcefully off your chest and extend your arms. The barbell should return to directly over the shoulder joint after each rep.

A good goal to shoot for your Bench Press will be at lease 1.5 times your weight.

Overhead Press:

Alright, so bringing up the rear of the big four will be the one the only the Overhead Press. Unlike with the bench press you will get no help from a bench while you do your overhead press.

Improving the exercise will lead to a large number of benefits such as:

• Strength and size of the shoulders

• Strength and size of the triceps

• Strength and size of the trapezius

• Strength in the core muscles, such as your obliques, transverse abdominal muscles, lower back, and spinal stabilizers, when performing the exercise while standing

• Performance of other exercises, such as the bench press

The overhead press is not an exercise one just starts with a barbell, I mean you can but doing so means you are more likely to hurt yourself and keep you out of the gym for awhile and nobody wants that. With that being said I would recommend starting with dumbbells.

How to set up for an overhead press:

• With the bar in front of you, place your hands just outside shoulder width apart.

• Keep elbows and forearms in a vertical position, stacked upon each other. If your elbows are tucked or flared, your grip is either too narrow or too wide. Please adjust accordingly.

• Place the bar on the heel of your palm — this is where most force will generate from.

• Make sure your middle knuckles face upwards (towards the ceiling).

A good goal to shoot for your Overhead Press will be at lease 1x your weight.

The Big 6 Accessories:

We have covered the the big four barbell movements, which will lead us to the second half of this list, the accessories. These exercises will assist the big four and fill in the gaps and help build a big strong physique.

Pull-ups/Chin-ups:

The first accessory is also a fun party trick. Wait are you telling me that I am the only one that busts out pull-ups at a party? Is this why people stopped inviting me to parties. Nah that doesn't sound right. They are super impressive and everyone will be in awe!

I love these two exercises for strength building for multiple reasons. They are both fantastic ways to build the muscles in your back for both size and strength, strengthen your chest, shoulders, arms, and core, improve grip strength, and just like redbull they will give you wings.

The biggest differences between the two exercises is for a pull-up your hands are in a pronated (palms facing away from you) position, pull-ups will work your lats and traps more, while for a chin-up your hands will be in a supinated position (palms facing towards you), and chin-ups will still work your lats but will bring your biceps more into play.

Enjoy showing off to all your family and friends at all the non gym related parties.

Split Squats:

Split Squats the exercise that everyone loves to hate. They are a lot more fun to program then to actually do. That being said split squats offer a larger number of benefits that will lead to increased strength gain. Which is why you have continued to read this far.

The split squat is the only unilateral exercise I have on the list. The reasons that I included it are:

• Lifters tend to have a dominate leg and this will work the weaker leg and reduce risk of injury

• Unilateral exercises have been show to increase muscle activation which will lead to increases in both muscle size and strength

• Unilateral exercises are very applicable to everyday life situations (i.e. going up stairs, who knew)

If you are having trouble with these or you find them far too easy there are a large number of both regressions and progressions for this exercise.

To make this exercise simpler you can go to a front foot elevated split squat, where you... well, you elevate your front foot.

To increase the difficulty you can move to either a walking lunge or everyone's absolute favourite exercise the Bulgarian Split Squat or rear foot elevated split squat (that sounds a little less intimidating don't you think?)

Romanian Deadlifts:

Those crazy eastern Europeans man I tell you, first with the leg destroying split squat from Bulgaria, now this Hamstring and booty blaster form Romania!

Romanian deadlifts are a crucial exercise in strength training as they target the posterior chain muscles, which are essential for overall body strength and movement. These muscles include the glutes, hamstrings, and lower back muscles.

The Romanian deadlift differs from the traditional deadlift in that it starts from the mid-thigh position rather than the ground. This allows for a greater range of motion and more engagement of the posterior chain muscles. This exercise also promotes proper lifting technique and posture, reducing the risk of injury.

Incorporating Romanian deadlifts into a strength training routine can improve performance in other exercises, such as squats and lunges, as well as daily activities. Strong posterior chain muscles are important for activities such as jumping, running, and climbing stairs.

Furthermore, Romanian deadlifts can improve flexibility and mobility in the hamstrings and lower back, reducing the risk of injury and allowing for a greater range of motion in daily activities.

Overall, the Romanian deadlift is a valuable exercise for strengthening the posterior chain and improving overall body strength and movement. It is an essential component of a well-rounded strength training routine.

Dips:

Tricep dips are an essential exercise for strength training, particularly for those looking to improve their upper body strength. The tricep muscles, located on the back of the upper arm, are responsible for elbow extension and are heavily involved in pushing movements.

By regularly incorporating tricep dips into your strength training routine, you can increase the strength and size of your triceps, which can improve your overall upper body strength and performance in activities such as push-ups, bench press, and overhead pressing.

Tricep dips also provide additional benefits for overall upper body strength. They help to improve muscular balance and symmetry by targeting the tricep muscles, which are often neglected in many traditional upper body exercises. By strengthening the triceps, you can also improve your posture and reduce the risk of common upper body injuries such as shoulder impingement and elbow tendinitis.

In addition, tricep dips can be easily modified to suit different fitness levels. Beginners can start by performing dips on a bench or chair with their feet on the ground, while more advanced exercisers can use parallel bars or dip bars to increase the difficulty of the movement. This makes tricep dips a versatile and effective exercise for a wide range of fitness goals.

Overall, tricep dips are an essential exercise for strength training and should be included in any upper body workout routine. By regularly incorporating tricep dips, you can improve the strength and size of your triceps, enhance overall upper body strength, and reduce the risk of common upper body injuries.

Rows:

Barbell rows, also known as bent over rows, are a crucial exercise for strength training. They are an essential part of any strength training routine because they target multiple muscle groups, including the back, shoulders, and biceps.

Barbell rows are a compound exercise, meaning they involve multiple joints and muscle groups working together to perform the movement. This makes them highly effective for building strength and muscle mass. The bent over position of the exercise also activates the core muscles, making it a great exercise for improving overall strength and stability.

In addition to their effectiveness for building strength and muscle, barbell rows also have functional benefits. The movement of the exercise closely mimics everyday activities such as picking up heavy objects or pulling oneself up. This makes barbell rows a valuable exercise for improving functional strength and reducing the risk of injury in everyday activities.

Incorporating barbell rows into a strength training routine can also improve posture. The exercise strengthens the upper back muscles, which can help improve posture and reduce the risk of back pain.

Overall, barbell rows are an essential exercise for any strength training routine. They target multiple muscle groups, improve functional strength, and can improve posture and reduce the risk of injury.

Farmer Carries:

Farmer carries, also known as farmer walks, are a highly effective exercise for building overall strength and improving functional movement. This simple but challenging movement requires the use of heavy weights, typically dumbbells or kettlebells, and involves carrying them at your sides as you walk.

One of the key benefits of farmer carries is that they engage multiple muscle groups simultaneously. This full-body workout targets the core, upper and lower body, as well as the grip, providing a comprehensive strength training routine.

In addition, farmer carries improve grip strength and endurance. This is essential for everyday tasks such as lifting groceries or carrying luggage, as well as for athletes who need to maintain a strong grip during competitions.

Farmer carries also improve overall endurance and cardiovascular fitness. The act of walking while carrying heavy weights challenges the body’s cardiovascular system and helps to increase stamina.

Another important benefit of farmer carries is their ability to improve posture and balance. The weight is evenly distributed on both sides of the body, forcing the muscles to work together to maintain proper alignment and balance. This can help to prevent injuries and improve overall functional movement.

In conclusion, farmer carries are a valuable addition to any strength training routine. They provide a full-body workout, improve grip strength and endurance, increase cardiovascular fitness, and improve posture and balance. By incorporating farmer carries into your training, you can improve overall strength and functional movement.

Conclusion:

These 10 exercises are by no means the only 10 that will build a impressive and strong physique. But I believe that that these 10 will be essential to your program if you want to get big and strong.

Every single one of these exercises have ways to progress or regress them depending on your skill level. So if you are unable to do one, never fear we can make it work and still get you strong!

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