Why it's on the list: Squats are king because they're simply the most challenging leg movement you can do, especially when loaded appropriately. They work all the lower-body musculature (we're counting glutes), and have been shown to spike muscle-building hormone release. In fact, we even know that squatting before doing curls has been shown to significantly improve arm strength!
We've grouped the high bar squat and low bar squat here, although they're a bit different. Bodybuilders typically use the high bar squat, in which the bar rests atop the traps, which hits all the leg musculature fairly evenly. Powerlifters prefer the low version, in which the bar instead sits further down atop the rear delts, since this variation slightly shifts the body's center of gravity such that the glutes take up more of the workload, which immediately allows the lifter to use more weight.
Why it's on the list:Some individuals find that squats build their butts well, but they really need help building their quads. If that's you, try front squats! By shifting the bar from the back to the front of the body, even just 6-8 inches, you change the relative amount of muscle loading that occurs. Front squats emphasize the quads over the glutes and hams, which means you'll sacrifice some of the load.
This movement generally requires some pretty serious upper-back and core strength to maintain a neutral spine and keep you from missing weights. Don't be surprised if adding these into your workout routine beefs up your back as well! Also, with a front squat, you naturally maintain a much more vertical position, which may decrease the risk of low-back injury.
In your workout:In your workout: This exercise should typically replace the squat in your workout; do it first, when your energy levels are highest. You can hold the bar in the front rack position (also referred to as a clean grip) or with arms crossed. Do multiple sets of 6-10 reps, favoring the lower end if you're looking to build strength.
Why it's on the list:Movements like snatches and power cleans take some serious dedication and technique to master, but they can be unrivaled when you are trying to improve jumping power or squat strength. In fact, one scientific study found a nearly 18-percent greater improvement in squat 1RM after following an Olympic-based program compared to a traditional powerlifting program.
Why it's on the list:Deadlifts and deadlift variations like sumo are considered whole-body exercises, specifically for the posterior chain, which includes the hamstrings and glutes. But there is quad activation in this movement as well, mainly observed in the sumo deadlift.
In your workout:This gets tricky, as deadlifts are typically trained during a program that's built around the bench press one day, squat the next, and deadlift on the last. That doesn't neatly fit with a bodybuilder's leg day.
Furthermore, the deadlift is commonly trained as part of back day. If you're training it with legs, you probably won't be able to go too heavy—keep the reps moderate, and stop short of failure.
Why it's on the list:This one is deceptively difficult, partly because of balance and partly because you're training one side at a time. The Bulgarian split squat is essentially a split squat, but your rear leg is elevated, which forces the front leg to pick up more of the workload. Try it on a Smith machine if you find it difficult to balance the weight.
Why it's on the list:This press allows you to load up the most weight (or do more reps) above all other overhead pressing moves. It's considered a bit more of a whole-body movement for developing explosiveness, so you lose some of the isolation effect if you do this same movement seated.
With the barbell atop your upper chest, bend your knees slightly and explode upward on the balls of your feet while pressing the bar overhead. Your lower body, core, delts, triceps, and upper pecs are all involved.
Why it's on the list:Why it made the list: This is essentially a push press without the extra bit of body English generated through your legs. That makes it a better isolation movement, but this movement still isn't considered an isolation exercise. In fact, it's a highly demanding multijoint overhead press that, because it's not seated, still allows for a bit of momentum as well as increased muscle activation compared to the seated version.
Keep the bar just off your upper chest, and press straight overhead, stopping just short of lockout. Maintain a slight bend in your knees to absorb subtle changes in your center of gravity and relieve some of the stress on your lower back. We included both the barbell and dumbbell here. Research has shown that dumbbells elicit a greater degree of EMG activation, but this usually comes at the expense of the amount of weight lifted.
Be sure to maintain a neutral hip position. Tipping your hips forward or sticking your butt back can wreak havoc with your lumbar spine. If you spend all of your time injured, you'll miss out on the gains!
In your workout: This is your multijoint overhead press in your workout, so it substitutes for any of the other presses on this list. After warming up well, choose a challenging weight, but not one so heavy that you break form. If your triceps are lagging, grab a pair of dumbbells rather than a barbell; they require less triceps activation.
Why it's on the list:What the heck is a multijoint rowing exercise doing in an article about shoulder exercises? Remember, rowing movements don't just work the "back"; they also involve the rear delts to a significant degree as well.
We didn't realize just how much until we saw research from a 2014 study out of the University of Wisconsin (La Crosse) that compared mostly shoulder exercises to see which had the greatest EMG activation on each of the three delt heads. Of note, this particular row scored just as high as a dumbbell lateral raise for middle-delt activation (and significantly better than dumbbell shoulder presses, cable lateral raises, and even barbell upright rows). For rear delts, that same row scored the same as the seated rear-delt raise in terms of activation but significantly higher than the other eight exercises, though none of them would be considered rear-delt moves.
Why it's on the list: Switching out the barbell for dumbbells on overhead presses works each side independently, making the move more challenging and requiring more input from stabilizer muscles. Moreover, the range of motion is a bit longer as you press the weights together overhead. (We recommend you don't allow them to touch.)
Going from standing to a seated position further removes your lower body from the lift. Because your upper arms go straight out to your sides during the motion, the middle delts are heavily recruited, with far less stress on the anterior delts than when a barbell is in front of your head.
In your workout:Do it first in your shoulder session. You'll generally be able to go much heavier on the seated dumbbell press than the standing alternative because of the increased base of support. When going heavy, we recommend a seat back that allows you to press your spine into it for safety. Also, use a spotter to help you get the weights into the starting position and give you a spot (or even a forced rep or two) as you push toward failure.
Raising the weights into position can be harder than it looks. Beginners, try this: When prepping to hoist the dumbbells overhead, grab a weight in each hand, sit down, place the dumbbells on your thighs toward your knees, and quickly lift one knee toward your shoulder to hoist the weight. Repeat using the opposite knee.
Why it's on the list:Sitting not only makes it hard to use momentum, it also creates a nice base from which to push the weight. A barbell recruits a greater degree of triceps musculature than dumbbells can. If you've got sore shoulders, stick to keeping the bar in front of you.