Training

You have spent a lot of time building boulder shoulders, but have you ever thought about stretching them? The shoulder is a shallow ball and socket joint that has an incredible ability to move in multiple directions. This allows you to grab things, throw, hug your family, and most importantly, lift weights...powerfully. Strengthening the deltoids to do all of this is great but stretching the deltoids plays an equally important role in the health and longevity of your shoulders.

Shoulder stretches are a must because they help you maintain shoulder mobility and muscle flexibility, which in turn boosts your performance. Plus, deltoid stretches can help you reduce tension and soreness.

In this article, we’ll go into the anatomy and function of the deltoids, the benefits of stretching them, when to stretch, and the 13 best deltoid stretches for improved range of motion and reduced muscle tension. 

ANATOMY AND FUNCTION OF THE SHOULDER MUSCLES

The deltoids are a large triangular-shaped muscle made up of three heads, the front, lateral and posterior deltoid. The three muscle heads originate from the clavicle (collar bone) and scapula (shoulder blades) and insert into the upper humerus (upper arm bone).

The deltoid muscle lies over the ball and socket joint. It powers movements of the arm and protects and stabilizes the shoulder joint. It also gives your shoulders that boulder look when you flex (that is, if your delts are well-built).

Here are the main movements for the deltoids with the specific deltoid muscle used.

All in all, it's important to strengthen the deltoids via the above actions for better shoulder stability and strength, as well as to stretch them to maintain good mobility and flexibility. It's the most mobile joint, and with that, it is also the most susceptible to injury. A lot of people take shoulder mobility for granted, but if you were to lose it, you'd realize just how important optimal mobility is for even the smallest things in daily life.

Shoulder Strength + Shoulder Mobility = Shoulder Durability (aka resilience!)

THE BENEFITS OF STRETCHING YOUR DELTOIDS

You probably know all of the benefits of strengthening the deltoids. But what about the benefits of stretching them? Well, here are a few of the main points:

1) Improved Performance:

Being a shallow ball and socket joint with a huge range of motion, a big responsibility of the delts is to allow for all that mobility, and to do so in a stable manner. If you have tightness, achieving a full range of motion will be difficult. This will decrease movement efficiency and you will be leaving gains on the table. To best build muscle, a full range of motion is important.

2) Less Soreness & Pain:

Stretching the deltoids after a workout helps the shoulder muscles return to their resting length faster and this may reduce soreness after a workout. When you stretch the shoulders after a workout, it brings healing blood flow and nutrients there to help start the recovery process. Also, you may find that stretching your shoulders helps alleviate deltoid pain caused by a lack of movement over an extended period of time (i.e. sitting at the desk or on the couch too long).

3) Injury Prevention:

When the deltoid muscles are sore, tight, or not adequately flexible, movement compensations will occur. This leads to other muscles and joints doing things they are not really designed for, which is often what injuries are made of. By stretching your deltoids before and after exercise, you can reduce your chances of a shoulder injury. Plain and simple.

Note: Shoulder mobility is also important for exercises like front squats and even back squats. To hold the bar in position, you need good shoulder mobility. As such, should mobility plays an important role in exercises that don't directly involve the shoulders too!

BEST TIME TO STRETCH YOUR DELTOIDS

When you think you’re stretching the muscle, it is not the only thing you are stretching. The fascia which surrounds the muscles like webbing is getting stretched too. Think of the fascia as taffy you eat at the fair. When it is cold, it’s harder to stretch and chew, but when it is warm it’s easily stretched and eaten.

So, when you want to improve the recovery and flexibility of the deltoids, the best time to stretch them is after training when the shoulders are warm because it’s more likely you will see better flexibility results. Holding your stretches for 30+ seconds works well.

But that doesn’t mean stretching has no benefit when the shoulders are cold. Moving your shoulders through a full range of motion, and holding the end range for 5-10 seconds each rep - which is called dynamic stretching - will optimize your mobility, release muscular tension, and help you get your shoulders ready for the work ahead.

13 BEST DELTOID STRETCHES

Here are 13 of the best deltoid stretches to keep your shoulders performing well and feeling good.

1. Standing Alternating Upper Arm Circles:

Shoulder circles are a dynamic stretch that moves your shoulders through a large range of motion and lubricates the shoulder joint by bringing blood flow to the area. This movement is shoulder circumduction which involves all the movement of the shoulder joint and all three deltoid muscles. This is an oldie but it’s a solid exercise to warm up the shoulders.

How to the Standing Alternate Arms Circling Shoulders:

1. Stand up straight with your arms hanging by your sides.
2. Raise the right hand up towards your head, swing by your ears, and then behind you until it is by your side again.
3. Do this with control to feel all of the movement.
4. Repeat on the left arm.
5. Alternate sides for 10-20 reps on each.

2. Standing Phelps Back Slap Stretch:

The standing Phelps is a dynamic shoulder stretch that involves repeatedly opening up your arms and chest and then swinging your arms across the body, hugging yourself or slapping your back. It is sometimes called a dynamic bear hug stretch. This stretch opens up the chest, shoulders, biceps and upper back. Be sure to switch which arm swings on top with each rep. 

How to do The Standing Phelps:

1. Start with giving yourself a hug at shoulder height with your right hand under your left armpit and your left hand on your right shoulder.
2. Swing your arms out behind you feeling a stretch in your chest and anterior shoulder.
3. Return to your left hand being under your right armpit and the right hand on your left shoulder.
4. Keep alternating sides continuously for reps.  
5. A total of 10 to 20 reps work well here.

3. Standing Wring the Towel:

The standing wring the towel exercise works more as an isometric exercise because you are holding the arms at shoulder height. This alone will have you feeling all of your shoulder muscles. But wait there is more. You’ll turn your head to the right while rotating your right hand to the ceiling. And then to the left, while you rotate your left hand up and right hand down. This works on external and internal rotation of the shoulder to get your rotator cuffs ready for action.

How to do The Standing Wring the Towel:

1. Stand up straight and raise both arms to shoulder height with palms facing down and eyes looking straight ahead.
2. Rotate your head to the right while rotating your right palm to the ceiling.
3. Go back to the start and rotate your head to the left while rotating your left palm up and right palm down.
4. Keep alternating sides for a total of 10 reps per side.

4. Stick Pass Around Stretch:

This deltoid stretch is part mobility and part dynamic stretch. Mobility because you are training shoulder circumduction which is training all the shoulder movements. And stretch because you are opening up your chest and anterior deltoid with the stick reaching overhead. This is a great move to get the shoulders ready for anything.

Note: You can also use a resistance band for this stretch.

How to do the Stick Pass Around Stretch:

1. Hold a stick with hands wider than shoulder-width apart and arms straight in front of you at shoulder height.
2. Drive the stick across to the left until the stick is vertical and by your left ear.
3. Bring the left above your head until the stick is horizontal above your head and bring it back to the starting position.
4. Do the same thing to the right-hand side.
5. Keep alternating sides for 8-12 reps per side.

5. Standing Reverse Shoulder Stretch:

The standing reverse shoulder stretch is a static stretch that opens up your chest and stretches your anterior deltoid and biceps. You control the intensity of this stretch by how high you can raise your hands behind you and how long you can hold it. This is a good stretch to perform after an intense shoulder and/or chest workout.

How to do the Standing Reverse Shoulder Stretch:

1. Stand up tall and bring your arms behind you and hold your hands.
2. With your shoulder down and chest up bring your arms up behind you until you feel a stretch.
3. Hold it for 30 to 60 seconds.

6. Assisted Reverse Shoulder Stretch:

The reverse shoulder stretch is similar to the standing one above except your doing it from a sort of seated position, your arms are propped up behind you, and your hands are spread apart a bit. Essentially this allows for an even deeper stretch of the front delts. This is a great static stretch to release tension in your shoulders and upper chest after a workout. If you do it before a workout, just don't hold the stretch long or go too deep too fast.

How to do the Reverse Shoulder Stretch:

1. With a box behind you around hip height, sit down on your heels and place your hands on top of the box.
2. Adjust your body until you feel a stretch in your chest, shoulders, and biceps.
3. Hold for 30 to 60 seconds.

7. Doorway Shoulder Stretch:

The standing doorway shoulder stretch is similar to the classic chest doorway stretch except you’re raising your hands above your head. Here you’ll get a little more of a stretch in your biceps and anterior shoulder and less chest. You will need a doorway high enough to straighten your arms overhead  

How to do the Doorway Shoulder Stretch:

1. Stand tall inside a doorway with your arms by your side.
2. Reach each arm overhead and hold the inside of the doorway until you feel your anterior biceps and an anterior shoulder stretch.
3. Hold for 30 to 60 seconds after a workout or to straighten your posture after a long period of sitting.  

8. One Arm Behind the Back Shoulder Flexor Stretch:

The one-arm behind the back shoulder flexor stretch stretches your anterior deltoid, middle deltoid, biceps, and chest, and works on the external rotators of the shoulder. With a lot of us internally rotated from sitting down with our devices, this stretch acts as a good reset from the hunched posture. If this stretch causes shoulder pain, it's best to avoid it and do some other stretches on this list.

How to do the One-Arm Behind the Back Shoulder Flexor Stretch:

1. Stand up straight and bring the left arm behind you with its elbow bent to 90 degrees.
2. Place your left hand on your spine with fingers pointing up to the ceiling.
3. Use your right hand to support your forearm.
4. Repeat on the other side.
5. 30 seconds per side works well here.

9. Behind the Back Shoulder Stretch With Towel:

The shoulder stretch using a towel is a catch-all upper body stretch. This excellent stretch stretches the chest, shoulders, triceps, and lats. Best of all you’ll control the intensity by how hard your pull up and down on the towel to create a tug of war between your left and right side. This creates a great stretch for all the muscles mentioned, and particularly for the front deltoid and side deltoid.

How to do the Behind The Back Shoulder Stretch with Towel:

1. Hold a towel in your right hand and flex your right elbow with your right hand by your ear.
2. Reach behind with the left hand and grip the towel as far up as your can.
3. Pull up with the right hand and down with the left to create the stretch.
4. Do for 30 seconds and repeat on the other side.

10. Crossbody Rear Deltoid Stretch:

The rear (aka posterior) deltoid stretch is what’s called a passive stretch where you’re relaxed and make no contribution to the range of motion. Then you use an outside force (your other arm) to create the stretch. This way you’ll get a better stretch and be able to control the intensity. This is one of only a few stretches for the hard-to-reach rear deltoid.  

How to do the Crossbody Rear Deltoid Stretch:

1. Stand up straight and bring your right arm up to your neck and bend your right elbow 90 degrees.
2. Reach across with your left hand and grab just above your right elbow.
3. Pull the right arm across your body using your left hand until you feel a stretch in the rear deltoid.
4. Hold for 30 to 60 seconds and repeat for the opposite shoulder.

11. Kneeling One Arm Cross Body Stretch:

The kneeling one arm cross-body stretch is another great posterior deltoid stretch. This is also called the thread the needle stretch, which is a common one in yoga. From a kneeling position, you’ll reach underneath and across your body to stretch the rear deltoid and lats. You can also use your body as leverage to deepen the stretch, but ease into this stretch as it can be intense.  

How to do the Kneeling One Arm Cross Body Stretch:

1. Kneel down by bending your knees and sitting on your feet.
2. Lie your torso over your thighs and with both arms lying above your head.
3. Bring the left arm underneath and across your body while reaching to the right.
4. Feel the stretch in your rear deltoids and lats.
5. Hold for 60 seconds and repeat on the other side.

12. Arm Up Rotator Cuff Stretch:

The arm-up rotator stretch is not exactly a deltoid stretch but it stretches the important rotator cuff muscle called the teres minor, which has a responsibility of external shoulder rotation. This is not a stretch that needs to be done often and is best performed before a workout to get your shoulders ready for action.

How to do the Arm Up Rotator Cuff Stretch:

1. Holding a stick in your right hand, bend your right elbow and bring your right hand by your ear.
2. Reach across the front of your boy with your left hand and grip the stick.
3. Pull down on the stick gently with your left hand until you feel a stretch.
4. Hold for 10-15 seconds and repeat on the other side.
5. Perform two-three sets on each side as part of your warm-up.

13. Arm Down Rotator Cuff Stretch:

The arm down rotator stretch stretches the supraspinatus and infraspinatus, which are responsible for external and internal rotation of the shoulder. The supraspinatus also assists in lifting your arm above your head. Keeping them flexible and strong will go a long way to keeping all of your shoulder movements up to snuff.

How to do the Arm Down Rotator Cuff Stretch:

1. Hold a light stick vertically in your right hand with the stick by your right ear.
2. Reach across with your left-hand, level with your forehead, and grip the stick with your left palm facing away from you.
3. Adjust the position of your hands and arms until you feel a stretch.
4. Hold for two to three sets of 10-15 seconds on both sides as part of your warm-up.

OTHER MUSCLES ACTING ON THE SHOULDER JOINT

Besides the deltoid muscles, there are several other muscles acting on the shoulder joint which affect the mobility and stability of the shoulder joint. They are:

• Rotator cuff: The four rotator cuff muscles are the subscapularis, infraspinatus, teres minor, and supraspinatus. Otherwise, known as SITS. These 4 muscles keep the shoulder joint vertical no matter what position the shoulder is in.
• Triceps brachii: This large muscle that has 3 separate heads is a power extender of the elbow. The long head of the triceps is the one that acts on the shoulder. 
• Pectoralis major: This large anterior fan-shaped muscle stretches from your armpit up to the collarbone. When it is tight it pulls the shoulder joint forward affecting your ability to go overhead. 
• Pectoralis minor: The smaller chest muscle underneath the pectoralis major. 
• Biceps brachii: It attaches to the humerus bone and plays a role in shoulder flexion and the biceps rotates the forearm and flexes the elbow.
• Latissimus dorsi: This posterior rectangular muscle of the back rotates the arm and is a strong shoulder adductor. Its length and strength will affect shoulder movement and position. 

Why are we mentioning all of this now? Well, for good shoulder mobility, you also need good mobility and flexibility of these muscles too!

• Chest Stretches
• Lat Stretches
• Biceps Stretches
• Triceps Stretches
• Ab Stretches

Wrapping Up

Strengthening the deltoids is important for performance and vanity. But stretching them periodically will maintain and improve their flexibility, and mobility and help prevent shoulder injuries from slowing you and your gains down. We hope these stretches will keep your shoulders relaxed, flexible, and stable for many years to come. Just don't forget to do them!

The final thing to note is that if you are dealing with shoulder pain, and you have any concerns about the seriousness of the pain or if these stretches are right for you, please consult a doctor or physical therapist.

Looking for a new back workout? Or maybe you’ve never actually had a back workout designed for your specific goal. Well, back day just so happens to be our favorite due to the massive amount of weight we can pull as well as the drastic effect it can have on our physique. While the chest used to be the muscle that got all the hype, we believe guys should actually be spending more time on the back, as thick backs don’t lie. That being said, not everyone is in the same situation, so making a single back workout for everyone doesn’t make any sense. Therefore, we’re going to do the unbelievable and write out 5 free back workouts for various situations and goals. We got you, and it's our pleasure. 

The 5 back workouts you’ll find are:

1. Back Workout For Strength
2. Back Workout For Hypertrophy
3. Back Workout For Strength And Hypertrophy
4. Calisthenic Back Workout
5. Dumbbell-Only Back Workout

For each back workout, we will teach you how to progress so you can gain muscle and strength over time. Got it? Let’s go.

Basic Anatomy Of The Back Muscles

There are multiple back muscles that make up the “back.” While they more or less all work together for most movements, you should still have a good idea of their basic function and structure.

Latissimus Dorsi (Lats):

The latissimus dorsi (or the lats for short) are the largest muscle in your upper body and sit on either side of your back. They’re a large and flat muscle that runs from the base of the spine to approximately 2/3rd of the way up. Its origin is up and down the spine and is inserted in the humerus. The lats are responsible for multiple shoulder movements, including::

• Extension
• Adduction
• Horizontal Abduction 
• Internal Rotation

Trapezius (Traps):

The trapezius are two large trapezoid-shaped muscles that sit on the upper back. That being said, while most people think of only the upper traps that sit on the upper of the back behind the neck, the traps are much larger than people think. The traps start at the base of the neck and then run down to about mid-way down the back. Further, they branch out to the sides and attach to the scapula.

Altogether, there are 3 main parts:

• Upper Traps: The upper trap fibers are located at the top of the spine and back of the head and then proceed laterally inserting into the posterior side of the collar bone near the shoulder joint. The main functions of the upper trap are to elevate your scapular, which elevates and brings up your shoulder girdle, and to extend, tilt, and rotate (and protect) your neck, which allows you to move your head.
• Middle Traps: The middle traps originate at the first, second, and third thoracic vertebrae just below the neck, and they proceed laterally to the spine of the scapula near the shoulder joint. Their main function is scapula retraction and shoulder stabilization.
• Lower Traps: The lower traps originate at the T4-T12 thoracic vertebrae and proceed upward and laterally converge near the scapular. The main function of the lower trap is to move the shoulder blades downward (scapular depression).

Rhomboids:

The rhomboids are a set of smaller muscles shaped like rhomboids that attach the scapula to the spine. Technically, there are two sets:

• Rhomboid Major Muscle: Originates from the T2-T5 thoracic vertebrae and inserts in the scapula. 
• Rhomboid Minor Muscle: Originates from C7-T1 vertebrae and inserts in the scapula.

Together, these muscles are very important scapular stabilization muscles and perform the following functions.

• Drawing scapula superomedially
• Supporting scapula
• Rotating glenoid cavity inferiorly

Posterior Deltoids:

The posterior deltoids are one of three shoulder muscles known as the deltoids. The posterior delts sit on the posterior side of the shoulders and play a major role in drawing the shoulder back.

Erector Spinae:

The erector spinae is a large set of muscles that sit on either side of the spine. While most people think of the erector spinae as just the “lower back,” this muscle actually runs down the entirety of the spine. There are actually three different parts of the erector spinae that start together at the base of the spine but then branch out as they travel up, almost like 6 big roots (3 per side) branching out to aid in the stabilization of the spine. These 3 muscle groups are the:

• Iliocostalis
• Longissimus
• Spinalis

The primary function of these muscles is flexion, extension, and stabilization of the spine. 

Function Of The Back Muscles

As seen, the back is full of quite a few different muscles that are basically responsible for all pulling movements. That being said, there are a few movement patterns you want to include in your training to hit every muscle appropriately, as well as train the back the way it’s supposed to work.

• Vertical Pulling: Vertical pulling is when you’re pulling an object from above you down towards your body. The most obvious example would be the chin-up/pull-up. There’s also the lat pull-down and all of its variations with different grips. 
• Horizontal Pulling: Horizontal pulling is seen when you’re pulling an object in front of your body towards your stomach. The most common example is the bent over row. The good thing about horizontal pulling movements is there are a lot more exercises to choose from when training this movement.
• Horizontal Shoulder Abduction: Horizontal shoulder adduction occurs when your elbows are out in front of your body and are then pulled back while staying elevated. The best example to illustrate this movement is the reverse fly. However, this can also include movements like the face-pull. These exercises are generally done with lighter weights and higher reps.
• Forward Shoulder Extension: The forward shoulder extension looks similar to a swimmer’s freestyle stroke. It is performed when the arm is elevated and is then pulled down in front of the body while remaining extended. There aren’t a ton of exercises, with the only movement really being front pull-downs (which we call swimmers). That being said, we love this movement. If you were to ask why we love it, we’d reply by asking if you’ve seen Michael Phelps back! If you look at athletes’ physiques, swimmers ALWAYS have developed backs. Therefore, it makes sense to replicate what they do, which is a ton of forward shoulder extension. 
• Extension/Flexion/Stabilization Of The Spine: Spine extension/flexion consists of curling your back and extending it as well as stabilization in an isometric fashion. This is vital in any back training program to ensure your back musculature is strong enough to prevent injury and improve performance.
• Shrugs: Shrugs are an extremely simple movement and really consist of elevating the shoulders as well as scapular retraction and depression. These are awesome to improve the strength of your scapular muscles to provide a stable base for other movements. That being said, traps can also greatly increase that “yoked” look.

Benefits Of Training Back Exercises

Training the back properly will bring a ton of awesome benefits. Here are the top reasons to follow one of the back workout programs.

1. Build A Massive Upper Body:

One of the worst mistakes you can make when training is to put all the emphasis on the chest while ignoring the back. This will be a disservice for multiple reasons.

• The pectorals are much smaller than the back muscles, especially when you combine ALL the back muscles. Therefore, even if your chest does grow, it won’t result in the same increase in the size of training the back.
• The pectorals only really grow outward in front of the body as your back muscles can grow out backward, adding depth as well as out to the side to add width. This specifically occurs by growing the lats but even training the traps will cause them to protrude from behind your neck. In other words, a bigger back creates mass in all directions.

Quite simply, you CAN NOT look big if you don’t give your back enough attention. As we said, we believe you should actually give your back more attention when compared to your chest.

2. Decrease Injuries:

When comparing the anterior muscles to posterior muscles, weak posterior muscles are responsible for a much higher percentage of injuries and ailments in people. A list of these can include:

• Neck pain (generally from weak trap muscles or poor posture)
• Poor posture (mentioned above but is generally caused by weak scapular muscles)
• Lower back pain (generally caused by weak core muscles, including the erector spinae)

Heck, even shoulder pain and elbow pain can be caused by weak scapular muscles. For example, a major cause of tennis elbow is weak traps as they aren’t able to provide a stable scapula for the shoulder to function from. As a result, the elbow must compensate and receive too much stress.

3. It’s Easy To Train All The Muscles:

Training the back is relatively easy. Basically, any pulling movement is going to hit the back muscles. Even though there are some smaller back muscles like the rhomboids, there aren’t any rhomboid-specific exercises as anything that causes scapular retraction will train them. That being said, even though there are a bunch of muscles in the back, it’s not really too hard to train them. You just need to be sure to hit the main movement patterns listed above and be done with it.

5 Back Workout Plans

Now that you know some basics of why training the back are important and what it should involve, here are your workout plans. Be aware that these are going to include two sessions as training muscle groups twice a week has been shown to be optimal for strength and hypertrophy.

1) Strength Back Workout Plan

This back training workout plan is designed for those purely interested in getting stronger. Therefore, strength is the main goal which means emphasis is on big movements with heavier loads. That being said, you will do some isolation/smaller movements which are primarily to strengthen joints and improve shoulder stability.

Session 1:

Session 2:

Progressive Overload:

For progressive overload, you’re primarily going to rely on simply adding weight to the bar for 4 weeks. On the 5th week, you’ll perform a deload week where you will just use the same rep scheme but drop the load by 50%. 

In the 6th week for the deadlift and rack pull, you will work up to a heavy single and perform 3 singles. You want to work up to what feels like a 95%1RM or a weight you can get twice. Then in the 7th week,, you will return to the weight you used in the 4th week and continue.

For the other movements, in the 6th week you will take about 10% of the load you used in the 4th week and continue.

For the circuit, don’t stress too much. Simply add weight and work up to RPE8-9.

2) Hypertrophy Back Workout Plan

This back training workout plan is for those purely interested in building mass. This means that it will include a lot more smaller exercises with moderate weight and moderate reps. However, there will still be a bit of strength oriented movements.

Session 1:

Session 2:

Progressive Overload:

For progresive overload, you’ll follow two methods. For the set rep scheme, you’ll add weight to the bar (or increase the load on chin-up/pull-up). Every 5th week, take a deload week and decrease the weight 

For the Deadlift and Rack Pull, you will take a deload every 5th week and decrease the load by 50%. Then in the 6th week, you will take about 10% off from what you did in the 4th week and begin the process again.

3) Strength And Hypertrophy Back Workout Plan

This program is for ya’ll you want a good mix of strength training and hypertrophy training. 

Session 1:

Session 2:

Progressive Overload:

For progressive overload, you’ll follow two methods. For the set rep scheme, you’ll add weight to the bar (or increase the load on chin-up/pull-up). For the movements with the rep range, you’ll increase reps until you are able to increase the laid and still hit the lower end of the rep range.

For the set rep scheme (other than chin-up), you will take a deload every 5th week and decrease the load by 50%. Then in the 6th week, you will take about 10% off from what you did in the 4th week and begin the process again.

4) Calisthenics Back Workout Plan

If you don’t like training with a barbell, this back workout is for you. In this calisthenic back workout plan, you’ll see how to make the most of the limited movements possible to train the back with calisthenics. Further, we’re going to also assume you have access to some basic bars. That being said, the key to progressing with a calisthenics program is to increase the difficulty of the exercise.  That being said, there will only be one session that you will repeat twice a week.

Notes:

• For the chin-ups and pull-ups, you will alternate between them each session.
• For the Australian rows, switch up the grips between sessions. The options for grip are:
  - Overhand
  - Underhand
  - Wide Grip
  - Close Grip (Underhand)
• For the face pull exercise, you’ll basically just perform an Australian Row but pull your face to the bar. This means you will need to set-up your face under the bar.
• For the push-back pushup, you will first perform the descent. When your chest is hovering above the ground, instead of pushing straight up, you will push your body back towards your heels. This will cause you to go back to what looks similar to the Child's Pose in yoga. You will then come up and bring your body back to the normal starting position. When you do this, think about pulling the ground backward similar to a dumbbell pullover.

Progressive Overload:

For progressive overload, you will need to gradually increase the difficulty of the movements. Below is a list for some of the exercises you can do to increase the intensity.

• Chin-ups/Pull-Ups: You will gradually want to transfer the load to one arm over time. You can do this by:

  
  - Pulling your weight to one side.
  - Extend your support hand out to the side (the hand you don’t pull yourself to).
  - Decreasing the amount of fingers on the support hand. Continue this until you are able to have minimum support while being able to pull your body to one side.
• Australian Row: Very similar to the chin-ups/pull-ups.

5) Dumbbell Only Back Workout Plan

This plan is for those who might be stuck at home who only have a pair of dumbbells to use. Therefore, it will only include dumbbell back exercises. That being said, anyone can use this plan if they want to include a different stimulus for a cycle but we would advise to add chin-ups if possible.

Due to the lack of possible exercises, there will just be one session but we advise to run it twice a week.

Further, because this is written for those at home with a limited amount of dumbbells, there won’t be exact rep schemes. Instead, you’ll just use RPE. 

Notes: For the bent over high row, just bend over slightly when you perform these.

Progressive Overload:

Assuming you don’t have a ton of dumbbells to choose from, you aren’t really able to increase the load. Therefore, you basically have two choices:

• Increase the reps
• Decrease the rest time

If you do have a few different size dumbbells, we suggest you try to use bigger ones as you get stronger. Other than that, you’re only only going to be able to do so much if you are going to be in this position for a while. Therefore we strongly suggest you try to buy a bigger set of dumbbells or invest in a multi-weight dumbbell.

All The Back Workout Plans You Need

5 awesome back workout plans for any situation. As you work through one plan, feel free to look through the others to give you ideas on how you can alter your current plan to add variability as time goes on. At the end of the day, variability and continuing to implement progressive overload is the key to long-term success. Swapping exercises and swapping rep schemes is the best way to keep moving forward. That being said, any of these plans are guaranteed to kickstart your growth and add mass and strength to your back.

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Is there anything more rewarding and aesthetically-pleasing than achieving quadricep separation? It’s the ultimate gym-goer’s goal to look down and see the chiseled lines of each quadriceps muscle. While not an impossible task, it does take some serious work and the right quadricep moves. And that is where we come in! We’ve compiled the 13 best quad exercises to help you make massive gains. 

In addition to highlighting the best moves for ultra-defined quads, this article will also cover the following:

• Quadriceps anatomy and function
• Benefits of strength training the quads
• Training variables
• The 13 best quad exercises
• How often to train the quad muscles

Read on: Quad separation may soon be yours.

WHAT ARE THE QUAD MUSCLES?

The quadriceps family contains four muscles in the front of the thigh: vastus lateralis, vastus medialis, vastus intermedius, and rectus femoris.

• Vastus Lateralis: Found on the outer thigh, the vastus lateralis is the largest of the four quad muscles. Its primary job is to extend the knee, enabling the lower leg to move forward, and it also helps stabilize the knee joint. The vastus lateralis attaches to the femur, and its insertion site is on the outside of the kneecap. This quad muscle provides power and absorbs the impact of activities such as walking, running, and jumping.
• Vastus Medialis: The "teardrop" quad muscle sits toward the middle of the thigh. It originates from the backside of the femur and inserts into the middle of the patella. The vastus medialis works with the vastus lateralis to keep the kneecap aligned and plays a role in knee extension.
• Vastus Intermedius: This quad muscle runs between the vastus lateralis and vastus medialis and is the deepest of the quad muscles. Its origin is the upper femur and the intermuscular septum, a fold of deep fascia, and it inserts into the side of the patella. It works with the quad group to perform knee extension.
• Rectus Femoris: It is the only quad muscle to cross both the hip joint and knee joint. Crossing at the hip and knee joint means this quadriceps muscle powers both hip flexion and knee extension. The rectus femoris lies over the vastus intermedius, originating at the pelvis and hip bone and inserting at the patella.

BENEFITS OF STRONG QUADRICEPS MUSCLES

Strong quadriceps are essential for:

• Performing everyday activities: Due to their role in hip extension, activities like walking, running, and taking the stairs are made possible by the quadriceps.
• Protecting the knee: The vastus medialis and vastus lateralis work together to ensure the kneecap is stabilized and properly aligned.
• Preventing and treating conditions: Strengthening the anterior thigh muscles can prevent or treat ailments linked to weak quadriceps, including patellofemoral stress syndrome, IT band friction syndrome, and patellar tendonitis.
• Increasing power: Stronger quads mean a more powerful gym performance. The stronger the quads, the more you can accelerate during sprinting, squat further and with more weight, balance better, and increase plyometric power. 
• Improving aesthetics: No need to spend a lot of time on this point, but let’s not overlook how aesthetically pleasing muscular legs are.

CAN YOU ISOLATE YOUR QUADS?

You can target the quadriceps, but total isolation isn’t possible - or quite frankly, necessary. With lower body movements, the glutes and hamstrings are still somewhat activated. But the exercises in this article place most of the work on the quadriceps, making the front thigh muscles the primary movers. Emphasizing them in this way will make them bigger and stronger. 

WHAT ARE THE BEST QUADRICEPS EXERCISES?

The best quadriceps exercises are the ones that enable you to position your body in a way that emphasizes the front thigh muscles, such as squats, lunges, leg press machines, and step-ups. Simply adjusting your foot and leg positioning emphasizes the quads. For example, moving your legs higher up on a leg press machine's footplate emphasizes your glutes. Lower the feet toward the bottom of the plate, and your quads will do the brunt of the work. Apply the same strategy to lunges and squats: Lean forward slightly to keep the work out of the hamstrings and on the quads. 

TRAINING VARIABLES:

There are several key variables to keep in mind when targeting the quadriceps, including load position, body position, stability levels, and equipment options.

• Load positioning: Altering the position of your weight loads is an easy way to emphasize the quads, and more specifically, different muscles within the quad group. For example, while a barbell back squat is great for the quads, turning it into a low-bar squat, in which the bar lies lower down, across the shoulder blades, also engages the rectus femoris more so than having the barbell on top of the shoulders. Moving the barbell to the front of the body places even more work into the quads, ensuring muscle hypertrophy. Keep this in mind as you work through your quad exercises, because adjustments to your weight location, such as keeping the kettlebell close to the chest in the goblet squat, help place extra emphasis on the front thigh muscles. 
• Body positioning: First and foremost, correct body positioning is a training variable that emphasizes safety. If your hips, knees, and feet aren’t aligned correctly, it’s a recipe for injury. But on top of that, tweaks can change your form enough to better grow your target muscles - in this case, the quads. A simple way to target the quadriceps more is to lean forward slightly, still keeping a neutral spine and upright trunk, so that more of your body weight is toward the front of the body, placing more stress on the quads. Another technique is to elevate the heels during squats and lunges, enabling the torso to stay upright while shifting stress to the quadriceps group. Another example is the leg press. You can target two different quad muscles, the glutes, and the entire lower body by adjusting your feet on the platform.
• Stability levels: Make sure your quadricep routine is a combination of moves that require more and less stability. Machines-based exercises provide more stability, so you can ramp up the weights and wear out the quads. However, fewer stabile exercises also contribute to muscle hypertrophy by forcing the muscles to work harder to maintain balance. That’s great news for fatiguing them.
• Equipment: Bodyweight, dumbbells, kettlebells, barbells, and machines can all be incorporated into a quad-focused workout. Dumbbells provide endless options when training the quads. You can use one or two, keep them by the sides or resting on the shoulders, or place one in front of the chest. Machines enable you to use heavier weights, more safely, due to the extra stability they provide. Barbells allow you to perform back and front squats, both of which are crucial for developing the front thigh muscles. And some leg exercises (we’re looking at you, sissy squat) are just plain tough, meaning the weight of your body will be more than enough to ensure hypertrophy.

13 BEST QUAD EXERCISES

Here are the all-time best exercises to build big, strong quads.

1. Barbell Back Squat

This move emphasizes 3 of the four quadriceps muscles, the vastus lateralis, vastus medialis, and vastus intermedius. This how-to explains how to do a high bar back squat, but another option is the low bar back squat. In the low-bar squat, the bar lies across the shoulder blades. While research has found minimal differences between quad activity in the two bar positions, a study did find the rectus femoris, vastus lateralis, and vastus medialis were activated more in the eccentric part of the low-bar squat¹. Switching the bar position up is a great way to get the rectus femoris more involved with this exercise.

How to:

1. Take the bar off the rack by resting it on the backside of the top of the shoulders. Taking a few steps back, place the feet shoulder-width apart with toes pointing forward or out slightly. The spine remains straight, the chest upright, and the shoulders blades retracted. Look forward.
2. Flex the hips and knees to sit back. Continue lowering until the hip crease is below the knee. Keep the weight in the heels, and the knees in line with the toes.
3. Simultaneously straighten the knees and hips as your push upward, back to standing.
4. Take a deep breath and repeat.

Rep range: 3-5 sets of 8 to 12 reps per set

2. Front Squat

The front squats form is similar to the back squats but with one main difference. The bar is in front of the chest rather than behind the neck. The bar adjustment further emphasizes the quadricep muscles, of which all four are activated. Research comparing the back and front squats found that the vastus medialis and vastus lateralis are more activated when holding the bar in front². 

How to:

1. With hands shoulder-width apart and elbows pointed forward, grab the bar with palms facing up, resting on the fingertips. Lift the bar off the rack, stepping back.
2. Position the feet slightly wider than shoulder-width, pointing the toes forward or slightly out. Keep the spine straight and trunk upright. Gaze straight ahead.
3. Bend at the hips and knees, sitting back. Lower until the crease of the hips is below the top of the thighs. Keep the knees in line with the toes.
4. Straighten the hips and knees, pushing upward to standing.

Rep range: 3-5 sets of 6-12 reps per set

3. Hack Squat

The hack squat is a machine exercise great for beginner lifters, those looking to target the quads, and those with back issues. The machine helps to stabilize the back during movement. While this exercise activates all of the quad muscles, the vastus medialis works particularly hard. Hello, teardrop definition.

How to: 

1. Load the machine with the desired weight amount.
2. With the back toward the machine, place the feet shoulder-width apart, and the shoulders and back against the pads.
3. Releasing the safety handles, lower down by bending the hips and knees until the 90s reach a 90-degree angle.
4. Straighten the hips and knees, pushing upward to return to the starting position.

Rep range: 3 sets of 10-12 reps per set

If you don't have access to a hack squat machine, here are some good alternatives to the hack squat that work the same muscles.

4. Split Squat

You can use bodyweight, dumbbells, or a barbell for this movement. There are different ways to place your body in this exercise to target different lower body muscles. To emphasize the quadriceps, keep the torso and shin upright in the movement or keep the torso upright and the shin forward. 

How to:

1. Hold a dumbbell in each hand, set up the barbell on the back tops of the shoulder, or place the hands on the hips. Begin by standing with feet underneath the shoulders. Take a wide step forward with one foot. The toes point forward, and both heels remain planted on the ground. Keep the torso upright.
2. Bend at the knees, lifting the back heel off the ground as the weight shifts into the front heel. Continue lowering until the back shin and front thigh are parallel with the ground.
3. Push through the front heel using the front leg to drive the body upward.

Rep range: 3-4 sets of 8-12 reps on each leg

5. Bulgarian Split Squat

The Bulgarian split squat uses the same form as the split squat, except you'll elevate the back foot. This change is a great progression from the split squat as it puts your balance and stability to the test. You can use your body weight, one or two dumbbells, or a barbell. The vastus medialis and rectus femoris activity are very high in this movement, with moderate activation from the vastus lateralis³.

How to:

1. Stand in front of a bench, chair, or another elevated surface that is stable and approximately knee height. Keeping the feet hip distance apart, move into a forward lunge position by taking a wide step forward. Elevate the back foot on your stable surface. Place the top of the back foot on the bench. Or, flex the ankle, placing the toes on the bench and lifting the heel. Keep your knees slightly bent.
2. Bend the knee, keeping it in line with the foot, until the front thigh is parallel to the ground. The hips should hinge forward slightly. The chest stays upright; look straight ahead. Keep the weight on the front leg.
3. Straighten the body, returning it to an upward position, by driving through the front leg.

Reps: 3 sets of 8-12 reps per leg

6. Forward Lunge

The rectus femoris is the primary quadricep mover of the forward lunge; however, research shows that the vastus laterals and vastus medialis also put in significant work⁴.

How to:

1. Stand with feet hip-width apart, and hands either on the hips or holding a barbell or dumbbells.
2. Step forward with the right foot, bending at the knees, lowering the body until both form 90-degree angles. The chest remains upright. The back heel lifts off the ground, placing the weight on the front leg.
3. Push off the right foot, straightening the knees as the right leg returns to the starting position.  

Reps: 3 sets of 8-12 reps per side

Have knee pain? Check out these lunge alternatives for bad knees.

7. Sissy Squat

Warning: This quad-isolating exercise’s name is extremely misleading. The sissy squat does an exceptional job hitting every quad muscle and can target the rectus femoris, something not all lower-body movements can do. Unless you’re an advanced lifter familiar with the sissy squat, you don't need to add weights. Just your body weight will be more than enough.

How to: 

1. Begin in a standing position with feet hip-width apart, legs straight.
2. Keep the hips extended, and raise the toes. If you’re able to maintain balance, extend your arms in front of you or place them on the hips. If new to this movement, consider holding onto something at first.
3. Lower into a squat, pushing the knees forward and keeping the upper body in a straight line. Maintain hip extension the entire time. The heels stay elevated as you lower down.
4. Continue lowering until you can no longer maintain the proper form.
5. To return to standing, extend the knees.

Reps: 3 sets of 6 reps each

8. Close Stance Leg Press

A narrow stance on the leg press will put the outer thighs to work, meaning the vastus lateralis is highly activated. By altering your foot positioning, you can emphasize certain muscles of the lower body. Keeping your feet shoulder-width apart will target the entire lower body, while a wide stance will hit the inner thighs. High foot placement targets the glutes and hamstrings, and lowering the feet will target the entire quad group.

How to:

1. Sitting at a leg press machine, plant the feet on the fist plate, keeping the feet less than shoulder-width apart. The feet should be less than 3 inches apart, with the toes pointing slightly out. The back remains on the pad at all times.
2. Lowering the safety bars, press the footplate up away from the torso until the legs are straight.
3. Lower the footplate to the torso by bending the knees, continuing until the upper and lower legs form a 90-degree angle.
4. Push through the heels of the feet as you straighten the knees and return the platform to the starting position.

Reps: 3-4 sets of 8-12 reps

9. Single-Leg Leg Press

This version of the leg press also does a great job targeting the outer thigh, meaning your vastus lateralis will be strongly activated. Use this quad exercise to observe whether muscle imbalances exist between the two legs.

How to:

1. Sitting at a leg press machine, plant one foot on the footplate, keeping the other on the floor or straightened underneath the platform. Press the footplate away from the torso, releasing the leg press from the locked position.
2. With your working leg straight, bend at the knee, lowering the footplate/sled toward your torso, continuing until your knee is almost touching the chest.
3. Extend the knee, pressing the footplate away to return to the starting position. Keep the knee in line with the toes.

Reps: 2-3 reps of 8-12 sets per leg

10. Leg Extension Machine

Leg extensions can do no wrong. It develops the rectus femoris and the vastus intermedius and manages to hit the other two vastus leg muscles.

How to:

1. Sit at the leg extension machine. Placing the legs under the pad, adjust the pad so it's on top of the shins and above the feet. Set the machine to your desired amount of weight. Place the hands on the sidebars.
2. Lift the weight by straightening the legs. Keep the back on the backrest.
3. Lower the weight back to the starting position by bending the knees.

You can also do these unilaterally. Working your left leg first, then your right leg.

Reps: 3 sets of 8-12 reps

No leg extension machine? Here are the best leg extension alternatives.

11. Step Ups

If you need a slightly easier variation of this exercise, ditch the dumbbell and use your body weight. If you want to make it harder, only use one dumbbell, placing it in your hand opposite the leg doing the work. All of the quadriceps muscles are activated in this movement, but research shows this exercise emphasizes the vastus lateralis the most⁵.

How to:

1. Stand by a bench that's just under knee height, holding a pair of dumbbells, with arms extended by your sides. Place the right foot on a bench, with the hip, knee, and ankle bent 90 degrees.
2. Keep the chest upright with shoulders rotated back, and begin to extend the right knee as you drive the body up with the right leg. Elevate the left foot as your body moves upward. 
3. You can tap the left foot on the bench before lowering back down on the right leg, or keep it elevated, maintaining balance on the right as you lower back down by bending the right knee. Tap the left foot to the ground, and then quickly raise the body upward again, using the right leg.

Reps: 3 sets of 8-12 reps on each leg

12. Goblet Squats

The goblet squat is your go-to if you’re struggling with squat form, bad posture, or inflexibility. Because you hold the weight in front, the hips open more than in other squats to enable you to lower between the legs. No quad muscle will go ignored with this move, but the vastus medialis gets the most attention.

How to:

1. Standing with feet slightly wider than shoulder-width and toes pointed forward, hold a kettlebell at chest height with elbows tucked into the sides. The feet are wider than other squat variations, and the toes point outward slightly. It should sit close to the chest. Retract the shoulder blades. You can also use a dumbbell, holding it vertically against the chest.
2. Bend the knees and sit back in the hips as you lower into a squat. Keep the chest upright and the back straight. The feet remain flat on the floor. Lower as far as you can.
3. Push through the heels as you extend the knees and return to standing.

Reps: 3-5 sets of 10-12 reps

13. Box Jumps or Jump Squats

If this exercise is new to you, start with a shorter box, working your way up to a taller one as you perfect the move. Due to the high energy required for this exercise, place it at the beginning of your routine when your legs are nice and fresh. Every quad muscle must work to make this plyo move possible, with a special emphasis on the rectus femoris. 

How to:

1. Stand facing a box, with the feet about six inches away from the box and hip distance apart. Bend the knees and hips slightly.
2. Bend at the knees, pressing the hips back while swinging the arms behind you.
3. Pushing off the balls of the feet, jump into the air, swinging the arms up and forward. Fully extend the knees and hips to get as much height as possible with the jump.
4. At the top of the jump, bend the hips and knees, drawing them forward to land on top of the box.
5. Land softly on top of the box with both feet simultaneously. Bend the knees and hips when landing, and land with the feet about hip distance apart.
6. Step off the box, and repeat the movement.

Reps: 3-4 sets of 5 jumps

HOW OFTEN SHOULD YOU TRAIN YOUR QUADRICEPS MUSCLES?

Research advocates for most lifters to train each muscle group twice a week for optimal strength and muscle gains^6-7. The ideal setup following this format is two upper-body days and two lower-body days. If your goal is quadriceps growth, both lower-body days should incorporate quad exercises. Aim for 10 sets of quadricep exercises weekly, and don’t train them on back-to-back days. Split it up, hitting the quads once earlier in the week and toward the end of the week.

PARTING TIPS FOR QUAD GAINS:

Following these quad exercises will set you on a path for thick, muscular quads. Here are a few parting tips that will further assist in your strength training goals.

• Don’t skimp on your squats and lunges. Both movements require full ranges of motion, which research shows can produce significant quadricep growth⁸.
• Eat your protein. Anywhere from 1.6 to 2.2 grams of protein per kilogram, or .73 and 1 grams per pound, is ideal for preserving muscle⁹. 
• Rest and recover. Don’t sabotage your efforts in the gym by now allowing the muscles to rest and let your muscle fibers repair. Ideally, give the quads 48 hours to rest in between lift sessions.

If you need more volume in your quad training, use these dumbbell quad exercises for even greater quad growth.

More Leg Exercise Content:

• Hamstring Exercises
• Glute Exercises
• Gastrocnemius Exercises

References:

1. Murawa M, Fryzowicz A, Kabacinski J, et al. Muscle activation varies between high-bar and low-bar back squat. PeerJ. 2020;8:e9256. doi:10.7717/peerj.9256
2. Yavuz HU, Erdağ D, Amca AM, Aritan S. Kinematic and EMG activities during front and back squat variations in maximum loads. Journal of Sports Sciences. 2015;33(10):1058-1066. doi:10.1080/02640414.2014.984240
3. ‌Aguilera-Castells J, Buscà B, Morales J, et al. Muscle activity of Bulgarian squat. Effects of additional vibration, suspension and unstable surface. Balsalobre-Fernández C, ed. PLOS ONE. 2019;14(8):e0221710. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0221710
4. Park S, Chung C, Park J, et al. Comparative Analysis of Lunge Techniques: Forward, Reverse, Walking Lunge. undefined. Published 2016. Accessed May 24, 2022. https://www.semanticscholar.org/paper/Comparative-Analysis-of-Lunge-Techniques%3A-Forward%2C-Park-Chung/d6c485f11e3365e6a577deaea27e489fca837863
5. ‌PRIME PubMed | Does the relative muscle activation of the vastus medialis, rectus femoris, and vastus lateralis, during the various activities, change in relation to the quadriceps angle? www.unboundmedicine.com. Accessed May 24, 2022. https://www.unboundmedicine.com/medline/citation/29706702/Does_the_relative_muscle_activation_of_the_vastus_medialis_rectus_femoris_and_vastus_lateralis_during_the_various_activities_change_in_relation_to_the_quadriceps_angle
6. ‌DiFrancisco-Donoghue J, Werner W, Douris PC, McKenna RF. Comparison of once-weekly and twice-weekly strength training in older adults * Commentary. British Journal of Sports Medicine. 2006;41(1):19-22. doi:10.1136/bjsm.2006.029330
7. ‌Schoenfeld BJ, Ogborn D, Krieger JW. Effects of Resistance Training Frequency on Measures of Muscle Hypertrophy: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. Sports Medicine. 2016;46(11):1689-1697. doi:10.1007/s40279-016-0543-8
8. ‌Bryanton MA, Kennedy MD, Carey JP, Chiu LZF. Effect of Squat Depth and Barbell Load on Relative Muscular Effort in Squatting. Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research. 2012;26(10):2820-2828. doi:10.1519/jsc.0b013e31826791a7
9. ‌Stokes T, Hector A, Morton R, McGlory C, Phillips S. Recent Perspectives Regarding the Role of Dietary Protein for the Promotion of Muscle Hypertrophy with Resistance Exercise Training. Nutrients. 2018;10(2):180. doi:10.3390/nu10020180

You need these barbell shoulder exercises as the shoulders can seriously make or break a man’s physique. Having a set of boulders sitting on the top of your arms can have a massive impact on that yoked look so many guys are looking for. In fact, one of the first features of an attractive man are broad shoulders. However, the same goes the other way. A guy with no shoulders can look significantly less dominant than he is if he had some developed shoulders.

That being said, many guys actually fail to create any resemblance of strong shoulders let alone a set of boulder shoulders. One of the reasons is that too many guys only focus on little isolation movements with dumbbells or cable machines. Those can definitely add some pop but to really create a set of huge shoulders, you need to use the barbell.

This article will go over all you need to know about how to use the barbell to blow up your shoulders.

• Basic anatomy of the shoulders
• Benefits to training the shoulders with the barbell
• Best barbell exercises for the shoulders
• The best variables to use to create massive shoulders
• Training shoulders for strength AND mass

Basic Anatomy Of The Shoulders

The shoulder muscles are actually known as the deltoids which are a very important set of three different muscle heads that sit on top of the arm. These three shoulder muscle heads are vital as they are responsible for manipulating the arm to push, pull, move in circles, lift up….literally everything. Shoulders have this ability to maneuver in so many directions because the shoulder joint is what’s known as a ball-in-socket. 

Basically, the top of the humerus (arm bone) is shaped like a ball which sits inside of a socket formed by the scapula. What this does is allows the humerus to rotate freely in just about any direction. In order to move in so many directions, it requires the three muscle heads spoken about above. These three heads are known as:

• Anterior (front) Deltoid: The anterior deltoid is the muscle head that sits on the front of the body. It’s responsible for bringing the arm medially during horizontal adduction (as in during the bench press) and forward flexion (bring the arm up in front of the body).
• Lateral Deltoid: The lateral deltoid is the muscle head that sits on the side of the arm. It’s role is bringing the arm out to the side during shoulder abduction. The most common exercise associated with the lateral deltoid is the lateral raise. That being said, the lateral delt is crucial to develop as it’s what gives your shoulder that round “capped” look.
• Posterior (Rear) Deltoid: The posterior deltoids, or rear deltoids, sit on the back of the arm. They’re main function is to pull the arm backward and are used in a ton of back exercises such as rowing. In fact, the rear delt is generally developed in most people due to its extensive use in every pulling exercise.

Together, the three heads can also contract together to help lift an object overhead as well as provide general stability. Think about a new tree planted and the gardener will put up rope in all directions to keep it stable. This is the same idea except your muscles stabilize your arm, not a tree.

Benefits Of Barbell Training For The Shoulders

As mentioned, most people tend to think of dumbbells or isolation exercises for “best shoulder exercises”. While there certainly are great dumbbell shoulder exercises, if you're not using the barbell to forge your delts, they’ll probably never see their true potential. Here are the best reasons to use the barbell to train the shoulders.

1) You Can Use A Heavy Load For Strength Training:

The first main benefit is that you’re able to use a bigger load with the barbell when compared with any other implement. This makes it vital if you're wanting to build strong shoulders. As mentioned above, even if you’re only concerned with bodybuilding, you still need strong shoulders to build more volume and protect your joints from injury.

2) Build Foundational Strength:

The barbell is the most important piece of equipment in the gym to build foundational strength. Dumbbells and cable machines are great but use of those should always come after your barbell training. Using the barbell will build the foundation you need in the shoulders for a lifetime of lifting.

3) Hit All Of Delts (And More):

The barbell is going to not only stimulate every single deltoid, you’ll also train your upper back, core, and upper back (specifically the traps). Due to the bigger load and stabilization needed, every muscle will get hit. Plus, there are even exercises to specifically target the delts individually.

The 9 Best Barbell Shoulder Exercises

Here are the 9 best barbell exercises you need to include in your shoulder training.

1. Push Press:

First up on the list is the push press. The push press is the only power movement on this list and while some may argue that power exercises aren’t the best for building muscle mass, due to limited mechanical tension as the laid is moving quickly due to momentum. 

While there’s some truth to this, with the push press, you still must catch the weight above your head and hold it in an isometric hold. This not only requires your deltoids to carry this load, you must also stabilize it as well. Still, unless you’re dropping the bar to the ground (which we really hope your not unless you're working in a professional environment), you must still perform the eccentric portion as well. 

Either way, the push press will definitely improve the strength of your deltoids while also acclimating them to a heavier load. In theory, this can make a lighter weight feel lighter than normal and allow more reps.

2. Seated Military Press:

The military press is the king of exercises for pure shoulder strength. It’s one of the primary barbell movements to develop raw strength. Unlike the push press, the military press is done with strict body control which means no bouncing or movement from the body. This means that you purely rely on your delts and triceps to move the weight.

That being said, the military press is notoriously hard so too many guys choose not to do it. Guess what. Those guys probably have small shoulders. Together with the push press, the military press lays the foundation for your shoulder musculature. Further, it’s perhaps the best exercise to increase shoulder strength which plays an intricate role in creating muscle mass 

That being said, you’re going to want to do the seated variation for even bigger gains. That’s because the vast majority of people are able to press more weight during that seated variation due to being more stable. While we also love the standing variation, you’re already doing the push press and overhead carry for added stability training so you might as well and take a seat on for this one and press more weight.

3. Barbell Bench Press:

Isn’t the barbell bench press a chest exercise? Meh. It is but it’s also an amazing exercise for the triceps as well as the deltoids, specifically the anterior deltoids. In fact, you won’t find a guy with a big bench press and small anterior delts (or triceps). As you’re likely already performing the barbell bench press, next time, try to think about your shoulders and use a mind-muscle connection to train the delts.

4. Incline Barbell Bench Press:

The incline barbell bench press is yet another great “chest” exercise that’s going to train the shoulders as well. In fact, when we look at the bench press, incline bench press, and military press; we see that they are actually similar movements ranging from completely flat to vertical. It’s performed exactly like the flat bench barbell press except you sit on an angled bench. Also, the barbell will be brought down further up on the chest by a couple inches.

5. Z-Press:

The Z-Press is the most challenging shoulder exercise you haven’t tried before. Predominantly seen in the strength community, the Z-press is basically a military press but sitting down. On the ground. The Z-press is performed by sitting on the floor with your legs out in front of you. What this does is require excessive mobility in the posterior and thoracic spine as well as the shoulder structure. Other than that, the movement is performed the exact same way as a normal overhead press.

6. Overhead Carry:

The overhead carry with the barbell is an awesome exercise to train the shoulders isometrically. It differs from holding the barbell overhead after a military press or push press overhead as you are going to hold the load locked out overhead for a longer period of time. This is an absolutely brutal movement that will apply a stimulus to your shoulders that you can’t get anywhere else. 

The easiest way to perform the overhead carry is to set up a barbell on a rack. Next, just perform an overhead press until your arms are fully locked out. From there, keep your arms locked out and walk for the prescribed distance.

Be aware that you’ll need some room to perform this exercise.

7. Upright Row:

The upright row has gotten a lot of flack for being “bad for the shoulders”. This is generally thrown around blatantly by those who don’t read any context. The upright row is perfectly safe as long as you follow two rules.

• Use a wider grip. Further, studies have shown that a wider grip will create greater activation in the delts and traps¹.
• Don’t pull the elbows higher than shoulder height (in fact, just stay a couple inches lower). Studies have shown this can greatly mitigate the risk of impingement².

That’s it. Follow these two guidelines and you're going to be fine with the upright row.

More importantly, the upright row is the only compound movement that targets the middle deltoids so if you want the “pop”, you need to do this.

Have shoulder pain when doing upright rows? Here's the fix.

8. Kneeling Landmine Press:

The landmine press is one of the most underused exercises for shoulders. It works on a pivot making it a great choice for anyone dealing with any type of shoulder issues as you press out in front of you at an angle rather than above your head. We specifically like to use the landmine for hypertrophy work with higher reps. 

The landmine press is incredibly easy to perform. All you need to do is set up a landmine and load the barbell. Kneel down at the end of the barbell and pick it up. Bring the load to your chest and then press away by extending your arms.

You can also perform single arm presses by bringing the barbell to whatever hand you’re holding it with. From there, just press away.

9. Barbell Face Pull:

The face pull is perhaps one of the more common exercises performed for the posterior delts and upper back. Performing the face pull is an awesome way to help strengthen the entire scapula musculature as well as the delts. Plus, it’s a great way to improve shoulder mobility. That being said, most people perform this movement using a rope attachment on the pulley system. What many people don’t know is that you can easily perform a variation with the barbell.

To perform the face pull with a barbell, you’ll take a wider grip with your arms slightly wider than shoulder width apart with an overhand grip. You then bend over as in a bent over row and pull the bar up towards your face. Concentrate on trying to keep your elbows high. Start light with this exercise until you develop good technique.

Best Way To Train The Delts

In order to really elicit noticeable change in the delts, you’ll want to include some shoulder specific training twice a week. This has been shown to be the ideal training frequency for optimal strength and muscle growth. At the same time, you’ll want to train the entire rep range for both strength and muscle hypertrophy.

For strength, use loads of 85-95%1RM with a rep range of 2-5. Below are some exercises that are ideal for strength training. 

• Push Press
• Seated Military Press
• Bench Press
• Incline Bench Press 

(You can also use these for hypertrophy work as well)

For hypertrophy, use lighter loads of 80-70% with a rep scheme of 8-12+. Below are some of the best exercises for hypertrophy work. 

• Upright Row
• Face Pull
• Landmine Press

The Z-Press is a bit different as it’s a blend of strength and hypertrophy training but its real purpose is more to build stability in the shoulder joint. That being said, use lighter loads similar to the hypertrophy work.

For the Overhead Carry, your best option is to use either distance instead of rep range. For example, walk 3 X 10m one week. Then the next week, increase the load. 

For all of these, all you need to do is apply progressive overload and add weight or reps every week. If you do that, all you need to do is sit back and let physiology take over.

Perfect Your Physique With Barbell Shoulder Exercises

Never worry about having puny shoulders again. These barbell shoulder exercises are going to create the mass and strength you need to look like you actually lift. That being said, in order to optimize your shoulder training, you should still add in a few isolation exercises. Our favorites are:

• Reverse fly
• Lateral raise
• Lateral partials (with heavy weight)
• Front raises 

Add those on top of the above barbell shoulder exercises and you’ll reach your perfect physique soon enough.

Related:

• Best Front Delt Exercises
• Best Side Delt Exercises
• Best Rear Delt Exercises

References:

1. McAllister MJ, Schilling BK, Hammond KG, Weiss LW, Farney TM. Effect of Grip Width on Electromyographic Activity During the Upright Row. The Journal of Strength & Conditioning Research. 2013;27(1):181-187. doi:10.1519/JSC.0b013e31824f23ad
2. Schoenfeld B, Kolber MJ, Haimes JE. The Upright Row: Implications for Preventing Subacromial Impingement. Strength & Conditioning Journal. 2011;33(5):25-28. doi:10.1519/ssc.0b013e31822ec3e3

When it comes to making gains in the gym, there are many misconceptions about what it takes to build muscle. These myths include needing a gym membership, using machines to gain strength, and splitting strength training into specific body parts, like a “back and bi” day and “chest and tris.” The good news? None of these are necessary. You can build muscle at home or at the gym, with only dumbbells, hitting the entire upper body in the same workout.

This upper body workout using dumbbells focuses on compound movements, so you get the most bang for your workout buck, and it’s great for a wide range of lifters, whether male, female, just beginning, or at an intermediate experience level.

In this article, you’ll learn about:

• The major upper body muscles this routine targets
• How dumbbells help build muscle
• Who will benefit from these upper body exercises with dumbbells
• The best dumbbell exercises for upper body routine
• How often you should perform this free weight upper body workout
• Dietary tips for leaning out and building muscle

You do not need an at gym routine to sufficiently work your muscles. Dumbbells and the right exercises are all you need to see some serious upper body muscle gains.

UPPER BODY MUSCLES

The upper body includes several muscle groups: the chest, back, shoulders, and arms. The core isn’t technically part of the upper body, but it's important to strengthen it 2-3 times a week. Many of the moves in this routine require core stabilization, so your abdominals are getting a workout in - no sit-ups required.

Here’s a look at the muscles targeted in this upper body workout using dumbbells. 

Chest Muscles:

• Pectoralis Major: The largest muscle on the front of the chest, this fan-shaped muscle originates at the collarbone, sternum, ribs, and near the external obliques, and inserts on the humerus. Its functions include adduction and rotation, assistance in arm flexion and extension, and shoulder girdle depression.
• Pectoralis Minor: Originating from the ribs and running to the shoulder blade, the smaller of the two chest muscles plays a crucial role in stabilizing the shoulder blades, as well as depression, protraction, internal rotation, and downward rotation.

Shoulder Muscles:

• Deltoid: The triangular-shaped muscle has three parts, the anterior, middle and posterior, and is responsible for several movements, including flexion, medial and lateral rotation, arm abduction, and extension. The origins start on the collarbone and shoulder blade, and it inserts about halfway down the humerus.
• Serratus anterior: There are three sections to this fan-shaped muscle, which originates at the first eight ribs and inserts into the shoulder blade. Its functions include protraction and upward rotation of the shoulder blades, shoulder blade stabilization, and shoulder rotation.
• Teres major: Shoulder rotation, extension, and arm adduction are the primary functions of this muscle, which attaches to the bottom of the shoulder blade and inserts into the humerus. The teres major works together with the latissimus dorsi to achieve its movements, including activities such as rock climbing or playing tennis.
• Rotator cuff: The infraspinatus, supraspinatus, subscapularis, and teres minor comprise the rotator cuff group, which works as a team to stabilize the shoulder. This muscle group assists with several other upper body movements, including flexion, extension, abduction, and internal and external rotation. They all originate on various parts of the shoulder blade and insert into different parts of the humerus.

Back Muscles:

• Trapezius: Broad and flat, this 3-part muscle covers a large portion of the upper back and helps stabilize the shoulder joints. The upper, middle, and lower trap muscle fibers are responsible for moving the shoulder blades through rotation, depression, elevation, and adduction. It has multiple origin points along the cervical and thoracic vertebrae and the lower back of the skull, and inserts into the collarbone and shoulder blade.
• Latissimus dorsi: A large, flat muscle in the middle of the back, the lats team up with the teres major and pectoralis major to adduct and rotate the shoulder, as well as extend the arm at the shoulder joint. As the lats span most of the middle back, there are multiple origin points on the thoracic spine, lower ribs, and pelvis, and its insertion point is on the upper arm.
• Rhomboids: Lying deep to the traps, the rhomboid is two muscles: the rhomboid major and minor. The rhomboids originate at the cervical and thoracic vertebrae and insert into the shoulder blades. The two muscles work with several other upper body muscles to stabilize the shoulder and retract, elevate, and rotate the shoulder blades.
• Erector Spinae: The erector spinae consists of three long muscles that extend up your entire spine. Their main job is to protect and stabilize your spine. 

Arm Muscles:

• Biceps brachii: At the front of the upper arms, this two-headed muscle originates at the shoulder blade and inserts into the forearm. Its primary functions include flexion and outward rotation of the forearm.
• Triceps brachii: Primarily responsible for elbow extension, this horseshoe-shaped, three-headed muscle is on the back of the upper arm. It originates at the shoulder blade and the humerus with its insertion point at the elbow.

CAN YOU BUILD MUSCLE WITH JUST DUMBBELLS?

You can build muscle with just dumbbells whether you're at home or in the gym. Although it takes hard work, the concept of increasing muscle mass is pretty simple. You need to fatigue the muscles to the point that micro-tears develop in the muscle fiber. The next important step in the process is rest when the fibers repair. As mini tears repair, the body rebuilds the muscle tissues back bigger and stronger than before. You do not need machines or fancy equipment to fatigue your muscles. Remember that muscles are dumb. They don’t know (or care) whether you use machines or free weights. They need to be fatigued.

Some of the benefits of using dumbbells include:

• Increases muscle stabilization, coordination, and balance requirements: With dumbbells comes more freedom and range of motion when lifting, which forces your muscles to recruit more fibers to help stabilize during the movement. Research comparing the muscle activity during a dumbbell bench press and machine bench press found that the biceps worked more when using dumbbells due to the stabilization requirement¹.
• More muscle activity: Free weights provide an unstable training environment, forcing the muscles to work hard. And if you have any concerns that dumbbells don't yield the same results that machines offer, let us alleviate those worries: Research comparing the two found that muscle thickness increases similarly between the two. In addition, for men, free weights increase testosterone more than machines².
• Identifies strength imbalances and helps correct them: Machines provide more stability, making it easier for muscle imbalances to go unnoticed. However, with dumbbells, both sides of the body must work equally. And if a muscle on one side is weaker than the other, you will quickly notice that when doing your routine. Plus, after identifying the weaker one, you can work on strengthening it with unilateral dumbbell moves, such as the one-arm dumbbell row or a one-arm dumbbell chest press. This will greatly help your upper body strength and aesthetics.
• Improves range of motion: Free weights enable your joints to move more freely. Not only does this cause the muscles to work harder to stabilize, but the muscles also work through a greater range of motion. A greater ROM is better for muscle hypertrophy than only using a partial range of motion³.
• More variety: Using dumbbells is anything but limiting when adding muscle. The workout possibilities when using free weights are endless, and as you start to look for more movements to challenge you, free weights make it easy to do. Bumping up the weight of your dumbbell is always an option, but you can also turn a two-sided exercise into a unilateral one that puts all of the emphasis on the muscles, one side at a time. You can also use dumbbells to ramp up the intensity of your workouts. Rather than completing a set before moving on to the next move, you can select two exercises that work different body parts and alternate doing sets. For example, you could complete one set of a dumbbell chest press and then move directly into a dumbbell row. This strategy provides your pecs with rest but keeps the heart rate up as you jump into a back-focused exercise. If weight loss and lean muscle are your goals, increasing the heart rate while building muscle will help get you there.

A bonus: Unless you’re going to build a gym at home, machine-based workouts require you to be at the gym, whereas dumbbells enable you to work out pretty much anywhere.

WHO IS THIS UPPER BODY DUMBBELL WORKOUT GOOD FOR?

This upper body workout using dumbbells is for beginners and intermediate lifters alike. Beginners should start with less weight, while more experienced lifters should use heavy weights that enable them to complete the recommended reps and sets, but just barely. These upper body exercises with dumbbells routine are for both men and women and ideal for those wanting to gain muscle at home. This routine emphasizes compound exercises, meaning every movement hits multiple muscles simultaneously.

The benefit to this is that the eight exercises in this free weight upper body workout target all of the major muscle groups multiple times, ensuring you avoid spending hours in the gym trying to hit the whole upper body. You can also personalize this routine to fit your goals. Build muscle mass using heavy weights and sticking to the 8-12 rep range. Build muscle endurance and lean out using slightly lighter weights and higher rep ranges, between 15 and 20, with less rest in between sets. 

BEST DUMBBELL EXERCISES FOR UPPER BODY

Before jumping into your workout, take 5-10 minutes to perform a few dynamic bodyweight warm-up exercises. It will warm up your muscles, increase body temperature, improve blood flow, and loosen up the joints before working the upper body.

1. Farmers’ Walk:

The dumbbell farmer walk will target the upper back, the rotator cuff, deltoids, triceps and biceps, and forearms. It’s also working the core and many of the lower body muscles. It's really a great exercise for the entire body. If you want total body strength and a formidable grip, this dumbbell exercise is it.

How to:

1. Stand tall with the weights held in each hand and arms hanging straight. The back is straight, and the shoulders are pulled back and down. The chest is pulled down slightly, with the pelvis tipped slightly forward.
2. Begin walking forward with the weights, taking short, quick steps. Keep your core tight. When you run out of space to walk, turn around and head in the direction you came, repeating the movement for 30-60 seconds. Maintain good posture throughout.

2. One-Arm Dumbbell Row:

This upper body exercise works all major back muscles, the latissimus dorsi, traps, rhomboid, and rear shoulders. It also engages the posterior deltoid, biceps, and pectoralis muscles. No bench? No problem! Find something at your house sturdy enough to brace yourself on, such as a kitchen chair.

How to:

1. Holding a dumbbell in the right hand, bend over, placing the left knee and left hand on a bench. The left hand should lie under the shoulder and the knee under the hips. Press them into the bench to support your body.
2. Stiffen the torso, and keep the back straight. Retract the shoulder blades, extending the right arm and dumbbell toward the floor, keeping the shoulder down and back.
3. Pull the dumbbell slowly upward by bending the elbow and pulling the arm backward. With the arm close to the side, continue pulling the dumbbell upwards. Pause, squeezing the shoulder and back muscles.
4. Extend the elbow, lowering the dumbbell as you straighten the arm. Finish the reps on the right before moving to the left.

3. Dumbbell Bench Press:

The pectoral muscles, triceps, and anterior deltoids are hit hard in the dumbbell bench press, and the movement engages the rhomboids and lats to keep the back tight throughout the movement. If there is no bench around, you can also do this movement lying on the floor. You can also switch it up by sometimes performing this movement with an inclined bench, which emphasizes the upper pecs even more.

How to:

1. Sit on a bench with a dumbbell in each hand and place them on your thighs. Lying back on the bench, tighten the core and press the dumbbells toward the ceiling with palms facing forward. Retract the shoulder blades, ensuring your upper back is tight.
2. Keeping the wrist neutral, flex the elbow joints, lowering the dumbbell until the upper arm is parallel to the floor. The weights should be at chest height. Keep the feet pressed to the floor throughout the movement.
3. Squeeze the chest while extending the elbow joints and straightening the arms to drive the dumbbells upward. Continue pressing until the arms are almost entirely straight, leaving a slight bend in the elbows. That is one rep.

4. Arnold Dumbbell Curl to Press:

The main muscles in this movement are the biceps, deltoids, and triceps. The press and curl also activates the pectoral muscles, traps, and forearm muscles. This exercise is excellent for the shoulders as it hits all three parts of the deltoid muscle - crucial for achieving round, defined shoulders.

How to:

1. Begin standing with the feet shoulder-width apart, arms by your side, holding dumbbells. The palms face outward.
2. Bend the elbow, and move the forearm upward, curling the weights toward the shoulders. Keep the arms here, rotating the palms to face them forward.
3. Extend the arms straight up by driving the dumbbells overhead. Keep the upper body straight. Avoid raising your shoulders.
4. Begin bending the elbow to lower the arms with the palms facing forward and parallel with the shoulders.
5. Turn the palms to face you, and begin straightening at the elbow to return the dumbbells to the starting position.

5. Dumbbell Chest Fly:

The dumbbell chest fly targets the sternal muscle fibers, and growth in this area contributes to creating a defined chest. It’s also going to strengthen the muscles in the front of the deltoids, as well as the biceps. Secondarily, you'll hit the triceps and forearm muscles. One more note: If possible, it’s always a good idea to lift with a spotter, who can hand you your dumbbells once you are on the bench and set up for the move.

How to:

1. Sit on a bench, placing the dumbbells on your thighs. Lie back on a bench, planting the feet on either side of the bench.
2. Extend the arms and dumbbells above the head, keeping a slight bend at the elbow. The palms and dumbbells face each other, with the dumbbells directly above the chest.
3. Lower the dumbbells in an arc out to the sides, stopping when they’re in line with the chest. Your arms extend to the sides with a slight elbow bend. Avoid dropping the arms lower than the shoulders.
4. Press the dumbbells up in the same arc motion.

6. Bent-Arm Dumbbell Pullover:

The primary muscles worked in the pullover are the lats, pecs, and serratus anterior. The posterior deltoids, triceps, and biceps will also all be activated. 

How to:

1. Lying down perpendicular on a flat bench, bend the knees and place the feet firmly on the floor. Only the upper back and shoulders should be on the bench. Hold one dumbbell in both hands straight over the chest with elbows bent slightly.
2. Keep the slight bend in the elbows, and slowly lower the weight in an arc behind the head.
3. Slowly return the dumbbell to the starting position repeating the same arc motion.

7. Dumbbell Lateral Raise:

This upper body exercise is great for building some boulder shoulders. It'll also hit the traps. If you want to add some width to your shoulders and create that 3D look, this exercise is it. 

How to:

1. Stand straight with feet hip-width apart. Hold the dumbbells at your sides and keep your chest up and shoulders packed down.
2. Laterally raise your arms while maintaining a slight bend at the elbow. Try to keep your pinky fingers pointing up to best activate the middle delt.
3. Pause for a moment at the top, and slowly lower the dumbbell back to the starting position, then repeat.

Bonus Move: Renegade Row

Your back muscles will love this exercise, but this full-body move also activates several other upper body muscles, including the front of the shoulder, the biceps and triceps, and forearms. Your core will also get a great workout. If you’re a beginner, start with very light dumbbells as you get used to the movement. Complete 1-2 rounds of this exercise at the end of your routine, continuing to failure.

How to:

1. Grabbing two dumbbells, move into an all-fours position with the knees and toes flexed and touching the floor. The hips are over the knees, and the dumbbells are slightly wider than the shoulder.
2. Straighten the legs, lifting the knees to a pushup position. Feet are slightly wider than hip-width.
3. Rotate the shoulders outward, keeping the chin tucked.
4. Keeping the body straight, bend one elbow, pulling the dumbbell toward the hip. The shoulder blades retract, and the upper arm is in line with the body. Keep the shoulders and hips square toward the floor.
5. Slowly bring the dumbbell to the starting position, and repeat on the opposite side.

Other Upper-Body Exercises:

There are so many options when it comes to working out with dumbbells. Sticking to the same movements each week is effective because it enables you to track your weights, sets, and reps for the exercise, ensuring you continue improving - whether adding one more rep or increasing the weight used. Sometimes, though, adding variation is a nice break in your routine. 

Here are a few options that you can substitute into your upper body plan.

Exercise Substitutions:

• Instead of the one-armed dumbbell row, try a bent-over db row, a bent-over neutral grip row, or an upright dumbbell row.
• Rather than the bent-arm dumbbell pullover, perform the dumbbell close-grip incline press.
• Swap out the flat bench chest press; try it on an incline or switch to the one-arm bench chest press.
• Instead of the Arnold press and curl, perform the dumbbell shoulder press or alternating dumbbell curls.
• Increase the difficulty of the chest fly by turning it into a one-arm chest fly.
• Rather than the dumbbell lateral raise, try a single arm leaning lateral raise or dumbbell front raise.

Make sure to properly cool down with a few exercises and stretches after finishing your upper body workout.

THE BEST UPPER BODY DUMBBELL WORKOUT

Using all of the exercises we went over above, here is a great dumbbell workout for upper body strength, endurance, and muscle hypertrophy (building muscle). 

HOW OFTEN SHOULD YOU DO THIS UPPER BODY DUMBBELL ROUTINE?

Perform this upper body dumbbell routine twice a week for optimal muscle-building results. Research on the frequency of strength training muscles shows that training each muscle group twice a week is best for strength and muscle gains^4-5.

For best results, aim for 10 sets per muscle group weekly, and thanks to compound exercises, this routine will get you there. Avoid performing these dumbbell exercises for the upper body on back-to-back days. Ideally, if you have an upper-body day on Monday, follow it with a lower-body day on Tuesday, rest on Wednesday, and prepare to hit the upper body again on Thursday. You can vary this schedule, but make sure there are a few days in between your upper body days, so your muscles have time to recover.

DIET TIPS FOR BUILDING MUSCLE VS LOSING WEIGHT

Building muscle and leaning out are two different gym goals requiring separate dietary plans. 

If you’re hoping to lean out:

• Eat in a calorie deficit: i.e. more calories going out than coming in: To preserve muscle mass, begin by reducing your calories by 5-10%, monitoring progress, and making adjustments as you go. For example, if you are eating 2300 calories each day, reducing it by 5% would mean you're now eating 2,185 calories per day. Slow and steady weight loss is better for maintaining muscle and has been shown to increase the rate of muscle protein synthesis⁶. That’s a good thing because protein synthesis occurring faster than protein breakdown means more muscle growth.
• Add some cardio to your weekly routine: Weight loss happens when you consume fewer calories than you burn in a day. Adding cardio to your routine will help you get to weight loss goals more quickly. A few things to keep in mind: Don’t perform your cardio before strength training - save it for after - so you don’t deplete your energy before lifting. Or, consider doing cardio on strength training rest days.
• Keep your protein goal high: Research suggests that when in a calorie deficit, you should increase your protein intake even higher, recommending 2.3–3.1 g/kg/day. Beginner lifters should aim for the lower portion of that protein goal. Intermediate lifters with more resistance-training experience should aim for the higher end of the range to preserve lean muscle⁷.

If you’re hoping to build muscle:

• Eat-in a calorie surplus: Similarly to leaning out, go slow and steady when you’re adding calories and monitor progress. Begin by adding 5 to 10% more calories to your daily intake, adjusting along the way. Also, make sure you’re putting those extra calories toward lean protein sources, fruits, and vegetables - everything in moderation is fine, but eating 10% more cookies every week will not result in muscle gains.
• Eat a high-protein diet: Research shows that anywhere from 1.6 to 2.2 grams of protein per kilogram, or .73 and 1 grams per pound, is ideal for weight loss and preserving muscle⁷. Apps like My Fitness Pal are great for tracking calories and daily protein intake.
• Time your protein: Scientific evidence suggests that eating protein every 3 to 5 hours during waking hours maximizes muscle protein synthesis⁷. In addition, having a serving of protein 1 to 3 hours before bed can help offset muscle protein synthesis declines.

Upper Body Workout Using Dumbbells: How to See the Best Gains

Set yourself up for muscle building success with a few last-minute tips:

1. Make sure you have enough dumbbell weights to perform all the moves effectively. For some of these exercises, you’re going to need heavier weights. For others, like the renegade row, you’re probably going to opt for a lighter option. Having enough weight options ensures you can complete your sets and reps while pushing your muscles to their fatigue limit. 
2. Continue progressing. Whether adding one more rep to an exercise, adding more weight, or moving to a unilateral version of an exercise in this free-weight upper-body workout, keep pushing yourself to fatigue those muscles. Remember, exhausted muscles lead to hypertrophy, and when combined with proper rest and nutrition, lead to muscle gains.
3. Do not do upper body dumbbell workouts on back-to-back days. Hit the arm, chest, shoulder, and back muscles twice a week, but with a few days in between. Fill the other days with two leg days and some cardio to help you hit your goals and enable your muscle to recover and rebuild.

Want more upper body workout routines? Here are 5 upper body workouts for strength and hypertrophy!

More Dumbbell Exercise Resources:

• Dumbbell Rear Delt Exercises
• Dumbbell Quad Exercises
• Dumbbell Hamstring Exercises
• Dumbbell Glute Exercises
• Dumbbell Back Exercises
• Dumbbell Biceps Exercises
• Dumbbell Triceps Exercises
• Dumbbell Chest Exercises
• Dumbbell Ab Exercises

References:

1. https://www.researchgate.net/publication/49746305_A_comparison_of_muscle_activity_and_1-RM_strength_of_three_chest-press_exercises_with_different_stability_requirements
2. Schwanbeck SR, Cornish SM, Barss T, Chilibeck PD. Effects of Training With Free Weights Versus Machines on Muscle Mass, Strength, Free Testosterone, and Free Cortisol Levels. Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research. 2020;34(7):1851-1859. doi:10.1519/jsc.0000000000003349
3. ‌Schoenfeld BJ, Grgic J. Effects of range of motion on muscle development during resistance training interventions: A systematic review. SAGE Open Medicine. 2020;8:205031212090155. doi:10.1177/2050312120901559
4. ‌DiFrancisco-Donoghue J, Werner W, Douris PC, McKenna RF. Comparison of once-weekly and twice-weekly strength training in older adults * Commentary. British Journal of Sports Medicine. 2006;41(1):19-22. doi:10.1136/bjsm.2006.029330
5. ‌Schoenfeld BJ, Ogborn D, Krieger JW. Effects of Resistance Training Frequency on Measures of Muscle Hypertrophy: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. Sports Medicine. 2016;46(11):1689-1697. doi:10.1007/s40279-016-0543-8
6. ‌Cava E, Yeat NC, Mittendorfer B. Preserving Healthy Muscle during Weight Loss. Advances in Nutrition: An International Review Journal. 2017;8(3):511-519. doi:10.3945/an.116.014506
7. ‌Stokes T, Hector A, Morton R, McGlory C, Phillips S. Recent Perspectives Regarding the Role of Dietary Protein for the Promotion of Muscle Hypertrophy with Resistance Exercise Training. Nutrients. 2018;10(2):180. doi:10.3390/nu10020180

Every gym-goer knows that no strength training routine is complete without glute-targeting exercises, as this powerhouse muscle group is crucial to almost all major lower-body movements. However, after putting them to work in the gym, making time for glute stretches is just as important.

The glute family is prone to becoming tight and underactive, which quickly wreaks havoc on nearby muscle groups, including the hip flexors and lower back. Not only do tight glutes, hip flexors, and lower back muscles make it hard to complete your deadlift and squat reps, but that tightness and pain will also occur in everyday movements, like taking the stairs or even standing up from a seated position.

Adding glute stretches to your leg day routines ensures they are warm before exercising and optimally lengthened after your weight lifting session. Using these glutes stretches throughout the day will also counter the effects of sitting for long durations (thanks, desk job).

In this article, we will discuss:

• The anatomy and functions of the gluteal muscles
• Factors that cause glute tightness
• How to know if your glutes are tight
• The benefits of glute stretches
• 12 of the best glute stretches
• How to do glute myofascial release and foam rolling
• The best time to perform glute stretches

After reading this, you’ll never skip a glute stretching session again.

GLUTEAL MUSCLES ANATOMY & FUNCTION

The gluteus maximus, medius, minimus, and piriformis make up the glute group and provide movement and stabilization at the hip joint, enabling you to perform essential daily activities. They are also crucial for running and weight lifting moves, such as deadlifts, squats, and side leg raises. Each glute muscle plays an integral role in hip movement; however, their functions vary.

Gluteus Maximus:

Not only is the gluteus maximus the largest and heaviest muscle in the body, accounting for 16% of the total cross-sectional area, but due to its size, it can generate a large amount of force. Located at the back aspect of the hip joint, it is the most superficial of the gluteal muscles.

Anatomy:

• Origin: With multiple origin points, it connects to the pelvic area and the side of the tailbone.
• Insertion: Two separate insertions occur along the iliotibial band.

Functions:

• Hip extension, i.e. Climbing, running, or performing glute bridges, squats, or deadlifts.
• Hip external rotation, i.e. Sumo squats or sumo deadlifts.
• Hip abduction, i.e. Clamshell raises or fire hydrants.
• Hip adduction, i.e. Side-lying leg raises and jumping jacks.

Gluteus Medius:

The gluteus medius is a middle-sized, fan-shaped gluteal muscle located between the gluteus minimus and maximus and originates on the hip bone. It's normally what people refer to as the side/upper glutes.

Anatomy:

• Origin: Attaches to the ilium, a bone at the top of each side of the pelvis.
• Insertion: Connects to the thigh bone, near the top and to the side of it.

Functions:

• Hip abduction, i.e. Lateral squat walks or side planks with a leg lift.
• Hip internal rotation, i.e. Occurs in many recreational sports movements, such as swinging a golf club or throwing a baseball.
• Pelvis and trunk stabilization; i.e. Ensuring pelvic alignment while walking and running.

Gluteus Minimus:

The smallest and deepest muscle of the glute family, the triangular-shaped gluteus minimus is responsible for stabilizing the hips during activities such as walking, running, or balancing.

Anatomy:

• Origin: Attaches to the upper portion of the pelvis.
• Insertion: Extends to the thigh bone, attaching toward the front and on the top of the thigh bone.

Functions:

• Hip abduction and internal rotation, i.e. Side shuffle squats and curtsy lunges.
• Hip stabilization; i.e. Stabilizing and aligning the pelvis during activities such as walking.

Piriformis:

The piriformis is a flflat and pyramidal-shaped muscle lies deep to the gluteus maximus muscle. It is also a member of the external hip rotator family.

Anatomy:

• Origin: Inserts into the sacrum, a bone that is at the bottom of the spine, and the top of the pelvis.
• Insertion: Inserts into the upper surface of the thigh bone.

Functions:

• External hip rotation; i.e. Glute bridges with feet externally rotated.
• Hip abduction; i.e. Seated abductions.
• Assists in laterally and posteriorly tilting the pelvis; i.e. Aligning the lumbar spine and supporting posture through daily activities and exercise.

WHAT CAUSES TIGHT GLUTES?

Because the glutes are such a large muscle group and integral to most lower body movements, they are susceptible to tightness, which can lead to a host of other problems, including:

• Soreness or tightness in the gluteal muscles
• Hip pain, soreness, and tightness
• Low-back pain
• Tight hamstrings
• Knee pain
• Pelvic instability or pain
• Iliotibial band syndrome
• Hip impingement syndrome

So, what causes glute tightness? Gluteal inactivity, such as sitting at work all day, can lead to the glutes becoming weak, atrophied, and tight. The glutes then rely more heavily on other lower body muscles, such as the hamstrings, adductors, hip flexors, and low back muscles, and the increased demands placed on these muscles lead to pain and injury¹. In addition, bad posture, tight hip flexors, not properly warming up or stretching during workouts, muscle imbalances, poor exercise form, and a tough workout session can all contribute to tight glutes.

HOW TO KNOW IF YOUR GLUTES ARE TIGHT?

The bad news is that when your glutes are tight, it can lead to a long list of issues with surrounding muscles. The good news is that it makes it easy to determine if you need to start a regimen of glute stretches ASAP.

Your glutes are likely tight, if:

• Your lower back hurts. Glutes support the pelvis, but when the glute group is tight they become less active, and the lower back muscles step in to help. As this is not their primary function, it can cause muscle tension and pain^2-3.
• Your hip flexors feel tight, and you notice less hip mobility and more pain. Tight glues lead to decreased gluteus activation, which causes the hip flexors to overcompensate. 
• You have knee pain. Tight glutes can lead to tight hip extensors, which creates an over-reliance on knee extensors. These muscles then become overworked or develop abnormal biomechanical patterns¹.
• You sit a lot. Prolonged sitting is not natural for the body, but unfortunately, many jobs require it for relatively long periods. Sitting for even an hour can lead to the glutes becoming unactivated, tight, and weak^4-5.
• You don’t stretch before or after leg strength training days. Weight lifting causes the muscles to contract powerfully. Contractions stress the muscle fibers, and tension builds. You can help ease this soreness by incorporating glute stretches into your lower body training days.

BENEFITS OF GLUTE STRETCHES

• Enhanced range of motion & blood flow: Glute stretches can alleviate tension and lengthen the hip flexors, increasing your range of motion and enhancing blood flow to your glutes and leg muscles. 
• Improved flexibility: A better range of motion equates to more pliability, which results in better form while exercising. Sumo squats are much more manageable when your hips are flexible.
• Better posture: Tight hip flexors tend to shorten, which may cause you to hunch over or lead to a pelvic tilt, both contributors to low back pain. Glute stretches can help lengthen the hip flexors, resolving the pelvic tilt and hunched back you may have adopted.

Glute stretches may even help speed up your recovery and reduce soreness after a hard workout.

12 BEST GLUTE STRETCHES

Here are the best glute stretches for before and after your workouts. We will provide info on how to perform the stretch dynamically (before workouts) and statically (after workouts or on off days).

1. Seated Bent Knee To Chest Glute Stretch:

This stretch loosens the entire glute group but does a great job of focusing on the gluteus maximus.

How to:

1. Sit on the floor with straight legs, and your hands on either side of your hips. This is your starting position.
2. Bend the right knee bringing it toward the chest. Cross it over the right thigh, with the foot flat on the ground. The left ankle should be by the right thigh.
3. Wrap both hands around the outward-facing portion of the bent knee.
4. Place pressure on the bent leg through the hands, hugging the bent leg and pushing it toward the chest. Hold here.

Static: Hold for 30 seconds, and then switch sides. Repeat 2-3 times.

Dynamic: Alternate between extending and bending the leg. Bend the knee, hugging it to the chest for 5-10 seconds, and then straighten. Continue for 30 seconds; switch sides.

2. Seated Glute Stretch:

Only continue forward for as far as you can comfortably go for this gluteus maximus-targeting stretch. If you can't reach the floor, don’t push it. It’s something to work toward.

How to:

1. Sit on a chair or bench, lifting one ankle and crossing it onto the knee of your other leg. 
2. Lean forward, keeping the back straight.
3. As you lean your upper body forward, extend your arms, reaching toward the ground. Hold here.

Static: Hold for 30 seconds, and then switch sides. Repeat 2-3 times.

Dynamic: Alternate between sitting up and gently folding over the crossed leg, holding this position for 5 seconds. Continue sitting up and leaning forward for 30 seconds before switching to the other side.

3. Knee Hug Stretch:

This stretch hits all three gluteus muscles and is going to help release tension in your lower back.

How to:

1. Lie with the back flat on the floor, knees bent to 90 degrees, and feet flat on the floor. 
2. Lift the knees toward your chest. Wrap the arms around the legs, clasping the wrists just below the knees. 
3. Draw the knees toward the chest. 
4. Hold.

Static: Hold this stretch for 20-30 seconds. Rest for 5-10 seconds, and then repeat 2 more times.

Dynamic: Hug the knees to the chest for 5 seconds. Lower them back to the ground, and then back toward the chest again. Repeat this movement 10-15 times.

4. Lying Cross Over Knee Pull Up Stretch:

This stretch targets the entire glute family. This move gets bonus points for also targeting the hip flexors, which will lead to better flexibility and range of motion.

How to:

1. Lie on your back with legs extended. Arms extend to the sides.
2. Bring one leg up, bending the knee to 90 degrees.
3. Lock the fingers or clasp the wrists around the bent knee.
4. Keeping the shoulders on the ground, gently pull the knee toward the opposite side of the body. Cross it over the extended leg, moving it in line with the opposite shoulder.
5. Hold.

Static: Hold for 20-30 seconds before repeating on the other side; repeat 2-3 times.

Dynamic: Alternate between hugging the knee for 5-10 seconds and briefly relaxing it. Continue for 30 seconds; switch sides.

5. Resting Pigeon Hip Stretch:

You can modify the positioning by angling the outside of the shin on your bent leg backward and positioning the foot on the bent leg closer to the opposite hip. The stretch targets the gluteus medius, minimus, and piriformis.

How to:

1. Begin in a plank position, with hands under the shoulders, and legs extended behind you. The core is straight.
2. Bend your right knee. Lifting the right foot, draw the right knee toward your right elbow.
3. Rotate the knee outward, placing it on the ground behind and slightly outside of the right hand.
4. The outside of the right shin should rest on the floor behind the hands.
5. Lower the left knee to the mat. Keep your left leg straight pointing back.
6. Lower the torso over the right leg, extending your right arm and left arm in front of you. Reach forward as far as you can, resting the forehead between the arms.
7. Hold.

Static: Hold this position for 20-30 seconds and then switch legs; repeat 2-3 times.

Dynamic: Lower the trunk to the ground, and then push through the palms to raise the trunk up. Repeat the alternating movements 10-15 times; switch sides.

6. Recumbent Hip External Rotator And Hip Extensor Stretch:

This muscle will stretch the entire glute family, including the piriformis. As your flexibility increases, you can bring the ankle of the bent leg closer toward the head for an even deeper stretch.

How to:

1. Lying on the back, start with both legs fully extended. 
2. Outwardly rotate the right leg while bending the right knee and bringing the foot toward the body's midline. Keep the left leg flat and extended.
3. Grab the right knee with the right hand and the right ankle with the left hand.
4. Simultaneously pull the bent knee and ankle toward the chest.
5. Hold.

Static: Hold for 20-30 seconds, performing 2-3 times on each side.

Dynamic: Outwardly rotate the bent leg, pulling the knee and ankle toward the chest. Hold for 5 seconds before loosening the grip and internally rotating the bent leg back to its anatomical position. Continue for 30 seconds; switch sides.

7. Lying Leg Crossover Stretch:

When tight, the piriformis can turn your inner thighs more toward the front of the body. This stretch targets the piriformis to help avoid this unwelcome posture change.

How to:

1. Lying on your back with arms extended, bend the right knee, and cross it over the body.
2. Reach your opposite hand across the body, above the knee on the lateral side of the thigh.
3. Pull the knee toward the opposite shoulder, attempting to get the knee to the ground; hold.

Static: Hold for 20-30 seconds; complete 2-3 times on each side.

Dynamic: Move the bent knee across the body, using the opposite hand to pull the knee toward the opposite shoulder. Hold for 5 seconds, before moving the leg back to its anatomical alignment. Keep the knee bent. Immediately bring it back across the body. Continue this movement for 30 seconds before switching sides.

8. Figure Four Supine Glute Stretch:

Targeting the glute muscles and the outside of the hips is a particularly great stretch for the gluteus medius.

How to:

1. Lying on your back with legs extended, outwardly rotate the right knee and cross the right foot over the left quad, bending the left knee. The left foot is flat on the ground.
2. Extend the arms, grasping behind the back of the left leg.
3. Gently pull the left leg toward the chest. 
4. Hold.

Static: Hold the stretch for 30-60 seconds, and then repeat on the opposite leg; complete 2-3 sets.

Dynamic: Pull the left leg toward the chest, and hold for 5 seconds. Lower the left foot to the ground, keeping the knee bent. Once the foot touches the floor, grasp the back of the left leg, again pulling it toward the chest. Repeat for 30 seconds; switch sides.

9. Standing Figure Four Stretch:

Primarily targeting the gluteus medius and piriformis, this stretch opens the hips and prevents or alleviates hip and low back pain.

How to:

1. The starting position begins by standing with hands on the hips.
2. Keeping feet hip-distance apart, shift your weight to the left foot, lift the right foot from the ground, outwardly rotate the hip and knee, and cross the right foot over the left thigh.
3. Keeping the torso upright, press the hips back, slowly bend the left knee, and lower into a partial squat.
4. Stop when you feel the stretch on the outside of the right hip; hold.

Static: Hold for 30 seconds, and repeat on the other side; perform 2-3 times.

Dynamic: Start by standing, shifting the weight to your left leg. Outwardly rotate the right hip and knee, and bring the right foot over the left thigh. Sink into the partial squat, holding for 5 seconds. Stand back up, maintaining balance; keep the leg bent and knee outwardly rotated. Return to the partial squat. Continue the movement for 30 seconds before switching sides.

10. Kneeling Hip-Flexor Stretch:

This move primarily targets the hip flexors, the psoas, and the iliacus, which tend to become short and tight, particularly if you’re struggling with tight glute muscles. To deepen this stretch, contract the glutes while holding.

How to:

1. Start in a kneeling position, and place the left knee on the floor under the left hip. Place the right foot in front of the right hip, so the right knee is directly over the right ankle.
2. Place both hands on the right thigh, keeping the spine tall.
3. Retract the shoulder blades. Slowly lean forward into the right hip while keeping the left pressed into the ground.
4. Hold.

Static: Hold the position for 30-45 seconds, repeating it 2-3 times. Complete the repetitions on one side before moving to the other side.

Dynamic: Slowly move in and out of the stretch position by leaning forward into the right hip for 5 seconds, and then moving back to the starting position, with the left knee under the left hip and the right foot in front of the right hip. It should look like a slow rocking motion. Repeat 30-45 seconds and then switch to the other side.

11. Standing Hip Abduction:

This move targets the gluteus medius, minimus, and tensor fasciae latae, although the piriformis and superior gluteus maximus fibers will also get a mild stretch.

How to:

1. Stand with the feet together, hands on the hips, and the chest upright.
2. Raise the right leg, extended, out to the side. Raise it as high as you can without creating rotation in the hips. The toes point forward the entire time.
3. Hold, and then bring the leg back to the body’s midline.

Static: Hold the abducted leg for five seconds, before repeating the movement 10-15 times. Switch sides and repeat.

Dynamic: Making sure to keep your movement controlled, you can pick up the pace of this stretch by raising the leg to the side and bringing it back to the midline without holding at the top of the stretch. Raise your leg a little bit further each time.

12. Deep Squat Stretch:

Referred to as Malasana or garland pose in yoga, it is an excellent stretch for the hips and groin. While it works to loosen your hip flexors, it also strengthens the glute muscles.

How to:

1. Start standing with feet wider than hip-width. Squat down by bending the knees and lowering the glutes, placing the arms in between the knees.
2. Sink as low as you can into the squat, so your glutes are close to the floor. 
3. Keep your arms extended, reaching toward the ground. The chest remains upright. Place the hands on the floor. Use the arms to push the knees outward.
4. Lower the hips down further, if possible, and hold.

Static: Hold for 20-30 seconds, repeating 2-3 times.

Dynamic: Hold the stretch for 5 seconds, and then stand. Squat again, holding for another 5 seconds. Continue for 30 seconds

GLUTE MYSOFASCIAL RELEASE

Sometimes the tension in the glute muscles turns into knots and trigger points that are hard to stretch. The piriformis and gluteus medius are the most prone to developing myofascial pain. Glute myofascial release relaxes the muscles, releasing painful knots and trigger points. You don’t need a foam roller for these exercises, either. A massage ball, or even a tennis ball, can be used to replicate the same movements and reach the deep gluteal muscles.

Piriformis Extended Leg Foam Roll:

How to:

1. Sit on a foam roller. Begin with both feet flat on the floor, knees bent, and the hands pressing on the ground behind you.
2. Extend the right leg, keeping the left leg bent. Lean to the side of the right leg, placing your weight on the hip of the extended leg.
3. Slowly rock back and forth on the foam roller. If you notice painful points, make smaller rocking motions over that area until the pain subsides.
4. Continue for up to 1 minute; switch sides.

Bent Knees Glute Foam Roll:

How to:

1. Sit on a foam roller. Begin with both feet flat on the floor, knees bent, and the hands pressing on the ground behind you.
2. Begin slowly rocking back and forth on the foam roller, shifting your weight around so that pressure is on all aspects of the gluteus. Stop at any trigger points, rolling the foam roller over the painful area until the tension subsides. Continue for up to 1 minute.

Side-Lying Glute Foam Roll:

To target the gluteus medius, rotate so the foam roller hits the side and upper part of the glutes. Work the form roller from the hip joint to the top of the pelvis. To hit the gluteus minimus, slowly lean your weight forward and backward as you foam roll. This subtle movement enables you to work deeper into the gluteus medius and minimus.

How to:

1. Lying on your left side, place the foam roller on the outer upper area of the glute. The left leg bends with the knee flexed to 90 degrees, with the leg’s lateral side resting on the ground. The right knee bends, and the right foot is on the ground in front of the left leg.
2. The top arm can rest on the hip. Use the bent leg for stability as you begin to move the foam roller over the hip and side glute area. Stop at tender points, rolling back and forward until the muscle tightness lessens.
3. Roll for 30-60 seconds before switching sides.

WHEN TO DO GLUTE STRETCHING EXERCISES & HOW OFTEN?

Glute stretches should be done a minimum of 2 to 3 times a week. Hold each stretch for at least 15 seconds, up to 1 minute, and repeat 2 to 4 times⁶. Stretch on days when you perform lower-body exercises. Dynamic stretches warm up the glutes and activate them for exercise, while static stretching after a workout alleviates tension and reduces inflammation. Static stretching is also great to incorporate throughout the day, particularly if you have a job that requires a lot of sitting. This strategy keeps the glutes activated and prevents them from tightening throughout your workday. 

Final Thoughts:

Who doesn’t love lower body gym days? It’s hard to beat the feeling of pushing your glutes to the max, but just be sure to counter that by spending time on glute stretches before and after strength training. Otherwise, it may lead to tight glutes and hip flexors, causing pain, tightness, and dysfunctions.

And since many of these stretches improve your range of motion and flexibility, you’ll likely also see more gains during lower body workouts. You’ll be able to squat deeper, comfortably abduct further, and perform step-ups with more ease. To further improve your performance, add some glute activation warm-up exercises to your routine.

More stretching content:

• Chest Stretches
• Lat Stretches
• TFL Stretches
• Piriformis Stretches
• Levator Scapulae Stretches
• Biceps Stretches
• Triceps Stretches
• Deltoid Stretches
• Tibialis Anterior Stretches
• Ab Stretches

References:

1. Buckthorpe M, Stride M, Villa FD. ASSESSING AND TREATING GLUTEUS MAXIMUS WEAKNESS - A CLINICAL COMMENTARY. International journal of sports physical therapy. 2019;14(4):655-669. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6670060/
2. Nourbakhsh MR, Arab AM. Relationship Between Mechanical Factors and Incidence of Low Back Pain. Journal of Orthopaedic & Sports Physical Therapy. 2002;32(9):447-460. doi:10.2519/jospt.2002.32.9.447
3. Pengel LHM. Acute low back pain: systematic review of its prognosis. BMJ. 2003;327(7410). doi:10.1136/bmj.327.7410.323
4. Waongenngarm P, Rajaratnam B. 2) School of Health Sciences (Allied Health). Accessed May 20, 2022. https://www.jstage.jst.go.jp/article/jpts/27/7/27_jpts-2015-165/_pdf/-char/ja
5. U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans 2nd Edition.; 2018. https://health.gov/sites/default/files/2019-09/Physical_Activity_Guidelines_2nd_edition.pdf
6. Page P. Current concepts in muscle stretching for exercise and rehabilitation. International journal of sports physical therapy. 2012;7(1):109-119.

Nobody really likes lunges, but we know our legs need them. Training your legs bilaterally all the time, with exercises like squats and deadlifts, can lead to strength imbalances between sides. Not only that but your training will likely become stale.  This is where lunges come into play.

Adding lunges into your routine will help you to strengthen imbalances, improve overall muscle development and definition in your legs, and they can even boost your athletic performance. And if none of this means anything to you, lunges burn a ton of calories for improved fat loss. The lunge is without a doubt a staple exercise.

One of the best things about lunges is they are so versatile too. There are many lunge variations that you can do to emphasize certain muscles or areas of a muscle group for better definition and growth. You have forward lunges, walking lunges, lateral lunges, rear lunges, lunges with one dumbbell, lunges with two dumbbells, and so many more.

In this article, we’ll cover the following:

• What lunges are good for
• The differences between squats and lunges
• 7 different types of lunges you should be doing
• Training variables
• Programming suggestions

If you often complain about lunges (we understand, they will take the life out of you if you do them correctly), then think of lunges as bad-tasting medicine that is good for you. You want to get better, don’t you? Then get to lunging.

WHAT ARE LUNGE EXERCISES GOOD FOR?

If lunges aren't a staple in your routine, here are a few reasons why they should be...

1) Improved Fat Loss:

All lunge variations train the large muscles of the quads, hips, and hamstrings which help you burn calories, improve your fat loss efforts, and build muscle. Because you’re training each leg individually, you’ll double the reps you usually do for bilateral exercises. This means double the fun, right? Lunges are great to build muscle and to lose weight!

2) Core Training Without Crunches:

Lunges are lower body unilateral exercises that automatically throw your body off balance. Training in a single-leg fashion increases the number of stabilizing muscles needed to remain upright and this includes your core muscles. The rectus abdominals, obliques, and lower back work harder for you to remain upright and to keep your spine neutral. So, while lunges are a leg exercise, you will get great core strength benefits from them too.

3) Better Muscle Development & Definition:

Because of activities of daily living and a heavy reliance on bilateral lifting, most people have a dominant and non-dominant side. This can lead to strength imbalances and one side is bigger than the other. Performing unilateral exercises like lunges help reduce muscle imbalances and leads to better muscle development between sides. Another great thing about lunges is the range of motion is good so you can really dig deep into your leg muscle fibers to create definition.

4) Improves Your Strength Numbers:

Reducing muscle imbalances and improving muscle development between sides may help improve your bilateral lifting technique and overall strength numbers. Because when you’re stronger lifting on one leg, this leads to being stronger lifting with two.

5) Boosts Athleticism:

Besides all that, lunges are great for improving athleticism. They will train you to have better hip, knee, and core stability, which means improved balance, coordination and agility.

Related: What Muscles do Lunges Work?

LUNGE VS SQUAT - DIFFERENCES AND WHICH IS BETTER?

Let’s start by saying there is no better or worse when it comes to both of these exercises just different. Because it all depends on your goals, workout experience, and what you are comfortable doing, and this differs from person to person. There is room for both in the same program because they complement each other. Getting better and stronger at one will lead to improvements in the other.

The main differences between the two are obvious. The reduced base of support in a single leg stance means you’ll use less weight than bilateral squat, have an increase in core activation, and the engagement of lower body muscles will vary between squats and lunges. For example, squatting to parallel predominately uses quads but lunges engage more glute minimus, and medius and the adductors are called on more for stabilization in a single-leg stance.

Squats are great for building muscle mass, and strength while improving performance in and out of the gym. Lunges are fantastic for ironing out strength imbalances, increasing volume for better muscle development, and improving body coordination. There is room for both in the same program because one is not better than the other. 

7 Best Lunge Variations

Here are the 7 most important types of lunges to add to your routine. Each lunge variation will offer a unique stimulus and emphasize different muscles.

1. Forward Lunge:

The forward lunge is a quad-dominant exercise because stepping forward into a lunge, the knee bears most of the stress. This is a great exercise if have healthy knees and good hip mobility but if you don’t it’s best to skip this one. The forward lunge gives another option to train your quads other than split squats and will drive your heart rate up also.

Muscle Emphasized: Quads, glutes, and hamstrings.

Benefit Of The Forward Lunge: Strengthens quad strength imbalances between sides and will train your knees to absorb force better.

How To Do The Forward Lunge:

1. Hold on to two dumbbells in your preferred lunge position and assume an upright stance.
2. Take a step forward and let your back knee sink towards the floor until your front thigh is almost parallel to the floor. Keep your body upright as much as possible.
3. Push through your front foot's heel and come back to a bilateral standing position.
4. Either do all your reps on one side or switch legs with each rep.

2. Reverse Lunge:

Reverse lunges are the friendliest of the seven lunge variations because stepping back makes it a  hip-dominant exercise. This means the reverse lunge puts less stress on your knees than other lunge variations on this list. If you suffer from knee pain, this is a godsend. Reverse lunges strengthen and mobilize the hips to improve mobility for exercises like barbell squats and deadlifts.

Muscles Emphasized: Glutes, hamstrings, and quads.

Benefit Of The Reverse Lunge: Here you can vary the step-back length. A smaller step back puts more focus on the quads and a larger step back put more emphasis on the hamstrings.

How To Do The Reverse Lunge:

1. Stand upright with your feet hip-width apart either holding dumbbells or a barbell on your back.
2. Take a small or large step back with your left foot and lower your left knee so that your right thigh becomes parallel to the floor.
3. Push through your right foot and return to the feet together position.
4. You have the choice of alternating sides or doing all reps on one side.

3. Lateral Lunge:

The lateral lunge, aka side lunge, develops strength, stability, and balance in the frontal plane (side to side plane). This improves your ability to go from side to side which is especially handy on the field of play when you need to change direction quickly. Lateral lunges improve your adductor mobility to help prevent groin injuries also. 

Muscles Emphasized: Glute max, mini and med, adductors, and quads

Benefit Of The Lateral Lunge: Strengthens the smaller glute muscles the minimus and medius and the adductors which are all important for knee health, preventing groin strains, and improving hip mobility.

How To Do The Lateral Lunge:

1. You can load the lateral by holding a dumbbell goblet style, front racked, or one or two dumbbells at arm’s length.
2. Stand tall with feet together, toes pointed forward, and take a big step to the side with your left leg.
3. Push back into your left hip back while keeping your right leg straight with feet pointed forward. Your left thigh should be almost parallel to the ground. 
4. Push your left foot into the ground and return to the feet together position.
5. Either alternate sides or do all the reps on one side.

4. Walking Lunge:

The walking lunge is basically a moving forward lunge. The forward step, alternating legs with each rep, takes the front lunge to a different level because of the balance and coordination needed to perform it well. This variation challenges the quads and glutes through a larger range of motion for booty-and-quad-building benefits. This is truly one of the essential leg exercises in a bodybuilding program.

Muscles Emphasized: Glutes, quads, adductors, and hamstrings.

Benefits Of The Walking Lunge: The walking lunge not only build your glutes but adds a cardio component as too.

How to Do the Walking Lunge:

1. This can be loaded with a barbell on your back or dumbbells by your side.
2. Stand with your feet together or feet shoulder width, and then lunge forward around 18 to 24 inches in front of you.
3. Then allow your front knee to track forward over your front foot.
4. Then push your front foot through the floor while moving your body forward and bring your back foot to meet your front foot.
5. Step forward with the other leg so that it is now your front leg and repeat for reps. 

There are no rules for how far you should lunge forward with each step. Some people prefer short steps while some will take even a few feet with each step. In the end, the larger the step, the more the glutes work, whereas the shorter the step, the more the quads work.

5. Static Lunge aka Split Squat:

Split squats are probably the first exercise you should try on this list. If you cannot stay upright and stable doing these then you will not have much hope doing it while performing a moving lunge. This is a quad-dominant exercise help improve leg drive which is important when squatting up from the ‘hole’ and or when you’re pulling from the floor.

Muscles Emphasized: Quads, adductors (inner thighs), and gluteal muscles.

Benefit Of The Split Squat: Builds unilateral strength in your glutes and quads for improved deadlift and squat performance.

How To Do The Split Squat:

1. Either hold one or two dumbbells in your hands at your sides or place a loaded barbell on your back and then step forward into a tall standing lunge position.
2. Your split stance will remain the same for the entire set. Keep your forward foot flat and your back foot on the balls of the foot.
3. With your shoulder down and chest lifted, lower back knee towards the floor until it is hovering above the floor.
4. Push your front foot through the floor to return to your starting position.
5. Slowly lower down and repeat.

6. Bulgarian Split Squat:

Bulgarian Split Squat is also known as the elevated split squat. The elevated range of motion compared to the split squat gives you extra time under tension to improve your hip mobility, leg drive, and muscle-building potential. If you were to do one exercise on this list to improve your barbell squats and deadlifts this would be it because of the leg drive benefits, it provides.  This exercise isn’t the most liked on this list but it is brutally effective. Enjoy.

Muscles Emphasized: Quads, hip adductors (inner thighs), and glutes.

Benefit Of the Bulgarian Split Squat: The elevated range of motion improves leg drive and muscle-building potential on each leg.

How To Do The Bulgarian Split Squat:

1. This can be loaded with dumbbells in various positions or with a barbell on your back. Choose your preferred load.
2. Then place your rear foot on a weight bench or an elevated surface, top of foot to the bench.
3. Place a weight plate in front of your foot to minimize time-changing sides (basically to measure your foot stance distance).
4. Drop your back knee towards the floor with a slight forward lean in your torso. Avoid leaning forward too much.
5. Push your forward foot through the floor to return to the starting position.
6. Reset and repeat and then switch sides.

7. Curtsy Lunge:

The curtsy lunge resembles something you would do when your meet the queen. This exercise works in the rotational plane, and it works the quads and glutes from different angles. The step behind fires up the neglected glute mini and med which are important for knee health and single-leg balance. Because of the narrow base of support of this lunge exercise, this challenges your balance so go easy with load here. 

Muscles Emphasized: Glutes (emphasis on side glutes - glute medius and minimus), quads (inner and outer thighs), and hamstrings.

Benefit Of the Curtsy Lunge: Training the internal and external rotation of your hips helps improve hip mobility and builds a killer set of glutes.

How To Do The Curtsy Lunge:

1. Load with a dumbbell in the goblet position or dumbbells by your side.
2. Then stand upright with your feet hip-width apart.
3. Step back and around with your left foot like you’re curtsying to the queen.
4. Drop your back knee until your front thigh is almost parallel to the ground while keeping your torso upright.
5. Start to straighten your right leg, pushing up through your whole foot, and return to the starting position.  
6. Either alternate sides or do all your reps on one side and then switch to the opposite leg.

TRAINING VARIABLES FOR LUNGE EXERCISES

Besides sets, reps, tempo, etc. there are different ways you can load the lunge which can make it easier or difficult depending on how far the load is away from the legs. Plus, added movements like a twist or knee drive will affect loading and balance. Here are the major loading variables for the lunges above. 

One Dumbbell vs Two Dumbbells:

Training the lunge with one dumbbell throws your balance off even further as your body is fighting the offset load. This is great if you want to increase your core strength and improve balance.

Loading with two dumbbells provides more load for better strength and muscle-building and is a little easier to do than one dumbbell.

Lunge with Dumbbells in Front Rack:

The front rack position is further away from the legs, increasing the lever between the working muscle and the load. This makes your legs work harder if you’re using the same weight as the goblet or holding dumbbells by your side. Plus, your upper back and anterior core are working harder to maintain a neutral spine. 

Lunge with Dumbbell in Goblet Position:

The goblet squat made famous by Dan John can be used for so much more,  including lunges. Holding the dumbbell in the goblet position is easier than the front rack position and acts as a counterbalance to allow you to get into some lunge positions easier. Plus, it provides anterior core and upper back engagement too but comes at the cost of loading. Big dumbbells are awkward in this position.

Lunge with Overhead Position:

This can be with hands, dumbbells, kettlebells, or a weight plate. This is the most difficult position as the lever between the legs and load is at its greatest, This position demands strength from the upper back, shoulders, core, and lower back. Your balance, stability, and form all need to be dialed in. When you’re looking to increase the intensity without increasing the load the overhead position is the winner.

Back Barbell Lunges:

The barbell allows you to load the lunge heavier because you have the stability of your upper back and spine to support the load and grip isn’t an issue. This is great for added strength and mass. But your need good shoulder mobility to get the barbell into position and this variation require some setup and space to perform.

Lunge with Knee Drive:

Lunge with knee drive increases hip flexor action on the knee drive side and hip extension strength on the other side. This is great to improve balance and to drive the heart up but not so great for loading due to the lack of stability. Again, this all depends on your goals and what you want to achieve by doing lunges.

Lunge with Twist:

Lunge with a twist is great when you want to throw yourself off balance to increase your core strength and your ability to rotate through the hips and upper back. But it is difficult to load unless you’re using a weight vest, so it's usually done as a bodyweight lunge.

Froward and Backward Lunges:

Try forward and backward lunges! To do this exercise, you will step forward into a front lunge then instead of pressing back up into a bilateral stance, you will bring the forward leg all the way back into a rear lunge. You'll need some good coordination for this one.

Note: You can also do lunges with resistance bands and kettlebells. 

CAN YOU BUILD LEG MUSCLES WITH LUNGES?

Yes, you can certainly build muscle with lunges. Like all other exercises, progressive overload and increased time under tension are key. And this muscle is built with a variety of set and rep ranges. As a rule, when you do more reps, you do fewer sets and when you perform more sets it’s advisable to do fewer reps.

For example, 2 sets of 15 reps per side or 3 sets of 10 reps per side. Performing fewer reps allows you to load heavier, doing more reps, you load a little less. 

Lunges are not a typical strength exercise like a squat, bench, or deadlift so there is no need to go crazy with heavy loads with fewer reps. It’s best performed with moderate weight and reps to get the muscle-building benefits. Three to five sets doing between 24-60 reps per side is a great starting point.

Set and rep ranges like:

• 3 sets of 8 reps.
• 4 sets of 12 reps.
• 5 sets of 10 reps

Variations of this work for building muscle and burning fat. 

WHAT IS THE BEST LUNGE VARIATION?

There is no better or worse lunge variation, only different plus it all depends on your goals and level of training experience.

If you’re looking to improve your performance with your barbell squats and deadlifts, the split squat variations work best because they increase leg drive from the floor and the bottom of the squat. Plus, if you’re a training beginner reverse lunges and stationary split squats work best because they are the easiest of all the 7 variations above.

Furthermore, when you’re looking to improve athletic performance and your movement from side to side, side and curtsy lunges work best because they mimic what happens on the field of play.

Finally, when you’re suffering from knee pain then reverse lunges work best because it is a hip dominant exercise as opposed to the traditional lunge (front lunge), which is more knee dominant. There is no better or worse, it all depends on what fits your goals best.

WRAPPING UP:

The seven lunge variations here have a place in most programs to improve balance, core strength, strength imbalances between sides, and to improve muscle development between legs. These will help improve your lower body bilateral lifts and improve your performance in and out of the gym. 

Related: Best Lunge Alternatives for Bad Knees

Ab training has been a confusing and conflicting topic for many fitness fanatics for years. Some never train them for fear of a blocky waist, some train them daily to try and get them as cut as possible, and some train them for two weeks at the end of a leg workout only to forget about them for the next three months. Regardless of where you currently fall on this ab training continuum, it’s important to know how best to train them. By developing that knowledge, you can make informed decisions and remove any doubt about how to maximize your ab workouts. This article will cover the 9 best dumbbell ab exercises to build a defined midsection based on the functions and anatomy of the abdominal musculature, and give you tools of how to incorporate them into your training.

Abdominal Muscles Anatomy & Functions

The muscles making up the midsection that can be seen from the front are known as the anterolateral abdominal wall. This is made up of 5 muscles, ranging from deep-lying to superficial. The deep-lying musculature, like the transverse abdominis and pyramidalis, have functional roles, holding organs in place, increasing intra-abdominal pressure, and preventing hernias.

In this article, we will focus on the anterior core muscles that concentrically and eccentrically contract during ab exercises: the internal obliques, external obliques and rectus abdominis. The external obliques and rectus abdominis just so happen to be the muscles giving the mid-section a defined, well-developed and aesthetic look.

The Internal Obliques

The internal obliques are the middle later of the lateral abdominal wall, sitting superficially to the transverse abdominis and beneath the external obliques. It is a broad and thin muscular sheet, with fibers that run diagonally up the abdomen. 

Origins and insertions:

The internal obliques have multiple origins and insertion sites. The anterior fibers originate from the iliopectineal arch, found on the lower section on the outside of the pelvis. The fibers angle downwards towards the midline on the front of the body, linking up with the transverse abdominis before inserting into the pubic crest and pecten pubis at the front of the pelvis. The lateral fibers come from the top of the iliac crest, the uppermost part of the pelvic structure.  These fibers run towards the front of the body, forming the rectus sheath, and inserting into the linea alba running down the center of the abdomen. The fibers angle horizontally and slightly upwards from the origin to the insertion points. Finally, the posterior fibers originate from the posterior iliac crest and thoracolumbar fascia. Their fibers angle diagonally up the torso and attach to the lower three ribs.

In short, the internal obliques originate from various parts of the pelvis, attaching closer to the midline of the abdomen. The fibers angle slightly down - in the case of the anterior fibers - or upwards in the case of the lateral and posterior fibers.

Function:

Like most muscles, the function of the internal obliques is determined by their origins, insertions, and fiber direction. When they are contracted bilaterally, at the same time, the trunk is flexed. If you contract one at a time, the trunk flexes laterally and rotates ipsilaterally (i.e. towards the same side). Crunching your torse to the left means the internal obliques on the left-hand side are contracting.

The External Obliques

These are the largest and most superficial muscle of the lateral abdomen. Sitting on top of the internal obliques and transverse abdominis, the external obliques give you a defined and chiseled look to your midsection, framing your abs. 

Origins and insertions:

The external obliques originate from the outside surfaces of ribs 5-12. The attachments get gradually wider on the rib cage as you go from rib 5-12, starting just outside nipple width at rib 5 and ending around the back of the torso at rib 12. The fibers run diagonally from the origin to its insertions - the linea alba, pubic tubercle, and anterior iliac crest. As mentioned before, the linea alba runs down the middle of the abdomen, while the pubic tubercle and anterior iliac crest are located around the pelvis. In essence, the muscle runs diagonally down from the ribs to various points closer to the midline, perpendicular to the internal obliques. 

Functions:

Although the fibers run across not alongside the internal obliques, the external obliques carry out essentially the same functions. Their unilateral contraction causes lateral trunk flexion and rotation towards the side contraction, while bilateral contraction causes trunk flexion.

The Rectus Abdominis

This is the muscle that spring to mind when anyone mentioned ab training. The rectus abdominis is responsible for the often sought after 6 pack abs, sitting as the most superficial anterior abdominal muscle. The segments that make up the 6 - or even 8 blocks in some cases - are caused by tendinous intersections. Unfortunately, no amount of ab training will change how many of these sections you have, but well-developed muscles can make these intersections deeper, creating more visible and deep-set abs. 

Origins and insertions:

Originating from the pubic symphysis and crest at the pelvis, the rectus abdominis runs vertically up the abdomen inserting xiphoid processes and costal cartilages of ribs 5-7.

Function:

The primary function of the rectus abdominis is trunk flexion. However, it also acts to prevent lordosis and tilt the pelvis anteriorly. While the rectus abdominis is one muscle, it has multiple sections - often referred to as the lower and upper parts of the abs. The upper abs are more active during trunk flexion, and the lower abs work more on controlling the pelvis. However, they don’t work independently, so both will be stimulated during either action just to varying degrees.

What Makes for a Good Abdominal Exercise?

Like any other muscle, the rectus abdominis and internal and external obliques grow best when standard principles of hypertrophy are applied to training. You should pick exercises that: 

1. Takes them through a full range of motion.
2. Can be progressively overloaded.
3. Use both eccentric and concentric contractions. 

Exercises like planks and carries have their place in resistance training. These can be excellent overall exercises; however, they fail to meet these criteria, making them an inefficient way to directly develop deep cut abs. Moreover, if you’re training program contains heavy compounds like squats and deadlifts, the muscles of your midsection are heavily stressed isometrically anyway. This is especially the case if you incorporate unilateral standing exercises. The exercises below are focussed on maximizing hypertrophy, so isometrics won't be included.

9 Best Dumbbell Exercises for Abs

With the above parameters in mind, below are the best ab exercises with dumbbells.

To keep things nice and neat, we are categorizing these weighted ab exercises by:

• The Obliques
• The Lower Abs (Rectus Abdominis)
• The Upper Abs (Rectus Abdominis)

The Obliques:

Despite them being two different muscles, the internal and external obliques work in synergy to produce trunk flexion, lateral trunk flexion and trunk rotation. The exercises below will target both the internal and external obliques simultaneously.

1. Dumbbell Side Bends

Unless specifically targeted, it’s rare for trainees to perform trunk lateral flexion in the gym. Side bends force you to stretch the obliques underload, a great driver of muscle hypertrophy. This stretch is relatively uncommon, with the obliques generally used to stabilize the trunk, in exercises like lunges, without a full range of motion. Lateral flexion is also a part of daily life, used when picking up the shopping, so strengthening these muscles in various ranges can only benefit your functional mobility.

How to:

1. To perform dumbbell side bends, you will be in a standing position with your feet shoulder-width apart and a dumbbell in one hand.
2. Hold the dumbbell on the outside of your thigh with a neutral grip, thumb pointing forwards and palm facing your leg.
3. Maintaining a straight arm, lower the weight down the outside of your leg by bending to the side.
4. Keeping your chest facing forward, go down as low as possible safely. Once you’ve reached your safe range of motion, return to the top by contracting your obliques.

Watch exercise demo on Youtube

This exercise will train the obliques on the opposite side of the dumbbell. It can help you develop a better connection with the exercise if you use the non-dumbbell holding hand to try and feel your obliques on the working side.

One thing to be aware of is this exercise does not fully shorten the obliques. If you want to take them through a full range, pair this with an exercise like decline Russian twists (below) or even a cable side bend focusing on shortening the muscle.

2. Decline Dumbbell Russian Twists 

Russian twists, named because of their use as a conditioning tool in the Russian army, are commonplace in gyms globally. Their original version is performed by having your legs hover in the air and the upper and lower body in a V-shape, twisting to touch a weight down on each side. However, their form is hard to standardize and quickly becomes a hip-flexor test and neglects the goal of the movement, rotation. Adding a decline bench to secure your legs lets you focus on the obliques with added stability. These also allow you to train the obliques through a full range. As you twist to the right, shortening the right-hand side, the left obliques get a fuller stretch and going the other way does the same for the other side. One final benefit is that these train the rectus abdominis isometrically, especially the lower section, to hold the decline position. This means they can be a one-stop shop for an ab session if you’re short on time or just want to add a bit of volume to the whole midsection.

How to:

1. Sit on a decline bench, so the back of your knees are supported by the leg holders.
2. Lower the upper body, bending at the hips and maintain a slight posterior pelvic tilt (i.e. don’t let your lower back arch).
3. Lean the upper body back until you feel your lower abs contract to support you.
4. Hold a dumbbell in two hands away from your body and twist to the right as far as possible safely, maintaining the pelvic tilt.
5. Twist back to the center before doing the same on the left-hand side. Try to avoid moving too quickly and focus on working the obliques and abs.

Watch exercise demo on Youtube

3. Side Plank Touch Downs with Dumbbell

Unlike regular side planks, this variation lengthens and shortens the obliques through lateral flexion. They are also very easily accessible - not requiring heavyweight, which side-bends can, or a decline bench. This makes them an excellent option for a busy gym or home training.

How to:

1. Get into a side plank position - one elbow on the ground, chest facing the wall and the outside of your foot on the same side on the floor.
2. Hold a dumbbell on the outside of the hip that’s pointing to the ceiling. You can also hold the dumbbell up overhead with your arm extended as seen in the video.
3. Lower the inside hip to the ground and return to the starting position.
4. Make sure you keep your hips square and chest pointing to the wall during the whole movement.

Watch exercise demo on Youtube

You should aim to keep your head, body, legs and feet in one straight line. If you find the range of motion too short, you can elevate your feet on a bumper plate.

The Lower Abs (Rectus Abdominis):

The lower abs can be hard to train and connect with for many, feeling the movements in their lower back or hip flexors. The dumbbell exercises below should provide you with stability and tips to make the most of your lower ab without falling into common traps.

4. Hanging Leg Raises with Dumbbell

One of the most common - and commonly butchered - ab exercises is the hanging leg raises. Done correctly, these force you to lift your legs by tilting your pelvis and crunching your abs. If you’re strong enough to perform these properly, they can be a great addition to your lower ab training.

How to:

1. Grip a pull-up bar just wider than your shoulders, using an overhand grip and dumbbell tucked between your feet.
2. As the name suggests, the goal is to lift your legs. However, how you go about this is essential.
3. From a dead hang, tuck your pelvis under and roll your hips forward, raising your legs up in front of you to about sternum height.
4. You could go up to shoulder height, but be sure to keep the dumbbells secure.
5. During the movement, think about bringing the bottom and top of your abs towards one another. As you get towards the top, exhale and slightly crunch your abs keeping your hips rolled forward.
6. As your legs raise, it's important not to let your bum swing backwards, lengthening the abs as you try to shorten them.
7. Slowly lower your legs back to the starting position.

Watch exercise demo on Youtube

This exercise often turns into swinging, momentum, and hip flexors. If you can’t perform this with straight legs, you can shorten the range of motion and make it easier by keeping your knees bent.

5. Roman Chair Leg Lowers with Dumbbell

Much the same as the hanging leg raises, this exercise focuses on the lower abs by controlling the pelvic tilt, working to prevent lordosis and bring the ribs and pelvis towards each other. Using the roman chair supports the lower back, giving you a surface to push into, adding stability. This makes the exercise easier to control and allows you to focus on contracting the abs without worrying about swinging backwards and forwards.

How to:

1. Face out of the roman chair with your back against the pad and dumbbell between your feet.
2. Let your legs dangle straight down. Push your lower back into the pad and tuck your hips under as you bring your legs up.
3. Continue to roll the pelvis under as your legs get higher and contract the abs as hard as possible.
4. Once your legs are just above parallel to the ground, lower them down.
5. You can bring your legs higher - if you’re able to do so - while crunching your abs to make this target the upper more.

Watch exercise demo on Youtube

Like the hanging leg raises these can be made easier by bending your knees to reduce the length of the moment arm. 

6. Incline Dumbbell Reverse Crunch on a Bench

The final lower ab movement is similar to the above but easier to perform. This makes them a solid option for a second ab exercise when you might already be fatigued or if you’re struggling to perform lower ab exercises efficiently. A second benefit is the bench means there is a definitive start and stop point, making them easy to track, standardize and ultimately progress.

How to:

1. Set a regular bench to a 45-60-degree incline - the higher the incline, the harder the movement.
2. Lie back with your head right at the top of the bench and grab the bench behind your head with both hands.
3. Your feet should be on the floor touching each other with bent knees and a dumbbell in-between.
4. Bring your knees to your chest and push your lower back into the bench, tucking your pelvis and contracting your abs.
5. Bring your knees into your chest with your bum off the seat and curling your bum under.
6. Crunch forward slightly at the top.
7. Slowly lower yourself back to the starting position by unfurling your abs and tapping your feet on the floor before going again.

The Upper Abs (Rectus Abdominis):

The upper abs are generally associated with the trunk flexion and crunching motion people perform. This is typically what people think of when someone mentions ab training to them. The exercises below are variations to help you get the most out of upper ab training, improving on some common exercises.

7. Decline Dumbbell Sit-Ups

Despite this being in the upper ab section, this exercise attacks the whole rectus abdominis. This makes them another great movement to get the most bang-for-your-buck with your ab training. Additionally, they’re simple to progress and track, with a clear start and endpoint. Finally, unless you’re flailing around, these provide stability and let you really focus on the abs.

How to:

1. Sit on a decline bench with your legs secured - the steeper the decline, the harder the movement.
2. Hold a dumbbell just in front of your face or chest - the further the dumbbell is from your abs, the more challenging the exercise becomes.
3. Start the movement by crunching your abs and pushing your lower back into the pad as you sit up.
4. Continue to contract the abs and tuck the pelvis under, keeping the pressure off the hip flexors and on the abs.
5. Sit up until you're about 90 degrees from the floor, abs contracted, and pelvis tucked.
6. Slowly return to the starting point, reversing the movement.

Watch exercise demo on Youtube

8. Swiss Ball Dumbbell Crunch

Swiss balls have gotten a lot of attention. Some herald their added instability as a great way to increase exercise difficulty and core activation, while others dismiss them as a way of decreasing weight used and deflecting attention from target muscles. In this case, the swiss ball is used because of its shape and malleability and not instability. By crunching on the ball and not the floor, you allow your lower back to arch and ribs and pelvis to separate, increasing the stretch on the abs. As previously mentioned, stretching under load is a great way to elicit hypertrophy, making this a very viable option.

How to:

1. Lie with your back on the ball, with your head off one side and glutes off the other. Set up a stable base by having your feet flat on the floor.
2. Hold a dumbbell in front of your face or just over the top of your head. Like the decline sit-up, the further the dumbbell is from the abs, the harder the movement becomes.
3. In the starting position, you should let your back arch with the curve of the ball.
4. Crunch your abs, bringing your ribs and pelvis towards each other and push your lower back into the ball.
5. Exhale as you contract. Return to the starting place, letting your ribs and pelvis separate to get a full stretch.

Watch exercise demo on Youtube

9. Bosu Ball Dumbbell Crunch

Much like the swiss ball, Bosu-balls have come under fire for some of the weird and whacky exercises people perform on them. Despite their perceived benefits and downfalls, they make a great addition to ab training. The ball side acts like a swiss ball, allowing you to stretch the abs further than you could on the floor. One additional benefit of the Bosu-ball is the flat back. This lets you set up in one spot without fear of the ball rolling away or changing position on your back. This variation mixes the stability and range of motion of regular and swiss ball crunches, making them an excellent weapon in the arsenal.

These are performed almost identically to the swiss ball crunch.

How to:

1. Lie on the ball half of the Bosu-ball, holding a dumbbell in front of your face or just behind your head.
2. Start with your abs stretched and crunch by bringing the pelvis and ribs towards each other, exhaling as you contract.

Watch exercise demo on Youtube

Abs Workout with Dumbbells - Programming Guidance

Just like any other muscle, abs need to be trained with adequate volume and frequency, and with considered exercise selection and progressive overload. 

The midsection has been separated to help understand the functions and which dumbbell exercises target each area best. However, the obliques and upper and lower abs have huge crossover, and it’s almost impossible to train one part without another. For example, you might perform a hanging leg raise for the lower abs, but co-contraction of the obliques also causes trunk flexion, and the upper and lower abs can’t be isolated from one another. This means you don’t have to perform an exercise targeting each section of every session. You could train abs twice per week - one session using an oblique and lower ab exercise and the other using an upper and lower ab exercise - and get adequate volume everywhere. This is emphasized by their contribution to compound movements.

If you aim for 4-6 sets per week per section, spread across 2-3 sessions, you would likely be getting adequate volume, and you can always add more if it’s required. Finally, because of the difficulty isolating the abs, with the lower back and hip flexors keen to spoil the fun, lower rep ranges (4-8) are often impractical. Aiming for 10-15 reps on your first set can help prevent the reps from falling too far in subsequent sets.

You can also implement cool workout ideas like circuits, EMOM, AMRAP, and Tabata for your ab workouts with dumbbells.

Sample Dumbbell Ab Workout #1:

1. Dumbbell Side Bend x 10 reps each side
2. Decline Dumbbell Russian Twist x 20 reps total
3. Hanging Leg Raise with Dumbbell x 5-10 reps

Repeat for 2-3 rounds. Rest as needed between exercises and rounds.

Sample Dumbbell Ab Workout #2:

1. Decline Dumbbell Sit-Ups: 3 sets x 10-15 reps
2. Side Plank Touch Downs with Dumbbell: 3 sets x 10 reps each side
3. Roman Chair Leg Lowers: 2 sets x 8-12 reps
4. Incline Reverse Crunch on Bench: 2 sets x 10-12 reps

You could switch between these two workouts for a month or so then switch things up once it becomes easy. You should also aim to progressive overload by adding reps (to the high end of the rep scheme) and then adding weight by using a heavier dumbbell. 

Final Thoughts :

Well-developed abs can make the midsection look defined with deeper cuts. However, this is dependent on your body fat levels. Regardless of your abs development, if your body fat levels are too high, your abs won’t show. So, train your abs hard with and without weighted ab exercises, but remember you’ll need to work on your diet to ensure they can be shown off. As the old saying goes, “Abs are developed in the gym and revealed in the kitchen.”

More core workout content:

• Weight Bench Ab Exercises
• Bodyweight Ab Exercises
• Cable Machine Ab Exercises
• Kettlebell Ab Exercises
• Resistance Band Ab Exercises
• Ab Stretches

The Clean and Jerk is one of the two Olympic lifts. It’s a full-body movement that involves cleaning the barbell from the floor and then jerking it overhead. It relies on power production in both the lower and upper body. Further, it’s arguably more straightforward to learn than the snatch, the other Olympic lift. The only problem is learning chess is “more simple” than learning the snatch. Therefore, you will still need significant guidance to learn this movement. 

This clean and jerk guide is going to attempt to do just that. You’re going to learn:

• What the clean and jerk is
• Clean and jerk muscles worked
• Benefits of the clean and jerk
• How to perform the clean and jerk correctly, step-by-step
• Important tips to master the clean and jerk
• Best variations and alternatives 

Before we go any further, we want to be clear that the clean and jerk can take quite a long time to learn and perfect. We strongly suggest that you continue to refer to this guide, and if you can, grab a specialty coach, at least for a couple of sessions. That being said, you can learn it on your own and we are going to try to teach you how. 

What Is The Clean And Jerk Exercise?

The clean and jerk is one of the two Olympic lifts and is the “heavier” of the pair. In reality, the clean and jerk is actually composed of two movements, the clean and the jerk (obviously), which are performed back-to-back. Both of these movements must be completed to count as a good lift. This fact requires you to concentrate on your upper body power just as much as your lower body power.

In a very tiny nutshell, the clean and jerk consists of you walking up to a loaded barbell, cleaning the bar up to your shoulders, and then after you catch the barbell and are steady, jerking the bar overhead. Your arms must be fully extended to complete the lift, and you must bring your feet together.

That was a very basic explanation, but we will go over this movement in depth below.

Clean = Bringing the bar from the floor to a front rack position (aka clean position) in one swift, explosive movement.

Jerk = An explosive overhead pressing movement that involves both the upper and lower body to get the bar fully extended up overhead. 

It’s an Olympic Weightlifting Power Movement!

At its core, the clean and jerk is a true power exercise. The word “power” can be misunderstood and is often interchanged with “strength .”While they are related, when talking about performance variables, strength and power are quite different. The simplest way to distinguish these two is that strength is slow strength (like a heavy squat) while power is fast strength (like a squat jump). Power is the relationship between a load and time or space. 

The Strength and Conditioning Journal provides three formulas to calculate power¹:

1. Power = work/time
2. Power = force × (distance/time)
3. Power = force × velocity

As you can see, with either formula, power is concerned with how fast an object can move. Everything about the clean and jerk screams power as it relies on you to generate enough force, in a concise time, to propel a heavy load vertically the length of your body. You must then use power again to drive the load overhead.

Muscles Trained With The Clean And Jerk

The clean and jerk is going to be a total body workout, so every muscle in the body will be involved more or less, either as a prime mover or a stabilizer. However, here are the major muscle groups trained and their function.

Lower Body:

The lower body will be the primary muscle group responsible for producing power. Literally, every muscle below the waist will be involved.

• The quadriceps will be used at the onset of the movement to “push the ground away” on the initial lift-off. Still, it will be used throughout the movement as you never stop pushing!
• The hamstrings and glutes will work to extend the hips and are the most powerful muscles involved in triple extension. So as the quads start the movement, the hamstrings and glutes will take over and produce the power necessary to propel the barbell up.
• Even the calves will be responsible for creating ankle dorsiflexion (or coming on your toes). This is the third part of the triple extension. 

Back And Traps:

Every back muscle will be responsible for maintaining a flat back during the initial pull. If you curl over, you’re going to fail this lift, so you need a powerful back to withstand the forces. After the lower body gets the bar moving upward at high velocity, the upper back and traps perform a powerful shrug to continue this movement upwards. 

A powerful shrug can make or break your lift. Also, have you ever wondered why Olympic lifters have massive traps? This is why.

Shoulder And Tricep:

The shoulder and triceps will then finish out the movement, for the most part. Ideally, the shoulder and triceps will only have to provide minimal force to fully extend the arms. This will be due to the jerking motion created by the rest of your body, which you will learn. However, even if you get the bar above your head with very little effort from the shoulders and triceps, they are still going to need to be able to hold a heavyweight above your head as you stand up.

What Are The Benefits Of The Clean And Jerk?

The clean and jerk is primarily going to be used to enhance power in the upper and lower body. In fact, the clean and jerk is often the preferred power movement of many strength & conditioning coaches. Here are some of the reasons why:

1) Increase Power Production In The Upper And Lower Body:

The primary reason to include the clean and jerk is to increase power production in the upper and lower body. It will place stress on every muscle in the body and require each one to produce power. If you want to increase the power in both your upper and lower body, the clean and jerk is hard to beat.

2) Improve Your Athletic Performance:

Unless you are training to compete in Crossfit or the Olympics, one of the main reasons people will perform the clean and jerk is to improve their athletic performance. As mentioned above, it is the most complete exercise to improve power production in both the upper and lower body. This is important for athletes as power is one of the most essential fitness variables. For example, increased power can improve:

• Vertical height
• Acceleration and change of direction
• Throwing distance
• Increase the speed and power of kicks and punches

Studies have repeatedly shown that clean and jerk can improve athletic performance as well as overall weightlifting performance².

3) Improve Your Motor Skills Through Enhanced Neuromuscular Efficiency:

It’s clear that the clean and jerk is a very efficient power movement, but how does that occur? Increased power production is the result of your neuromuscular system working better together. This means that your brain can communicate better with your muscles to tell them to produce more force. At the same time, the movement is actually highly complicated. This not only improves your neuromuscular system as well, but it will make you much more coordinated.

4) Improve Your Other Lifts:

A higher neuromuscular system combined with greater coordination and greater power production will improve just about every other movement that you perform. Everything from running and jumping to squatting and deadlifting. It would be hard to find a movement that the clean and jerk won’t improve. It’s an actual total body workout that has a ton of benefits. It’s not just for the Olympic weightlifting community.

How To Perform The Clean And Jerk?

Let’s break down the clean and jerk into some more detailed steps. Here, you’re going to learn the setup, hand position, and all of the other specifics of the clean and jerk. Still, be sure to read the next section as well, as we’ll teach you methods to learn this movement more effectively. 

The clean and jerk can be broken down into several sections:

• The Setup
• 1st Pull
• 2nd pull
• Pull Under And Catch
• Recovery
• Jerk
• Finish

We’ll go through each of these to make it as simple as possible.

The Setup:

The initial setup is getting into position to perform the movement. However, this is a vital part of the movement as it will dictate how well you can perform the movement.

• Come up to the bar with feet hip-width apart, and toes slightly turned out.
• Grab the bar just outside the legs.
• Bend down in a position very similar to the deadlift.
• The shoulders should be over the barbell.
• The hips should be higher than your knees and shoulders higher than the hips.
• Keep a straight and taut back with the scapula pulled back.
• The bar should be over your midfoot.

1st Pull:

The 1st pull occurs when bringing the barbell from the ground to your knees.

• Begin the movement by pushing the ground away from you. This will help with a vertical trajectory as well as activating the quads.
• As the bar comes up, your back should remain straight.
• Pull the bar straight up just in front of your shins.
• Keep your body weight over your midfoot.

2nd pull:

The 2nd pull occurs once the bar pasts the knees and ends after triple extension.

• Once the bar hits your knees, you will powerfully perform triple extension (knee extension, hip extension, ankle dorsiflexion).
• The power from your triple extension plays a large part in propelling the bar up.
• You will also perform a powerful shrug and pull your elbows forward and high, very similar to a high pull.
• You want your weight over midfoot even as you come up on your toes. Don’t let the movement bring your forward.
• You want the bar to continue moving vertically as close to your body as possible.

Pull Under And Catch:

The pull under and catch consists of you actively pulling yourself under a bar while dropping into a front squat.

• As the bar is moving up, you will pull your body under the bar.
• Drop into a front squat position as you throw your elbows in front of the bar and catch the bar on your shoulders in a front rack position.
• Settle in a deep full squat position.

Recovery:

The recovery is when you stand up from the deep front squat position.

• You can perform a little bounce to get out of the hole if you need.
• Stand up with a front squat.
• Remember to keep a strong torso and push your elbows up.

Jerk:

The jerk consists of jerking the bar overhead.

• Perform a dip by bending the knees slightly while keeping no bend in the hips.
• Keep the elbows up!
• At the bottom of the dip, immediately power up by extending your hips and coming up on your toes.
• Once fully extended, let the bar continue up while you split your legs, one in front of the other.
• The front knee will be straight, while the rear leg will be slightly flexed.
• Finish out the jerk by extending your arms and locking out.
• The bar should now be locked out over your head.

Finish:

The finish occurs by bringing your feet together.

• Continue bracing your core with the barbell locked out overhead.
• First, bring your forward foot back to the center position under the bar.
• Then bring your rear foot up.
• Make any adjustments you need. Your feet must be side by side with the barbell locked out overhead to finish the movement.

Congratulations. You just performed the clean and jerk with proper technique!

How To Learn The Clean And Jerk?

If you’re like most individuals who attempt the clean and jerk for the first time, you’re probably thinking, “I definitely did not do that correctly”. The clean and jerk are very complex. Combining them is even more so. So, let us give you some important tips on training for it.

Segment Training:

The most common way to learn the snatch is to perform “segment training". Segment training is when you take a complex movement with multiple parts and break it down into smaller segments. You then practice those smaller segments independently and then eventually put them all together. 

Still, there are several ways to put the segments together.

1. Practice each one by themselves and then put them all together at one time.
2. Practice each one by themselves. Then go to the first segment and add one segment at a time. Practice those two segments and then add another one.
3. Practice one segment and then add another. Then add another. Similar to the previous but purely in sequence rather than practicing each one individually first.

It doesn’t really matter what one you choose as they are all effective. The point is not to train the clean and jerk as one movement right away.

Use Clean And Jerk Variations To Practice The Segments:

There are quite a few variations that can help you practice specific segments of the clean and jerk. Some of the more common clean and jerk variations are listed below.

High Pull: The main focus of the clean high pull is to help exaggerate the 2nd pull and triple extension. To perform it, you will basically perform the clean and jerk but stop after the 2nd pull. Essentially, you’re not going to squat and catch the bar. Instead, this clean and jerk variation aims to get the bar as high as possible. Emphasize high elbows and a powerful shrug.

You can also try using a snatch grip to change it up. Instead of grabbing the bar outside your legs, use a snatch grip, placing your hands on the ring markers.

Power Clean & Jerk: The power clean and jerk is precisely the same as the clean and jerk, except your not going to perform a front squat or split jerk to catch it. You are going to do a power jerk. After the second pull, you will catch the bar on your shoulders with minimal knee bend (you won't go into a full squat). This requires you to pull the bar for a longer length. At the same time, you can give your knees a rest. In fact, this is the preferred method for many non-competing athletes as it’s technically easier to perform than the clean and jerk but still elicits similar increases in power.  

(Power) Hang Clean & Jerk: The hang clean and jerk can also be performed as a hang power clean and jerk. The primary variable of this variation is that you will not pull from the ground. Instead, you will deadlift the barbell up and then perform a hip hinge to lower the barbell to somewhere on the thigh. This will be the starting location. Doing so will put most of the emphasis on the 2nd pull to produce a powerful triple extension.

You can also lower the bar to your lower thigh or upper thigh to alter the need. If you start higher, it forces you to produce more power with a smaller triple extension as your hips are extended more.

Types of Jerks:

The jerk we described above in the 'How to Perform a Clean and Jerk' section is known as the split jerk and it is the most common method for Olympic weightlifting athletes. However, there are two other types of jerks that are also acceptable in Olympic weightlifting competitions for the clean and jerk exercise.

The three jerks are:

• Split Jerk: When you press overhead you jump into a split position with one leg forward and one leg backward, then you bring your feet into a bilateral stance once the bar is in the overhead position.
• Squat Jerk: When you press overheard you drop into a full squat. Your arms will be fully extended overhead in your full squat position, then you stand up erect.
• Power Jerk: When you press overhead you jump with your feet shoulder width and parallel and bring your hips down but not into a full squat (more like a quarter squat). Once the bar is fully overhead, you come up to the standing position. Note: You also have the push jerk which is similar to the power jerk except your feet don't leave the ground as you explode the weight overhead.

All three are acceptable forms in competitions, but the split jerk is the most popular since it generally allows for the greatest load potential. That said, practicing all three can be helpful for improving your overall strength in the jerk. A lot of pros use the split jerk in competition, but also use the power and squat jerk in practice.

As you learn the clean and jerk, feel free to implement different variations of the jerk itself to see how they feel for you.

How To Program The Clean And Jerk?

Because the clean and jerk is a power exercise, you would do better by using lighter weight. As it is a power exercise, you can actually produce more power with a smaller load as you can move it faster. Therefore, studies show that lighter loads of 40-60% allows a lifter produce the most power as it provides an optimal blend of weight and speed³. Most lifters can spend the majority of their time in this zone. If you are able to continue using the good form at heavier weights, you could venture up to 70% or even 80% once in a while. However, the key is in the cleanliness of your reps.

If you want to build a higher 1RM, you could then spend more time in the higher ranges of 70-90%. Still, you should move back and forth in between each loading zones to manage any build-up of fatigue.

That being said, you never want to use high reps with the clean and jerk. Remember, the primary purpose is to increase power. This is best done by performing a rep as “crisp” as possible. When you start to pile on reps, you will get fatigued regardless of how light the load is. When this happens, your form will suffer, and you will actually be hurting your progress. Below are the rep schemes we would suggest for the different loads:

• 40-60%1RM: 4-6 sets of 1-3 reps
• 70%-90%1RM: 5-6 sets of 1-2 reps

Rest 2:00-3:00 minutes between sets.

Also, you don’t have to always train the full clean and jerk as it can be a very taxing movement. Play around with different schemes. For example, for one training day, you could train:

• Power clean and jerk
• Front squats
• Jerks

Then another session that week train the whole movement. Don’t forget about the variations and alternatives (see below). They are great exercises to use to improve the clean and jerk and they also provide a lot of great benefits too.

When training the clean and jerk, the number one rule is to not be in a rush! Take your time and treat every single rep like you’re on the Olympic stage.

Related: The Best Beginner Olympic Weightlifting Program

3 Clean And Jerk Alternatives

For whatever reason, maybe you can’t perform the clean and jerk. No worries. Here is a quick list of 3 alternatives you can perform that will also increase your power production.

1. Squat Jump:

The squat jump is an easy way to produce lower body power without the technicalities. We prefer using either dumbbells or a trap bar when performing these, as they are much safer than jumping with a barbell on your back.

2.  Weighted Box Jump:

Put a vest on and do some box jumps. This is an awesome plyometric exercise for power production. Like the squat jump, it’s a very simple yet effective exercise to increase lower body power production.

3. Sumo High Pull:

This is similar to the high pull we spoke about above but consists of using a sumo deadlift stance. A little bit of a different stance to change things up. Perform the movement in the same manner by trying to pull the barbell as high as possible. 

And That’s The Clean And Jerk

The biggest piece of advice we can offer is to take your time and be patient. If you can, grab a trainer or a skilled friend. Watch videos and also take videos of yourself. One of the best ways to improve your lifting is by video analysis in slo-mo. It allows you to actually see what’s going on and what you need to fix. That being said, have fun with it. Once you learn it, we can promise you will start seeing massive improvements in just about every other area of your fitness.

When you are ready, you can also learn The Snatch!

References:

1. Coburn JW. Measuring Power. Strength and Conditioning Journal. 2012;34(6):25-28. doi:10.1519/ssc.0b013e3182708a7d
2. Hackett D, Davies T, Soomro N, Halaki M. Olympic weightlifting training improves vertical jump height in sportspeople: a systematic review with meta-analysis. British Journal of Sports Medicine. 2015;50(14):865-872. doi:10.1136/bjsports-2015-094951
3. Cormie P, Flanagan SP. Does an Optimal Load Exist for Power Training? Strength and Conditioning Journal. 2008;30(2):67-69. doi:10.1519/ssc.0b013e31816a8776

The triceps are a primary mover in every upper body pressing exercise. Think about it - they help power bench press, push ups, overhead press, and dips. On top of all that, most people try to increase the size and strength of their triceps with isolation exercises. After all, this muscle, which makes up two-thirds of your upper arms, is important on so many fronts, both in and out of the gym. Not to mention, a well-developed set of triceps looks very impressive.

Now, like any other muscle, the triceps can get tight and overworked. In fact, the triceps are quite susceptible to becoming tight considering how often they are used in daily life and workouts.

Even so, the triceps usually get overlooked when it comes time for stretching. It’s likely because people just don’t know how to stretch the triceps. If that’s the case with you, it won’t be anymore…

We are here to provide you with the best triceps stretches for before and after your workouts. By stretching your triceps, you’ll help them achieve an optimal length, which is great for improving range of motion, recovering faster, and even reducing soreness.

Before we begin, it’ll actually be very helpful if you understand the anatomy of the triceps and all the benefits you’ll reap from stretching this horseshoe-shaped, posterior, upper arm muscle.

ANATOMY AND FUNCTION OF THE TRICEPS MUSCLE

The triceps, which is more formally known as the triceps brachii, gets its name because it has three separate muscle heads.

Tri = Three. 

They are called the long head, lateral head, and medial head, because that’s exactly what and where they are in relation to the muscle itself. It’s very straight to the point. 

But, don’t get confused, it is still one single muscle. 

Each muscle head has a different origin point, but they converge and insert in the same place on the elbow.

The main job of the triceps as a whole is elbow extension.

However, let’s dive a little deeper into the anatomy and function of each individual muscle head, as there are some nuances you should learn. This will help you understand how to target the muscle better during workouts and how to stretch it fully. 

• Long Head: The triceps long head makes up most of the triceps’ size and starts at the infraglenoid tubercle of the scapula. As such, it crosses the shoulder joint. This means the long head of the triceps is involved in some shoulder movements, particularly overhead pulling movements like lat pulldowns and chin-ups (shoulder adduction). The long head will also be more activated when the shoulder is in flexion (elbows up) because it is working from a stretched position. With that in mind, stretches that involve shoulder flexion will also target the long head of the triceps. 
• Lateral Head: The triceps lateral head is the muscle that gives your triceps the horseshoe appearance on the side of the arm. Its origin is the posterior surface of the humerus (upper arm bone). The lateral head is big and strong. It powers elbow extension when up against resistance. 
• Medial Head: The triceps medial head originates a little lower on the humerus. It’s right at the center. It is used every time you extended your elbow. In fact, when extending free from resistance, it’s pretty much just the medial head doing it. 

Again, any time you press or extend your elbow, you have your triceps to thank for that. When it comes to pushes and presses, the triceps really take over about halfway up the press. It’s the lockout muscle. 

THE BENEFITS OF STRETCHING YOUR TRICEPS

You all know the benefits of strengthening the triceps: improved lockout, strength, size, and better elbow stability. But what about the benefits of stretching the triceps? Well, here are a few:

1) Improved Range Of Motion And Performance:

When a muscle is tight, achieving a full range of motion will be difficult and the triceps are no different. If you have tight triceps, it may decrease your performance on the sporting field and leave gains on the table with all of your pressing movements. This is why dynamic tricep stretches are important before a workout, especially if they are feeling tight, which often happens since they are typically worked during more than one session per week. 

2) Better recovery:

Stretching the triceps after training helps the muscle return to its resting length faster and may help reduce soreness. When you stretch the triceps, you bring blood flow there to start the healing process after a workout.

3) Injury Prevention:

Triceps stretches engage all three heads of the triceps muscle and help to keep the elbows functioning properly, but let’s focus on the long head for a moment. Remember how the long head acts on the shoulder joint too? By stretching your triceps before and after upper-body exercises, you can reduce your chances of shoulder injuries. A well cared for long head muscle is key for shoulder stability and shoulder health.

HOW TO STRETCH THE TRICEPS

To stretch the triceps, you simply have to perform the opposite of elbow extension, which is elbow flexion. When your triceps contract, your biceps stretch, and vice versa. So, to stretch your triceps, you will flex your elbow in certain ways and hold the position. 

Also, as we’ve mentioned, the long head acts on the shoulders, so certain shoulder movements with holds will stretch the triceps, such as the popular overhead triceps stretch. 

Besides static stretches, you have dynamic movements that move your triceps through a full range of motion, which in essence, stretches your triceps. This is similar to when you are actually working out. If you are using a full range of motion, you are doing a form of dynamic stretching. But make no mistake, it’s not the same as static stretching (holding the stretching position for an extended period of time) or purposeful dynamic stretches (full range movements with short holds in the stretched position), so it’s important that you do both. 

With the tricep stretches below, you’ll see how all this works. But first, let’s talk about when to stretch, so you really understand each of the stretching movements to come. 

BEST TIME TO DO TRICEPS STRETCHES

When you want to improve the recovery and the length of your triceps, the best time to stretch them is after training when the triceps are warm. You’re more likely to see better results from static stretches when your body is warm. Holding a tricep stretch for 30 seconds to 2 minutes here works well.

It’s not just the muscle itself that gets stretched, the fascia that surrounds the muscle like webbing is also getting stretched. Think of the fascia as taffy. When the taffy is cold it is harder to stretch but when the taffy is warm it is easily stretched.

But that doesn’t mean you should only be stretching when the triceps are warm. Before a workout, you should be doing dynamic stretches. These are stretches that you hold for 5-10 seconds, moving in and out of the stretch. Essentially, they a movements with a full range of motion and usually involve slight holds at the end range. These will help promote blood flow, release muscular tension, and optimize range of motion to help get your triceps ready for the work ahead.

8 BEST TRICEPS STRETCHES AND FOAM ROLLS

Here are 8 great triceps stretches (2 are actually triceps foam rolling exercises) to insert before and/or after your training for improved recovery and flexibility.

1. Elbow Extensor Stretch:

The anconeus muscle is a small muscle located at the elbow, attaching to the humerus and ulna. It is engaged during triceps extension but is there to provide support and stability. This stretches the triceps and anconeus from a different angle and is a great stretch for those who don’t have the shoulder mobility to place their hands all the way behind their head.

How to:

1. Stand in front of a box around mid-thigh height.
2. Hinge down to the box and place your elbows on the box, underneath the shoulders with your palms facing down.
3. Lean your torso forward slightly keeping your back in neutral until you feel a stretch in your triceps.
4. Hold for 30-60 seconds.

2. Overhead Triceps Stretch:

The overhead tricep stretch is an oldie but a goodie. But if you don’t have good shoulder mobility or your feel any pain with this stretch please stop. Here you will control the intensity of the stretch by how far you can place your hand behind your head. Plus the amount of pressure you apply to the elbow. Both will alter the intensity of this stretch. The overhead tricep stretch is great for your triceps as a whole, but especially the long head.

How to:

1. Standing upright with your feet shoulder width apart, place your right hand behind your head and between your shoulder blades.
2. Place your left hand on your right elbow and push down on it while the working arm resists the push.
3. You should feel a great stretch in your triceps.
4. Hold for 30 to 60 seconds and then repeat on the other side.

3. Triceps Dip Stretch:

The triceps dip stretch is similar to the dip exercise, but you hold the bottom position to stretch your triceps using your torso as resistance. Not only will you stretch your triceps, but this one opens up your chest and shoulder muscles too, as well as your lats. You can alter the lean and the bend of the elbows to increase or decrease the intensity of this tricep stretch.

How to:

1. Sit on the ground, bend your knees, and place your heels on the ground.
2. Place your hand behind you with your fingers pointing away from you.
3. Then dip the elbows until your feel a stretch in your triceps.
4. Keep your chest up, shoulders down, and back in neutral while leaning back.
5. Hold for 30 seconds.

4. Tricep Stretch Against Wall:

The tricep stretch against the wall is another great triceps stretch that allows for a really deep stretch. Much like the other stretches above, you can control the intensity by how close you are to the wall and by how my pressure you apply to the wall.

How to:

1. Stand close to a wall with an upright posture.
2. Touch your right hand to your right shoulder and place your arm on the wall with your elbow pointing up high.
3. Lean into it until you feel a stretch in your triceps.
4. Hold for 30 to 60 seconds.
5. Then repeat on the other side.

5. Reaching Down Tricep Stretch:

The reaching down triceps stretch is similar to the overhead triceps stretch except you are stretching both triceps instead of one. By actively reaching down you can control how intense the stretch is and adjust it according to your needs. If you have trouble putting your arms behind your head, avoid this variation.

How to:

1. Stand tall and place both hands behind your head with your elbows kept high.
2. Hold your hands together and rest on your upper back.
3. Reach your hands towards the ground and gently pull until your feel a nice stretch in your triceps.
4. Hold for 30 to 60 seconds.

6. Horizontal Tricep Stretch:

This tricep stretch has you reaching across your body instead of going behind your head. This is a good basic stretch and is also perfect for anyone who has any issues with their elbows or shoulders but still needs to stretch their triceps. You’ll be able to adjust the intensity of this stretch by how hard you push it and into the back of your elbow. Plus, with this stretch, as a bonus, you’ll stretch the hard-to-reach posterior deltoid too.

How to:

1. Standing upright, bring your right arm across your body.
2. Place your left hand on your right elbow and apply pressure until you feel a stretch in your right triceps.
3. Your right arm should be underneath your left arm.
4. Hold for 30 to 60 seconds and repeat on the other side.

7. Triceps Foam Roll Side-Lying on Floor:

Foam rolling the triceps is one of those hurt-so-good exercises. Yes, it hurts, but it will loosen up the muscle for a better range of motion if you do it before training, and it brings healing blood flow for improved recovery if you do it after training. When performing this triceps foam roll exercise, focus on the sore spots of the triceps and be careful not to roll into too much pain. This will negate the benefits of this exercise.

How to:

1. Lie on your right side and bring your left leg over your right leg by your right knee.
2. Straighten your right arm overhead and place the foam roller below the elbow.
3. Use your left foot to push the foam roller back and forth over the triceps.
4. Perform 10-15 rolls and switch sides and repeat.

8. Tiger Tail Triceps:

The tiger tail triceps roll is performed with a tiger tail foam roller but can be performed with a PVC pipe or something similar if you don’t have one. Here you can apply as much pressure as you can handle to the sore spots on your triceps. Plus, as a bonus, your quads get some love too.

How to:

1. Place your right foot on a bench and the tiger tail on your right thigh.
2. Place your right arm on the tiger tail just below the elbow.
3. Push your right triceps up and down the tiger tail being careful not to roll over your elbow.
4. Perform 10-20 rolls and then switch sides and repeat.

WRAPPING UP

You probably spend a lot of time strengthening your triceps in your exercise program, so you should be spending time stretching and rolling the triceps too! It will benefit your upper body strength and performance as well as the health of your elbows and shoulders. These 8 tricep stretches and rolls performed before and after your workout routine will release muscular tension and improve your triceps' flexibility and range of motion big time. 

We recommend doing a couple dynamic triceps stretches before your workout and a couple of static triceps stretches after your workout. You don't have to do each tricep stretch in one session. You can switch the stretches up each time if you’d like. Also, incorporate some foam rolling into your routine once a week. You can foam roll a little before your workout and a little after. There’s no need to spend more than a few minutes rolling out your triceps! Happy stretching and rolling!

More Stretching Content:

• Lat Stretches
• Bicep Stretches
• Chest Stretches
• Glute Stretches
• Deltoid Stretches
• Ab Stretches
• TFL Stretches
• Piriformis Stretches
• Levator Scapulae Stretches

We know you love training but are you training too much? Is the big bad overtraining boogeyman gonna get you? Is overtraining even real? Or maybe, you're just experiencing a little burnout. What's the difference? And by the way, how fine is the line between overreaching and overtraining?

That's a lot of questions, and this article will attempt to answer them all and more. We will go over what you need to know about burnout, overtraining, and overreaching.

Table of Contents:

• What is burnout in training?
• What is overtraining?
• What is overreaching?
• Signs of overtraining & burnout
• Ways to prevent and treat overtraining and burnout

We hope you're not burned out reading yet cause we haven't even begun.

Burnout And Overtraining

Burnout and overtraining are two terms that are used to describe a general decrease in performance or motivation to go to the gym. While sometimes used interchangeably, we believe the symptoms of overtraining and burnout are very different.

In fact, the difference is recognized even now by sports psychologists, with research being conducted to distinguish the causes of each¹. If you are a coach or sports psychologist, it would be very important for you to know the difference so you can treat them properly for your clients.

Regardless, these two are definitely related and can exacerbate the other, but we feel it's important to distinguish the two. If these are two different conditions, then that means there are different causes and different solutions. Therefore, let's look at burnout and overtraining separately so that we can identify the symptoms.

What is Burnout in Fitness?

When we refer to "burnout," we are talking about a condition created by an overload of stress that causes an imbalance in one's life. This stress can come from your family, social life, work, and training. The stresses and pressure can become too much until one feels like they're always on the go, and one can never rest. In a cruel twist of fate, this overload will cause a person to become distant and disinterested with what they once loved due to never being able to relax. 

It's even more twisted that it's really only possible for highly motivated individuals to really experience burnout as this group puts unrealistic expectations on themselves.

How this might look in the fitness world is giving yourself the goal of being the #1 bodybuilder in your state. Therefore, you train and train and train, but you're not getting the results you want, so you start canceling dinner dates or missing family events so you can train. Or maybe you can't enjoy yourself at a party because you can't risk having a beer. While you might be fine physiologically, your mental health begins to take a beating as you're not enjoying what you're doing, and there seems to be no answer. 

Other examples could come from being over-obsessed with your diet, looks, or whatever. What used to make you happy has become a chore, and worse, you're not getting the results you were hoping for. You begin having trouble managing your family, job, and relationship because you can't risk messing up your training or nutrition.

Unfortunately, this is quite common in the fitness world and arguably more common and even more serious than overtraining. Actually, when compared to overtraining, you’re probably much more likely to catch some form of burnout.

What is Overtraining?

While burnout is a sign of too much mental stress, overtraining is a sign of too much physical stress. It can happen when someone is working out too much with inadequate recovery.

In a perfect world, a person will recover before they go train again, particularly for the area they are working that session. But with overtraining, there is still leftover fatigue, so when you go to the gym, you pile on more fatigue. This excess fatigue compiles over time until it reaches a point where your performance is dramatically affected.

However, overtraining can affect a lot more than your performance in the gym. You can develop symptoms from overtraining like:

• Chronic fatigue
• Compromised immune system
• General discomfort
• Weight gain
• A decline in mood and mental health

This decline in performance isn't necessarily caused by damage to the muscles though but actually from the inadequate recovery of the central nervous system and improper levels of hormones. It all starts with the overproduction of cortisol, which then alters your adrenaline, noradrenaline, and dopamine levels through a series of reactions. This is similar to dominoes falling one by one and creating more and more chaos. 

At the same time, we also need to say that many people can over exaggerate overtraining. It’s not going to happen in a week and it likely isn’t going to happen to guys running average training programs. Our bodies are resilient and they can take a lot of stress before they have overtraining symptoms. So while we want you to be aware of overtraining, we also don’t want you to freak out every time you wake up and are a little tired. 

What's Overreaching?

Overreaching is another term that is sometimes used with these conditions. However, overreaching is drastically different as it's done on purpose and is a planned period of time.

It's done to elicit a response known as supercompensation. This is your body's adaptive response to excessive stimulus so that your body will be able to handle that same stimulus easily in the future. In fact, super-compensation is at the heart of progressive overload.

Therefore, overreaching is when a coach will put excessive stress on an athlete, usually an experienced one. However, they know the athlete won't be able to handle it for long so they will then allow the athlete to recover for an extended period of time. Essentially, it is strategic overtraining. 

It's a bit more complicated than that, and we will write up another article on this in the near future, but that's really all you need to know for this article.

Signs That You Are Burning Out

In reality, burnout from training has similar symptoms as any other type of burnout, such as occupational burnout. Unfortunately, burnout is not as easy to spot in the early stages as overtraining is.

However, here is a list of signs and symptoms of burnout. We will try to list in the order it may appear. But keep in mind, it is far from a definitive guide as everyone is different.

Symptoms of burnout in fitness:

1. Always feeling busy. Unfortunately, this can be exhilarating for highly motivated people, so they will initially like this feeling.
2. You begin to always feel anxious like you should be doing something. Again, it is hard to tell if this is bad or not in every circumstance.
3. You feel really guilty if you miss a session.
4. You begin to feel disillusioned with training. You're not really sure why you're doing it.
5. Develop sleep issues and constantly think about training.
6. Never fulfilled or happy.
7. You almost feel antagonistic towards training.
8. Develop general apathy and possibly headaches.
9. Social life and work begin to deteriorate due to your relationship with dieting and training.
10. Basically, any enjoyment is lost.
11. The idea of not training makes you feel very anxious.

As you see, many of these symptoms are quite common in everyone at some point in their life, at least the first three, and many even experience number four at some point. 

Signs That You Are Overtraining in Fitness

There are a lot of signs that could develop due to overtraining. Some of the very first signs and symptoms of overtraining you may experience are:

1. Waning motivation lessens the more you train.
2. Unusual soreness or general stiffness, especially when getting out of the bed in the AM.
3. A drop in performance in the gym.
4. The feeling that you can't produce power in the gym.

If you experience any of the above. Stop training. Give yourself a week of rest, or whatever you need to recover.

These are the first warning signs, and they will only get worse. You'll hear this more than once, but you can't out-train overtraining. We'll talk about what to do below.

If you do continue to train, you can expect to experience these overtraining symptoms, which can have long term effects:

• Inability to concentrate or study (can affect school or work).
• No motivation to socialize.
• Sleep disturbance.
• Low Testosterone levels and chronic high cortisone levels.
• Some men report erectile dysfunction or lack of sexual drive.
• Severe loss in sports performance.
• Severe drop in motivation.

None of those sound fun at all, so do yourself a favor and pay attention to the first group of symptoms. 

How To Treat Burnout

Unfortunately, burnout can actually be harder to treat than overtraining. Well, the cure is actually quite simple and simply consists of a person stepping away from the sport or activity that is causing chaos in their life. However, getting a person to do that depends on their relationship to what's causing the burnout. 

For example, if it's someone who just got a little overzealous with their training, a couple of buds could slap him on the back of his head, tell him to cool it with the curls, and hit the bar. If the guy could let it go easily, then he'd be able to get over it fairly soon.

However, if the person has developed an unhealthy obsession with a sport, it could require professional mental health. It's not uncommon for athletes to form their identity with a sport, and telling them to let it go can be like telling someone to shoot their dog…it's not going to happen.

If the burnout is at a level where it has caused serious psychological issues, they need to speak to a professional therapist (i.e., not us) and start dealing with it. Like any obsession, it can take some time to fully recover. 

In either case, the person will need to sit down and reevaluate their life goals. We are not therapists but writing these things down can help tremendously. When you write, it allows you to see what your life looks like and also forces you to acknowledge what’s happening.  

How To Treat And Prevent Overtraining

The bad news is that we have heard of some very, very rare cases of people who developed such a bad case of overtraining that they never fully recovered. Remember, overtraining is actually caused by dysregulation of your hormones. Anytime you mess with your hormones for a prolonged period of time, you are putting yourself at risk of long-term damage. However, the good news is that long term effects of severe overtraining syndrome is very, very rare, as mentioned. 

That being said, you will have a much shorter recovery time by spotting overtraining early as recovery time will grow exponentially as you pile on your overtraining. Therefore, you'd be wise to chill if you think this may be happening, as, again, you can't out-train overtraining.

If you do catch a case of overtraining, the best way to treat overtraining is to simply cut back on your volume and intensity significantly. Think about it like a prolonged deload. Also, if you're dieting, you may need to stop for a while as being in a caloric deficit does put stress on the body.

This doesn't mean you need to bulk, but you should be at maintenance at a bare minimum to give your body plenty of fuel. However, if you have been in an extreme caloric deficit, you’ll likely need to be put on a reverse diet and possibly see a professional.

You may also want to include some light recovery work to replace the time away from intense training. We're talking about simple walking or a cycle around the park. Just be sure not to turn it into a HIIT session! 

The above would be enough for mild cases. If you have a more severe condition, you're going to likely need to just stop training altogether for some time.

However, at the its heart, overtraining is simply caused by a program that does not properly balance training with recovery. 

Here are some basic things you can do to mitigate your chance of developing overtraining:

• Be sure you have an adequate amount of recovery.
• SLEEP! You need to read this article on the Importance of Sleep!
• Don’t follow an extreme low caloric diet for an extended period of time.
• Perform active recovery on days off or light aerobic work.
• Follow a program with a proper amount of volume and DON’T ADD VOLUME.
• Consume an appropriate amount of calories and protein, specifically carbs and protein.
• Hydrate!

Tips To Prevent Both Burnout And Overtraining

We saw that these two are clearly different, but there is also plenty of overlap. Further, some practices can definitely help with mitigating the development of burnout or overtraining. 

1) Be Honest With How Much You Can Handle:

If you have read SET FOR SET for any length of time, you have heard us many times before talking about the importance of choosing the proper frequency. In our opinion, there's really no reason the majority of the population needs to train six days a week. Five days a week can even be a lot. Four days tend to be the sweet spot for most people and can help fight both burnout and overtraining. 

First, it's only four days meaning you have plenty of time to explore your other interests or work on relationships. Secondly, it's only four days, so you have three full recovery days. You would need to train pretty damn hard to develop overtraining on four days a week. If you’re not sure what to do, give this program a shot: 4-Day Upper Lower Split.

Therefore, just be honest about how many days you can commit when you start a program. If you're unsure, you can handle five days and train for four days. If you're not sure, you can train for four days, train for three days. You're going to be much happier, and your relationship with the gym will be much healthier.

2) Take Deload Weeks Or Time Away:

Similar to above, take a deload or even time away. To be honest, it's not uncommon for us to just step away from the gym for a month when we feel we need it. And for the love of God, don't be that guy bugging his girlfriend to go to the gym on holiday. We're not saying just be a lazy fat ass, but if you're stressing about training on holiday, you are probably developing some unhealthy habits. Instead of going to the gym, going swimming, kayaking, ATV, hiking...just go outside and enjoy yourself!

The point is, don't be afraid to take time away. In fact, while we might not always plan a deload, we will use three-day weekends or vacations as our deloads. Love the gym and love living life. They're not mutually exclusive. Actually, they're quite complementary and you’re missing out if you forgot to enjoy life.

3) Incorporate A Hobby Or Cross-Training:

Similar to the above, find another athletic hobby or get involved in cross-training. For example, MMA and boxing are awesome complementary activities for weight training. You get to spread your social circle, have a sport that works different muscles and movements, AND you'll get fit as heck too! 

Other awesome options are:

• Cycling
• SUP or paddling
• SCUBA or freediving
• Swimming
• Basketball
• Fishing 

Again, the point is to have other interests and hobbies to engage in. Therefore, let's say you're just not feeling the gym. Instead of getting anxious, you can now grab your board and go surf, knowing you're not being lazy. Better yet, you're having fun!

Burnout And Overtraining Final Note:

Burnout and overtraining are both serious conditions that can affect your performance and your quality of life. The good thing is that they're both easily preventable. If you do feel that your burnout is more serious than accidentally taking on too much work, reach out to a coach or friend or someone you can talk to. We're often enemies of our minds too often, and talking can greatly alleviate this stress.

And above all, unless you’re getting paid, don’t take training so seriously. By all means have goals and pursue them with 100% effort. We just don’t want you to live a life full of no fun just so you don’t mess up your gainz. After learning all about overtraining and burnout, you can see there clearly is such a thing as "too much of a good thing".

Related: The Best Ways to Optimize Muscle & Workout Recovery

References:

1. Main LC, Landers GJ. Overtraining or Burnout: A Training and Psycho-Behavioural Case Study. International Journal of Sports Science & Coaching. 2012;7(1):23-31. doi:10.1260/1747-9541.7.1.23

If you have a small back, it’s probably ‘cause you’ve been ignoring the T-Bar Row. Big mistake. T-bar rows are perhaps the best exercise you can perform to add mass and strength to your entire back. And yes, we do have the bent over row in mind when we say that. Not that the bent over row is a bad back exercise, because it’s awesome! And that should tell you how much awesomer the T-bar row is...at least in many cases.

This article will go over what you need to know about t-bar rows:

• What is the T-bar row?
• Benefits of T-bar rows
• T-bar rows muscles worked
• How to perform the T-bar row correctly
• Different grip variations of the T-bar row
• How to build a massive back with the T-bar row

It’s time to say goodbye to your small back - we know it’s small because you haven’t been doing T-bar rows ;)

What Is The T-Bar Row?

The T-bar row is a compound movement that uses a simple machine consisting of a platform to stand on as you straddle a bar fixed at one end. On the non-fixed end (the end you hold), a handle is attached that shoots off on either side, making it resemble the letter “T.” In addition, most T-bar machines also consist of handles that keep going straight to allow a neutral grip. Lastly, a weight collar attached to the end allows you to load plates. This essentially creates a bar that can pivot as you lift it while allowing you to easily add or take away weight.

The T-bar row is one of those exercises that is a bit of a mix between free weights and a machine. It’s not a pure free weight exercise as the bar path is fixed to an extent. However, it’s not really a machine as it’s merely just a rod that can pivot.

While the path is fixed in terms of the arc, it will make going up and down (as it’s on a pivot), the load can still sway left or right. Compare this to the Smith machine where the load can only go up and down. That being said, we would say it heavily leans more towards being a free weight exercise as there is a lot of stabilization going on.

Standing vs Chest Supported T-Bar Row Machines:

Some T-bar row machines will place you in a standing position and some T-bar row machines will have a chest support which has you leaning forward. The main difference between the standing T-bar row machine and the chest support T-bar row machine is that you can go heavier when standing as it allows for more momentum to be used, whereas the chest supported T-bar row creates a strict form. Both are good in their own right and the same muscles will be worked. 

Landmine T-Bar Row With Barbell Set Up:

T-bar rows can also be done with a barbell landmine set up (or simply shoving a barbell into the corner of a wall) and the right attachments. With a landmine set up, you can connect various attachments to the free end of the barbell (a T-bar row handle and/or a D-bar handle attachment) and perform the T-bar row in the exact same way as you would with a T-bar row machine.

So, if you don't have a bonafide T-bar row machine, but you do have a barbell and some attachments, you can still do T-bar rows and all of the following information still applies. 

Note: You could even do a T-bar row without handle attachments by placing your hand stacked on the handle of the barbell just below the loaded sleeve. No excuses not to do T-bar rows over here! And we love all the T-bar row variations.

Benefits Of T-Bar Rows

As you’ve already heard us say a few times, we love this exercise. You could probably guess that’s because there are a ton of benefits. If you did, you would be right. Here are the top benefits of the T-bar row.

1) Can Be Used For Mass And Strength:

Many exercises tend to be either better for strength or hypertrophy for whatever reason. T-bar rows really lie in the middle and can be used effectively for both. It’s great for building strength as you can safely load a lot of weight and perform reps with good form. This is due to it being on the pivot, which tends to be just enough “help” to make this possible.

On the other hand, you can use lighter weight to get a lot of volume for hypertrophy work. Still, there are multiple grips that let you hit the muscles from various angles, which is vital for optimal muscle growth.

2) Allows Multiple Grips To Hit The Muscles A Bit Different:

As alluded to above, T-bar rows allows multiple different grips that can be used to provide a slightly different stimulus for your upper body. For example, here are a few different grips and how they will affect muscle activation differently.

• Overhand Grip: This is your standard grip and will hit every muscle in your back
• Underhand Grip: Will get a little bit more activation in the biceps and possibly the traps
• Wide Grip: Causes more activation in the lats
• Neutral Grip: Allows the most amount of weight and takes stress off the elbow.

This ability to use different grips makes the T-bar row machine extremely versatile and easy to use. Plus, you can use different grips in the same session. For example, most people can use more weight when using the underhand grip. Therefore, a common practice would be to perform as many reps as possible with your overhand grip and then perform a drop set. However, instead of dropping weight, you just switch to the stronger underhand grip and rep it out.

3) Easy To Load And Unload:

When you start using big weight, this actually really is a big deal. One of the most annoying things about free weights is loading the barbell. However, the collar on the T-bar row is elevated, making it very easy to swap out weights. This makes it extremely easy to load as well as perform drop sets. Again, this might seem like a lazy benefit, but when you just finished loading a ton of plates on a deadlift, it’s nice to be able to just throw a plate on a collar and go.

4) Safe To Use:

Because the load is fixed to a rod that pivots, it can add a bit of safety when compared to performing the bent over row. Because it’s fixed, you are able to stay sturdier and keep a tighter back. As mentioned above, this tends to make it easier to perform rows with correct form even when using heavier loads. All of the above can make it a bit less stressful on the back (but you’re still gonna feel it, in a good way).

T-Bar Row Muscles Worked:

When it comes to the muscles you’ll train, it’s literally every single muscle in your back AND your biceps. In fact, it will even train the erector spinae with an isometric hold as you will be leaned forward in a similar fashion as the bent over row. Other than that, the other primary back muscles trained are going to be the lats and traps.

How To Perform T-Bar Rows:

The T-bar row exercise is fairly simple to perform with proper form. However, there are a few important cues. Here’s how to perform T-bar rows: 

1. Load the T-bar with the desired weight.
2. Stand on the foot platform, feet shoulder width apart, with the t-bar in-between your legs.
3. Bend down using a form similar to a deadlift.
4. Get down low and grab the handlebar with an overhand grip. Your hands should be slightly wider than shoulder-width apart.
5. Stand up with the load, again, in a similar fashion as a deadlift.
6. Bend over at your hips to let your torso come down. Push your hips back and have your knees slightly bent.
7. Ideally, you want your torso to be parallel with the angle of the bar. That's truly the proper position. If you’re too high, the bar will come too low as it pivots...Ok, now you are in the starting position.
8. With your arms straight, pull by bringing your elbows back, keeping them at an angle to the torso.
9. Keep your shoulder blades pulled back and concentrate on pulling your elbow back. If you concentrate on the load, it can cause you to use your biceps too much.
10. Bring the load up to your chest.
11. Let the load down until your arms are fully extended. 

The most important things to keep in mind when performing the bent over row are your back angle and driving your elbows back. It can help to think about pushing your chest forward as you’re pulling the load up, as if you’re driving your chest forward. We hope these t bar row tips help you get better muscle activation.

How To Program The T-Bar Row:

The T-bar row exercise is going to definitely enhance your back training. That being said, there are a few ways you can program it and use it to build mass and strength. Therefore, here are a few methods you can use to enhance your training.

a) To Build Strength:

To build strength, you’ll want to use loads at or greater than 85% of your 1RM. As you probably don’t know what your 1RM is, this would be a weight that allows you to perform 6 clean reps. When training for strength, we like to use four or five sets to ensure we are getting enough volume at this load. 

You can use any handle grip, but we would suggest using the neutral grip or underhand grip once in a while, as these allow the heaviest load. Again, feel free to still rotate through the hand grips occasionally.

b) To Build Mass:

To build mass, you’re going to want to use a lighter load from around 80-70% 1RM. As you’re able to perform more reps, you can just use three sets. For these, we could recommend messing around with the wide grip as it’s a lighter hand placement anyways. Further, the standard overhand grip works well, but you can play with any of the grips. 

As mentioned above, a fun way to perform T-bar rows as a last burnout set is to put on a weight and first perform reps with the most challenging grip. Then, once you reach a point where you’re a few reps before failure, you can use the next grip. Continue this until you get to the neutral grip that allows you to lift the most weight.

What this would look like is:

Wide Grip → Standard Overhand Grip → Underhand Grip → Neutral Grip 

Again, this is just a unique version of the droplet that you can perform with the T-bar row.

If you’re really wanting to train your back, train it twice per week and include the T-bar row both days. On one day, you’re going to want to build strength and train to build mass on the second. This is a great way to optimize your training to ensure you get the best of both worlds.

The T-Bar Row Is The Back Exercise You’re Missing!

T-bar rows are simple, effective, easy to perform, and versatile. Plus, it’ll definitely increase the size of your back. There’s really not much else to say about this exercise, so do yourself a favor and start making the T-bar row a staple of your back training. It definitely needs to be part of your back training routine.

If for some reason you can't do the T-bar row exercise, good news, we have some great alternatives to T-bar rows for you. There are also many dumbbell rows that you can do. Check out these dumbbell back exercises.