Strength is not just building muscles, lifting weights or looking good but functional fitness and endurance. This style of training includes all the exercises necessary to ensure you are strong in each muscle, decreasing the chance of injury and increasing general fitness levels. Regardless of whether you are a newbie or have been to the gym for some time, here are 7 best overall strength exercises that target different muscle groups and ensure overall fitness.
Squats
Squats are one of the most basic compound exercise that will hit all parts of your lower body; quadriceps, hamstrings, glutes and calves. They also engage the core for stability and balance. The squat is a fundamental lower body exercise that you should always have in your routine, whether you’re doing bodyweight squats, goblet squats or barbell squats for strength and functionality.
Deadlifts
Primarily focus on the posterior chain (hamstrings, glutes, lower back, traps). This exercise not only develops the muscles used for lifting and bending but also tightens grip strength and posture. Deadlifts are also a very technical lift, and you want to be sure that your deadlifts are on point before you start going heavy with them.
The bench press is a staple upper body exercise that targets the chest, shoulders, and triceps. This exercise is compound and activates a lot of stabilizing muscles throughout your core and upper back. The bench press is one of tow heavy lifting and muscle development exercises, whether using the barbell or dumbbells with weight plates, exercising bands to building up upper body hip power.
Pull-ups/Chin-Ups
Pull-ups and chin-ups are great body-weight exercises that work the back, arms, and shoulders. They also strengthen the core as well for more balance and stability. Although these exercises may be difficult at first, they are great ways to work on upper body strength and grip strength over time through progression.
Overhead Press
Also called the shoulder press, an overhead press primarily works your deltoid muscles in your shoulders, it also involves your triceps and upper chest. This movement also works the musculature needed to stabilize and maneuver your shoulder while pressing objects overhead. The overhead press is a big compound lift that can be performed with a barbell, dumbbells or kettlebells, and is one of the most foundational functional strength movements for upper body strength and shoulder mechanics.
Rows
Rows are a fundamental movement for developing upper-back strength, specifically the lats, rhomboids and traps. No matter the bent-over rows, seated rows or inverted rows, this exercise allows you to maintain proper posture and prevents back pain while developing general upper body strength.
Lunges
A great exercise that works the quads, hamstrings, glutes and calves. They likewise engage the core to help with stability and balance. They can be done in multiple directions (forward, backward and lateral) arms behind your back or with weights to increase difficulty and incorporate more muscle groups.
Doing these seven exercises will develop strength throughout the entire body, ensuring balanced development and functional fitness! Just start lifting with the lightest weights available and make sure you have proper form so that you injure yourself as little as possible while optimizing results. Varying and progressing your workouts will also ensure that you will challenge your muscles to be always adapting to the next stimulus, so that you continue to increase strength and athleticism as well.
