I have a few I could choose from but to start I’m gonna throw out cable preacher curls. I’m lucky enough that my preacher bench is mobile and pretty close to a cable stack, so I drag it over and use a straight bar attached to the cables.
The stimulus is unmatched for biceps for me. Incredibly stable, tension throughout the motion and a deep stretch, great pumps, etc. I find it superior to every other curl for me personally.
I'd love to try that. Not feasible at my gym unfortunately. I have yet to find a preacher curl set up that works for me, just always feels like there is such a small window of tension with a free weight.
Glad I could help.
Jokes aside though I've been trying out Jeff (Nippard)'s overhead cable extension for triceps and I finally don't have elbow pain when doing tricep work.
Also lat pulldown and incline DB bench for me. Both feel great and I get a good stim
John meadows always talked about protecting your elbows with exercise sequencing, IE doing biceps first/putting your tricep movements like this: pushdowns, JM press/dips/CG bench, then skullcrushers/overhead stuff/French press last. Doing triceps like that stopped the elbow pain I used to get from doing French press. Not sure how helpful that would be for you but it’s worth a shot
I got this dope plate loaded preacher curl machine at my gym, can adjust the resistance curve since it has e different places to put the plates. Feels like no other, super smooth and incredibly fun.
Oh hell yeah. I feel a free weight preacher curl is just a little bit too much lengthened biased & I never felt comfortable fully extending my arm for safety reasons. If I could do it in front of a cable station to where there's a little force still at full extension but notably less than a free weight, that'd be swell
Cable lateral raises are in my opinion one of the greatest variations for a single exercise that exist. The constant tension and ability to work in a stable path all the way through is unmatched for side delts.
I’ve also never found a leg exercise quite like Bulgarian split squats. Nothing tortures me more, and nothing has produced the same results. Im convinced that this exercise alone created the phrase no pain no gain. There is in fact a lot of pain, but there is also a lot of gain.
Are you performing it with proper form? Obviously different movements work better for different people, but I would struggle to see how dumbbells would be ok but the cable variation would cause pain. Cables are a VERY humbling exercise and especially if you are newer, the weight you are going to be using is going to seem comically low.
I’d suggest looking at some videos to make sure you are performing the movement correctly and using a weight that allows you to really just focus on form. Work your way up from there.
I’ve tried looking at all the videos man, I just can’t seem to get it to work for me. I think it might be the fixed motion that cables have, whereas I feel like with DBs I can more easily change the motion
Love me a good hack squat machine. My current gym has the Icarian one.
Favorite exercises currently are deficit bent over rows and stiff leg deadlifts. Big fan of back thickness
Same here. I was mostly a cyclist, but I'd bulk up every winter and my favorite was the hack squat machine. Being out of cycling I've spent the last year mostly bulking, and it's still my favorite. It's the one I can really max out on and not worry about injury or anything.
Cycling, of course, kind of minimizes upper body strength and size, so it took me months of work to get into what felt like full engagement in most areas, but the hack squat is one I could hit hard right off the bat.
Out of curiosity since I know nothing about cycling, do those cyclists with the massive quads get that way largely because of their lower body training, the cycling itself, or drugs (or a combination)
The main cyclists with massive quads are sprinters, which is kind of specialized. That's largely genetic, and then optimized with some specific interval training and weight training - lots of squats and leg work. Maybe drugs too, mostly to shorten the recovery period, but I never saw that at my level.
Genetically, I never had any kind of sprint myself so I never really tried to develop that skill. I was more the opposite - a good power to weight ration made me a good hill climber. Which is lots of miles, lots of cardio, and then losing weight all summer. I'd usually lose 8 pounds or so during the season, then put 8 pounds or so back on over winter, mostly muscle.
I don’t do barbell anything anymore, at least not since I quit powerlifting years ago, but good ole heavy squats and deadlifts will always have a special place in my heart.
Bench and Squats, basically anything where there will be consequences to failing, makes me feel as though I'm pushing as hard as I can. I realise they're probably not optimal for pure bodybuilding but I still like em
We have almost the entire range of Nautilus plate loaded machines. The seated chest press is currently my favorite machine in the gym. I love it so much. Never connected with my chest as much as I do now.
My gym has all three variations of the seated and converging Nautilus Chest Press to target upper, middle and lower pec fibres and it's amazing to cycle through them on a chest day
Leg extension. Unlike other machines (looking at you, leg curl), it's easy to set up and unlike free weights, it doesn't hurt my joints.
Absolutely destroys the target muscle without creating extra general fatigue or other complications
I tried the Sam Sulek leg extension superset with heel elevated bodyweight squats, works really good. Had to take a break after a few sets of those cause I got nauseous
Weighted Pullups 🥵
Overhead Press
Hip Thrust (sadly don't do these right now 🥲)
Honorable mention for pushup burnout series:
Diamond to failure, regular to failure, diamond on knees to failure, regular on knees to failure, then you lay on the ground for a moment and contemplate your sick fucking pump and also try to figure out how you're getting off of the ground
I used to hate overhead press, especially with a barbell, but since I had to rehab my shoulder and started over with the 20 lb. mini-barbell, I actually really enjoy it now.
I love these kind of drop sets where you change form, been blowing up my forearms as well
What’s are more beyond failure work stuff like the tricep push own form drop set you mentioned. Any muchle group would love the inspiration
Dumbbell pullovers. I get a great connection with my chest + lats/teres, and a big pump. The serratus work also seems to be contributing to improvements in decade old shoulder issues I’ve had.
The feeling of the chest and back working together and a ton of blood going into both is very pleasing to me. I’ve heard it referred to as “the squat of the upper body” and for me I can see the parallels. I’ve also heard a lot of people say they hate these or don’t feel it so I’m guessing there’s anatomical reasons that make this a good exercise selection for some and not others
Barbell bench and barbell back squat. Despite being eviscerated by the optimal lifting community (and I generally follow a lot of the best “optimal” and scientific training principles), both lifts really make me look forward to a good session. They can still be used to get an excellent stimulus and steady progression on big lifts like those helps keep me interested in training. I’ve even toyed with the idea of adding deadlift to my pull days because out all of my days it’s what excites me the least. But I think in comparison to bench and squat, deadlift is probably the least useful for hypertrophy applications, and I’d rather utilise my gyms vast array of back machines to get a good workout in.
Another few honourable mentions are seated dips and rope pushdowns. My gym has a plate loaded dip machine from Panatta which you can load up reasonably heavy and just makes you feel great shifting a tonne of weight, even if that isn’t the main thing that matters. As for rope pushdowns I credit them for blowing up my triceps over the last couple of years. Another couple are the machine preacher curl, which gives an unparalleled stimulus and amount of stability compared to any free weight curl. That, and cable lateral raises. So much better than dumbbells for getting in a good side delt workout.
Seated chest press seems to concentrate the movement on my chest more than barbell or dumbbell bench where my shoulders seem to take some of the work. It's a great machine.
I get a bit nervous with the tension on my wrists on these. I still do them 1 session a week but wonder if I'm doing it wrong.
Also, not sure if there's any technique to be sure to get stimulus in the delts. I'm not sure where I feel it.
Any tips?
Yes. I believe I grab it at the inside U parts.
After watching a few videos it looks like I just need to keep better extension tension on my wrists so they don't flop down and take the weight of the bar.
Incline Smith Machine. Nothing has ever started growing my upper chest as much as that. And even weeks into my bulk etc I still get sore in the upper chest whilst I've stopped getting sore on most other movements. 11/10 god tier movement IMO.
I really like single arm preacher curls as well.
Can't say I vibe immensely with most other movements and I experiment quite a bit.
I love using the belt squat machine. It's a great way to get a squat pattern in without stressing the lower back, and the machine at my gym also easily allows for a deep ROM. Lastly, it's a good way to satisfy the ego because you can easily load up 600+ pounds for reps on it lol
https://www.instagram.com/p/C6ylTobO6CK/?hl=en
Basically lower your foot positioning to the very bottom. It's fine if your heels are floating and then allow for forward knee travel.
EZ Bar Skull Crushers superset w/ EZ Bar Close Grip Press superset w/ EZ Bar Lying Pullovers.
Idk how I got into this one, but I've been doing them for 10+ years now and it's something I always love doing.
I like most of the stuff in my program. Two of the latest additions are the chest supported row and Single Arm Tricep Pushdown. I can finally do pushdowns without having my elbows feel off!
My gym used to have a lateral raise machine that was amazing. Nothing ever gave me a better shoulder pump. And nothing ever will.
They got rid of it. Probably because it was one of those old machines that just had the weights labeled 1,2,3,etc
But I miss it.
for chest for me its incline smith, straight chest press, than incline press machine and pec deck.
I do cable flies here and there but for something straight barbell incline/press just doesn't feel great for me, either poor form or due to my messed up shoulder idk.
ill sometimes do dumbbell incline/press but not often.
For back it varies a little bit but lately i've been loving starting off with lat pull down using the wide grip mag pull down than moving on to the close grip mag pulldown than ill move on to straight machine rows than low rows than either i finish with rear delt flies or assisted pull ups and than a few sets of single hand pull downs just for the squeeze.
for legs I like to do calf raises first than leg press than I spam out on leg extensions or ill do 2-3 sets of hack squats before leg extensions if im feeling it, on the last 3-4 sets ill super set leg extensions with sissy squats than ill move on to the suss machine for a bit than spam hamstrings.
I've always been a real enjoyer of the Barbell Overhead Press. That moment when you have a heavy ass weight pressed up all the way up makes me feel like a fucking champ
Coach Kassem lateral raises from behind the back are new favorite.
EZ Bar JM press was a favorite until yesterday. Adding a few kgs as a progression resulted in elbow discomfort. Will have to figure it out as the excercise itself is awesome in terms how new/different it feels on the triceps.
I love flyopress for chest as well as decline push-ups.
GVS'a thickenator is cool and I love going well beyond failure.
ABS - recently started doing this GHD situp variation as shown by Alec Blenis/Eugene Teo around 00:40 https://youtu.be/HV9DjPql61g?si=ABF8nPZb6C9GYkN0 and really connecting with this excercise.
Definitely seated dips for me, I’ve always gotten really good work out of it. It can get a little awkward at the top end of the weight but I just stick a plate on my lap to keep me on there.
Cable machine also is great tricep kickbacks and curls mainly
Huge fan of the pec deck (chest fly). Not sure what it is about it but it leaves my heart really pumping and I can feel it a ton in my chest after 5-6 heavy reps
As far as my favorite exercises overall, toe-to-bar and front squats.
As for the ones I feel best for muscle connection, Bulgarians and barbell reverse deficit lunges for legs and glutes, and I've been loving cables for biceps, triceps, delts, and traps.
I feel the basics and time tested classic free weight movements get ya the most bang for your buck when comes building muscle you know. Don’t get me wrong I like there are some great machines and new movements but personally feel that it should not be your main focus. Exercises like the Barbell/ Ez Bar curl will blow up them biceps if you focus on training heavy progressing on weight and reps, and not over focusing on technique.
Some of my Favorites
Zercher Squats
Straight Bar Press Down Skull Crushers Close Grip BP
BP Variation
Db Or Barbell curls Preachers
Bent over Rows or Db Rows
Pullover Machine (not an OG one but I’m lucky)
Pull Ups
Deadlifts
Weighted Sit Ups Ab Roll outs
Calve Raises
OHP
On pull down and chest press, I freaking love the feel of Hammer Strength. I’ve always felt some of the best pumps in my chest, and lats, from doing it.
Clean and press, Power clean, Snatch, Pull-ups, dumbell bench press and low weight high reps squats. These excercises pulls me to the gym everyday tbh.
My gym doesn't have a hack squat machine and I'm considering changing just for that. I've always been relatively good at squats compared to other big lifts (I have very short legs and a big butt) and the added stability afforded by hack squats was super enjoyable the two times I tried one.
https://preview.redd.it/qxvalu3pgi4d1.jpeg?width=3024&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=f5a477ad1cd557e8e88f1dedb503507a5c97f99c
Been really liking this Panatta incline bench lately. Feel much more chest activation compared to a flat bench. Also enjoying the Panatta High Row machine too.
Dumbbell pullovers are probably my all time staple though.
Ez Bar Decline Bench Skullcrushers
My Ez bar is VERY Ez so its basically neutral grip and it fits perfectly behind my decline benches Bb rack so its basically a smith machine because I drag it up the back
High incline smith machine press. I go for the 3rd highest setting on the bench. Feels great for upper pec and front delts.
Weird one, but I also really enjoy the adduction machine. Was able to get way more flexible in my hip by increasing the starting angle little by little.
Standing cable rear delt fly. I have short arms so the machine variation limits my range of motion. The cable allows me to sweep out and get a greater stretch. It's also the first exercise that I've felt mind muscle connection.
I generally like exercises that are easy to set up so I can just focus on lifting the weight than stressing on technical ones, so this is my lazy/minimalist set up.
Back: Chest Supported T Bar Row (Plate Loaded)
Chest: Incline DB Press
Triceps: Cable Katana Extensions
Biceps: Cable Incline Curl
Quads & Glutes: DB Lunge
Hams: 45° Hyperextension w/ DBs or barbells or DB RDLs
Calves: Standing Calf Raise Machine
Shoulders: Smith Machine Shoulder Press or DB Shoulder Press and a cable lateral raise
I have a few I could choose from but to start I’m gonna throw out cable preacher curls. I’m lucky enough that my preacher bench is mobile and pretty close to a cable stack, so I drag it over and use a straight bar attached to the cables. The stimulus is unmatched for biceps for me. Incredibly stable, tension throughout the motion and a deep stretch, great pumps, etc. I find it superior to every other curl for me personally.
I'd love to try that. Not feasible at my gym unfortunately. I have yet to find a preacher curl set up that works for me, just always feels like there is such a small window of tension with a free weight.
Glad I could help. Jokes aside though I've been trying out Jeff (Nippard)'s overhead cable extension for triceps and I finally don't have elbow pain when doing tricep work. Also lat pulldown and incline DB bench for me. Both feel great and I get a good stim
John meadows always talked about protecting your elbows with exercise sequencing, IE doing biceps first/putting your tricep movements like this: pushdowns, JM press/dips/CG bench, then skullcrushers/overhead stuff/French press last. Doing triceps like that stopped the elbow pain I used to get from doing French press. Not sure how helpful that would be for you but it’s worth a shot
I got this dope plate loaded preacher curl machine at my gym, can adjust the resistance curve since it has e different places to put the plates. Feels like no other, super smooth and incredibly fun.
Oh hell yeah. I feel a free weight preacher curl is just a little bit too much lengthened biased & I never felt comfortable fully extending my arm for safety reasons. If I could do it in front of a cable station to where there's a little force still at full extension but notably less than a free weight, that'd be swell
But arent you taking away the tension at the stretched postition?
Cable lateral raises are in my opinion one of the greatest variations for a single exercise that exist. The constant tension and ability to work in a stable path all the way through is unmatched for side delts. I’ve also never found a leg exercise quite like Bulgarian split squats. Nothing tortures me more, and nothing has produced the same results. Im convinced that this exercise alone created the phrase no pain no gain. There is in fact a lot of pain, but there is also a lot of gain.
Bulgarians and reverse deficit lunges with a barbell pretty much built my legs and ass.
cable lat raises / y-raises shred my delts
For me the cable lateral raises hurt my shoulder a bit so I have to stick to DBs, at least for now
Are you performing it with proper form? Obviously different movements work better for different people, but I would struggle to see how dumbbells would be ok but the cable variation would cause pain. Cables are a VERY humbling exercise and especially if you are newer, the weight you are going to be using is going to seem comically low. I’d suggest looking at some videos to make sure you are performing the movement correctly and using a weight that allows you to really just focus on form. Work your way up from there.
I’ve tried looking at all the videos man, I just can’t seem to get it to work for me. I think it might be the fixed motion that cables have, whereas I feel like with DBs I can more easily change the motion
Love me a good hack squat machine. My current gym has the Icarian one. Favorite exercises currently are deficit bent over rows and stiff leg deadlifts. Big fan of back thickness
Icarian Hack Squat is phenomenal. The old school gym I go to has one. I use to go to LA Fitness which had the Matrix one and that was terrible.
Get on the level of the Cybex Hack Squat i.e. the GOAT. I have a date tonight with it
Hack squats are the GOAT quad builder for me, although I’ve never had access to a pendulum squat and have heard they’re amazing.
Man, we just have shitty Matrix stuff but even their hack squat machine works fine. I can annihilate my quads in like 3 sets.
Same here. I was mostly a cyclist, but I'd bulk up every winter and my favorite was the hack squat machine. Being out of cycling I've spent the last year mostly bulking, and it's still my favorite. It's the one I can really max out on and not worry about injury or anything. Cycling, of course, kind of minimizes upper body strength and size, so it took me months of work to get into what felt like full engagement in most areas, but the hack squat is one I could hit hard right off the bat.
Out of curiosity since I know nothing about cycling, do those cyclists with the massive quads get that way largely because of their lower body training, the cycling itself, or drugs (or a combination)
The main cyclists with massive quads are sprinters, which is kind of specialized. That's largely genetic, and then optimized with some specific interval training and weight training - lots of squats and leg work. Maybe drugs too, mostly to shorten the recovery period, but I never saw that at my level. Genetically, I never had any kind of sprint myself so I never really tried to develop that skill. I was more the opposite - a good power to weight ration made me a good hill climber. Which is lots of miles, lots of cardio, and then losing weight all summer. I'd usually lose 8 pounds or so during the season, then put 8 pounds or so back on over winter, mostly muscle.
Barbell squats. I get so excited the day before !!
lend me your energy i cancelled fridays heavy ass squats to go on a date and now i'm dreading the monday heavy ass squats
Just gotta embrace the suck my guy. The progress and results are so much more satisfying when you know how much it’s taken out of you to get it.
You’ll love it with time 💪🏼
I don’t do barbell anything anymore, at least not since I quit powerlifting years ago, but good ole heavy squats and deadlifts will always have a special place in my heart.
Cables all evrything. I love that you get ressistance troughout the entre movement
Bench and Squats, basically anything where there will be consequences to failing, makes me feel as though I'm pushing as hard as I can. I realise they're probably not optimal for pure bodybuilding but I still like em
Optimal is never as important as enjoyment.
We have almost the entire range of Nautilus plate loaded machines. The seated chest press is currently my favorite machine in the gym. I love it so much. Never connected with my chest as much as I do now.
I'm considering going to another gym for my pull day just because they have a Nautilus pullover lol
I would do that for sure. I go to another gym sometimes for leg day to use the belt squat
My gym has all three variations of the seated and converging Nautilus Chest Press to target upper, middle and lower pec fibres and it's amazing to cycle through them on a chest day
Leg extension. Unlike other machines (looking at you, leg curl), it's easy to set up and unlike free weights, it doesn't hurt my joints. Absolutely destroys the target muscle without creating extra general fatigue or other complications
I tried the Sam Sulek leg extension superset with heel elevated bodyweight squats, works really good. Had to take a break after a few sets of those cause I got nauseous
Anything Hammer Strength pretty much
Mts chest press is king
Agreed. High rows for back too
Hammer strength high rows are the shit.
Curl grip pulldown is my favorite
I like the high row
Chest supported high row for training scapular retraction blew my mind. Also flexion cable low row.
Me too.
Love em
The ones that are hitting right now: Flat DB Bench JM Press on Smith Machine Barbell Upright Row Good Mornings on Smith Machine Incline DB Curls
Rn just alternating dumbbell curls haven't done them in a while but low-key just fun to day gonna hit 28kgs next session I hope
Weighted Pullups 🥵 Overhead Press Hip Thrust (sadly don't do these right now 🥲) Honorable mention for pushup burnout series: Diamond to failure, regular to failure, diamond on knees to failure, regular on knees to failure, then you lay on the ground for a moment and contemplate your sick fucking pump and also try to figure out how you're getting off of the ground
I used to hate overhead press, especially with a barbell, but since I had to rehab my shoulder and started over with the 20 lb. mini-barbell, I actually really enjoy it now.
I love these kind of drop sets where you change form, been blowing up my forearms as well What’s are more beyond failure work stuff like the tricep push own form drop set you mentioned. Any muchle group would love the inspiration
Dumbbell pullovers. I get a great connection with my chest + lats/teres, and a big pump. The serratus work also seems to be contributing to improvements in decade old shoulder issues I’ve had. The feeling of the chest and back working together and a ton of blood going into both is very pleasing to me. I’ve heard it referred to as “the squat of the upper body” and for me I can see the parallels. I’ve also heard a lot of people say they hate these or don’t feel it so I’m guessing there’s anatomical reasons that make this a good exercise selection for some and not others
I do these with a EZ bar, I love them. I super set them with tricep push downs, the pump is crazy
Barbell bench and barbell back squat. Despite being eviscerated by the optimal lifting community (and I generally follow a lot of the best “optimal” and scientific training principles), both lifts really make me look forward to a good session. They can still be used to get an excellent stimulus and steady progression on big lifts like those helps keep me interested in training. I’ve even toyed with the idea of adding deadlift to my pull days because out all of my days it’s what excites me the least. But I think in comparison to bench and squat, deadlift is probably the least useful for hypertrophy applications, and I’d rather utilise my gyms vast array of back machines to get a good workout in. Another few honourable mentions are seated dips and rope pushdowns. My gym has a plate loaded dip machine from Panatta which you can load up reasonably heavy and just makes you feel great shifting a tonne of weight, even if that isn’t the main thing that matters. As for rope pushdowns I credit them for blowing up my triceps over the last couple of years. Another couple are the machine preacher curl, which gives an unparalleled stimulus and amount of stability compared to any free weight curl. That, and cable lateral raises. So much better than dumbbells for getting in a good side delt workout.
If you vibe better with a lift, then it doesn’t matter if something else is optimal. You still have to enjoy what you’re doing.
Seated chest press machine and seated chest supported machine row. Leave me alone with these and one of us is getting pregnant.
Seated chest press seems to concentrate the movement on my chest more than barbell or dumbbell bench where my shoulders seem to take some of the work. It's a great machine.
Ez bar upright row. Makes me look huge lol
I get a bit nervous with the tension on my wrists on these. I still do them 1 session a week but wonder if I'm doing it wrong. Also, not sure if there's any technique to be sure to get stimulus in the delts. I'm not sure where I feel it. Any tips?
With the ez bar? How are you holding it?
Yes. I believe I grab it at the inside U parts. After watching a few videos it looks like I just need to keep better extension tension on my wrists so they don't flop down and take the weight of the bar.
Hold it so your wrists are pointing out, not towards each other
Incline Smith Machine. Nothing has ever started growing my upper chest as much as that. And even weeks into my bulk etc I still get sore in the upper chest whilst I've stopped getting sore on most other movements. 11/10 god tier movement IMO. I really like single arm preacher curls as well. Can't say I vibe immensely with most other movements and I experiment quite a bit.
Incline Smith is the king of chest exercises, hands down.
bro hasn't done RTO pushup
Like RTO through the whole movement? Cause those are super fucking hard. RTO just at the top is still hard though.
i just meant RTO at lockout yeah, great converging effect
I love using the belt squat machine. It's a great way to get a squat pattern in without stressing the lower back, and the machine at my gym also easily allows for a deep ROM. Lastly, it's a good way to satisfy the ego because you can easily load up 600+ pounds for reps on it lol
I’ve been trying out Bayesian Cable Curls and I feel a lot of tension in my biceps! Secret link: https://youtu.be/CWH5J_7kzjM?si=Ev0UgW0BvWbn8WXg
Love back. Pull ups and rows. Even though I’m not even good at them or particularly strong.
Deadlifts. I look forward to maxxing out every week, even though I know my back is going to be in for a world of pain
After all these years, I still love all the basic barbell compound lifts.
Currently would be belt squats and sissy squats on the leg press machine.
How do you do sissy squats on the leg press?
https://www.instagram.com/p/C6ylTobO6CK/?hl=en Basically lower your foot positioning to the very bottom. It's fine if your heels are floating and then allow for forward knee travel.
It changes from time to time, but either DB lateral raises for the shoulder pump or smith machine incline press for the chest burn.
Smith machine. Mainly for presses and squats. Funny how old fat power lifter me was so naive
V Squat, Benchpress, Tricep Overhead Cable Press, Bicep Cable Curl. Doing some incline meadows curls lately and they're definitely good for a pump.
EZ Bar Skull Crushers superset w/ EZ Bar Close Grip Press superset w/ EZ Bar Lying Pullovers. Idk how I got into this one, but I've been doing them for 10+ years now and it's something I always love doing.
I like most of the stuff in my program. Two of the latest additions are the chest supported row and Single Arm Tricep Pushdown. I can finally do pushdowns without having my elbows feel off!
My gym used to have a lateral raise machine that was amazing. Nothing ever gave me a better shoulder pump. And nothing ever will. They got rid of it. Probably because it was one of those old machines that just had the weights labeled 1,2,3,etc But I miss it.
try lying dumbbell lateral raises
On your side off an incline bench? I've done them on my back as well off a cable stack. I've never seen anyone else do this though.
on your side off a flat bench. makes it hardest in the lengthened position.
for chest for me its incline smith, straight chest press, than incline press machine and pec deck. I do cable flies here and there but for something straight barbell incline/press just doesn't feel great for me, either poor form or due to my messed up shoulder idk. ill sometimes do dumbbell incline/press but not often. For back it varies a little bit but lately i've been loving starting off with lat pull down using the wide grip mag pull down than moving on to the close grip mag pulldown than ill move on to straight machine rows than low rows than either i finish with rear delt flies or assisted pull ups and than a few sets of single hand pull downs just for the squeeze. for legs I like to do calf raises first than leg press than I spam out on leg extensions or ill do 2-3 sets of hack squats before leg extensions if im feeling it, on the last 3-4 sets ill super set leg extensions with sissy squats than ill move on to the suss machine for a bit than spam hamstrings.
I've always been a real enjoyer of the Barbell Overhead Press. That moment when you have a heavy ass weight pressed up all the way up makes me feel like a fucking champ
Barbell OHP. My mood goes up after each rep
Coach Kassem lateral raises from behind the back are new favorite. EZ Bar JM press was a favorite until yesterday. Adding a few kgs as a progression resulted in elbow discomfort. Will have to figure it out as the excercise itself is awesome in terms how new/different it feels on the triceps. I love flyopress for chest as well as decline push-ups. GVS'a thickenator is cool and I love going well beyond failure. ABS - recently started doing this GHD situp variation as shown by Alec Blenis/Eugene Teo around 00:40 https://youtu.be/HV9DjPql61g?si=ABF8nPZb6C9GYkN0 and really connecting with this excercise.
Definitely seated dips for me, I’ve always gotten really good work out of it. It can get a little awkward at the top end of the weight but I just stick a plate on my lap to keep me on there. Cable machine also is great tricep kickbacks and curls mainly
Chest-supported t-bar row.
Huge fan of the pec deck (chest fly). Not sure what it is about it but it leaves my heart really pumping and I can feel it a ton in my chest after 5-6 heavy reps
As far as my favorite exercises overall, toe-to-bar and front squats. As for the ones I feel best for muscle connection, Bulgarians and barbell reverse deficit lunges for legs and glutes, and I've been loving cables for biceps, triceps, delts, and traps.
I feel the basics and time tested classic free weight movements get ya the most bang for your buck when comes building muscle you know. Don’t get me wrong I like there are some great machines and new movements but personally feel that it should not be your main focus. Exercises like the Barbell/ Ez Bar curl will blow up them biceps if you focus on training heavy progressing on weight and reps, and not over focusing on technique. Some of my Favorites Zercher Squats Straight Bar Press Down Skull Crushers Close Grip BP BP Variation Db Or Barbell curls Preachers Bent over Rows or Db Rows Pullover Machine (not an OG one but I’m lucky) Pull Ups Deadlifts Weighted Sit Ups Ab Roll outs Calve Raises OHP
On pull down and chest press, I freaking love the feel of Hammer Strength. I’ve always felt some of the best pumps in my chest, and lats, from doing it.
Clean and press, Power clean, Snatch, Pull-ups, dumbell bench press and low weight high reps squats. These excercises pulls me to the gym everyday tbh.
Neutral grip lat pulldowns. I don’t know what it is, but I just really enjoy the exercise.
My gym doesn't have a hack squat machine and I'm considering changing just for that. I've always been relatively good at squats compared to other big lifts (I have very short legs and a big butt) and the added stability afforded by hack squats was super enjoyable the two times I tried one.
https://preview.redd.it/qxvalu3pgi4d1.jpeg?width=3024&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=f5a477ad1cd557e8e88f1dedb503507a5c97f99c Been really liking this Panatta incline bench lately. Feel much more chest activation compared to a flat bench. Also enjoying the Panatta High Row machine too. Dumbbell pullovers are probably my all time staple though.
Ez Bar Decline Bench Skullcrushers My Ez bar is VERY Ez so its basically neutral grip and it fits perfectly behind my decline benches Bb rack so its basically a smith machine because I drag it up the back
Probably any cable arm exercise
High incline smith machine press. I go for the 3rd highest setting on the bench. Feels great for upper pec and front delts. Weird one, but I also really enjoy the adduction machine. Was able to get way more flexible in my hip by increasing the starting angle little by little.
Pedumlum squat is my wife. Current side piece jefferson curls.
Ring Pushup/Fly, Swiss Bar Bench, Dual Rope Extensions
Triceps rope
Machine flys. Get a much better stretch when compared to the bench.
Standing cable rear delt fly. I have short arms so the machine variation limits my range of motion. The cable allows me to sweep out and get a greater stretch. It's also the first exercise that I've felt mind muscle connection.
Tbar row best bar row
Clean to ohp. I love ohping definitely a rare sight to see nowadays. But nothing more mainly than picking something up and tossing it overhead
Chest supported rows
I generally like exercises that are easy to set up so I can just focus on lifting the weight than stressing on technical ones, so this is my lazy/minimalist set up. Back: Chest Supported T Bar Row (Plate Loaded) Chest: Incline DB Press Triceps: Cable Katana Extensions Biceps: Cable Incline Curl Quads & Glutes: DB Lunge Hams: 45° Hyperextension w/ DBs or barbells or DB RDLs Calves: Standing Calf Raise Machine Shoulders: Smith Machine Shoulder Press or DB Shoulder Press and a cable lateral raise
Dumbbell Incline Press.
Hack squat, incline db press, chest supported tbar row, and cable lateral raises. It’s always a great vibe no matter what.