Exercises

Mastering Proper Exercise Technique for Effective Training

Here you will find a selection of quick guides for the proper execution of key strength training exercises. These exercises have been carefully chosen due to their high effectiveness and their ability to target multiple muscle groups simultaneously.

However, please note that the exercises listed here do not necessarily have to be included in your training plan. Each exercise can be replaced by another that better suits your individual goals and needs. Additionally, it's important to prioritize enjoyment in your training to stay motivated in the long term.

The information provided for each exercise offers only a brief overview and does not cover all the details. Each exercise is complex, and there are many factors to consider to ensure correct execution and maximize effectiveness. Therefore, I recommend using this quick guide as a reference and consulting a professional trainer for any uncertainties or questions.

Deadlift

Muscle groups targeted

Primary: Glutes, Hamstrings, Lower back
Secondary: Abdominals, Shoulders, Upper back, Forearms

Preparation

• Position yourself with your feet shoulder-width apart and the bar in a line over the middle of your feet. Your knees should be pointing in the same direction as your toes.

• Grip the bar at about shoulder-width and keep your arms straight. Your palms can either face backwards or one palm faces forwards and one faces backwards (mixed grip).

• Bend your hips and lower your buttocks into the starting position, until your back is straight or slightly hollow.

• Pull your shoulders down and keep your head in line with your spine.

• Before you begin the actual movement, grip the bar firmly and generate tension so that the bar lifts slightly off the ground, but the plates do not lift completely.

Execution

• Push the bar up in a straight line over the middle of your feet by pushing your hips forward, until you are fully upright.

• Lower the bar back down by moving your hips back while keeping your back straight or slightly hollow.

• Make sure your back remains straight or slightly hollow throughout the entire movement to avoid injury.

Other Information

• It is recommended to wear flat shoes to have a stable base.

• Straps can be used to achieve a better grip.

• A weightlifting belt can help achieve a stable posture of the spine by increasing intra-abdominal pressure.

Alternative Exercise Variations

Romanian Deadlift
The Romanian deadlift is a variation of the deadlift that focuses on isolating the posterior thigh muscles. Unlike the conventional deadlift, the movement in Romanian deadlift starts with an upright torso. During the downward movement, the buttocks are pushed back and the back remains straight or slightly hollow. The bar is brought close to the body until it is just above the knees. Then, the movement is completed by straightening the hips back to an upright position.

Stiff-Legged Deadlift
The stiff-legged deadlift is similar to the Romanian deadlift, but the movement in this variation starts with an upright torso and straight legs. The bar is lifted from the ground with straight arms, with a focus on strengthening the quadriceps and gluteal muscles. When lowering the bar, the movement is accompanied by lowering the torso to a certain point before placing the bar back on the ground.

Squats

Muscle groups targeted

Primary: Thigh muscles (front and back), Glutes
Secondary: Adductors, Abductors, Calves, Abs, Lower back

Preparation

• Place the barbell on your neck muscles and grip it as close as possible, keeping your wrists straight.

• Stand with a shoulder-width or slightly wider stance, and slightly turn your toes outward. Your knees should be pointing in the same direction as your toes.

• Keep your back straight or in a slight arch.

Execution

• Lower your body as far down as possible and then return to the starting position.

• Make sure your heels remain on the ground and your upper body stays as upright as possible.

Other Information

• Ideally, you should wear flat shoes or shoes with a heel lift.

• A weightlifting belt can help achieve a stable posture of the spine by increasing intra-abdominal pressure.

• A training partner or spotter can be helpful to increase safety during the exercise and to catch the weight if necessary.

• It's not a problem if your knees extend beyond your toes during the exercise.

Alternative Exercise Variations

Front Squats
Front squats are an alternative to conventional squats, where the barbell rests on the front of your shoulders. Unlike squats, front squats place greater emphasis on the front thigh muscles and lower back. The execution is similar to conventional squats, but the barbell position is different. Stand with a shoulder-width stance, hold the barbell with both hands at the ends in front of your chest, and perform the squat by lowering your body as far down as possible and then returning to the starting position. Keep your elbows up throughout the movement and keep your upper body upright.

Bench Press

Muscle groups targeted

Primary: Chest
Secondary: Shoulder, Triceps

Preparation

• Lie down on the bench, making sure that either your feet are flat on the floor or you're balancing on the balls of your feet, while keeping your buttocks firmly on the bench.

• Grip the bar with about 1.5 times shoulder-width and keep your wrists straight.

• Pull your shoulders back and down and keep your back in a slight arch. (Bench Press Arch)

• In the starting position, your arms are extended or slightly bent, and the bar is in a straight line over your shoulders.

Execution

• Slowly lower the bar to the lower part of your chest and then press it back up to the starting position.

• Keep your upper arms at a 45° angle to your torso throughout the movement.

• Make sure your elbows stay in line with the bar.

Other Information

• A training partner or spotter can be helpful to increase safety during the exercise and to catch the weight if necessary.

Alternative Exercise Variations

Incline Bench Press
The incline bench press is a variation of the bench press where the bench is inclined at an angle of about 30 to 45 degrees. The correct procedure is similar to the conventional bench press, with the difference that the bench is inclined and the grip should be slightly wider to account for the angle.

Negative Bench Press
In the negative bench press, the focus is on the eccentric (negative) phase of the movement, where the bar is slowly and controlled lowered. A higher weight is used than in the conventional bench press because the focus is on slowing down the weight. The execution is similar to the conventional bench press, but the emphasis is more on the slow downward movement.

Overhead Press

Muscle groups targeted

Primary: Shoulder
Secondary: Chest, Triceps, Neck

Preparation

• Grab the barbell with a grip that is about 1.5 times your shoulder width and keep your wrists straight.

• Begin in the starting position by placing the barbell on the upper part of your chest.

• Pull your shoulders back and down.

• Keep your back straight or slightly arched and tighten your abs and glutes.

Execution

• Press the barbell up close to your face until it is in line with your head and shoulders.

• Hold the barbell in this position and then slowly lower it back down to the starting position while pushing your head slightly back.

• Make sure your elbows stay under the barbell.

Other Information

• It is recommended to wear flat shoes to have a stable base.

• A weightlifting belt can help achieve a stable posture of the spine by increasing intra-abdominal pressure.

Alternative Exercise Variations

Dumbbell Shoulder Press
An alternative method to the barbell shoulder press is the dumbbell shoulder press. The execution is similar to the barbell shoulder press, but here a dumbbell is held in each hand. This variation allows for greater freedom of movement and allows for individual adjustment of the weight for each shoulder.

Lateral Raises
Another method to train the lateral heads of the shoulder muscles is lateral raises. In this exercise, the arms are lifted laterally away from the body with slightly bent elbows to achieve shoulder adduction. This exercise can be performed with dumbbells or cables. It is important to move the weight in a controlled manner to avoid injury and achieve maximum contraction of the shoulder muscles.

Bent Over Row

Muscle groups targeted

Primary: Upper Back
Secondary: Biceps, Lat, Neck, Rear Shoulders, Lower Back, Abs

Preparation

• Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart.

• Grab the bar with a shoulder-width or slightly wider grip, and let your palms face backward. In the starting position, your arms are straight and your shoulders are down.

• Keep your upper body as parallel to the ground as possible, and your lower back straight.

• Slightly bend your legs and point your knees in the same direction as your toes.

Execution

• Pull the bar all the way up to your navel, lifting your shoulders upward. Then lower the bar back to the starting position and pull your shoulders down.

• Keep your forearms perpendicular to the ground throughout the movement.

Alternative Exercise Variations

Seated Cable Row
There are various rowing variations that target different muscles and movement patterns. An alternative to the bent over row with a barbell is the seated cable row. In this exercise, you sit upright at a cable machine and pull the handles towards your belly while keeping your upper body stable. This variation can also target the broad back muscle, the trapezius muscle, and the rear shoulder muscle, and offers the advantage of constant resistance through the cable system.

Pull-Ups

Muscle groups targeted

Primary: Latissimus, Biceps, Forearm muscles
Secondary: Biceps, Forearm, Rear deltoids

Preparation

• Grip the bar with a grip width of approximately 1.5 times shoulder width and face your palms forward. Begin with your arms fully extended.

• If you want to use additional weight, you can use a dip belt with weights.

Execution

• Pull your body up until your chin is level with your hands, then lower it back down to the starting position in a controlled manner.

• Make sure your elbows stay in a line under the bar during the movement.

Alternative Exercise Variations

Lat Pulldowns
An alternative exercise to pull-ups is lat pulldowns. Sit or stand at a lat pulldown tower and pull a bar towards your chest. The focus is on the activation of the latissimus and biceps muscles. To ensure correct execution, sit upright and grip the bar with a shoulder-width grip. Pull the bar towards your chest while pulling your shoulder blades down, then lower it back to the starting position.

Calf Raises

Muscle groups targeted

Primary: Calves
Secondary: ---

Preparation

• Place the barbell on your neck muscles and grip it as closely as possible.

• Stand on an elevation such as rubber mats or a box with your feet shoulder-width or closer together, so that only the balls of your feet make contact and your legs are fully extended.

• Lean your upper body slightly forward.

• In the starting position, you should be as low as possible so that your calf muscles are maximally stretched.

Execution

• Push your body up as far as possible by extending your feet and then lower it back to the starting position.

• Make sure that your legs remain fully extended throughout the movement.

Alternative Exercise Variations

Seated Calf Raises
Another variation of calf raises is the seated version. For this, you need a calf machine or calf raise block. Sit on the machine and place your feet on the platform, with your toes pointing forward. Lift your heels as high as possible and lower them again until your calf muscles are maximally stretched. Again, make sure that your legs remain fully extended throughout the movement.

Curls

Muscle groups targeted

Primary: Biceps
Secondary: ---

Preparation

• Grab the barbell shoulder-width apart and hold it in front of you. Palms facing forward and arms fully extended.

Execution

• Move only your forearms to bring the bar all the way up. Keep your elbows fixed in position close to your body.

• Slowly lower the bar back to the starting position by controlling your forearms.

• Avoid swinging movements and keep your body still.

Alternative Exercise Variations

Hammer Curls
An alternative to the classic curls with the barbell are hammer curls. In this variation, the barbell is not gripped with palms facing up, but with palms facing to the side. The arms are hanging down at the sides of the body. During execution, the dumbbells are then pulled up to the shoulders without changing the hand position. This variation not only targets the biceps muscles but also puts more emphasis on the forearms.

Tricep Press

Muscle groups targeted

Primary: Triceps
Secondary: ---

Preparation

• The exercise can be performed while standing or sitting.

• Grip the bar shoulder-width apart.

• Use your legs to lift the bar into the starting position. The upper arms should be pointing upwards in line with the torso, while the arms are as parallel to each other as possible. The wrists should be straight.

• In the starting position, the arms should be fully extended and the bar should be in a straight line above the head.

Execution

• Lower the bar as low as possible behind the head and then press it back up to the starting position.

• During the movement, only the forearms should be in motion.

Alternative Exercise Variations

Dips
Dips are an excellent alternative exercise to tricep presses. In this exercise, body weight is used as resistance, which not only trains the triceps but also the chest and shoulder muscles. To perform this exercise, two sturdy support points are needed, such as dip bars or parallel bars. The arms are extended and the hands are placed on the support points. Then, the body is lowered slowly until the upper arms are parallel to the ground, and then the body is pressed back up. Depending on fitness level and training goals, dips can be performed in various variations and intensities, such as by lifting the legs or adding additional weights.

Crunches

Muscle groups targeted

Primary: Abs
Secondary: ---

Preparation

• Start by lying on your back with your legs bent and feet flat on the ground or with legs extended in the air.

• Optionally, you can hold additional weights like weight plates or a dumbbell above your forehead to increase the intensity.

Execution

• Tighten your abdominal muscles and slowly lift your upper back off the ground by moving your shoulders towards your knees.

• Maintain tension in your abs and slowly lower your upper back back to the starting position without lifting your lower back.

• Make sure to perform the exercise slowly and in a controlled manner to maximize its effectiveness.

Alternative Exercise Variations

Hanging Leg Raises
Hanging leg raises are an effective alternative to crunches that specifically target the lower abs. To perform this exercise, hang from a pull-up bar or a abdominal trainer with straight arms and lift your straight legs until they are parallel to the floor. Lower them down in a controlled manner without touching the ground, and repeat the movement. It's important to maintain good body tension during the exercise and keep the pace slow to increase intensity.

Closing Words

I hope that these brief instructions on various strength training exercises were helpful to you, and that you can now perform the exercises correctly to achieve your fitness goals.

Update Status:
Originally created post: 05/2010
Last updated: 08/2021