The Best Exercises For Muscle Building

The best exercises for muscle building are the compound exercises, all of which are performed with free weights. Not only do they work the largest muscles of the body, but the smaller ones as well, including those that support and stabilize your joints. In combination with a good routine, a solid diet, and plenty of rest they make it possible for you to add quality muscle with regular effort. Consult your physician before beginning any diet or exercise program.

The Squat

The barbell squat is probably the single most important lift that you can perform to add muscle, strength and power. In addition to strengthening your legs and hips, which are the largest muscles in the body, squatting will strengthen your abdominals, obliques, and lower back, as well as improve your balance. To perform the squat, place a barbell on your upper back, not your neck, and by keeping your abs and lower back tight, bend at the hips, knees, and ankles until your legs at the top surface of the hip joint are below your legs at the top surface of the knee joint. Stand back up by pushing your head and shoulders back and your hips forward. Never round your back while squatting.

The Deadlift

The deadlift is a fantastic mass builder, as it not only works the back, which means the largest muscles of the upper body, but the abdominals as well as the legs, although the legs are stressed in a different manner than when squatting. To perform the deadlift, place your shins directly against a barbell that is on the floor, reach down and grab the bar, and bend your knees and hips until your shoulders are behind the bar. Without bending your arms or rounding your back, stand up by pushing your head and shoulders back and your hips forward. Continue until you are standing straight up.

Work Your Back

Chin-ups and rows are, on the surface, simple exercises. In addition to building the back, they strengthen the back of the shoulders, the biceps, and the forearms. To perform a chin-up, grip a bar with your hands slightly wider than your shoulders, and pull yourself up until your chin clears the bar, or better yet, touch your upper chest to the bar. Lower yourself under control until you have reached the limit of your range of motion, and repeat. Never bounce out of the bottom of the exercise. To perform a row, grip a barbell with your hands wider than your shoulders, lean forward, and pull the bar into your sternum. Do not round your back or jerk the bar up with your lower back.

Pressing Issues

To execute the bench press, lie on a bench with your feet flat on the floor, and keep your hips, shoulders and head flat on the bench at all times. Grip the bar slightly wider than shoulder width, lower it under control and touch your chest, then press to full extension. To perform the military press, hold the bar on the front of your shoulders with your hands just a little wider than shoulder-width. Press the bar to full extension in a straight line. Move your head out of the way of the bar, do not move the bar around your head.