Category: 2011

As a natural trainer your goal should be to select the best exercises for each muscle group and organise them in a training split that allows you to recover and grow between successive workouts. But what are the most effective exercises for each muscle group? If I was to look around any gym, listen to any trainer or read research on the internet the answers can often be quite different. So who do we believe? As I have said before it is important to experiment with a range of exercises to see how they feel and document your progress to determine the effectiveness of each exercise for you (Have a look at some of my archived posts “Finding what works for you Part 1-4”).

But what if you have been struggling to make progress and have run out of effective exercise options to improve a specific body part. One way scientists have determined how effective an exercise activates muscles is by placing electrodes on the body during exercises and measuring the muscle activation (Electromyographical or EMG testing). The premise is that the exercises that cause the greatest activation should in turn be the best for maximum muscle growth and strength. Tudor O. Bompa, PhD carried out such an experiment using trained athletes.

Here are the results (exercises are placed in order of effectiveness). Some of the results may surprise you and make you consider your current exercise selections!

Chest

• Decline dumbbell bench press
• Decline bench press
• Push-ups between benches
• Flat dumbbell bench press
• Flat bench press
• Flat dumbbell flyes

Upper Chest

• Incline dumbbell bench press
• Incline bench press
• Incline dumbbell flyes
• Incline bench press (smith machine)

An interesting finding recently by scientists at the Canadian Memorial Chiropractic College discovered that performing a slightly wider than shoulder grip reverse-grip flat bench press was almost 30% more effective at activating the upper chest than incline bench presses (This movement is quite awkward and should not be attempted without a spotter when using an Olympic bar-I have found the dumbbell version useful for me and a lot easier on my wrists too). Jim Stoppani, the senior science editor at muscle fitness also cited an Australian study suggesting that the incline bench press greatly increased the use of your front deltoid compared to only a small increase in upper chest activation too (food for thought).

Side deltoids

• Incline dumbbell side raise
• Standing dumbbell side raise
• Seated dumbbell side laterals
• Cable side laterals

Rear Deltoids

• Standing dumbbell bent laterals
• Seated dumbbell bent laterals
• Standing cable bent laterals

Front Deltoids

• Seated front dumbbell press
• Standing front dumbbell raises
• Seated front barbell press

Biceps (long head)

• Preacher curls
• Incline seated dumbbell curls (alternate)
• Standing biceps curls narrow grip
• Standing dumbbell curls
• Concentration dumbbell curls
• Standing curls wide grip
• Standing E-Z bar curls

Triceps

• Decline extensions
• Triceps push downs (angled bar)
• Dips with a bench
• One-arm cable extensions (reverse grip)
• Overhead rope extensions
• Seated one-arm Dumbbell extensions (neutral grip)
• Close-grip bench press

Lats (back)

• Bent-over Barbell row
• One-arm Dumbbell row
• T-bar rows
• Lat pull downs to the front
• Seated pulley rows

Quads

• Squats (90 degree angle, shoulder width stance)
• seated leg extensions (toes straight)
• Hack squats (90 degree angle, shoulder width stance)
• Leg press (110 degree angle)
• Smith machine (90 degree angle, shoulder width stance)

Biceps femoris (hamstring)

• Standing leg curls
• Lying leg curls
• Seated leg curls
• Modified hamstring deadlifts

Semitendinosus (inner hamstring)

• Seated leg curls
• Standing leg curls
• Lying leg curls
• Modified hamstring deadlifts

Gastrocnemius (calf muscle)

 

• Donkey raises
• Standing one-leg raises
• Standing two-leg raises
• Seated raises

 

It must be said that this is not a complete list of exercises for every muscle group and the fact that we all have our own unique body structures and nuances must be considered also. However it does provide some different options for those who have had little success with some of the more traditional exercises for some body parts. So if you have been stuck in a rut for a while experiment with some of the different exercises mentioned here and improve your muscle growth and strength now!

Lately I have been using 4X training (4×10) on most exercises which involves selecting a weight you can normally do 15 reps with and trying to complete 4 sets of 10 with it while only having minimal rest periods (20-40 seconds). I have been alternating it every second workout with rest-pause training.  With rest-pause I again choose a weight I can use for 15 reps but shoot for maximum reps over 3 sets (same rest periods as 4X).  After looking over my training diary I was surprised to find that I was able to do the same if not more reps with the same weight when doing rest-pause for 3 sets than 4×10. So I put my own spin on Steve Holman’s and Jonathan Lawson’s 4X training protocol by combining it with rest-pause (Check out xrep.com for more info).

Basically I choose a weight I can complete 15 reps with and shoot for 20 first set, around 10 reps second set and around 4-6 for sets 3 & 4. So still the same sets and rep goal of 40 reps as 4×10 (and rest periods) but going to failure on Set 1 & 2 (sometimes 3 & 4 also) as opposed to only going to failure on Set 4.

It has been successful so I thought I would go into more detail into why I think it has been effective in improving my strength and muscle gains recently.

Aiming for 20 reps first set means I can maximise T.U.T (T.U.T=Time your muscles are under tension; research has shown that aiming for 40+ seconds T.U.T can be effective at stimulating muscle growth).  It also seems to get me in the right level of activation mentally and physically (in the zone) and provides comparable central nervous system stimulation to when I use deadlifts and squats to start workouts but without the heavy loads (every exercise after that seems “mentally” easier!) I also wonder if this helps to increase testosterone and growth hormone like deadlifts and squats can do too.

Second set is to failure with the goal of getting half the amount of reps as set one (ideally around 10 reps).

Set 3 & 4 can be either to failure or sub failure depending on several factors: how strong I feel, making sure I beat last week’s numbers and how close I am to reaching my 40 rep goal. Some weeks I can reach 40 reps with 2 sets going to failure with the other 2 sets only to sub-failure. Other times I will complete all sets to failure. The rep range for sets 3 & 4 can be from 2-8 (ideally around 4-6)

After reaching (or just passing) 40 reps with a given weight I will add weight and begin to build the numbers back up to 40 again over 4 sets. (Sometimes I have added more weight and completed more reps the following week!)

I have to say 4X has been awesome for several reasons.

My CNS (central nervous system), joints and muscles all recover around about the same time now whereas in the past when I tried to get stronger and bigger through heavy weights and lower reps and sets my joints and nervous system recovered a lot slower than my muscles.

The change in training protocols has meant I can now train muscle groups twice every 8 days compared to once every 7-11 days!

Having 4 sets (or 4 attempts) at beating a rep goal of 40 is easier mentally and physically.  Even getting 1 extra rep over 4 sets is progress!

I get a far better pump!

I get in the zone better.

As a result I have definitely made strength and muscle gains.  The short rest periods between 4X means I don’t have to do any cardio and I am leaner now than I used to be during the off-season too.

However there are 2 exercises I don’t do 4X on and they are squats and deadlifts.  I usually pick a weight after 2 lighter warm up sets and go for 15-20 reps on these exercises.
Here is my latest training split I have been using 4X with.

Legs & Arms (A) Quad focus

1. Leg ext. 4X
2. BB old style hacks 4X
3. Squats 2 warm up sets then 1 set to positive failure 15-20 reps
4. Calf raise 4X
5. Weighted Dips (triceps) 2X + drop set with static hold in semi stretched position.
6. Spider curls 4X
7. DB Pullover extension 4X (cross between a skull crusher and DB pullover) works triceps hard and good muscle synergy with utilising the lats when it gets hard near the end of a set.

Chest, Back & Shoulders (A)

1. Chin ups 4X
2. Bench press 4X
3. BB/Smith machine row 4X
4. Reverse grip low cable cross over press 4X
5. BB Back shrugs 4X (with more emphasis on shoulder extension than scapula elevation) Great contracted exercise for rear delts.
6. Lying incline lateral raise.
7. BB behind back forearm curl.

Legs & Arms (B) Hamstring focus

1. Smith machine Feet forward squats (same rep/sets as squats in (A))
2. Standing 1 leg curl 4X
3. Dumbbell “almost” stiff legged deadlift 4X
4. Leg press calf raise
5. Dumbbell curl 4X
6. Tri push out 4X (like a triceps pushdown except I am more flexed at the hips and elbows are aimed at weight stack not the ground.
7. Reverse cable curl 4 X

Back, Chest & shoulders (B)

1. Deadlift 2 warm up sets. 1 set to positive failure 15-20 reps
2. BB Incline Bench 2X + NA set
3. DB Row 4X
4. DB incline fly press 4X
5. Omni DB Row 4X (1 arm version of Larry Scotts side raise but at different angles)
6. DB lean raises 4X
7. Cable forearm curl 4X

I have really enjoyed this spin on 4X training!  If you are looking for a change and a challenge give this training protocol a try and see if it does the business for you!

Over the last 20 years I have tried a lot of different ideas to develop my back, however after a lot of experimentation to see what works for me I have found that I always seem to get the most bang for my buck from the exercises below albeit with some form of modification.

Dead-lifts are one of my favourite back exercises and it definitely suits my structure.  I have relatively long arms and short legs which allows me to use a reasonable amount of weight with good form (ribcage high, arch in back, abs tensed throughout).  I also always feel it strongly in my lats (you can emphasise this more by flaring out the lats on the initial pull) and upper back muscles. Some people suggest that bodybuilders should not do Dead-lifts because they can thicken the waist; I totally disagree with this rationale as my waist measurement for competitions has not grown over the years (my back has though).

Deadlifting (with good technique) has so many benefits; here are just a few of them:

• It is one of the best exercises to increase strength and muscle mass.
• It works your whole body hard!
• Research has shown that exercises that use the whole body like the deadlift can increase the amount of testosterone and growth hormone released within the body.
• It increases your grip strength.
• It can improve your posture and make it easier to perform everyday tasks like picking up something off the ground.

Some people may not be ideally suited to this exercise but there are modifications that can be made so you can get the benefits.  You can use a hex bar (where you are inside the frame of the bar)-this allows you to use your legs more and take some of the stress off the lower back.  I have found it a great way for my students at school to learn proper technique for both regular dead-lifts and squats.  Some research suggests that this exercise may even be more effective at increasing power than regular Dead-lifts for some people.  Also to overcome any leverage issues you could do partial deadlifts in a power cage.

Chin ups have always been a mainstay in my back workouts since I began training.  I alternate grips: supinated, pronated and semi-pronated as well as using a variety of grip widths.  I continue to lift as heavy as I can right up to contests to keep as much muscle as possible.  So if you are on the light side adding weight using a vest/ belt is a necessity to maintain or improve muscle mass.  Another version of the chin up I have found really effective is the Vince Gironda Sternum Chin up; usually you start with an underhand grip, around shoulder width apart (I use a D-handle hung over Smith machine bar). As you pull yourself up lean back, look up at the ceiling and arch your back throughout the movement with the aim of touching the bar with your sternum. Below is a brief explanation of the exercise taken from ironguru.com which is a site dedicated to the training ideas of Vince Gironda.

1. The beginning of the movement is more like a classical chin.
2. The midrange resembles a pullover motion.
3. The end position duplicates the finishing motion of a rowing movement.

With Chin ups I have found that when I focus more on the negative aspect of each repetition (where you have a longer eccentric movement like 4-6 seconds with a 1-2 second concentric movement) you can get an awesome pump and a better mind muscle connection so I alternate this technique with a more traditional rep cadence.  If you find Chin ups too difficult you can use a spotter, weight assisted machines and equipment until you can lift your own body weight.  Although I prefer the different variations of the Chin up, Lat Pull-downs can be an effective exercise for hitting the lats too; especially when you can’t lift your own body weight.

I perform a variation of a row every back workout with DB rows and BB rows being my preferred choices.  I perform both standard and reverse BB rows for variety and to emphasise different muscle fibres. Dorian Yates was a huge fan of the reverse version and you can’t argue with his back development!  If you have access to a hex bar then you can do BB hex rows with a semi-pronated or palms facing the body grip which will give you a different feel and allow some people to use more weight than normal. Cable rows or Machine Rows are effective too and allow an array of different hand grips and movement pathways to hit different parts of your back.

I utilise a pronated, semi-pronated and supinated grip when performing DB rows and pull towards my hip.  I also like to imagine my hand is a hook and I concentrate on pulling with my lats not my arms.

I am a big fan of Steve Holman’s and Jonathan Lawson’s P.O.F (positions of flexion) where they hit each muscle with a mid-range(compound) exercise, contracted exercise(usually an isolation movement) and stretch position exercise.  DB pullovers are awesome for the stretch position and can also provide a great workout for the long head of the triceps too.  You can emphasise the lats better by flaring your elbows out more and maintaining the same angle at the elbow throughout the movement.  Straight arm pull-downs with a shoulder width hand grip are a great contracted exercise and isolates the lats with minimal arm involvement.

If you struggle to feel your back muscles during your normal workouts you can use pre-exhaustion which can be used to fatigue the back muscles first with an isolation movement before hitting it with a compound movement.  This has been used successfully by many bodybuilders (Dorian Yates included too!) to hammer the back and kick start growth.

The back is a complex area that requires a range of exercises to hit the many different aspects of it.  Some exercises (or versions of it) will be better than others for you- so if an exercise is not giving you the results you want- change hand positions, range of motion, the path in which your body or limbs travel, angle of your torso, rep speed and exercise order to find what works best for you!

In the first article on “Finding what works for you” I discussed the best exercises for me in terms of increasing muscle growth and strength in my legs.  This time I will discuss the most productive exercises for my shoulders and arms.

For many years my usual shoulder workout used to consist of some form of presses, followed by lateral raises, DB or BB shrugs and bent raises.  However, the wide shouldered and full “pumpkin shaped look” to the deltoids was nowhere in sight. My front deltoids were already much more developed compared to the side and rear aspects and I knew a different approach was needed.  So I looked at texts on deltoid anatomy, function and their attachments, read magazines, books and the internet and found some real gems.

The legendary “Iron guru” Vince Gironda had some unique ideas on deltoid training as well as one of his protégés Larry Scott the first Mr Olympia.  They emphasised the lateral deltoid with a movement that was a cross between a Lateral raise and DB upright row. (Go to Youtube and put in Larry Scott shoulders to see his unique spin on presses, lateral and bent raises).  I got rid of presses and began experimenting with DB side rows.  Straight away I noticed a difference in the look of my shoulders; the movement allowed me to use more weight, have better muscle synergy (I could utilise the more powerful trapezius muscles to assist) and I got a far better pump in the side deltoids.  I perform the side rows at different angles to effectively hit the rear aspects of my deltoids better too.  Did my front deltoids disappear because of dropping presses?  No, they still got plenty of indirect work from side rows (depending on the angle I do them) and chest exercises.

I found that DB leaning side raises were also effective because they removed the weaker supraspinatus (rotator cuff muscle that initiates abduction of the shoulder joint) out of the movement and allowed me to use more weight to hit the side deltoid hard. (I also lean slightly forward on this exercise so the side deltoids are better isolated).  I also incorporated a stretch position exercise as some research has indicated that stretch position exercises have the potential to amp up muscle growth.  The DB lying side raise fitted the bill for this and has definitely helped my side and rear deltoids grow.

The BB Back shrug made famous by Lee Haney (8 time Mr Olympia) is a great trapezius exercise but I found that with a little more emphasis on shoulder extension as opposed to scapula elevation (moving shoulder joint back and flexing at the elbow joint instead of shrugging) that it really hit my rear deltoids hard.  These exercises have become the back bone of my shoulder workouts and I am pleased to say my deltoids are bigger, wider and more balanced as a result.

My favourite exercise for my trapezius is the Deadlift, but I also get a pump in the traps from the heavy side rows and BB Hack squats too.

Everyone wants bigger arms and your potential for arm growth can be influenced by your genetics, muscle attachments, joint size and training (and thinking-a topic I will discuss at a later date).  I have short muscle bellies and small joints so I have to take these factors into consideration when choosing exercises.  As mentioned in another article I have also found common (and very productive for some) exercises such as the standard Barbell curl, Preacher curl, Skull crushers and Triceps pushdowns to be unproductive for me for several reasons; they put too much stress on my joints, I don’t feel strong in them and it is harder to get a mind muscle connection compared to the exercises below.

My favourite triceps exercises:

With Weighted Dips I stay vertical while using the maximum weight possible for at least 10 repetitions.  I pulse in a smooth controlled fashion in the middle of the range of motion; never locking out at the top or going too low at the bottom (Upper arm does not go below parallel).

DB pullover Ext is a cross between a dumbbell pullover and skull crusher.  I feel this perfectly in my inner head (the meaty part that looks good in the front double biceps shot).  It has all the benefits of skull crushers but without the stress on the elbow joint.

Triceps push outs are just like triceps pushdowns except you lean forward more at the hip and your elbows are pointed towards the weight stack of the machine you are using instead of straight down.  I want to again emphasise the meatier inner head of the triceps and I feel this is a good alternative to the above exercise.

My favourite biceps exercises are:

DB Curls are a great natural movement because you can utilise the brachialis when the palms are facing your body (muscle in between bicep and triceps) to overcome the initial inertia of the movement and it trains both functions of the biceps which is to flex the elbow and supinate the hand (Just make sure your palms are facing towards you at the top and your little finger is slightly higher too).

 DB Spider curls are preacher curls completed on the vertical or the opposite side you normally use on the preacher curl attachment.  I have used the foot pads of a horizontal back extension machine too.  Complete one arm at a time.

 

I really feel Reverse cable curls in the lower aspect of my biceps and in the brachialis and it always gives me a huge pump.  It also works the extensors of the forearms too.  Just don’t get too excited with the amount of weight you use though.

My favourite forearm exercises are the BB forearm curl which looks like the start of the BB Back shrug except you keep your arms straight and flex your wrists up towards your forearm as high as you can and lower (only a small range of motion but nonetheless hits the forearm flexors hard).  The other is Cable standing wrist curls which I set up on a low cable attachment with a normal D handle.  I stand side on to the weight stack and cable while holding the D handle in one hand. From this position I flex the wrist towards the forearm and repeat till failure (make sure you keep elbow extended throughout).   Another effective variation is DB standing wrist curls which can be done with both arms at the same time.

If you have found the typical shoulder and arm exercises haven’t cut it for you in terms of muscle growth or strength give some of these exercises a try.  Just remember find exercises you feel strong in and can feel in the muscles and not the joints, use a variety of training techniques like different: rep speeds, rests in between sets, volume, increasing weights,  etc………………… so your muscles keep adapting and don’t be afraid to modify exercises to suit you better.  If you take this approach towards your weight training you will not only make better gains but you will also increase the chances of a longer and healthier training career.