Nothing is more satisfying than building a strong, aesthetically appealing body, and the benefits of achieving such physique are countless.
Investing your time and effort in building a stronger physique is definitely a profitable one.
Achieving a great physique can be reached through a solid workout program, a balanced diet and proper supplementation for your muscles.
Workout programs like Aaptiv’s can contain a variety of workouts. Along with the right supplements which can be easily bought online at CrazyBulk, you can get the physique you have always been looking for.
Here we will outline 3 main workouts that are present in 99% of any program, regardless whether you are a massive powerlifter, a shredded bodybuilder, an energetic crossfitter or an Olympic athlete.
Squats
The Squat is a compound strength exercise that engages the entire body in the movement.
This exercise is favored by all types of athletes for its effect on adding muscle mass and developing strength in the legs, as well as improving the strength of the entire body.
The squat primarily engages the quadriceps muscle, hamstrings, glutes, adductors and abductors, accordingly developing your thighs and buttocks as well as secondarily engaging the lower back, abdominals and core muscles.
There are different variations of The Squat, including front barbell squats, back squat, goblet squat, sumo squat and others.
There are two main questions that revolve around The Squat exercise: How deep should you squat and how wide?
The deeper the better. The lifter should always approach an “Ass to Grass” squat for more engagement of the muscles.
However, inexperienced lifters should always begin with a parallel squat until they master the movement. Regarding the width, there is no right answer.
As your legs move further apart, there will be more engagement in the posterior muscles (Glutes and Hamstrings) and as your legs come closer, there will be more anterior engagement (Quadriceps).
Pull-ups
One of the most important upper body exercises, pull-ups can either be done supported (for beginners), body weight or weighted (for advanced athletes).
The Pull-up is capable of engaging the entire upper body musculature at once as it engages the arms (Biceps and Brachialis) and the entire posterior muscle group (Lats, Rhomboids, Traps and Rear Delts).
Additionally, the Pull-up indirectly engages the forearms used to grip the bar and the abdominals that are used to support the body and posture during the pull-up.
There are different pull-up variations depending on the position of the grip such as; Close grip which puts more emphasis on the arms, Wide grip works the outer part of the back and thus builds a wider back and larger wings, and the Reverse Grip which focuses on increasing the back thickness.
Pull-ups are used by all types of athletes and all levels as they are considered one of the most functional exercises that improve the overall upper body strength without the risk of injuries.
Barbell Chest Press
One of the most favored gym exercises that involves developing real strength in the upper body, specifically the chest (Pectoralis Major and Minor), arms (Triceps) and shoulders (Anterior Deltoids).
This exercise can be done on a flat or inclined bench; however, as the inclination of the bench increases the upper chest and anterior deltoid become more engaged. The position of the grip is also of great influence on the effect of this workout i.e.
The close grip bench press works the triceps more than it works the pectorals and vice versa, where wider grips disengage the triceps muscle for more chest isolation, and the reverse grip bench press works the upper chest more than the lower chest muscles.
Finally, caution should be taken with the chest press as it should be done with reasonable weights to avoid serious injuries to shoulder ligaments, elbow strains and wrist strains.
Do what you got to do
These exercises alone are capable of training the majority of your muscles for a better, stronger physique. However, bear in mind that a balanced diet, and proper resting time between sets and workouts are essential.
And always remember to mix things up by shuffling between the Repetition Ranges i.e. low (1-3), medium (6-12) and High (30+) as well as doing variations of super sets, rest pause sets and giant sets to keep the progress going and keep your body wondering.
If you’re looking for more workouts, check out the Aaptiv app and download it today.