Best Resistance Training Exercises for Your Muscles

Resistance training exercises should be the primary focus of your workout routine, regardless of whether your goal is to lose weight or gain muscle.

However, before knowing about the best resistance training exercises that’ll help you gain muscle, you must understand what resistance training means. This will help you better understand muscle engagement, progressive overload, and other factors that lead to your muscles becoming bigger!

What is Resistance Training?

Resistance training exercises refer to the method of training wherein you subject your muscles to heavy load, which leads to the tearing of muscle fibers. As a result, the nutrition you provide (protein) will allow the body to rebuild the muscle fibers, making them stronger and thicker to withstand the load.

Of course, once the fibers are rebuilt, you need to increase the resistance. Reason being, if you use the same weight over and over again, your muscles will get used to it and no longer grow.

Legendary bodybuilder Arnold Schwarzenegger has always emphasized shocking muscles by using resistance training exercises to keep them growing.

Best Resistance Training Exercises for Growth

The following are some of the resistance training exercises that you should implement in your routine. The ones below are all compound movements, meaning they are exercises that focus on more than one muscle group.

1) Bench Press: Focuses on Chest, Triceps, and Shoulders

Bench press (Photo by Michael DeMoya on Unsplash)

To do a bench press:

You can do this exercise using a barbell or a pair of dumbbells.
Set an adjustable bench in a flat bench position or use a flat bench.
If you’re using a barbell, set it at a level where you can reach it by extending your hands (with a slight bend from the elbow) while you’re laying on the bench.
If you’re using dumbbells, hold one in each hand and lay down with the dumbbells beside your chest.
Arch your back, flare your chest, engage your core, and push the weight upwards.
You mustn’t allow your triceps to do the majority of the movement. The chest must take on most of the resistance.
Squeeze your pectoral muscles at the top of the motion before lowering the weight.

2) Incline Bench Press: Focuses on Chest, Triceps, and Shoulders

Incline bench press (Photo by Nathan Dumlao on Unsplash)

To do an incline press:

Set the adjustable bend to one or two levels beyond 90-degrees.
The barbell should be adjusted at a height where you can reach it while your back is against the incline bench.
Hold the barbell and unlock it.
Bring it to your chest.
Breathe in, flare your chest, arch your back, and push the barbell with your pectoral muscles.
Squeeze at the top of the motion before steadily lowering the weight till your chest.

3) Barbell Row: Focuses on the Back, Biceps, and Rear Delts

To do barbell rows:

Set a barbell in front of you, and add weight to both sides.
Hold the barbell at shoulder width.
Keep your back straight, engage your core for stability, and pull up the barbell.
Bend from your hips but keep your back straight.
Pull the barbell towards yourself in a rowing motion.
Squeeze your shoulder blades together at the top of the motion.
Hold the position for a second before gently lowering the weight.

4) Lat Pull-Down: Focuses on Back and Biceps

Lat pulldown (Photo by FitNish Media on Unsplash)

To do a lat pull-down:

You’ll need access to a lat pull-down machine.
Set a weight that you can pull.
Hold the attached bar wider than shoulder-width.
Keep a straight back, engage the lat muscles, and pull the bar down to your chest.
Steadily let the bar upwards while lowering the weight.
Control the negative so that the muscle fibers have maximum impact.

5) Barbell Shoulder Press: Focuses on Shoulder and Triceps

Barbell shoulder press (Photo by Arthur Edelmans on Unsplash)

To do a barbell shoulder press:

Set the barbell at shoulder height, and add weight to both sides.
Hold the barbell with your palms facing outwards.
Push the barbell upwards to unlock it, and place it on your shoulders.
Engage your core for stability, breathe in, and push the barbell overhead as you breathe out.
Keep your balance while steadily lowering the weight to shoulder height.

6) Hack Squats: Focuses on Legs

Hack squat (Image via Chris Bumstead's Instagram: @cbum)

To do hack squats:

Set the machine at a height where the shoulder pad is on your shoulders, and the feet is on the platform.
Your knees should be bent when you’re in the starting position.
Push through with your heels and unlock the weight.
Move downwards while supporting the weight.
Your thighs should make 90-degrees with the calves. Ideally, you should try to go lower.
Push through with your heels to keep the pressure on your quads.

You need to couple resistance training exercises with proper nutrition, hydration, and rest for growth. Resistance training exercises can also be done at home. Even if you don’t want to invest in any free weights, you can use your body weight for resistance training exercises at home. Find the resistance training at home exercises here.