Planning your training routine can be a little daunting with all the exercises out there. I like to keep things simple and organize my workouts around 4 main lifts: a squat, a push, a pull and a hip hinge.
My exercise selection varies according to my current goals and preferences. I like to stick to the same exercise for 4-6 months, get good at it and then change it for a similar exercise.
Each of these main lifts have many, many variations. This is good because it keeps training interesting and facilitates our exercise selection.
What matters most in an exercise program is the consistency. Jumping from one training program to another every month is not as good as sticking to the basics
Let's take a look at these four lifts more closely.
The squat
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Dubbed king of all exercises, the back squat is the cornerstone of any strong body. Working your legs, hips and core muscles makes it a very efficient exercise.
Favourite variations
Barbell back squat
Barbell front squat
Zercher squat
All variation of lunges and step ups
Split squats
On top of being a great overall exercise, it requires proper mobility at the hips and ankle as well as proper breathing mechanics to be done effectively.
The press
My go-to press exercise is the over head barbell shoulder press.
From a functionality standpoint, you will get more out of this exercise than benching.
What I like most about this exercise is the core work you get out of it that you don’t get in any type of lying down exercise.
Tips:
1. Keep your core engaged the whole time.
2. Focus on pushing your elbows out and up.
3. Bring the bar down to your collarbones for full range of motion.
4. Stop if your back starts arching.
Favourite variations
Dumbbell shoulder press
Barbell bench press, flat or incline
Dumbbell bench press, flat or incline
Dips
Landmine press
The pull
The pull up ranks first because of it’s simplicity. You can do pull ups anywhere as long as you have something to hang from.
It can also be made easier by using bands to help you go up.
Tips:
1. Explore the different variations of pull ups, there are hundreds out there. The each will work slightly different muscles but the lats will always be working.
2. Keep your reps controlled, you will get more muscle engagement that way. Try to go up in 1 or 2 counts and go down slowly, 2-3 counts.
3. Think about pulling your elbows down and back.
Favourite variations
Seated row
Bent over barbell row
Single arm row
Wide grip grip lat pull down
The hip hinge
The hip hinge includes all deadlift variations and works slightly more hamstrings and back muscles than the squat.
If you find that deadlifting doesn't work for you, hip thrusts offer a great alternative exercise.
Favourite variations:
Barbell deadlift
Trap bar deadlift
Dumbbell deadlift
Hip thrusts
Single leg deadlifts
Barbell cleans
Conclusion
These four types of exercises target all major muscle groups and will make sure no stones are left unturned in your program. Keep things simple and work hard on all four.
Here are three potential workout splits according to your workout frequency.
Gym 1-2 times a week
Workout 1
A squat
A push
A pull
A deadlift
Repeat the same workout twice per week and change up the exercises every other week.
Gym 2-4 times per week
Workout 1
A squat
A pull
2 auxiliary exercises for each
Workout 2
A deadlift
A push
2 auxiliary exercises for each
Repeat these two workouts twice per week and change up the exercises every other week
Gym 4+ times per week
Focus on one main lift per workout with 3-4 auxiliary exercises for each.
Switch up the main lift every 3 weeks.
Enjoy the gains,
Clem
