Muscular strength exercises must be a part of your regular workout routine. Doing them on a daily basis helps bring you closer to your fitness goals and strengthens the muscles you use every day. In fact, doing them regularly also helps correct your posture and corrects possible back problems. Here are some muscle and strength workouts you should definitely consider adding to your regiment.
Top 5 Muscular Strength Exercises for Form and Function
Deadlifts
If you want to strengthen your lower back while improving muscle growth and strength in your legs, then you should start doing deadlifts. They may be a bit difficult to execute, but once you master it, you’ll be able to lift barbells three times heavier than you with ease.
Tip: Safety is always the priority when exercising. That’s why you should read up on what weightlifting gear you need to use for certain exercises.
How to:
- Place a loaded bar under you and in front of your shins.
- Squat down and grab the bar at around shoulder-width apart. You can use a double overhand grip or a reverse grip.
- While keeping your back straight, lift the weight up using your legs. A good way to maintain proper posture is to focus on a spot around two to three meters ahead of you.
- Once the bar is above your knees, pull your shoulders back and hold it for around two seconds.
- Lower the weight back down.
- Do three sets of 3 to 5 reps.
Pushups
If you want to condition your body, pushups are the exercises you need to do. It’s an exercise often used to measure upper body strength. They’re definitely one of the best muscular strength exercises out there that don’t require any equipment.
How to:
- Lie on the floor face down with your feet fully extended.
- Place your hands on your sides. They should be parallel to your shoulders.
- While keeping your feet together, use your hands to push your body up.
- Remember to keep your body straight, not arched or bent.
- Lower your body back down.
- Do as many reps as you can without stopping.
Barbell Squat
No muscular strength exercises list is complete without the king of all leg exercises: the barbell squat. It’s a basic exercise that promotes strength and stimulates muscle growth in your legs.
How to:
- With your feet shoulder-width apart, stand in front of a squat rack.
- Carry the weight on your traps.
- Lower your body by bending your knees while arching your back a bit.
- To maintain proper posture, focus on one spot around two to three meters in front of you.
- Once your thighs are parallel to your knees, push the weight back up.
- Do three sets of 12 to 15 reps.
Bench Press
Next, we have what’s probably known as the most popular among all muscular strength exercises. The bench press is a popular exercise known by almost any gym-goer all across the world. In fact, if you look back to your early days at the gym, it might have been one of the first muscle and strength workouts you learned.
How to:
- Lie down on a flat bench with the loaded bar directly in front of your face.
- Grip the bar tightly, then lift it from the rack.
- Lower the weight down to your chest. To maintain good posture, make sure it’s moving in a straight line upward from your nipples.
- Push the weight back up using your pectoral muscles.
- Do three sets of 12 to 15 reps.
Kettlebell Press
The kettlebell press is a great strength and flexibility exercise that allows your shoulders to move in its natural plane of motion. Using kettlebells allows you to focus on functional strength training.
How to:
- Pick your kettlebell up using your right hand and place it on your shoulders. Keep your elbow tucked in and your palms facing away.
- Push the kettlebell up until your arm is fully extended.
- Lower the weight back to your shoulders.
- Do three sets of 12 to 15 reps each hand.
Are you looking for more muscular strength exercises? Check out these kettlebell workouts by Evertrain:
What makes muscular strength activities great is their versatility. Whether you’re bulking, cutting, strength training, or simply staying in shape, these will help you with whatever you need. To further maximize their benefits, combine these muscular strength exercises with a proper diet. However, remember that at the end of the day, what’s important is you commit to your workout, no excuses!
What are your favorite muscular strength exercises? Share them in the comments section below!