List of weight training exercises
This is a partial list of weight training exercises organized by muscle groups.
Overview
The human body can be broken down into different muscles and muscle groups. The muscles can beworked and strengthened by exercise. This table shows major muscles and the exercises used to work and strengthen that muscle.
| Exercise | Calves | Quad- riceps | Ham- strings | Gluteus | Hips other | Lower back | Lats | Trapezius | Abdominals | Pectorals | Deltoids | Triceps | Biceps | Forearms |
Lower body
Quadriceps (front of thigh)
Squat
The squat is performed by squatting down with a weight held across the upper back under neck and standing up straight again. This is a compound exercise that also involves the glutes and, to a lesser extent, the hamstrings, calves, and the lower back. Lifting belts are sometimes used to help support the lower back. The freeweight squat is one of 'The Big Three' powerlifting exercises, along with the deadlift and the bench press.;Equipment: Squats can be performed using only the practitioner's body weight. For weighted squats, a barbell is typically used, although the practitioner may instead hold dumbbells, kettlebells, or other weighted objects. Individuals uncomfortable performing freeweight squats may use a Smith machine or hack squat machine.
;Major variants: Common variations include front squats, in which the weight is held across the upper chest, and box squats, in which the practitioner rests briefly on a box or bench at the bottom of the movement.
Leg press
The leg press is performed while seated by pushing a weight away from the body with the feet. It is a compound exercise that also involves the glutes and, to a lesser extent, the hamstrings and the calves. Overloading the machine can result in serious injury if the sled moves uncontrollably towards the trainer.;Equipment: Leg press machine.
Deadlift
The deadlift is performed by squatting down and lifting a weight off the floor with the hand until standing up straight again. Grips can be face down or opposing with one hand down and one hand up, to prevent dropping. Face up should not be used because this puts excess stress on the inner arms. This is a compound exercise that also involves the glutes, lower back, lats, trapezius and, to a lesser extent, the hamstrings and the calves. Lifting belts are often used to help support the lower back. The deadlift has two common variants, the Romanian deadlift and the straight-leg-deadlift. Each target the lower back, glutes and the hamstrings differently.;Equipment: Dumbbells, barbell, trapbar or Smith machine.
;Major variants: Sumo ; stiff legged ; straight-legged deadlift.
Leg extension
The leg extension is performed while seated by raising a weight out in front of the body with the feet. It is an isolation exercise for the quadriceps. Overtraining can cause patellar tendinitis. The legs extension serves to also strengthen the muscles around the knees and is an exercise that is preferred by physical therapists.;Equipment: Dumbbell, cable machine or leg extension machine.
Wall sit
The wall sit, also known as a static squat, is performed by placing one's back against a wall with feet shoulder width apart, and lowering the hips until the knees and hips are both at right angles. The position is held as long as possible. The exercise is used to strengthen the quadriceps.Contrary to previous advice in this section, this exercise is NOT good for people with knee problems because the knees bear most of the load, especially when they are held at right angles.
;Equipment: Body weight, wall or other flat vertical surface, exercise ball placed behind the back is optional as well.
Hamstrings (back of legs)
Leg curl
The leg curl is performed while lying face down on a bench, by raising a weight with the feet towards the buttocks. This is an isolation exercise for the hamstrings.;Equipment: Dumbbell, cable machine or leg curl machine.
;Major variants: Seated ; standing.
Stiff-Legged Deadlift
The Stiff-Legged Deadlift is a deadlift variation that specifically targets the posterior chain. Little to no knee movement occurs in this exercise to ensure hamstring, glute, and spinal erector activation. The bar starts on the floor and the individual sets up like a normal deadlift but the knees are at a 160° angle instead of 135° on the conventional deadlift.Snatch
The snatch is one of the two current olympic weightlifting events. The essence of the event is to lift a barbell from the platform to locked arms overhead in a smooth continuous movement. The barbell is pulled as high as the lifter can manage at which point the barbell is flipped overhead. With relatively light weights locking of the arms may not require rebending the knees. However, as performed in contests, the weight is always heavy enough to demand that the lifter receive the bar in a squatting position, while at the same time flipping the weight so it moves in an arc directly overhead to locked arms. When the lifter is secure in this position, he rises, completing the lift.Calves
Standing calf raise
The standing calf raise is performed by plantarflexing the feet to lift the body. If a weight is used, then it rests upon the shoulders, or is held in the hand. This is an isolation exercise for the calves; it particularly emphasises the gastrocnemius muscle, and recruits the soleus muscle.;Equipment: Body weight, dumbbells, smartbells, doorbells, cowbells, bell peppers, barbell, Smith machine or standing calf raise machine.
;Major variants: One leg ; donkey calf raise.
Seated calf raise
The seated calf raise is performed by flexing the feet to lift a weight held on the knees. This is an isolation exercise for the calves, and particularly emphasises the soleus muscle.;Equipment: Barbell or seated calf raise machine; can also be done on a leg press machine.
Pelvis
- Vaginal weightlifting refers to strength training using the contraction of the pelvic floor muscles to lift weights after inserting an attachment in the vagina.
Upper body
Pectorals">pectoralis major muscle">Pectorals (chest)
- The bench press or dumbbell bench-press is performed while lying face up on a bench, by pushing a weight away from the chest. This is a compound exercise that also involves the triceps and the front deltoids, also recruits the upper and lower back muscles, and traps. The bench press is the king of all upper body exercises and is one of the most popular chest exercises in the world. It is the final exercise in 'The big 3'.
- *Equipment: dumbbells, barbell, Smith machine or bench press machine.
- *Major variants: incline ~, decline ~, narrow grip ~, push-up, neck press, vertical dips or horizontal dips
- The chest fly is performed while lying face up on a bench or standing up, with arms outspread holding weights, by bringing the arms together above the chest. This is a compound exercise for the pectorals. Other muscles worked include deltoids, triceps, and forearms.
- *Equipment: dumbbells, cable machine or "pec deck" machine.
- *Major variants: incline ~, decline ~, cable crossover.
- Cable crossovers
- Dips
Lats">latissimus dorsi muscle">Lats (mid back)
- The pulldown is performed while seated by pulling a wide bar down towards the upper chest or behind the neck. This is a compound exercise that also involves the biceps, forearms, and the rear deltoids.
- *Equipment: cable machine or pulldown machine.
- *Major variants: chin-up or pullup, close grip ~, reverse grip ~.
- The Pull-up is performed by hanging from a chin-up bar above head height with the palms facing forward and pulling the body up so the chin reaches or passes the bar. The pull-up is a compound exercise that also involves the biceps, forearms, traps, and the rear deltoids. A chin-up places more emphasis on the biceps and a wide grip pullup places more emphasis on the lats. As beginners of this exercise are often unable to lift their own bodyweight, a chin-up machine can be used with counterweights to assist them in the lift.
- *Equipment: chin-up bar or chin-up machine.
- The bent-over row is performed while leaning over, holding a weight hanging down in one hand or both hands, by pulling it up towards the abdomen. This is a compound exercise that also involves the biceps, forearms, traps, and the rear deltoids. The torso is unsupported in some variants of this exercise, in which case lifting belts are often used to help support the lower back.
- *Equipment: dumbbell, barbell, Smith machine or T-bar machine.
- *Major variants: cable row.
Deltoids">deltoid muscle">Deltoids (shoulders)
- The upright row is performed while standing, holding a weight hanging down in the hands, by lifting it straight up to the collarbone. This is a compound exercise that also involves the trapezius, upper back, forearms, triceps, and the biceps. The narrower the grip the more the trapezius muscles are exercised.
- *Upright rows are prone to injure the shoulder through internal rotation and elevation of the ball and socket joint.
- *Equipment: dumbbells, barbell, Smith machine or cable machine.
- The shoulder press is performed while seated, or standing by lowering a weight held above the head to just above the shoulders, and then raising it again. It can be performed with both arms, or one arm at a time. This is a compound exercise that also involves the trapezius and the triceps.
- *Major variants: 360 Degree Shoulder Press.
- The military press is similar to the shoulder press but is performed while standing with the feet together. Unlike the seated shoulder press, the military press involves the majority of the muscles of the core as stabilizers to keep the body rigid and upright, and is thus a more effective compound exercise.
- *Equipment: dumbbells, kettlebells, barbell, Smith machine or shoulder press machine.
- *Major variants: Arnold Press.
- The lateral raise is performed while standing or seated, with hands hanging down holding weights, by lifting them out to the sides until just below the level of the shoulders. A slight variation in the lifts can hit the deltoids even harder, while moving upwards, just turn the hands slightly downwards, keeping the last finger higher than the thumb. This is an isolation exercise for the deltoids. Also works the forearms and traps.
- *Equipment: dumbbells, cable machine or lateral raise machine.
- *Major variants: front raise, bent-over ~, 180 degree lateral raise.
Triceps">triceps brachii muscle">Triceps (back of arms)
- The pushdown is performed while standing by pushing down on a bar held at the level of the upper chest. It is important to keep the elbows at shoulder width and in line with shoulder/legs. In other words, elbows position should not change while moving the forearm pushes down the bar. This is an isolation exercise for the triceps.
- *Equipment: cable machine or pulldown machine.
- The triceps extension is performed while standing or seated, by lowering a weight held above the head, and then raising it again. It can be performed with both arms, or one arm at a time. This is an isolation exercise for the triceps. It is also known as the french curl.
- *Equipment: dumbbell, barbell, cable machine or triceps extension machine.
- *Major variants: lying ~, kickback.
Biceps">biceps brachii muscle">Biceps (front of arms)
- The Preacher curl is performed while standing or seated, with hands hanging down holding weights, by curling them up to the shoulders. It can be performed with both arms, or one arm at a time.
- Standing barbell curl
- Alternating rotating dumbbell curl
- Hammer curl
- The Zottmann curl gives a stronger focus to forearm training compared to the traditional curl.
Waist
Abdominals">Abdominal muscles">Abdominals
- The crunch is performed while lying face up on the floor with knees bent, by curling the shoulders up towards the pelvis. This is an isolation exercise for the abdominals.
- *Equipment: body weight, dumbbell or crunch machine.
- *Major variants: reverse ~, twisting ~ or side ~, cable ~, sit-up ~, vertical crunch. Reverse hanging crunch
- The leg raise is performed while sitting on a bench or flat on the floor by raising the knees towards the shoulders, or legs to a vertical upright position. This is a compound exercise that also involves the hip flexors.
- *Equipment: body weight or dumbbell.
- *Major variants: hanging ~, side ~, knee raise.
- The Russian twist is a type of exercise that is used to work the abdomen muscles by performing a twisting motion on the abdomen. This exercise is performed sitting on the floor with knees bent like in a "sit-up" position with the back typically kept off the floor at an angle of 45°. In this position, the extended arms are swung from one side to another in a twisting motion with or without weight.
- *Equipment: body weight, kettlebell, medicine ball, or dumbbell.
- *Major variants: back kept off the floor at 45° angle, back rested on exercise ball, feet resting on the floor, anchored or kept off the floor.
Lower back
Back extension
The back extension is performed while lying face down partway along a flat or angled bench, so that the hips are supported and the heels secured, by bending down at the waist and then straightening up again. This is a compound exercise that also involves the glutes.;Equipment: Body weight, dumbbell or back extension machine.
;Major variants: Without bench.
Deadlift
The deadlift is a very effective compound exercise for strengthening the lower back, but also exercises many other major muscle groups, including quads, hamstrings and abdominals. It is a challenging exercise, as poor form or execution can cause serious injury.A deadlift is performed by grasping a dead weight on the floor and, while keeping the back very straight, standing up by contracting the erector spinae. When performed correctly, the role of the arms in the deadlift is only that of cables attaching the weight to the body; the musculature of the arms should not be used to lift the weight. There is no movement more basic to everyday life than picking a dead weight up off of the floor, and for this reason focusing on improving one's deadlift will help prevent back injuries.