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5 Best Muscle Building Exercises
Do you aspire to build muscles like Sylvester Stallone, Dwayne Johnson, and Chris Hemsworth? Well, you’re not alone. Many men wish to transform their lean figures into muscular physiques. While many exercises can help you build your core strength, only the best muscle-building exercises will enable you to transform your body.
However, before we dive deep into these exercises, you must remember that exercise alone cannot help you build muscles. You will need the right nutrition, diet, and regime to help you bulk up. Moreover, building muscles requires determination, patience, and consistency. It’s a slow process that requires you to respect your body’s limitations and grow your strength gradually.
With that said, here are some exercises that will help you get killer gains! Here are some of the best muscle-building exercises that will surely help you bulk up:
Deadlifts
Deadlifting is an exceptional exercise for muscular strength as it targets various muscle groups in your body. While there are many ways to perform a deadlift, you can start with the conventional method. Keep your feet hip-width apart underneath the barbell.
Curve your hips so that they are at knee level, and put your hands on the bat. Keep them shoulder-width apart, just outside of your shins. Keep your back straight, i.e., your spine should be in a neutral position. Make sure to pull your shoulders back and engage your core by keeping it tight to create the needed tension.
Use your leg muscles to remain steady and pull the bar from the floor. Keep it close to your body as it travels up your shins and over your knees while you extend your hips. Make sure to not pull the bar using your back or arch your back midway. Bring the barbell all the way up and stand straight, with your knees and hips fully extended. Then, lower the bell by repeating the movement in reverse.
Pull-Ups
Pull-ups are hands down one of the best muscle-building exercises for your arms and shoulders. However, depending on you the position of your hands, you can perform pull-ups to tone many muscle groups in your body.
If you want to perform a standard pull-up, jump up and hold the bar. Keep your hands about shoulder-width apart and face your palms away from your body. If your palms are facing toward you, it will become a chip-up rather than a pull-up.
When you’re hanging from the bar, make sure your body is in a hollow position, i.e., keep your body compact by creating a slight C shape. Squeeze your legs together, tighten your core, pull back your shoulders, and keep your back engaged. Look straight ahead and pull your body up toward the bar until your chin moves past it.
Then, carefully lower yourself into the hanging position while keeping your body tight during movement to avoid unnecessarily swinging. If you’re new to this exercise, hang a large resistance band from the bat and put your knees or foot inside the loop to perform negative pull-ups by jumping up to the top and slowly lowering yourself with assistance.
Squats
You can perform squats in various ways, but a back squat with the barbell held across the top of your back is the best way to build your muscles. Use a squat rack to rest a barbell across the muscular part of your upper hand. Hold it in place with your hands.
Slowly lift the bar out of the rack while taking a step or two back. Make sure to keep your feet shoulder-width apart and keep the weight in your mid-foot and heels. Raise or bring your elbows forward under the bar, which will feel weird initially, but it will enable you to keep a steady natural position with a straight back. It will also prevent you from arching forward.
Keep your core engaged and keep your chest up at all times by selecting a point above eye level to focus on and taking deep breaths, and filling your lungs as you lower your body. Curve your hips in a sitting-in-a-chair motion to perform the squat. Ideally, you should keep your hips below knee level, but don’t push your body in the initial days.
When you hit the right spot, use your leg strength to drive the bar back up. Keep your core tight and chest up during the motion, and extend your knees and hips fully to correctly reach the top movement. Put the barbell back in the rack.
Shoulder Press
Shoulder Press is another popular exercise for muscular strength. You can use various equipment to perform a shoulder press. However, the barbell is the most commonly used one. Pick the barbell up from a squat rack. Put your hands on the bar about shoulder-width apart, push your elbows down, and position the bar in a front rack position to rest across your shoulder front.
Carefully lift the back out of the rack and step back. Keep your feet at least as far apart as your hips. Ensure your legs, core, and glutes are tight and engaged. Use your upper body strength to drive the bar up and over your head. The other muscles in your body will be engaged for stability.
Make sure to push the bar up until your arms are fully locked out, and your head comes through. Pause at the top of the position to stabilize your body and keep your muscles engaged. Then, carefully lower the bar back into the rack and release your muscles.
Bench Press
Bench presses can help you build your shoulder muscles, pecs, and triceps. Lie down on a bench with your back and feet placed firmly on the surface. Keep your eyes under the barbell and place your wrists neutral. Make sure to engage your glutes, legs, feet, and core.
Put your hands slightly wider than shoulder-width apart on the barbell. Carefully lift the bar out of its rack and straighten your arms by suspending the bar straight above your chest. Slowly lower the bar to your chest and gently tap it to your mid-chest.
Make sure to keep your movement controlled so that the barbell does not come crashing down on your chest. Keep your elbows close to your body and push the barbell back up until your arms are fully extended and stable.
Now that you know how to perform the best muscle building exercises, make sure to perform them under the supervision of a trainer who knows how much weight your body can handle. Perform these exercises carefully to avoid overexerting your muscles and to maintain a safe and appropriate form.
Good luck!
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