The right exercises for better progress

The article will explain to you why it makes sense to perform different strength exercises for one muscle group. It will also give you a list of “typical” exercises that you should not neglect in your training.

We all have our routine where we try to train each muscle group with different types of workouts. But do you know what exercises you need to do for each muscle group so that you don’t neglect any important parts to train your body as a whole and improve your progress?

First, you need to be aware that a muscle group is made up of several muscles that are used in different ways depending on the exercises you perform and your execution technique (Delavier, 2009). For example, the “arm flexors,” colloquially referred to as the “biceps,” consist of, among other things:

• The “short” part is the inner part of the muscle (near the pectorals), which is mainly used in exercises where the elbows are in front of the body (e.g. curl on the Larry Scott bench).
• The “long” part is the outer part of the muscle, which is mainly used in exercises where the elbows are behind the body (e.g. curl on the incline bench).

If you can vary the exercises and therefore the muscle recruitment for each muscle group, you will not only get better results, but also:

• You can train the same muscle group at least twice a week and make faster progress, especially with a “full body” or “half body” type workout.
• You can reduce the risk of muscle or tendon injuries by properly varying the exercises, since you will be using a different part of the muscle group each time you work out.
• Your muscle development can be more aesthetically harmonious if you train the majority of the body’s muscles more effectively.
• You increase your chances of progressing because a neglected muscle or muscle part can limit the overall progress of the muscle group or even the antagonistic muscle group (Page, 2010).

Here is a list of “typical” exercises, inspired by the Delavier Method (2010), for each muscle group and that you should spread over your training week. You can choose the exercise that suits you best, with the advice of a trainer to ensure proper execution and avoid injury:

• For the biceps: one exercise with the elbows behind the body (eg: curl oblique) + another in front of the body (eg: curl standing) + one exercise in the hammer grip.
• For the triceps: One exercise with the arms up to the head (e.g.: French Press) + another with the arms at the side of the body (e.g.: Pushdown on the rope).
• For the shoulders: one lifting exercise for the back part + one for the side part + possibly one for the front part.
• For the pectoral muscles: One exercise for the upper area (e.g.: incline bench press) + one for the middle/lower area (e.g.: bench press).
• For the back: one exercise for pulling “up/down” (e.g. pull-ups) + one exercise for pulling “front/back” (e.g. rowing).
• For the abdominal muscles: one exercise for “top” + another for “bottom”. You can add the oblique abdominal muscles (external + internal) and especially the lumbar muscles.
• For the quadriceps: one exercise with squat (or front squat) + one exercise on the machine (e.g. leg extension).
• For the back of the thigh: one exercise on the machine (e.g. Leg curl) + one exercise with the bar (e.g. deadlift). And not to forget: Train your calves J.